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Pearl Jam's 2018 European Tour Leg

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July 17, 2018 – O2 Arena, London, ENG

Main Set: Oceans, Nothing As It Seems, Go, Corduroy, Save You, Do The Evolution, Given To Fly, In Hiding, I Am Mine, Green Disease, Even Flow, Daughter/(It’s O.K.), You Are, Satan’s Bed, Can’t Deny Me, Mankind, Whipping, Lukin, Rearviewmirror

encore 1: I Won’t Back Down, Fatal, Around the Bend, Jeremy, Mind Your Manners, Breath, Crazy Mary/(Stairway To Heaven/Paint It Black), Porch

encore 2: Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Wasted Reprise, Alive, Baba O’Riley, Yellow Ledbetter

Show Notes:

Make-up show for the 6/19 postponement due to Ed losing his voice. The band announced the cancellation on their site, saying “singer Eddie Vedder has completely lost his voice and is on vocal rest for the next few days,” and…

Show Notes: 

Make-up show for the 6/19 postponement due to Ed losing his voice. The band announced the cancellation on their site, saying “singer Eddie Vedder has completely lost his voice and is on vocal rest for the next few days,” and “It’s the first time ever having to postpone a show for this reason. Ed and the band are gutted thinking of all the folks who have travelled and made plans.” The rescheduled date was announced a week later, thus becoming the final show of the European leg. After “Do the Evolution,” Ed asks for the house lights to come up so he can see everyone, and says they are going to play like there’s no tomorrow, but reminds the audience to go crazy, but not to be dangerous to anyone around them. He then addresses the cancellation: “I’d like to say something quickly before we continue because it’s been weighing on my mind for about 3 and half weeks since we were last here. I’d just like to send out my deepest apologies and my deepest thanks and it all goes to the same people, which is all of you out there and everyone in this group. I never really had that happen before and so it broke my heart and having a busted throat and a broken heart at the same time was really a nightmare of an experience. If it wasn’t for the energy I got from these guys, our crew and also our audience I don’t know if I… it was everything as far as coming back and making a recovery. For all the people who had to change their plans, and I know some of these familiar faces, you had to make some big changes, I’m so grateful, I’m so sorry and I’m so thankful to everyone…I deeply appreciate it and I look forward to paying you back all night. And so in the immortal words of Marvin Gaye, ‘Let’s get it on.’”

Following “Green Disease,” Ed introduces Peter, “a hometown member of the crew” from Cornwall, and jokingly asks how he can work for them and live in Cornwall. After Evenflow, Ed asks the crowd to cheer for Mike McCready and tells how the band almost lost him to a job in Los Angeles, essentially giving facelifts “like newborn babies” to women through his guitar playing, but leaving them unable to hear the compliments. He then mentions some of his favorite protest signs, including, “God save the queen from the rotten tangerine.” He continues, “my daughters aren’t here tonight because otherwise I’m going to say a couple words that they’ve never heard me say before, and if they were here they’d say, ‘fuck you dad, we’ve heard the records,’ I’d call Trump a twat but he lacks depth and warmth.’ But perhaps the most important as we go into the next song, ‘a girl’s place is in the resistance.’ So women of the world, please take over,” leading into Daughter. Before Mankind, Ed teases Stone and Jeff: “the people have spoken and they want to hear…Sweet Lew…they would like to say, let Stone sing, ladies and gentlemen, Stone Gossard!”  Stone thanks Ed for “carrying us all these years, leading this organization and inspiring us all, so EV thanks a lot we really appreciate it as a band collectively but it’s about fucking time you let me sing goddamnit.” Mankind inevitably breaks down towards the end, to which Stone quips, “OK, I guess that’s the reason he doesn’t let me sing, it makes sense.” This leads to a “Let Jeff sing” chant, prompting Ed to say “Jeff shall not be singing tonight,” resulting in a disappointed crowd. Jeff pops in with “I have a sore throat,” then Ed responds playfully “you fucking asshole, that’s a dig at me isn’t it?” Fatal is a rare treat, only the 7th performance ever. Ed dedicates Around the Bend to a group of people who had been to “so many shows, I feel like they have been to more than I have.” After Breath, Ed recognizes the birthday of Sam (band chef) and Stone’s birthday in 3 days. A cake is brought out and promptly smashed into Stone’s face, seeming to cause a bit of an eye issue, to which Ed remarks, “Getting old is a bitch.” During “Crazy Mary,” there does seem to be continuing concern about Stone’s eye, as he and Jeff get together during Mike and Boom’s jam. Ed talks about playing at Borderline, amongst other smaller clubs in the early days, leading into Small Town. Prior to Wasted Reprise, Ed thanks the crowd again: “Really it is you…if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be doing this thing. We’d still be close and hang out but if it weren’t for you providing the opportunity, the energy, the dedication, and the support from your side…it’s really been everything to us. So thank you, thank you, thank you.” The band leaves the stage after Yellow Ledbetter as some of the audience begins to file out, but they regroup for an impromptu All Along the Watchtower to close out the European leg of the tour.

