Pearl Jam Amsterdam Concert History

After 3 show cancellations (Vienna, Prague, and Amsterdam 1) due to Ed’s vocal trouble after the Paris show, Pearl Jam returns to the stage to finish the European leg of the tour. The front row has balloons to welcome the band back, and the crowd starts the “Ed-die” chant as they take the stage. The band is seated for the first few songs, Ed says they’ve had a lot of different shows but “this show will be different.” Nothing As It Seems opens for the first time since 2000 and there’s a loud cheer when Ed starts to sing. Afterward, he greets the audience:

“Good evening…it sure is nice to be able to say those words…we were not gonna leave this part of the world without playing one more show.”

Off He Goes is a request, with the lyric changed to “…riding on a motorbike in Amsterdam…” Ed thanks his doctor, Dr. Marco Franken, telling the crowd he had no voice even as of the day before, and pictures of him in the doctor’s office are shown on the screens. Alright makes its European debut, only the 3rd performance. Ed says they’re going to play another request, from 4 years ago, that they’ve never done in Europe before (it had been played there only once in full, in Rotterdam in 1993), and the drums kick in for W.M.A. Mike thrashes around the stage, focused and intense, and Josh and Matt combine for a rhythmic pummeling. The crowd sings along to every word of Why Go and Even Flow, doing their best to help Ed. The line in Corduroy is “…absolutely everything’s changed…” No vocals on the Waiting on a Friend tag this time. Hard To Imagine is another request, with Josh and Ed making it a four-guitar attack. Ed keeps playing for a minute right before the band usually kicks in on Better Man, stepping to the microphone and saying

…after tonight I don’t have to sing for a whole fucking month…so I can do as much damage as I want” [laughs]

Mike sings the first verse of Black Diamond before Matt takes over. The improv before Porch is Ed solo, and has the lines “I love this life” repeated over and over, then he switches to “I love your life” a couple of times before going back to “I love this life” and then transitioning right into Porch. Mike and Ed kneel at the front of the stage for a minute during the jam, Mike wailing away and Ed building up the crowd. After the break, he has the shiny jacket on and talks about how Jeff heard him warming up in the hotel and thought “oh no, we’re fucked,” but it looks like they’re going to make it. He thanks the crowd, saying that part of the voice problem was climate change, France and Spain on fire, and says

“I really hope that we meet the challenge of climate change a lot better than we met the challenge of COVID, I tell you that…we have the power to come together as human beings to save our planet, which is a selfish endeavor, but we can do it. But I think we just can’t wait for fucking politicians to do it, because they’re just going to do what the businessmen ask them to, pay them to…there’s more of us than them, and nights when you see people gathered like this…and sing as one, and be as one, and agree on one thing, it gives you faith…and we’re so fortunate we get to travel the world and give faith in humanity, and we thank YOU for that.”

He continues, thanking the entire crew and bringing them all out on stage. Josh comes to the front of the stage and starts Purple Rain, Mike nails the long solo as the crowd sings the background vocal part. Ed has a Ukrainian flag as Indifference starts and puts it on the monitor, then changes his mind and picks it back up. Mike smashes his guitar during RITFW, slamming it into his amp, then jokingly attempting to strum the pieces one last time before tossing it aside, while on the other side of the stage some kids are playing tambourines. Ed leaves the crowd with “…going home…gonna miss you…”

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

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

Hard To Imagine is an unexpected opener. Halfway through Mind Your Manners, Ed appears to be having issues with his microphone. He motions to the crowd to keep singing as he takes the mic stand and slams it to the floor angrily, then tosses it and the microphone off to the side of the stage. A crew member runs a new mic out to Ed and he finishes the song. Following Getaway, Ed tells the crowd:

“…that was a nice little love song about religion…could have been called ‘The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.’ We would like to dedicate this one to an American named Edward Snowden,”

The band goes into Dissident. During Even Flow, Ed is noticeably having some pain in his right leg. As Mike begins his solo, Ed limps off stage for a few moments, but limps back in time to finish the song. He then talks about how he hurt his leg:

“trying to jump buses like Matt Cameron and Evel Knievel…moral of the story is you’ll never be as cool as Matt Cameron so don’t even try!”

Marker in the Sand is prefaced with:

“this is a song Mike McCready wrote. We haven’t played it in a while and if I were a betting man, I think we might fuck it up.”

