May 16, 2022 – Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA, USA

Pearl Jam Show Notes 5/16/2022:

Despite it being the first night with no Ed preset, this third Matt Cameron-less show is promised to be a special one by Josh Klinghoffer multiple times before the band hits the stage. After Small Town with Josh on drums (continuing the streak of unique openers this tour) and Given To Fly, Ed reveals that he is battling a stomach flu and hasn’t felt this bad since Neil Young replaced him in San Francisco back in 1995, but promises to power through. He says that “this one’s certainly different” and that while Cameron is making strides to get back, “we’ve got another surprise for you later…” Prior to Corduroy, Ed points out a woman who’s at her 100th show, and that Rob Bleetstein (from Pearl Jam Radio) is at his 300th show, adding “I’ve only been to a few more than that,” and plays a short improv about having friends in Fresno. He repeats “it’s okay” in the Daughter tag, but without the change in key that indicates the Dead Moon cover. Stone gets the microphone, who prefaces Don’t Gimme No Lip with “…we played this backstage so hopefully it’s alright.” Afterwards, Ed talks about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, adding

“The part that was most rewarding was seeing some old bandmates, we had our friend come out from Seattle, we only played a couple of songs, but when this all went down with Matt the other day, we started thinking about all the other people that…we’ve been through some great drummers [laughs], some of the best, and we have the best currently, but, you know that first record seems to be a record that affected so many people, and our friend that was playing drums at that time, the amount of shows that he got to play with us was fairly limited. Well, it looks like this week we’re going to get to make up for that…ladies and gentlemen, on the drum kit, Mr. Dave Krusen!”

This kicks off a mini-set of Ten tracks, including a nice moment after Even Flow when Ed gets up on the drum riser and gives Dave a fist bump. Mike’s solo on Black is majestic. Afterwards, Ed asks Mike if he has any drummer transition music, which cues Eruption and Richard Stuverud’s entrance. Ed introduces Throw Your Hatred Down by shouting out Jack Irons and commenting on the mass shooting in Buffalo and the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court leak, saying

“Pro-life people should be anti-gun, and then they could save more lives”

Ed asks Josh to come out and sing the next song, leading to the live debut of Purple Rain. Ed starts the first verse and then Josh takes over. It also features a Mike solo that lives up to all expectations. Following, Ed remarks “…that song makes you wanna…fuck” and that Prince’s estate might have to be responsible for paying child support if his songs draw people to have sex and women are forced to give birth. He proposes a “sex embargo,” adding “think about it, ladies…sex embargo.” Krusen returns for Porch to end the main set and stays on after the break. Ed says that he’s spent a lot of time in Fresno over the last 5 years and that it’s his “new favorite place on Earth.” Following Jeremy, Ed comments on Krusen’s playing, saying that he’s “tripping balls tonight” and hearing him play the songs the way he does takes him back to being in the basement in 1991, adding

“Drummers are like fingerprints or snowflakes. They’re all different, all of us are different.”

He goes on to tell the backstory behind Deep, a sunny day that got a little dark when he noticed a guy shooting up in a third floor window and didn’t know whether he’d nod off out of it or into the apartment. With Krusen’s fast count in, the intro of the song is quite the flashback in itself. Mike adds a little tease of War Pigs at the end of the Alive solo. Stuverud returns to the kit for Baba O’Riley, Jeff goes up on the drum riser and they have a moment together. As Ed shouts out all of the band members before Yellow Ledbetter closes, Mike adds a simple “how about Ed tonight?” A well-deserved recognition towards Ed’s perseverance towards making this historic night possible. Ed finishes off the night saying “I won’t forget this one.”