Written by: Nick Smith

July 14, 2018 – NOS Alive Festival, Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Lisbon, POR

Main Set: Low Light, Better Man, Go, Mind Your Manners, Do The Evolution, Given To Fly, (Interstellar Overdrive)/Corduroy, Rats, Even Flow, Daughter/(W.M.A./It’s O.K.), Unthought Known, Down, Jeremy, Can’t Deny Me, In My Tree, Black/(We Belong Together), Lukin, Rearviewmirror

encore 1: Imagine, Comfortably Numb, Porch/(Seven Nation Army), Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World

Show Notes:

Low Light opens as the sun goes down near the waterfront. Rare early-show appearance of Betterman.  Ed addresses the crowd after Corduroy, saying “I drink to you! I drink to summer! I drink to Portugal!  I drink to the great…

Show Notes: 

Low Light opens as the sun goes down near the waterfront. Rare early-show appearance of Betterman.  Ed addresses the crowd after Corduroy, saying “I drink to you! I drink to summer! I drink to Portugal!  I drink to the great Matt Cameron on the batteria!” Rats makes its tour debut. Mike is absolutely on fire during Even Flow. It’s Ok tag is sung in Portuguese (“Está tudo bem”). After Jeremy, Ed mentions that they shared the very same stage with The White Stripes several years ago, and this time around it’s Jack White. Ed describes Can’t Deny Me as a protest song inspired by the womens’ movement occurring in the States and around the world at the time, and dedicates it “for all the ladies and the strong men that support them.” Mike is in full Hendrix mode during Black, and Ed improvs before the We Belong Together tag: “If I had to do it all again/Probably make the same mistakes/’Cause I’m a stupid man/If I had the chance to do it again/If I had the chance to do it again.” Ed goes on an emotional rant out of the break about the state of the world, stating that those in power who are “holding onto these antiquated ideals…will eventually go away,” and we should all help speed up that process, leading into a gorgeous Imagine. Before Comfortably Numb, Ed states “We’re going to borrow this next song as well. So thank you John, thank you Yoko, and thank you Roger.” Porch features an extended tease of Seven Nation Army (complete with an impromptu crowd singalong), and the screens pan over to Jack White who is watching the concert from the side of the stage (and grinning like a little kid). Jack then joins on lead guitar for a rousing RITFW, relegating Stone to tambourine duty, and Jeff relinquishes his bass near the end and joins Boom at the piano.

Written by: Brian Horwitz

July 12, 2018 – Mad Cool Festival, Valdebebas – IFEMA, Madrid, ESP

Main Set: Release, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Given To Fly, Lukin, Corduroy, Why Go, Animal, Even Flow, Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Eruption, Jeremy, Can’t Deny Me, Do The Evolution, Wasted Reprise, Better Man/(Hunger Strike)(Save It For Later), Porch

encore 1: Just Breathe, Sirens, Black/(We Belong Together), State Of Love And Trust, Rearviewmirror, Alive, Rockin’ in the Free World

Show Notes:

Release builds up very nicely to open. Ed starts a brief callback with the seeming intention of throwing the crowd off guard before rushing into Lukin. Corduroy includes the extra solo from Mike during the new breakdown section. After Why…

Show Notes: 

Release builds up very nicely to open. Ed starts a brief callback with the seeming intention of throwing the crowd off guard before rushing into Lukin. Corduroy includes the extra solo from Mike during the new breakdown section. After Why Go, and perhaps referencing the organizational chaos marking the festival’s first day, Ed’s greeting to the crowd in Spanish relates a conversation about the amount of people in attendance: “A friend told me… ‘No, you don’t understand, the people in Madrid are insane’ and I adore insanity, so here’s a big hug to all my crazy friends.” Ed speaks in Spanish again before Even Flow, recalling how Mike first played the song in Madrid 26 years earlier to a few hundred people: “He played amazing that night, but wait ‘til you see him play now.” Can’t Deny Me is introduced with a dedication to “all the strong women in the audience who will change the world” and a PSA video featuring actors Luis Tosar and Javier Bardem reminding the men in the audience that “no means no,” eliciting rousing applause: feminism and violence against women are especially prominent issues in Spain at the moment. Ed wraps up Wasted Reprise by adding “Enjoy your last breaths, old men, of racism and sexism, you fuckers are going to die and it’ll die with you.” Better Man gets the slightly extended version of the Save it for Later tag. Mike, Stone, and Jeff spend the breakdown of Porch in a three-person guitar circle while Ed steps down to the ground and walks down a corridor stretching into the VIP area closest to the stage to mingle with the crowd (hugs and even a kiss included). Just Breathe intro is interrupted by someone from the crowd’s expression of affection, and Ed responds “You’re very nice… I love you, too” before going on to describe the song as about “the big love…as big as the oceans…as big as the Spanish summer sky, as big as the crowd at the Mad Cool Festival” and invites the crowd to illustrate how big they are by lifting the lights of their phones to be projected on the stage screens, and finally dedicates the song to Bardem and Penélope Cruz. Ed precedes the “We Belong Together” tag on Black with “Lo siento” (I’m sorry), and heads back to the crowd during “State of Love and Trust” for help singing. Possibly pressed for time (a few more bands are still scheduled), and after one more hug for Ed with the crowd, Matt signals a somewhat abrupt end to Alive, and the band immediately transitions into Rockin’ in the Free World to end the set, skipping the second verse, but not without a timely lyrical adaptation (“there’s a million points of light for the immigrant man, open our hearts while we can”) to bring the night to an end.

Written by: Eric Stevenson Gonzalez

July 10, 2018 – Palau St. Jordi, Barcelona, ESP

Main Set: Long Road, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Corduroy, Hail, Hail, Mind Your Manners, Do The Evolution, Ghost, Nothing As It Seems, Setting Forth, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Oceans, Light Years, Daughter/(It’s O.K.), Jeremy, Go, State Of Love And Trust, Porch

encore 1: Sleeping By Myself, Come Back, Lightning Bolt, Black, Once, Rearviewmirror

encore 2: Smile, Wasted Reprise, Better Man, Alive, Baba O’Riley, Yellow Ledbetter

Show Notes:

Early appearances of Elderly Woman and Corduroy get the crowd going early, huge singalongs. Mike takes two long and melodic solos during Corduroy. Ed greets the audience with a “Salud salud” and “Hola Barcelona,” trying hard to incorporate a Barcelona…

Show Notes: 

