July 17, 2018 – O2 Arena, London, ENG

Pearl Jam Show Notes 7/17/2018:

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.