September 3, 2024 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA

Pearl Jam Show Notes 9/3/2024:

Ed raises his wine bottle as the band enters the stage and Matt counts off Pendulum. Better Man is a surprise in the two spot, just like Porch was at Wrigley…could this be a new trend? Ed gets the crowd going as the song transitions into the Save it for Later tag, and starts a “don’t run away” call-and-response. More Vitalogy early as Immortality follows, bathed in red stage light. Mike introduces himself with a fantastic solo, Jeff has a nice run during the build, and Matt takes over, putting on an incredible percussive show. The opening Dark Matter run is back, and after Scared of Fear Ed talks about how they’ve played 71 shows in the state of New York, and 48 times in New York City (close, if you include TV performances and all the extra stuff), and mentions playing the Wetlands and CBGB’s in 1991. He continues, adding “you make us feel, New York City, like the luckiest fucking people in the world.” He says React, Respond could also have been called “Don’t complain, vote,” and comments “I like this one” before Wreckage. Afterwards, he points out that it’s Fashion Week in New York, and jokes with the band about their obviously fashionable attire, leading appropriately into a tight, fast Satan’s Bed. There’s a birthday request for a fan, Kim Cruz, from her daughter-in-law, and Ed says “Kim, Mike McCready’s gonna play a red-hot solo on this one.” Out Of My Mind appears for only the seventh time, but the second time this year and third in the last two years. Ed plays a short instrumental intro to Love Boat Captain, and the band joins in for a little while before Ed brings it back down to start the vocals, but has to take a few moments to remember the words. Black is the showstopper, Mike losing his mind during the solo, then going up against his amps. Boom is prominent on the piano at the end as Ed guides it in with a tender We Belong Together. After, Ed speaks:

“Adam, you’re here, it’s your second show…Adam’s 13! I was thinking about you, because between the last time we saw him, a couple of years ago, and this time, some hard kinda life has transpired, and Jesse [Adam’s dad] lost his wife, and Adam lost his mom…her name was Joanne…and I know there’s some healing power in music, but the fact that you can be in this room tonight and hopefully be with your people, that takes some courage and guts, and faith and trust, and this band is so grateful to have that trust from you. Adam, wherever you are, I’m sending love…[Adam is found by the cameras and shown on screen] Adam is one of those beautiful kids that has autism…and here’s the thing I wanna mention…he was bullied in school so badly, that he had to change schools…but you know what I really can’t believe, is a fucking parent who lets their kid get away with bullying another kid, a beautiful kid, what kind of fucking parent is that? You think you’re being Presidential or some shit? Fuck. You. So I wanna say ‘fuck you’ to those parents, and I also want to say ‘fuck you’ to the goddamn school who let that go on and didn’t do anything to protect [Adam]…come on now! So, back home, tell ’em Ed Vedder said so, tell ’em Pearl Jam said to fuck off!”

Given to Fly has the band silhouetted on the screen, and Ed changes the line to “…faceless kids…” and the “fuckers!” line has some extra juice behind it. McCready takes over again during Porch, holding the neck of his guitar out to the crowd at the end.

Ed comes out with an acoustic guitar after the break and talks about how we can’t let ourselves be divided and asks for the phone fireflies before Imagine. Steve Gleason is in attendance, which means a standout performance of Inside Job. Ed tells a story about being in NYC about 15 years ago and being out with some friends late and ending up in a hotel room and writing Unthought Known. Once leads into Alive, but no Footsteps. The Alive solo is incredible, Mike adding lots of extra brightness and color. Indifference finally makes its 2024 debut, closing the show. Ed changes the lyric to “…we will scream our lungs out…” and thanks the crowd one last time.