Early appearances of Elderly Woman and Corduroy get the crowd going early, huge singalongs. Mike takes two long and melodic solos during Corduroy. Ed greets the audience with a “Salud salud” and “Hola Barcelona,” trying hard to incorporate a Barcelona accent, and draws some wild applause when he references the ongoing World Cup. Ghost makes its only appearance of 2018, and the band sounds incredibly tight on it. A member of the crowd yells out “You’re killing it Mike” before Nothing as it Seems. After Setting Forth, Matt starts the beat of Not For You, and Jeff begins jamming a little bit, as if he is about to join in, but with a quick turnaround, the band goes straight into Given to Fly. Even Flow is introduced as “Tiny penis orange man.” Leading up to the show, there was a concerted fan-led effort to get the band to acknowledge a fan, Israel, who had recently passed. Ed comments after Even Flow:

“You know, someone who couldn’t be here this week to see these shows. You know sometimes you lose…there’s a bit of a family, you know there’s lots of people who have listened to us long enough to where they’ve met at shows and then gotten married and had kids and brought kids to shows and there’s a bit of a community and so when you get news that you lost one of your, the folks in your community, it’s nice to see everyone come together and support each other and the loved ones of that person and as a band we’d like to participate in supporting that person and that family and their memory and so we’d like to…it’s very powerful, it’s probably one of the most important byproducts of being in a group that we had no idea would ever happen, we’re just happy to be here together but we’re here together. And so this one, I thought it would be nice if we just take this room and light it up for a young man named Israel who should have been here tonight. He went into some surgery that he should have come out of, and there were some complications, and, um, the news was sad so what we’d really like to do is come together for him tonight. This is for brother Izz and his friends and his family.”

This leads into Israel’s favorite song, Oceans, and they keep the  tribute going by following it up with Light Years..

The “It’s Ok” tag in Daughter is replaced with “Esta Bien,” and the Spanish crowd gladly obliges. An audience member has a Gord Downie shirt that Ed mentions on mic and asks the cameras to show it. He says that he lost a friend recently, and that this next one is for his friend Ken. The band launches into Come Back, an incredible version with a lot of space, great vocals and some very emotional guitar work. Wasted Reprise goes straight into Better Man, with Ed adding some extra lyrics to Save it for Later. Mike starts Yellow Ledbetter, but Ed abruptly stops him to say:

“Whoa whoa whoa, I’m sorry…I had to tell you, I’m looking for a young boy named Miguel because I want to give him his first glass of wine. I got this letter, it says Dear Eddie, oh and it had a great drawing on it too, I think they might show it ‘there’ [points to video screen], its a great drawing of us playing live…there’s Matt and Jeff and Stone and Mike and me and he’s right in the front so he should be…that’s not Miguel is it…that’s right in the spot, you’re right in the spot. You make sure this gets to him, yeah? So it says ‘Dear Ed, my name is Miguel. I’m 9 yrs old, I’m a big fan of yours. I’d like to meet you tomorrow. Tomorrow is a great day for me because I’ll see you live. I’ve waited a long time for this moment.’ [laughs] Well I’ll tell you what Miguel, after tonight, it won’t be another 12 years before we’re back in Barcelona. We’re very…and lastly he says…’I would be very grateful, if you play tomorrow at the concert, Yellow Ledbetter.’ So it’s our pleasure Miguel, this is for you my friend.”

Yellow Ledbetter ends the night, the crowd bids farewell to the band with a soccer cheer, and Ed steps back up to the mic and says “We truly truly love this city, and as people here tonight we thank you so much, we really can’t wait to come back….I will keep it with me I promise.”

Written by: Sheehan Perera

July 7, 2018 – Rock Werchter Festival, Werchter Festival Park, Werchter, BEL

Main Set: Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Animal, Mind Your Manners, Do The Evolution, (Interstellar Overdrive)/Corduroy, Kick Out The Jams, Even Flow, Habit, Given To Fly, Can’t Deny Me, Wishlist, Spin The Black Circle, Why Go, Jeremy, Lukin, Porch, Imagine, Once, I Believe In Miracles, Black, Rearviewmirror

encore 1: Alive, Baba O’Riley

Show Notes:

Small Town opens, setting the campfire mood of a late night festival set. Ed tries to get the crowd to sing along at the end, which is heard from the front but not the full crowd as a whole.  Do…

Show Notes: 

Small Town opens, setting the campfire mood of a late night festival set. Ed tries to get the crowd to sing along at the end, which is heard from the front but not the full crowd as a whole.  Do The Evolution, however, features the crowd chanting along to Stone’s playing during the bridge with a bit of Ed’s encouragement. Corduroy is the extended version, and also has some crowd chanting during the intro. Following the song Ed addresses the crowd in Dutch for a few lines, which is always a struggle.  He continues in English, offering that this is the best [festival] lineup and the group can’t remember another lineup that compares, and it means a lot to them to be on this stage and they are very grateful.  He offers it’s their 5th time playing the festival and introduces Matt Cameron on the drums, and that this is his 7th time, as he’s played it with Soundgarden, adding “We have something special tonight…and speaking of Soundgarden, we have Mr. Kim Thayil with us here tonight and he doesn’t normally leave Seattle. He’s got an incredible gang with him because he’s over here doing some amazing shows so right now it is my honor to introduce a true legend…MC5, Mr. Wayne Kramer, I turn the mic over to you. Here I guess you’d call him Vayne, so Vayne this is Werchter, Werchter, this is Wayne.” The MC50 lineup of the MC5 joins on stage, including Wayne, Kim, Doug Pinnick (King’s X), Brendan Canty (Fugazi), and Marcus Durant (Zen Guerrilla), Ed introduces the members and then hands the mic to Wayne who offers the famous line, “right now…right now…it’s time to kick out the jams, motherfucker!” The combined bands then perform the MC5’s “Kick out the Jams,” trading off solos, with Marcus and Ed trading verses. Ed teases “here’s a quiet one for you” before going into Even Flow. Prior to Habit, he says “Jack White dedicated a song earlier to Donald Trump and I don’t want to give him too much attention…but we got one for him too.” Habit falls apart halfway through, leading Ed to offer “fuck him it’s not worth it.” The improv that follows features the lines “oh what I’d do to you if I thought I could get away with it, what I could do to you.” Given to Fly is introduced with “this one is for all our kids and the next generation who are going to make it alright.” Jeremy features a rather large crowd participation at the end, singing along during the outro, and Ed recognizes the good singing. Jack Johnson joins for Imagine amidst a wash of cell phone lights throughout the crowd.  Jack and Ed trade versus and the song is performed with the full band seated. Ed attempts in Dutch to congratulate the Belgian football team after Once (Belgium had defeated Brazil 2-1 the previous night in the World Cup), and says  they’d like to play some Ramones for the crowd and the team, leading into I Believe in Miracles.  An 8-minute Black includes great crowd participation on the last lines, Mike’s solo slowly fading into the crowd taking over singing the outro and clapping. Out of the break, portions of the crowd continue singing the outro to Black. Alive is dedicated to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Mike begins a few notes of Yellow Ledbetter before Ed calls an audible and starts Baba O’Riley instead.

