Eddie Vedder
Palais Theatre, St Kilda // Wednesday February 19, 2014
Bringing his three night Melbourne residency to an end in the midst of a sell out solo tour, Eddie Vedder enters the stage of St Kilda’s storied Palais theatre to rapturous applause from a crowd whose age range can be measured by the decade.
“It’s the last one, let’s make it a good one,” he proposes, kicking off proceedings with 1995’s Long Road. His surroundings include a vintage reel to reel tape player, a pump organ, an old suitcase and not much more. The simplicity of the stage set-up is a tribute to the presence of Vedder who engages the audience with an array of Pearl Jam material as Immortality follows. After Thumbing My Way, taken from 2002’s Riot Act album, he reflects on the death of Bon Scott who passed away 34 years ago tonight. An American football jersey with a number 34 on the chest draped in the shadows in tribute.
Just Breathe summoned the first dedication of the night, going out to all same sex couples hoping to get married. The stage backdrop, up to this point a red brick industrial type image, would then symbolically transform into a large outdoor opening. “I'm going into the wild” would be his prelude to two songs taken from the movie of the same name in No Ceiling and Far Behind.
True to form, the show itself is a loosely planned affair. Though some remnants of a set-list are apparent he would look to the crowd for the next song, even reflecting light from a mirror to pick out people within the theatre. Met by a wall of requests from all corners of the venue, this was quickly abandoned and a rare acoustic version of fan favourite Corduroy would follow — to galvanise an ever demanding crowd if nothing else.
Fresh off the heels of joining Bruce Springsteen on stage a few nights earlier, a haunting rendition of My City of Ruins was next as Glen Hansard of The Frames took to the stage to share backup vocals with a now captivated crowd. Hansard, a regular touring partner, has drawn rave reviews for his opening sets throughout these shows. A trade off of what was described as Australian and American summer songs was then on offer as Throw Your Arms Around Me was backed up by X’s 4th of July. The Hunters and Collectors classic has been a popular cover on these shores dating back to Pearl Jam’s 1995 Vitalogy tour.
You could be forgiven for thinking Vedder was born to play the part of natural showman. The once reclusive Seattle native’s natural charm and self depreciating wit on full display as he continually reels off stories and one liners to the masses. He continues to do his best to make a genuine connection, no matter if he is in the company of 10 people or 10 thousand.
A heightened sense of urgency is noticeable at this point. Pearl Jam classics Betterman and Porch are reeled off in quick succession before Bob Dylan’s Forever Young is dedicated to a newborn by the name of Hazel. The pump organ is then put to work in the middle of this rushed period as the distinctive stagger of Bugs kicks in. The organ providing somewhat of a dark carnival vibe before Hansard re-emerges for a jovial rendition of Smile. their contrasting harmonies a highlight of a performance racing along at a frantic pace.
Now approaching the 2 hour mark Vedder refused to leave the stage for a traditional encore break, instead acknowledging the crowds appreciation between songs. After expressing concerns about the venues curfew and reservations about leaving “One of the best audiences of the tour” he fittingly offers a second Springsteen cover in the form of Open All Night. Following one last shot at the local council in regards to noise restrictions, Indio’s Hard Sun brings the show to an uplifting end. Another taken from the Into the Wild soundtrack, the song is a regular closer and a number of fans joining the fray at side of stage to dance away the final moments of what has been a powerful performance.
Eddie Vedder’s Australian stays have often been special. His knowledge and genuine love of this country is evident. In many ways his performances are like a one way conversation, drawing you in with storytelling and wisdom befitting of his now 49 years. The performance is not perfect, far from it, but his ability to bring a sense of intimacy to such a large group and his genuine passion for the experience is infectious.
Set Long Road, Immortality, Thumbing My Way, Gone, Can’t Keep, Sleeping by Myself, More Than you Know (Youmans), Picture In A Frame (Waits), Just Breathe, No Ceiling, Far Behind, Corduroy, Long Nights, My City Of Ruins (Springsteen), Throw Your Arms Around Me (Hunters & Collectors), 4th Of July (X), Betterman, Porch, Future Days, Forever Young (Dylan), Bugs, Smile, Open All Night (Springsteen), Hard Sun (Indio)
