Pearl Jam, Doughboys in rock meltdown

08/19/93

Montreal Gazette

by Mark Lepage

"Pretty hot, ain't it? Jesus," says Eddie Vedder, stating the murderously obvious.

"We're all in it together."

The obviously poignant.

It crested at 115 degrees in the Verdun Crematorium last night, rock 'n roll become a brute activity, rock 'n roll become as bonding as skin to a T-shirt.

Onstage, Pearl Jam and Montreal's Doughboys were throwing themselves into a sweat vat of 5000 fans, who bitched and moaned about the wilting heat and threw themselves right back at the stage with a vigor that defied animal reason. Weaker bands might have thrown in a wringing-wet towel, but instead they wrung out twin victories, for different reasons.

* A Groove Band *

In some quarters, Pearl Jam is the betrayal band, riding the tattered Seattle grunge (aieee!) coattails to success with a sound the average suburban-rock mall rat can trace back to his '70s albums. Whatever. To give that opinion credence is to render all such categorizing terms as solid as wet kleenex. This is a groove band with rock's most charismatic autistic this side of Cobain, and one which has tapped into the displaced kid in everyone. Save the punk elitism for someone else.

Pearl Jam opened under diffuse blue-green light, fitting the open-ended songs, the fade-in, fade-outs of almost everything they play. Almost immediately, there was the potential for trouble, as fans were asked to step back from the stage barricade for fear somebody would faint and have the life squeezed out of them.

Vedder hung back as security opened hoses on the gamers. Looking like a Generation X derelict in shabby street clothes, he moved to the mike and threw himself all over it as the band cranked Why Go. Pearl Jam is touring with a 2-year-old debut and a sophomore album that has yet to be released. Nevertheless, the crowd picked up the chorus chant, challenging Vedder's deep, powerful vocal for space in the humidity.

* Energy in spurts *

The energy doubled for Jeremy, tripeled for Evenflow, as expected. The band's energy came in bursts, but the crowd stayed with them through a good seven or eight new songs they had never heard before. One, Daughter, was a northwest folk song. The rest were charging and streamlined, promising good things for the new album. "I'm still alive," sang Vedder, again resorting to the murderously obvious.

My opinion on the article. Well, Mark Lepage is known to be many things. First, lover of Nirvana and somewhat reluctant non-hater of PJ. He's never said he likes them, and sort of grudgingly gave the Vs. and Vitalogy albums good reviews. AS well, half the time after reading his shit, you have no idea whether or not he likes it or not. Great reviewer, eh? :)

The mosh pit was incredible. It was hotter than hell, people were dropping like flies in there, despite having the hoses on us all concert. I was so soaked my wallet was ruined, and had to replace some of my ID... :) IT was worth it though. Got a drumstick, which Dave gave to me after I got his attention and gave him the finger a couple of times. I guess he found it amusing, cuz after one of the encores, he just ran over and handed it to me in the pit. All in the pit were great, though, helping everyone who was dying in there. EdVed mentioned something along the lines of how "Great it is that you're all taking care of each other."

IN the middle of their set, EV, who was in a great mood, grabbed a big bottle of water and announced, "This is how a Canadian drinks his beer!", and then proceeded to chug a 2 liter bottle. He passed a couple out into the audience as well, which everyone shared and refilled with the hoses.

Don't have a set list (if anyone does - please e-mail me, it's not in the tour book). But all of Ten except Deep and Release were played, Oceans led off the show. Off of Vs, Go, Animal, Daughter, Rearview Mirror and Blood were definites, and my friend swears it was Indifference that ended the show, but I remember it being an Acoustic song they played last. Could it be possible? Leash wasn't played, since it was the only song I knew of theirs besides covers and their released stuff at that point. They played four covers - Fuckin' Up, Rockin' IN the Free World (how can you tell they just finished touring with Young? :)), Sonic Reducer, and Kids Are Alright. Stone had a shocked look on his face during SR, looking out into the audience and seeing a friend of mine singing all the words. Seemed to catch him off guard. Kids Are ALright gave me the chills, I hadn't known them to play that, and I think I was one of the only people there who actually knew the song.

Wow, how one can ramble at almost 2 in the morning. Hope you got something out of it. And if you have a set list, or if you have a boot of this show - please E-MAIL ME!!!! I'd give my left testicle for a boot of this show.

-Rob