Written by: Nick Smith

July 5, 2018 – Waldbühne, Berlin, DEU

Main Set: Wash, Sometimes, Corduroy, Why Go, Save You, Given To Fly, Red Mosquito, In My Tree, Even Flow, Wishlist, Habit, Angie, Daughter/(It’s O.K.), Deep, Mind Your Manners, Unthought Known, Lukin, Porch

encore 1: Thin Air, Thumbing My Way, Breath, Do The Evolution, Black/(Time Heals), Rearviewmirror

encore 2: Comfortably Numb, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World

Show Notes:

Ed extends the  “dear god” lyric in Sometimes. Longer than usual Corduroy breakdown before call and response section, and Ed addresses the crowd in German before the end solo section. Cameron destroys the ending. Active moshing and on-point clapping from…

Show Notes: 

Ed extends the  “dear god” lyric in Sometimes. Longer than usual Corduroy breakdown before call and response section, and Ed addresses the crowd in German before the end solo section. Cameron destroys the ending. Active moshing and on-point clapping from the pit during Save You. Given to Fly lyric is changed to “made it out to Berlin..” Ed mentions that Mike, Jeff, and Stone had played this venue before with Neil Young (on the 1995 Mirrorball tour), then introduces special guest Danny Clinch on harmonica for the next song called “Blue-eyed frog” (Red Mosquito). “Fuck Trump” is added to the first verse of In My Tree. Ed mentions he is looking for J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. in the crowd, and dedicates Even Flow to him. One of the wishes in Wishlist is to be “as fortunate as Mike McCready.” Habit is introduced as “Tiny Orange Penis Man,” the spoken line is “speaking as a man who despises racism in ANY form.” “Angie” is on the setlist but only teased. Ed asks for the girls/women to help on an extended ‘It’s Ok’ tag, then shouts out the Ramones museum before Lukin (prompting a “hey ho let’s go” chant). During Porch, the crowd begins tossing cardboard beer caddies into the air and onstage, Jeff grabs one and plays bass with it. After the break, Ed says they’d play until dark, but the band didn’t realize how much the crowd had been drinking, then reads a note from a Prague man who found his wife through a show, dedicating Thin Air to him, but Stone hilariously can’t remember how the song goes. Ed plays electric guitar on Thumbing My Way and dedicates Breath to ‘Singles’ character Cliff Poncier, “who is here tonight.” He quickly mentions that the band’s families are in town and are having a great educational experience before the second encore begins, including his daughters’ trip to the Berlin Wall, dedicating Comfortably Numb as a thank you to Roger Waters. J Mascis is found and brought onstage for the Rockin’ In The Free World finale.

Written by: Joey Goodsir

July 3, 2018 – Tauron Arena Kraków, Kraków, POL

Main Set: Of The Girl, Present Tense, Last Exit, Why Go, Do The Evolution, In Hiding, Other Side, Green Disease, I Am Mine, Even Flow, Garden, Severed Hand, Not For You/(Modern Girl), You Are, Given To Fly, Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Porch

encore 1: Just Breathe, All Or None, Footsteps, Once, Whipping, Wasted Reprise, Better Man

encore 2: Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Comfortably Numb, Alive, Fuckin’ Up, Yellow Ledbetter

Show Notes:

Of the Girl and Present Tense makes for an interesting open. Ed first greets the lively crowd after Do the Evolution, recounting their first Polish show, Warsaw in 1996, and remarks it’s their first time in Krakow. Other Side is…

Show Notes: 

Of the Girl and Present Tense makes for an interesting open. Ed first greets the lively crowd after Do the Evolution, recounting their first Polish show, Warsaw in 1996, and remarks it’s their first time in Krakow. Other Side is played for only the 3rd time, and the first since 2013. Green Disease is requested in an unusual fashion by a couple of girls: “not normally do we get requests on the forehead,” Ed says. Later, playing Garden, he shares “it was written a long time ago, but still has a lot of meaning to us.” You Are and Given to Fly pair well together near the end of the main set. After the break, toward the end of Just Breathe, the front of the house sound console fails, and the crowd finishes the song singing it a capella, transitioning into the outro of Black. Under the bed of Wasted Reprise, Ed discusses the importance of various protests in the country, including pro-gender equality and LGBT rights demonstrations, the protest for the rights of people with disabilities, and the threats in the country to limit peaceful protests. The crowd is engaged in some call and response during the Better Man jam with Ed improvising off of Save it for Later, stretching the song out to 8 minutes. Alive completes the show’s Mamasan trilogy, Once and Footsteps having been played earlier in the encore. Show heavy on Riot Act-era songs and Ten songs, an unusual juxtaposition.

