April 21, 2016 – Colonial Life Center, Columbia, SC, USA

Pearl Jam Show Notes 4/21/2016:

Oceans leads off, making its tour debut, as Low Light and Small Town make for a mellow opening. Mike has a fluid, expressive solo on Lightning Bolt, after which Ed does some a cappella call and response with the crowd. Plenty of jokes from Ed about “cocks” on the night, referring to the University of South Carolina, on which the venue is located. Immortality also makes its tour debut, with the soft, arpeggiated intro. Mike uses a delay/echo effect on his solo, and there’s a short jam on the ending led by Matt. Mike’s Even Flow solo is dark and mournful, perhaps inspired by the news that broke just hours before the show that Prince had passed away. Ed comments afterwards, saying 

“all of us on this stage can tell you…that guy loved music so damn much, never stopped playing, never stopped creating…,” and continues, “…as musicians…and you just saw some great guitar playing…Prince was probably the greatest guitar player that you’ve ever seen…amazing…he will be missed.” 

Much of the crowd on the floor has purple pieces of paper that they hold up in tribute, and Light Years follows. Marker in the Sand is a mid-set surprise, having not been played since 2014. Ed talks about climate change and not trusting politicians before Infallible. Powerful ending to the main set, beginning with an energetic Jeremy, Matt bashing away at the end and Ed leading the singalong. Jeff is a machine during the spacey RVM jam. After the break, Ed comes out solo with a mandolin, and there’s a sweet moment as Ed talks about how it’s his mom Karen’s birthday (and Glen Hansard’s), and asks the crowd to sing her Happy Birthday so he can send her the tape after the show. They oblige, and are treated to the first performance of Rise (from Into the Wild) at a PJ show. Ed thanks his mom again, saying that she had sold her wedding ring to pay for his first guitar, and talks about how the “clip-on world” line in the next song was inspired by his job at a drugstore in San Diego, and Sleight of Hand is dusted off for the first time since 2014. Corduroy makes a rare encore appearance. Ed takes the opportunity to talk about the cancellation of the Raleigh show (it was supposed to have been played the night before this show) before Wasted Reprise, to mixed reactions, saying that “it wasn’t taken lightly…we were truly and honestly trying to do everything we could do to play…we apologize…it takes a certain amount of sacrifice to take care of other people and their rights when they’re left out on their own, cause it could happen to you, it could happen to me…” Porch stretches out to over 9 minutes, Matt machine-guns the final beats. Ed calls out Jeff’s “Unfuck the World” t-shirt, and Jeff says he got it from singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, who is in attendance. Mike and Matt break into a little “Purple Rain” jam before Chloe Dancer, during which Ed says “Thinking about Andy…Andy Wood.” As Crown of Thorns comes to an end, he goes over and gives Stone a hug, then crosses the stage and does the same with Jeff. Black has the “time heals” improv. Mike pays one last tribute to Prince during Ledbetter, incorporating Purple Rain into the final solo of the night.