July 11, 2024 – Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, ESP

Pearl Jam Show Notes 7/11/2024:

Lukin opens for the second time this year, just like at Bottlerock. In fact, the first 11 songs are exactly the same as what was played at that festival back in May. Ed leads a energetic call and response during Corduroy. Before Small Town, Ed has a sheet of paper, he starts to speak in Spanish but then switches to English:

“…Welcome to a show about friends…we are all friends, you are all friends, we are friends…”

He continues in Spanish, talking about what a beautiful night it is and how magnificent the country is. Mike is pogoing throughout the beginning of React, Respond and shreds the solo, his sparkly jacket that he started the show with removed. Jeff starts the actual W.M.A. bassline as soon as Ed starts singing the Daughter tag. Ed speaks in Spanish again, a running theme throughout the show of “Y tambien…mi gran gran amigo…” (And also….my great great friend) talking about a different band member each time, Matt before Dark Matter, and Mike before Even Flow. Unthought Known makes its 2024 debut. Ed sees an issue in the crowd before Black but it’s evidently taken care of quickly. Big singalongs all night long, the crowd is loud on Black especially. Mike’s Black solo is again showstopping, this song is on an incredible run right now. Ed walks up behind him and gives him a big hug from behind as the solo ends. Prior to Porch, Ed talks about the first time they played there, at Club Revolver. He talks about his two brothers, Jason and Michael, back home in California; their birthdays were yesterday and today, one of them is 50 and he jokes that he doesn’t know how old the other one is. He asks for someone to record and has the crowd sing Happy Birthday to them. Mike starts off the Porch jam slow, almost psychedelic, but then ramps it up quickly as Ed dances beside him. Speaking of Ed, he runs way out in the middle of the T barricade during the jam, getting an up close look at the crowd. He stays down there as he comes back in vocally, urging the crowd for more. Black, Running, and Porch also closed out the Bottlerock main set. It’s all crowd favorites in the encore, starting with Better Man. Ed asks for the crowd to sing extra loud, and they oblige. He’s running all along the side stages and dancing during Alive, the band’s in a great mood all night and energy is high. As Stone is soloing during Rockin’ in the Free World, Jeff motions to Mike to switch instruments and they do, Mike taking the bass and Jeff strumming on guitar. Before Ledbetter, Ed takes a moment to shout out Motxila 21, a Spanish music group made up of people with Down’s Syndrome, saying “they are amazing people…we are proud to be on the same stage as all those incredible people…remember that we are friends.”