July 1, 2018 – O2 Arena, Prague, CZE

Main Set: Pendulum, Nothingman, Corduroy, Brain Of J., Do The Evolution, Tremor Christ, Lightning Bolt, Dissident, Even Flow, Jeremy, Improv, Love Boat Captain, (Help!)/Help Help, State Of Love And Trust, Spin The Black Circle, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Porch

encore 1: Man Of The Hour, The End, Given To Fly, Unthought Known, Black, Rearviewmirror

encore 2: Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World, Indifference

Show Notes:

Nothingman is met with a huge ovation from the crowd and turns into a campfire moment early in the show. Corduroy kicks over the campfire into a booming singalong. Evolution gets the crowd hopping, singing, and sweating. Tremor Christ is…

Show Notes: 

Nothingman is met with a huge ovation from the crowd and turns into a campfire moment early in the show. Corduroy kicks over the campfire into a booming singalong. Evolution gets the crowd hopping, singing, and sweating. Tremor Christ is played for the first time since 2016. After Lightning Bolt, Ed comments “Sometimes, let’s say this isn’t happening in the United States, when you have a really horrible leader, it sure makes you remember how lucky you were to have a great one, how we don’t have a great leader in our country, and when it makes you remember when you had a great one.” Dissident is dedicated to Vaclav Havel (a dissident from the Czech Republic who became their president), Ed mentioning how “Havel was a great human and one of the great figures of the 20th Century, and was a huge fan of the Velvet Underground.” Love Boat Captain has an improv as a lead-in, with the lyrics “No, I won’t be quiet, I won’t mind my manners, in your devices, in your evil plans, I will use my voice and everything I got, we all deserve to know we’re not?” It transitions into the song perfectly. The first verse and chorus of the Beatles’ “Help!” are debuted by Ed solo, which leads into Help, Help, the first time ever for the Help!/Help, Help combo. State of Love and Trust stays true as a crowd favorite, with Ed going down and giving the mic to the crowd before returning to the stage for the end of the song. I’m Waiting For The Man, by the aforementioned Velvet Underground, is tagged along with Save it for Later on Better Man. Together, Mike and Jeff destroy the faces of the crowd in Porch. After the break, Ed sees a couple of requests for All or None and says, “they don’t know all, they know none, but they do know some of the or.” The End makes its 2018 debut, played by Ed solo. Crowd is full on jumping for Given to Fly! Tonight’s song to the back of the stage is Small Town, and Indifference closes the show, bookending the campfire vibe that started early.

June 26, 2018 – Stadio Olimpico, Rome, ITA

Main Set: Release, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, (Interstellar Overdrive)/Corduroy, Why Go, Do The Evolution, Pilate, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Wasted Reprise, Wishlist, Lightning Bolt, Again Today, Untitled, MFC, Immortality, Unthought Known, Eruption, Can’t Deny Me, Mankind, Animal, Lukin, Porch

encore 1: Sleeping By Myself, Just Breathe, Imagine, Daughter/(W.M.A.), State Of Love And Trust, Black Diamond, Jeremy, Better Man/(Save It For Later/I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend)

encore 2: Comfortably Numb, Black, Rearviewmirror, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World

Show Notes:

For the first time in nearly 22 years the band plays the city of Rome, unveiling an epic return at Stadio Olimpico. As they were over two decades earlier, the crowd is treated to the opening string plucks of Release. …

Show Notes: 

For the first time in nearly 22 years the band plays the city of Rome, unveiling an epic return at Stadio Olimpico. As they were over two decades earlier, the crowd is treated to the opening string plucks of Release.  Ed sounds surprisingly strong given his vocal injury just days prior in London. A very energetic crowd helps out with Release and Elderly Woman, with Ed providing a lyrical nod of “so glad we saw this place.” Despite some technical issues, Mike fires off a soulful and very sparse solo in Corduroy, allowing a lot of space on top of the band’s pocket groove. Given to Fly is a bit uptempo, and includes a further nod to the city,, “…made it to Roma…” Mike literally flexes his muscles on Even Flow, tossing his dress jacket to reveal a button down sleeveless vest. Ed walks the length of the stage during Mike’s solo, again sparse and thoughtful with each note, and as he implores the crowd to assist on the closing chorus he ends up catching a baseball tossed to him. Untitled begins with the story of how MFC was written in Rome. Immortality is incredibly strong, with the jam hooked by Jeff and Matt.  A passionate Unthought Known fits the clear night summer sky with Matt continuing to add inflection from the kit. Stone signals his approval with a thumbs up after Mankind. Ed playfully swings his telecaster over his head during the Porch jam, looking like he has some inclination to smash it, but can’t quite bring himself to it, using it as a mirror to reflect the stage light into the crowd. Ed takes on Just Breathe solo, and addresses the crowd in Italian again, imploring them to light up the night as the band plays a truly inspired version of Imagine, with Stone and Boom both shining, perhaps inspired by the shooting star that flew by overhead during the song. Daughter features a playful call and response during the outro. Black Diamond is introduced as “something special for you, not the first time, maybe the 2nd” (actually the 3rd).  Mike delivers the intro verse and Matt takes over vocals. An at once serene and cascading take on Comfortably Numb opens encore 2. Black is cathartic, with the stage awash in blood red light, Mike falling to his hands and knees during a searing solo as he engineers his way through the soundscape, with Ed tagging “home is where the heart is, home is where, home is where I feel at home.” After Rockin’ in the Free World (the same way the 1996 show ended here), Ed remarks “I’ll remember this night and the full moon…maybe we’ll see you next year.” An impressive show on their return to Rome.

