Last time they headlined ACL Fest, Pearl Jam blasted a greatest hits set guaranteed to make waves in the sea of people. Rather than repeat that performance, the Seattle alt-rawk staple dug deep into its catalog for a set that, while not stylistically diverse, proved the band has more arrows in its quiver than just the classic rock warhorses.
The 24-year-old quintet opened with a moody run-through on “The Long Road” from the two-song single companion to Mirror Ball, the group’s 1995 collaboration with Neil Young. Premature respite over, Pearl Jam put the pedal to the metal with the fierce “Go,” and rarely let up for over two hours.
From vintage (“Why Go,” “Even Flow,” “Corduroy”) to contemporary (“Lightning Bolt,” “My Father’s Son,” “Got Some”), the band ripped into its catalog with gusto, letting up only for sort-of ballad “Sirens,” the acoustic “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” in the encore. The latter tunes were bulldozed in any case by the 1-2-3-4-5 punch of “State of Love and Trust” (from the Singles soundtrack), “Lukin,” “Porch,” “Alive,” and the band’s standard attack on Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
With versions of folk rock (“Love Boat Captain”), roots rock (“Red Mosquito”), garage rock (“Do the Evolution”) and punk (“Mind Your Manners”), the band dabbled in stretching its boundaries. Yet Pearl Jam is Pearl Jam no matter how the loaf is sliced. The element of surprise may be long gone, but Pearl Jam clearly still feels the fire.
ACL Fest set list, Oct. 5
“The Long Road” “Go” “Why Go” “Do the Evolution” “Mind Your Manners” “Save You” “Corduroy” “Lightning Bolt” “Faithfull” “Love Boat Captain” “My Father’s Son” “Got Some” “Even Flow” “Sirens” “Red Mosquito” “Daughter” “Rearviewmirror“
Encore:
“Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” “Imagine” “Come Back” “State of Love and Trust” “Lukin” “Porch” “Alive” “Rockin’ in the Free World”This article appears in October 10 • 2014 and October 3 • 2014.
