Pearl Jam Live x3

Tuesday, the 11th was the start of an amazing weekend for me. As I've told here I was able to secure tickets for Pearl Jam's "intimate" concert at Shepherd's Bush Empire (2000 people capacity). I went with a Portuguese friend that lives in London. We were seated on the 3rd level, a bit far away from the action but you could still feel the great atmosphere. This was a more calm concert with great songs, though they didn't play my old time favorite: Black. After the concert was over we went for some pints with some friend and the we caught the tube home. I was going to commute at King's Cross to catch the Northern Line but decided to change at Euston because there were some works in King's Cross during the weekend. As I was going downstair to the platform I start hearing Black. One of those tube musicians was playing Black exactly at the same time I was there, what an amazing coincidence! That was first time I gave one of those guys money. You can read more about the concert here and here (Portuguese).



Last Thursday I flew to Amsterdam to meet a Portuguese friend living there. Then we went to Rotterdam for my second concert of this tour. We arrived there just 5 min before Pearl Jam opened the concert, enough time to buy some beers. They started by saying something like "It's been a long time since we were here" and played "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town". Great start! From then on they rocked, amazing pace, didn't stop much to speak. 2h hours of pure joy. Check the setlist here. At some point my friend went to buy some beers but instead he bough us two Pearl Jam t-shirts, thanks mate ;)

Yesterday was the last concert at the O2 Arena in London. This time I had fan tickets which would allow me and my flatmate to get in earlier. That proved to be quite good as we secured a very good position. First band was Gomez which I never heard before. The lead singer has an impressive voice. And then it was time for Pearl Jam. They opened the concert the same way they did in Atlanta 94, with Release and then, just like in Rotterdam they went for a breathtaking set of songs. When Animal started the crowd went crazy and before I realised what happened I lost my flatmate and was standing almost in front of the stage, with only 3 rows of people separating me from the barrier. That area was so packed I could barely fill my chest with air, let alone sing. That's the sensation of having 8000 people pushing you...

The first part of the concert was breathtaking, and continued on. My highlights are Immortality, Footsteps, Crazy Mary, Rats and a great version of Black ending with everyone singing along "we belong together, together". Check here for the complete setlist. An impressive two and half hours of great songs very well played. One of my best PJ concerts yet!

By the end of the concert I was covered in sweat from head to toes. My phone, that was inside my pocket was wet and slippery. But all of it was worth it.