Written by: Patrick Boegel

June 24, 2018 – Stadio Euganeo, Padova, ITA

Main Set: Pendulum, Low Light, Last Exit, Do The Evolution, Animal, Improv, Corduroy, Given To Fly, God’s Dice, Not For You/(Modern Girl), Even Flow, Daughter, Red Mosquito, Mind Your Manners, Down, Spin The Black Circle, Porch

encore 1: Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Inside Job, Once, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Black/(People Have the Power), Crazy Mary, Rearviewmirror

encore 2: Smile, Alive, Baba O’Riley, Indifference

Show Notes:

The Pendulum/Low Light opening combo serves as a barometer for Ed’s voice (night 2 in London having been postponed 5 days prior due to vocal issues), and his voice clips on “Easy left me a long time ago.” Ed welcomes…

Show Notes: 

The Pendulum/Low Light opening combo serves as a barometer for Ed’s voice (night 2 in London having been postponed 5 days prior due to vocal issues), and his voice clips on “Easy left me a long time ago.” Ed welcomes the crowd in their native tongue, proclaiming in Italian that this marks the 12th Italian show in 8 years, but he never said, “Good evening Padova!” Evolution tests Ed’s voice, as the feral howls are absent. Addressing the crowd again in Italian, Ed recalls the June 15, 2007 show that was canceled due to weather and shares his gratitude to be back, then plays a sweet improv about feeling at home in Padova. Corduroy seems to mark the end of Ed’s vocal concerns, as he stretches his voice in a series of chants with the crowd. More call and response during Daughter, along with some denouncement of Trump’s ideals, accompanied by some very suave dancing from Ed. Trump is again invoked as Ed proclaims that the devil comes in “all different colors, not just orange,” before Red Mosquito. Spin the Black Circle is dedicated to Jack White, “a great maker of records.” Many of the small neighboring towns in Italy are called out before Small Town. Ed sings part of People Have the Power, and then improvs, on a gorgeous eleven-minute Black. Crazy Mary follows, with Boom’s organ solo riffing off “Paint it Black” before it erupts back for a blazing finish. Before Smile, Ed introduces his friend Dylan, who just moved to Italy, and then mentions he had met someone the year prior who had written a book about “our group, it looked to be a great book, it was thick, I haven’t read it because it was in Italian, but it had some great Italian words in it,” and mentions Daria and Luca and their 3 day old daughter Eleonara. Ed holds up her baby picture and dedicates Smile to her. Leading into Alive, he shares an almost-too-crazy-to-be-true story about a night out in Italy, involving limoncello, walking the streets at 4 am, drugs, and a quick escape:

[…There was] screaming and yelling, Italian swear words, and I asked my friend ‘ Who the fuck is he talking to?’ My friend says, ‘Oh, he is talking to his wife. She is at home. Oh Eddie, this woman…she is like a dog made of Satan’s sperm. She is evil and she will hate us for walking into her house at 4:30 in the morning.’ I said ‘Well we can’t do it then,’ and he said, ‘Oh no it will be fine’…so we play a little music and I climb through a small window because I did not want to be in the same room as this hellhound. I mean, she had every right to be barking, I just didn’t want it to be at me. So we sat on the roof a little longer, waiting for the sun to come up. And when it did, I was the first person in line to take the boat back. And I was so happy to touch ground and the only reason I am telling you this story is because I don’t want that to ever happen again. And I am glad to be alive.

Following Alive, the band roars straight into Baba O’Riley and then closes the night out with Indifference, Ed allowing the crowd to finish out the night by singing “I will scream my lungs out till it fills this room…”

Written by: Matthew Sellers

June 22, 2018 – I-Days Festival, Area Expo, Milan, ITA

Main Set: Release, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Do The Evolution, Given To Fly, Wishlist, Even Flow, Corduroy, Immortality, Eruption, You Are, Daughter/(Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)), Mankind, I Got Id, Porch, Footsteps, Black, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

Show Notes:

The first show since the London show where Ed lost his voice. Release opens, and Ed clearly does not have full strength or confidence in his normal range yet, as he holds back from going all out. He leans on…

Show Notes: 

The first show since the London show where Ed lost his voice. Release opens, and Ed clearly does not have full strength or confidence in his normal range yet, as he holds back from going all out. He leans on the crowd to pick up the slack, and they do not disappoint. Mike takes over the show starting with Given to Fly, and doesn’t let up through a blistering Even Flow, followed shortly thereafter with Eruption. Of course, his Van Halen T-shirt should have tipped off everyone what was coming. He saves his best work for the end of the night, where he goes down to the crowd and plays his solo on Black behind his head, in front of the front row fans. Stone also steps up with great guitar work in Do the Evolution while taking his turn on the mic for Mankind. A sweet moment before Porch, as Ed brings Jill out on stage and expresses his love for her in Italian, as they are celebrating their wedding anniversary. He tells the crowd the two first met in Milan, to loud cheers. A bottle of champagne is opened by Ed, spraying over the stage, then a drink with Jill, followed by a few cups tossed on the crowd. Jill comes out with a green coat with the words “Yes we all care. Y don’t u?” as a response to Melania Trump’s “I really don’t care. Do u?” stunt from the day before. A short festival set with no encore, but plenty of great moments and Ed on the road to recovery.

Written by: Sean Rashkis

June 18, 2018 – O2 Arena, London, ENG

Main Set: Of The Girl, Low Light, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Animal, Brain Of J., Even Flow, Wishlist, Deep, Severed Hand, Love Boat Captain, Can’t Deny Me, Do The Evolution, Down, Daughter/(W.M.A.), You Are, Parting Ways, Porch/(Nobody’s Fault But Mine)

encore 1: Off He Goes, Sleeping By Myself, Footsteps, Mind Your Manners, Why Go, Better Man, Last Kiss, Black, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World

Show Notes:

After Small Town, Ed, looking at the upper tiers, says “You’re taller than I remember…you’ve grown! Or we’ve shrunk…” Ed’s vocals sound thrashed early on, but any thoughts that the band were taking it easy were quickly put to rest…

Show Notes: 