After completing the song with no issues, Ed speaks to the crowd, comparing the similarities between Amsterdam and Seattle: coffee, beer, lots of music venues, and rain, leading into a cover of Rain by the Beatles, only the second time the band has played this song in its entirety, After the break, Ed dedicates Just Breathe “for a great player, number 5.” A makeshift “family trilogy” is played, with Mother, then Daughter, with an intense ABITW tag, Ed shouting “…leave your fucking guns at home, bury your FUCKING guns in a hole….,” and My Father’s Son. He tosses the microphone to someone in the front row to sing during SOLAT. Before Black, he tells the crowd:

“I feel like we have a friendship. I hope that you don’t end our friendship because of the shit way I pronounce your language”

He then addresses the crowd in Dutch. Mike’s Black solo is soulful and emotive. Ed sees some flags in the crowd and calls out a few, saying that “…Black is all the colors…” before a crowd singalong of We Belong Together. Before Yellow Ledbetter, someone in the crowd yells to Ed, and he responds, laughing

“Oh! He wants me to jump in the crowd. Oh fuck yeah! Sure, no problem, I feel fine. Yes, let me drink three more bottles of wine.”

Opening night of the European tour, and the band is in a great mood to open the night. Ed forgets some of the lyrics to Nothingman, but the crowd picks him up. He says that he “really fucked up his knee,” and a little wine would be “the best medicine.” He speaks in English, saying:

“you don’t want to hear me speak Dutch…I don’t want to be disrespectful. It’s only been two years since we have been here last. This was very evident when we got off the plane, direct from the United States, and we walked into customs and they just said ‘Oh, hey.’ That’s a good way to start a trip. We got here just in time to see you for the first game of the World Cup. So this song is off a record that at one time was called Five Against One. We are playing it now because that was pretty much the score in the game the other night,” 

The speech leads into Animal. Who You Are is played for the first time since 2011, and for the first time in Europe since 1996! Even Flow is prefaced with Ed:

“Alright, this here one features the guy on the right here. He’s a dad three times over now. And his youngest just got his passport stamped for the first time the other day. And the head of his penis cut off about 8 weeks ago…I digress, but Happy Father’s Day, Mike. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers…Happy Motherfucker’s Day. I mean it’s true. You can’t be a father unless you’ve fucked the mother…I’m sorry, don’t quote me on that. Especially in front of your kids…or mine. Ok, this song’s about baby bottles…”

Light Years is dedicated to “someone we know…the dear and lovely Antoinette.” Afterwards, he continues, adding

“this next song…the reason we have come up with to play this one is that most cities have one or two big bridges, but I believe you have 1,432 bridges here within the five circles…1,432 bridges. Most songs you see have one bridge, so this song which is written by the great Matt Cameron…his other group, the really good one, they, way back in the way back when, they played a festival and were introduced as ladies and gentlemen, Songbird [referencing the controversy over the use of the Soundgarden name]. Songbird kicked ass that day…can’t believe how intense this band was…what was the name of it…Songbird. Here is the drummer of Songbird and his incredible song that doesn’t get played very often. It’s got three bridges and it’s called Evacuation.”

It’s the first performance of Evacuation since the Spectrum shows in 2009. Wishlist lyric is “I wish I was the full moon shining off your bicycle’s hood…” After the break, Ed says he read that PJ was the first foreign group to play the Ziggo Dome, and said:

”we are really happy to be a part of the foundation of this place, even in a very small way…it could’ve been Shakira…it would have been equally important. I mean, I like Shakira. Well I don’t. I don’t really…one way or another. I mean I’ve watched enough where I can belly dance too.”

Low Light opens up the first encore, almost mirroring the opening of the main set with a slow and melodic tone. Before Come Back, Ed addresses the crowd:

“you know, we’ve wrote a few songs over the years that talk about life and how fucking precious it seems…it’s kind of incredible how you forget how fragile it is, and how we are able to take it for granted and don’t feel like we are going to be shot every time we go to school…well that’s America. Anything can happen and there might be…we’ve been through some things recently and it’s one thing to play the songs and to have written the songs and to have felt them, and it’s another to have just experienced it again in the last few days. We’d like to play this one for Johnny, for Tam, and anyone and everyone who might have felt the loss recently. We’re with you.”

There’s some symmetry in the second encore as Go leads into Why Go, then Supersonic is followed by Sonic Reducer. Ed wishes the crowd luck in the World Cup and picks his preference to win:

“We are actually going for the underdog…the Tibetan National team. The Dalai Lama…he supports it. I think he plays all forward positions and the goalie at the same time. One day, I hope they get to win.”

With the house lights up for Indifference, Ed signs off with:

“wherever you came from…local…or if you had to get your passport stamped to get here. It’s great to be here with you. It’s great to be alive. It’s great to be in a group still. From there, to there, to there. You look great from here all night. Have a great life…thanks so much for everything.”