Eddie Vedder 6-23-09
Cobb Energy Center · Atlanta, GA
BY STEPHANIE JACKSON
On June 23, one of this summer's least-hyped tours rolled into Atlanta for the first of two concerts, as Eddie Vedder, lead singer of grunge kings Pearl Jam, began the last leg of his first solo tour.
Performing sans-band in the Cobb Energy Center, built to showcase the Southern city's ballet and opera troupes, Vedder allowed his haunting, "golden baritone" to shine through, relying on talent over noise.
Fans were treated to an early warning that those who came to hear Pearl Jam classics should hold their shouted requests for future tours, as Vedder intended to use this tour as a type of scouting mission for future venues. He did, however, make a much-celebrated promise to return to the city, as he revealed that the band has just finished recording a brand new album, which he called a "Christmas present" to the fans.
The tour is not for casual fans. As promised, Pearl Jam classics are merely peppered in with his solo work from 2007's Into the Wild soundtrack (including Golden Globe winning "Guaranteed") and covers of such classic artists as Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen. High-energy classic singles are traded in for b-sides, which Vedder still manages to perform as if he had the full force of the band behind him.
Throughout the show, Vedder interacted with a sold-out audience featuring every scenario from father-and-son bonding trips to drunk college kids still reeling post-Bonnaroo. Vedder kept the pace slow, telling stories and encouraging sing-a-longs. After an hour-long set, Vedder returned to the stage with opener and artist-to-watch Liam Finn to pick up the pace with a few more Pearl Jam classics. Finn's backup singer, the lovely EJ Barnes, also joined Vedder for a few more Into the Wild songs.
A second encore saw Finn on drums as Vedder put all he had left into a booming version of "Hard Sun," forcing the still-packed house onto its feet. While Vedder is at his best with accompaniment, his solo work is worth a listen, if not the $75 price tag that comes with seeing the too-short show live.