After Small Town, Ed, looking at the upper tiers, says “You’re taller than I remember…you’ve grown! Or we’ve shrunk…” Ed’s vocals sound thrashed early on, but any thoughts that the band were taking it easy were quickly put to rest with blistering renditions of Animal and Brain of J. After the latter, Ed addressed his vocal issues, saying that after over 25 years of being a band they’re getting deeper with honesty and truth, “although it’s not very presidential,” explaining that he’d seen two throat doctors earlier in the day. He jokingly says he offered one of the doctors “an extra £10,000 if I could sing like Adele” to which the doctor replied “fuck that, that’s a million dollar voice. But for fifty quid I can make you sound like Liam Gallagher.” He intimates that “the sad songs might sound a little sadder, the angry songs might sound a little bit madder” and that he might need a little help with the happy songs. During Wishlist, Ed changes the lyrics to “I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as JP”, a reference to Jimmy Page, who spent part of the show watching from a monitor on Stone’s side of the stage. After Deep, Ed talks about coming to the U.K. to mix Ten in Surrey, and how he and his brothers were so influenced by the music, film and literature of the U.K., citing Monty Python, The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Jam. While strumming the opening chords of Love Boat Captain, he takes aim at Trump’s immigration policies: “I’d like to send this one out to a guy in the White House back in the United States. I wish he’d hear it, but he doesn’t listen to music, he doesn’t read books. Can someone tweet this to him?” As Mike begins his intro solo, Ed is heard shouting “..Mike, get the aggression out!” before two shouts of “Fuck you!” WMA is tagged on Daughter, with the changed lyrics of “police man…border man” and “border man stopped my brother today”. After the break, Ed thanks the crowd and jokes that he’s drinking plenty of grape flavored cough syrup. He then speaks about the Given to Live charity, some of whom walked 160 miles to the show in order to raise funds, and dedicates Off He Goes to them as it’s a song “about travelling.” The crowd is understandably given the lead for the first two verses of Better Man, as Ed’s voice is getting worse. Following Last Kiss, which was performed to those seated behind the stage, Ed is clearly heard saying “Black, I want to do Black then the rest,” just as Jeff is being passed his 12 string bass, presumably for Jeremy. Despite the vocal issues, the crowd are still treated to powerful renditions of Black and Alive before a strained closer of Rockin’ in the Free World, where it is evident Ed is struggling to sing. Following the song, Ed thanks the crowd, and with his voice cracking he adds “I don’t know when we’ll be back, but we love ya. Goodnight.”

Written by: Alex Hoggard

June 15, 2018 – Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, NED

Main Set: (Interstellar Overdrive)/Corduroy, Why Go, Do The Evolution, Red Mosquito, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Even Flow, Can’t Deny Me, Given To Fly, Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Daughter/(Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)/Suggestion), Once, Hail, Hail, Nothingman, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Lukin, Porch

encore 1: Jeremy, Black/(Androgynous Mind/We Belong Together), Rearviewmirror, Sonic Reducer, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World

Show Notes:

Headlining night 1 of the Pinkpop Festival, Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive serves as the intro to a 7-minute version of Corduroy, with Ed leading the crowd in an early call and response. Corduroy had also opened the show here at…

Show Notes: 

Headlining night 1 of the Pinkpop Festival, Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive serves as the intro to a 7-minute version of Corduroy, with Ed leading the crowd in an early call and response. Corduroy had also opened the show here at Pinkpop in 2000. After Red Mosquito, Ed describes their first experience at Pinkpop, commenting “We still remember our first time…and one of the things I remember about that day…that Matt Cameron was there with the great band Soundgarden. It was the first real tour of Europe we had ever done and back then I was so young I didn’t know the difference between the Dutch or the Danish, but I was never very good at Geometry in school.” Prior to a seething, angry Can’t Deny Me, Ed gets political: “You know, back in the day there used to be Russia and the red menace, and now, interestingly enough, we have darker times but a lighter shade known as the orange menace.” Daughter was another standout performance, as another Pink Floyd song is tagged, “Another Brick in the Wall (Pt. 2),” then Fugazi’s “Suggestion” is tagged for the first time in 20 years (it was also played at Pinkpop in 1992). Matt starts thumping the kick drum immediately after Lukin, transitioning seamlessly into Porch. Mike takes over the jam, a winding solo of melodies and riffs that burst through the song for nearly 5 minutes, before Ed comes in chanting as the band swells back into the chorus. It’s a nostalgic encore, all early 90’s songs. After a powerful Black with the crowd singing along loudly, Ed tells the story of the iconic 1992 show:

“I had something important happen to me today and it has everything to do with this place. You know back in ’92 we were playing this kind of thing…and we weren’t used to the big space. People used to be able to jump on the stage because it was close, it was intimate. There was no distinction between the crowd and the band. So, when we came in the first time, it was the first festival we had ever played and there was this big space, so I got the attention of the camera man and he was on one of the boom things. So, do you know what happens next? So, here’s the deal…and somebody sent me a postcard with a picture of me jumping off that little thing and the camera man, his face is looking at me like he is going to fucking kill me. And I realized that he probably had every right to do so, and I had never seen him since and always wondered, and I always see this card in the house in the hallway and I’m reminded every day, and I wondered what ever happened to that guy and is he still pissed off at me? And so, when we were in Amsterdam the other night, I met a local and I said is there any way we can find him, and we did! And he’s here and retired in January. So, congrats on that and a job well done. But here’s the thing, he told me a completely different story than what I have had in my head all these years. I thought he was so angry with me, but what he was doing, was for me to jump on that thing he had to get other guys to hold the back, the ballast, otherwise I would have jumped on it and he would have gone down. So, he is yelling, and he isn’t yelling at me but he’s yelling at other guys to hold us up. So then, we go up to the front and we are almost over the crowd, but not quite, and then, when I try to make it, I felt like I was going to be short, he’s yelling in the mic for the guys to jump off because as soon as I jump off, he would have gone shooting into the fucking atmosphere! This guy and I were working in tandem, but we had no clue and he hasn’t been mad at me at all this whole time and I just feel so fucking forgiven! And it’s a great feeling!”

A lengthy version of Rockin’ in the Free World closes the show, which was the same way they closed their Pinkpop set from 1992. 7 songs off of Ten are played, a unique and special show full of easter eggs and references to previous appearances.

