08.31.23 – By Brandon Lenzmeier

Seattle rock legends, Pearl Jam are back in Minnesota for the first time since 2014. That’s right, it’s been nine whole years since grunge’s last men standing have touched Minnesota soil all together. 

To most of the world, Pearl Jam are a grunge rock band from the 90’s and maybe those same folks don’t even realize that the band is still making music and touring. For me, Pearl Jam has been my go-to band since the early 90’s and seeing a Pearl Jam show is an out of body spiritual experience. Thursday nights show at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul was the moving, emotional experience that we were all waiting for. Pearl Jam reminded us that although they haven’t made a stop here in almost a decade, they are very much alive, doing well, and maybe missed Minnesota as much as we missed them. 

Seattle Indie rock band, Deep Sea Diver opened the night and to be honest I wasn’t too familiar with their music before that evening. The band’s set was an eye-opening display of bandleader, Jessica Dobson and her skill on the fretboard as she played electrifyingly gritty guitar solos that were sure to get the evening off to an emotional start. Throughout Deep Sea Diver’s set I felt Dobson’s voice was very reminiscent of an 80’s pop punk singer that I just couldn’t put my finger on but I loved every minute of it. Dobson told the attentive audience that she got her first cassette tape at nine years old from her cousin and that tape was Pearl Jam’s sophomore release, Vs. “What an honor” Dobson explained, to be sharing the stage with Pearl Jam.  

Dobson took turns playing haunting notes on the keyboard and delivering grungy chords and solos on the guitar that perfectly accompanied her vocals. As their closing song approached the final notes, Deep Sea Diver’s momentum was driving hard for all of those in early attendance while leaving those still trickling into the arena curious about what they had just missed. 

It wasn’t long before the house music and lights went down and Pearl Jam walked out onto the stage to greet 18,000 highly excited and energized fans. As the rest of the band took their spots on the stage, Eddie Vedder stood in the center looking around at the crowd, taking in all of the Minnesotans that have waited almost a decade to see one of the greatest 90’s grunge bands back in their city. Vedder and the band eased into the night while sat in chairs and playing some of their softer selections for the first five songs of the set. The opening song of the night was the last track on the 1993 Vs. album, “Indifference.” This was the first time the band has opened with that song since 1994. The crowd wasted no time finding their voice, as it seemed that everyone in the building knew every word to the deep cut and no one really cared if they sang in tune.

The second song of the night, “Buckle Up,” was a perfectly timed message to the Xcel Energy Center crowd, to in fact buckle up for the ride that they were about to be taken on. As the band sat in their chairs, I had the feeling that Vedder was dying to jump out of his and move around the stage. After they played No Code opening track “Sometimes,” Vedder finally gave a long-awaited hello to the crowd, saying, “It’s been what, ten years?” The last song of the opening sit-down session was “Black,” a huge hit off their debut album, Ten, that is a crowd favorite and mine as well.  Vedder introduced the song by stating that he had recently been watching their 1992 MTV Unplugged set with his wife and teenage daughters, and admitted that he had never really watched the recording before. After watching that TV session with his family, Vedder told the crowd that it was “actually pretty fucking good.” The song “Black” almost always strikes an emotional chord with me and apparently did for everyone else in attendance that evening, as the crowd continued to sing with their hands raised to the sky. Vedder and the crowd emotionally sang the song together before handing things over to guitarist, Mike McCready who burst out of his chair and kicked it off the stage during the guitar solo, sparking a huge roar from the crowd. The band was now ready to deliver the hard hitters. 

With the band now on their feet they played the wave riding single “Given to Fly.” As this song unfolded, the scene of jumping and fist pumping visually looked like waves in the ocean, setting the tone for what was yet to come. Pearl Jam plowed through the set while making stops throughout their entire musical catalog. The set contained some of Pearl Jam’s faster and heavier songs such as “Go,” “Super Blood Wolf Moon,” and 2013’s “Mind Your Manners,” that still feels like a new Pearl Jam song even though it is ten years old.

The set would not have been complete without some of Pearl Jam’s big hits that got them to this large a stage in the first place. “Even Flow” has always been a staple at a Pearl Jam show throughout the years and the 1993 hit “Daughter” is a fan favorite sing along moment. Regular Pearl Jam concert goers know all the highlights within the songs and when to raise their hands and sing certain lyrics louder than ever, and those situations happened very frequently throughout the set.  

At times outspoken, frontman Eddie Vedder was visibly overcome with emotion. The arena fell silent as he talked about the recent tragic Maui fires and the bands connection to the island as they transitioned into 2003’s Riot Act single “Love Boat Captain.” Vedder showed his softer side again when he mentioned some “friends” that we have lost along the way, dropping names like David Bowie, Sinead O’Connor, and Minneapolis’ hometown hero, Prince before playing a moving rendition of the late Tom Petty hit “Wildflowers.”  

Pearl Jam finished the night with some bangers. “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” was played to the crowd seated behind the stage. I strongly believe that all 18,000 in attendance were singing at the top of their lungs. The band closed out the night with the house lights on so they could watch the entire arena sing along and fist pump to the mega hits “Alive” and “Yellow Ledbetter.” It appeared to me that the band would’ve stayed and played even longer if it hadn’t been 11:15pm.

I have been a part of the live Pearl Jam concert experience stretching all the way back to the 90’s. Their connection with the audience is authentic, genuine, and will keep you coming back for more.   Pearl Jam never disappoints and Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center was a reminder to us all that they are Rock N Roll Hall of Famers for a reason and their music is very much alive and well here in the Twin Cities.