Pearl Jam releases six new songs on first show in three years

Pearl Jam’s first live performance in over three years was eventful on Saturday, September 18 at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, NJ, as the band debuted with six songs from their 2020 album “Gigaton”. “and welcomed new tour member Josh Klinghoffer to the fold.

Pearl Jam opened the 20 song set with three new songs in a row: “Dance of the Clairvoyants”, “Quick Escape” and “Seven O’Clock”. Klinghoffer’s presence was quickly felt here, as he contributed guitar and backing vocals throughout. Best of all was “Never Destination”, a lively rocker that served as a transition to the classic “Even Flow”. Drummer Matt Cameron’s “Take the Long Way” and Vedder’s flamboyant “Superblood Wolfmoon” were also performed for the first time.

Thanks to the Jersey Shore setting and his longtime friendship with the world of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen was rumored to make a surprise appearance during filming. The man himself did not appear, but his music and Asbury Park legacy was praised by Vedder with a cover of the Boss’s homage to Asbury “My City of Ruins”, featuring featured a choir of four musicians mobilized yesterday for the performance.

Sea.Hear.Now producer and acclaimed rock photographer Danny Clinch invited the band to harmonica during “Red Mosquito”. Clinch has worked closely with Pearl Jam and Springsteen over the years, and has long been a champion of Asbury Park music and culture. Her local gallery, Transparent Clinch, hosted a pop-up festival featuring stripped-down performances and original artwork from festival acts.

In a set with so many new features, Pearl Jam did not skimp on the hits, with the end of the first set of “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town”, “Given to Fly”, “State of Love and Trust “,” Better Man “and” Porch “evoking the energy of vintage rock ‘n’ roll.

To close the show, Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye joined Pearl Jam for Neil Young’s “Rockin ‘in the Free World”.

“We are delighted that you did it,” Vedder told the 30,000 spectators, most of whom had purchased tickets to attend the festival, as originally planned a year ago. “We’re happy we were able to make it happen and I think we’re all going to make it together.”

As for Klinghoffer, he replaced guitarist John Frusciante in the Chili Peppers in 2009, but was himself replaced by Frusciante when the latter took over in 2019. He has since moved into Pearl Jam’s orbit in performing at Peak to Sky by guitarist Mike McCready. festival in Montana and contributing to singer Eddie Vedder’s upcoming solo album, “Earthling”.

Klinghoffer was due to open Pearl Jam’s North American tour in 2020 with his project Pluralone, and sources tell Variety the plan was for him to also contribute during Pearl Jam sets, mainly to help flesh out the songs on the new album. “Gigaton”. Although no announcements were made at the time, Klinghoffer went so far as to rehearse with Pearl Jam just before the scheduled start of the trek on March 18, which was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not yet been reprogrammed. He also made a cameo appearance on camera during Pearl Jam’s performance of “Dance of the Clairvoyants” for a live broadcast to benefit COVID in June 2020.

As previously reported, Pearl Jam will be back in action the next two weekends at Vedder’s Ohana Festival in Dana Point, Calif.