Written by: Scott Hetherington

June 13, 2018 – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, NED

Main Set: Release, Present Tense, Animal, Last Exit, Lightning Bolt, ½ Full, Untitled, MFC, Even Flow, Light Years, Glorified G, Can’t Deny Me, Mind Your Manners, Unthought Known, Inside Job, State Of Love And Trust, Do The Evolution, Porch

encore 1: Bee Girl, Man Of The Hour, Just Breathe, Once, Black/(We Belong Together), Rearviewmirror, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

Show Notes:

Another polite but noticeably engaged crowd as the show begins with blue mood lighting and a confident Ed, arms up, eyes closed for Release. The song is very measured, and despite a few wavers, Ed hits the high notes. Unlike…

Show Notes: 

Another polite but noticeably engaged crowd as the show begins with blue mood lighting and a confident Ed, arms up, eyes closed for Release. The song is very measured, and despite a few wavers, Ed hits the high notes. Unlike the clear and plentiful tributes/dedications of the previous night, this show is subtly dedicated to Chris Cornell, with the band wearing various Soundgarden/Chris Cornell project t-shirts. Ed, eyes still closed, sings “Oh Kevin’s dad, can you hear us?” which is a nod to the father of one of the band’s good friends. Present Tense picks up the speed and aggression, with added F-bombs and use of the added industrial/strobe lighting, ending big as though it was the end of a first set. Super-tight drumming from Matt on Last Exit. Ed thanks the crowd in Dutch and shares a story of practicing guitar earlier that evening, reaching for a metal doorknob, and getting electrocuted, stating “it’s a once in a lifetime event that’s happened to me 3 times.” Not missing a dad-joke beat, Ed requests more electricity from the crowd for Lightning Bolt. Mike and Ed play off each other after Mike’s solo. During 1/2 Full, Ed holds up his blue Duesenberg guitar to shield himself from the spotlight (which reflects back up to the ceiling) during Mike’s solo. Ed channels his 90’s hand gestures and eye flutters during Even Flow, and Mike goes into a 3 minute solo with extra-long notes, fast runs and plenty of distortion. Audience takes the last chorus. Someone in the audience has a Green Disease t-shirt and Ed asks the band if they remember how to play it, and they toy with it for 20 seconds or so before rolling into Light Years. Ed compares the pure sound of Dutch children at a school near the hotel to the feeling of fear when thinking about US children and gun violence at schools and beyond. Ed states Holland is “a beacon of responsibility” and would rather have “the freedom to not be in fear” rather than gun ownership. Ed prefaces Can’t Deny Me as having “absolutely nothing to do with Trump” and calls him a “narcissistic motherfucker” just before hitting a cowbell hard. Porch ends the main set, starting off bluesy and speeding up in the second verse. Boom is more prominent on the keyboard, and Ed starts pouring wine for the audience, while he himself appears to be drinking tea or coffee. The band gathers around Matt and Ed smashes a mic stand. Man of the Hour is also dedicated to Kevin’s dad. Energy ramps up greatly for Rearviewmirror with total audience investment, a fast bridge, with Ed dancing, playing off Stone and windmilling on an extended outro, with a subtle “I will forgive.” Mike and Jeff switch out their instruments and Stone takes the solo on Rockin’ in the Free World. Ed acknowledges the 37 years Jeff and Stone have been playing together and the band’s 15 years with Boom. Ed vehemently tries to get a tambourine to a particular fan during Yellow Ledbetter, and when unsuccessful, decides to crowd-surf his way over, to the delight of the fans and amusement of the rest of the band. Comfortably Numb was on the setlist but not played.

Written by: Hillary Wood

June 12, 2018 – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, NED

Main Set: Long Road, Low Light, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Given To Fly, Mind Your Manners, Red Mosquito, Wishlist, Even Flow, Severed Hand, Not For You, Daughter/(Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)), Again Today, Got Some, Down, Better Man

encore 1: Yellow Moon, Footsteps, Jeremy, Why Go, Porch, Black, Alive, Fuckin’ Up, Indifference

Show Notes:

Decidedly mellow crowd and start to the show, with Ed reading a welcome and a thank you in Dutch, and dedicating this show to Anthony Bourdain and designer Kate Spade. Song opener is a smooth, subdued Long Road. Color-changing globe…

Show Notes: 

Decidedly mellow crowd and start to the show, with Ed reading a welcome and a thank you in Dutch, and dedicating this show to Anthony Bourdain and designer Kate Spade. Song opener is a smooth, subdued Long Road. Color-changing globe pendant lighting on set denotes the mood of each song. Jeff sings supporting vocals throughout Low Light. Ed and Stone are spotlighted for an early acoustic version of Elderly Woman, with the band joining in the 2nd verse. Ed tries to encourage the crowd with a scream-heavy rendition of Do The Evolution. Given To Fly finally gives way to crowd participation, Ed is super animated. Wishlist sees Ed on guitar, reminiscent of Pinkpop 2000, and extends the song:

I can’t wait for a new president

Lift this world back up again

For this hate and fear, it will not last

They will be relics of the past

It will be a relic of the past

We will survive, get this all behind us

It’s a world of pluses

And he’s a fucking minus

It’s time to act and no time for boredom

And someday we can again like the color orange

Mike solos for over 3 minutes on Even Flow, Ed closes it out strong. Again Today (from the Brandi Carlile covers record) is debuted and dedicated to “great girls who turned out to be great women.” A theatrical Better Man is dedicated to the people of Holland where they “feel welcome” and “at home.” Band is seated for Yellow Moon to begin the encore, with a nod to Eric and the people at the Tivoli. A whopping 6(!) Ten-era songs in a row follow, beginning with Footsteps. Ed plays bartender for the crowd during Why Go and Porch. Jam on Porch is spacey and melodic. Mike wails on the Black solo, emotive and powerful. Tambourines are out for Fuckin’ Up, and a singalong Indifference closes the night. Just Breathe and I Won’t Back Down are on the setlist but not played.

Written by: Hillary Wood