Pearl Jam at BST Hyde Park 2022: An Intimate Show On A Massive Scale

by | Jul 12, 2022

There’s something to be said about a band – known for their humble beginnings in dingy Seattle basements – to have maintained their rock elite status so meticulously over the years. Since their first album Ten debuted in 1991, Pearl Jam have forged their own path to success, building on the ‘grunge’ style that made them famous (alongside Nirvana and Alice in Chains, to name a few), by drawing on classic rock influences and focusing more on songwriting, purposeful lyricism and musical experimentation.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

In fact, it is Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron who has played in both bands from 1998 and until the untimely passing of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in 2017. The band has regularly cited many punk and classic rock bands as influences, including the very band supporting them at British Summer Time (BST)Pixies, Vedder making a point to recall a time he and bassist Jeff Ament bought a bootleg tape of Pixies live at the Brixton Academy at Camden Market way back when.

Pixies @ BST Hyde Park 2022

On an exceedingly hot day in London, thousands of fans crammed into the ‘Ten Circle’ (aptly renamed for the occasion) for well over the planned starting time.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Extra waiting time gives plenty of opportunity to look around. Immediately noticeable is the stage design which, through clever lighting rigs, has been made to portray a feeling of intimacy – a feat seemingly impossible amongst the tens of thousands of people watching. As real life images of the crowd are beamed onto the screens, the familiar Beatles tune All You Need is Love is played to introduce the band on stage.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Dressed in black jeans, a black tee and a white oversized shirt frontman Eddie Vedder draws an emphatic roar as he stands motionlessly, soaking in the chorus of voices before him. Squinting through the beaming sun he peers into the distance as the camera pans to show an arena replete with people, the emotion visible on his face. “Fuck it’s beautiful out here!” he says. “I feel like Adele right now” – a clear reference to the English singer’s shows on the same stage the previous weekend where her singing fans, by some accounts, could be heard well outside the park.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Starting with Better Man and veering into Low Light and Breath (a tour first), it was lovely to watch the lighting rigs acrobatically shift with the music, and the footage on the screens cleverly superimpose images of the band and crowd into colourfully edited filters – making it look just like a music video.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Whilst only allowing a few short moments for between-song-banter, these were meaningful intermissions that offered Vedder the chance to highlight some of his muddled thoughts. The silly side of him compared the sunset to an LSD trip, and made jokes about fans fighting during The Eagles’ song Take it Easy at BST a couple of weeks prior. While his more serious side – the one for which he’s famously known – dedicated the song Light Years to a fan that passed away too soon, and uttered his contempt of religion and gun control laws in the United States. It was an eclectic jumble of themes, but one that has come to personify his own brand as frontman.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

After a few songs, there was no greater enthusiasm than for the jewel in Pearl Jam’s discography and debut album single – Even Flow. A song known to everyone, and one that offered Vedder’s bandmates a moment to put on their own show for the audience. Guitarist Mike McCready playing the iconic solo entirely behind his head and going on for way longer than originally recorded, a performance fittingly ended by smashing his guitar into the wall of amps behind him. Perhaps a ‘nod’ to their grunge rock roots.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Turning the notch down with 1993 single Daughter, the lighting rig shaped into deliberate angles above them creating beautiful purple curves, before sharply turning diagonally to form triangles as the song changed into 2020 single Superblood Wolfmoon and moved progressively into a cover of Public Image and popular hit Once.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

With the sun setting in the background, the band returned after a short dalliance offstage, and were joined onstage by support act Simon Townshend – a musician most famously known for his association with The Who (and notably the band’s frontman and his brother Pete Townshend). With a real life image of the moon magnified behind them, Vedder and Townshend performed an acoustic version of I’m the Answer – Simon adding depth with a beautiful 12 string.

Simon Townshend @ BST Hyde Park 2022

As the band ventured back to rejoin Vedder, they closed off their set in rhapsodic fashion, playing bangers Jeremy, Alive and Neil Young’s classic Rockin’ In The Free World for which they conjured tennis legend John McEnrore – in town to commentate at the Wimbledon tennis championships – to join them on guitar.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

With two tambourines in hand Vedder repeatedly ran from one side of the stage to the other, jumping off amps and throwing the tambourines into the crowd in hectic fashion. It is a chaotic end befitting of the artists frequently touted as the pioneers of grunge, and repeatedly acclaimed as one of the best live acts in the world.

Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022

Live review of Pearl Jam at BST Hyde Park by Lilen Pautasso on 8th July 2022. Photography by Kalpesh Patel.

 

The Rolling Stones at BST Hyde Park 2022: All About Charisma

The Boojums (Christine Latter)

Nova Scotia Trio The Boojums Announce Debut Album And Release First ‘Single Wings Of Fire’

Nova Scotia rock trio The Boojums have announced details of their self-titled debut album, set for release on 31st October via Having Fun Records, a new imprint of Toronto’s We Are Busy Bodies. The first taste of the record arrives with lead single Wings Of Fire, out now.

Will Linley (Press)

Will Linley Shares New Single ‘Up At Night’ Ahead Of Debut Album ‘Don’t Cry Because It’s Over’

Rising South African singer-songwriter Will Linley has released his brand new single Up At Night, the latest preview of his forthcoming debut album Don’t Cry Because It’s Over, which arrives on 5th September via Island Records.

Andrew Spice (Miss Moço)

Andrew Spice Returns After 22 Years With New Album ‘With Animals’

Canadian singer-songwriter Andrew Spice has released his long-awaited second album With Animals, arriving an astonishing 22 years after his 2002 debut Pretty Demons. While the obvious next step would have been a quick follow-up, life took Spice in a different direction: instead of chasing a music career, he trained and built a practice as a clinical psychologist. Now, more than two decades later, he has found his way back to music with a record that fuses both sides of his journey—artist and healer.

Infinite Coles (Robot Moonjuice)

Infinite Coles Unveils Self-Love Anthem ‘BGM’ With Vibrant Puerto Rico-Shot Visuals

NYC-born singer, performer, and model Infinite Coles returns today with his new single BGM, a soulful, house-infused...
Florence + The Machine (Autumn de Wilde)

Florence + The Machine Announce Sixth Album ‘Everybody Scream’

Florence Welch has never been one to shy away from the visceral, the theatrical, or the spiritual. With the announcement of her sixth studio album, Everybody Scream – out 31st October – she once again invites listeners into a world that feels both intimate and unearthly. The news arrives today with the release of the record’s title track, accompanied by a striking video directed by Autumn de Wilde. IDLES’ Mark Bowen, who also contributed musically to the project, appears in the surreal visual, hinting at the collaborative spirit underpinning the album.

Kanadia (Andy Ford)

Kanadia Unveil Darkly Mesmerising New Single ‘Slide Off The Earth’

Oxford alternative rock outfit Kanadia have shared their brand-new single Slide Off The Earth, the latest glimpse into their forthcoming third album The Fire That’s Tearing Through Our Home, due to drop on 26th September.

Charles Kelley (Press)

Charles Kelley Steps Into Bold New Era With Second Solo Album ‘Songs For A New Moon’

Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter and GRAMMY®-winning artist Charles Kelley – best known as one-third of country trio Lady A – has embarked on what he calls a “bold new creative chapter” with the release of his second solo album, Songs For A New Moon.

The Wild Things (Press)

The Wild Things Unleash Cathartic New Single ‘I Can’t Wait’ And Announce September UK Tour

London-based pop-rock firebrands The Wild Things return with their blistering new single I Can’t Wait, out now, marking the second chapter in the band’s summer-long sonic love story.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing