Eddie Vedder at The Palais Theatre

Band: Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard
Venue: The Palais Theatre, St Kilda - Melbourne
Date:
Reviewed By: Lyn Harder

 

Glen Hansard is a fitting support for Eddie Vedder as both musicians are talented and can sing. Simply put, they are great mates, share some sad history together but through this they have helped each and become great friends. Tonight’s set from Hansard was no let down. What a voice this man has, singing hits from the show Once as well as from his albums. Many people who didn’t know this man sat upright and were locked tight. Many who didn’t think they knew him were ablaze with knowing the songs and were happy to hear them live.

Eddie Vedder has returned to The Palais Theatre in St Kilda for three sold out shows, playing varied set lists each night (check out

http://www.setlist.fm/search?query=eddie+vedder) and playing an amazing show full of story telling, cover songs, pearl jam songs, plectrum throwing, hand shaking and even getting ladies on stage for dancing . Eddie has passionate fans, very passionate fans, they love Eddie and they respect him. As soon as the man steps on stage, the nearly three thousand people are his. The final show had many more hecklers in it, throwing out ‘I love you Eddie’ to various song titles. Eddie often responds to the crowd and often laughs as he cannot understand what is being shouted out. Eddie told the Wednesday crowd that this was the best crowd on the tour and you could tell he wanted to keep the crowd happy and he probably wished he could play more shows in Australia. Eddie has been here for six weeks and says that 99.8% of people he meets are awesome.

I don’t think I can capture (like Springsteen) what being at a Vedder show is really like. I went to the last tour in 2011 and this tour, I feel, captures the essence of Eddie with sprinkles of that Pearl Jam sound. Put simply, it was more desirable and I didn’t want these shows to be over. Let’s face it, the majority of punters want PJ and it’s the PJ songs that gain the highest cheers and applause. Vedder is one talented bastard, he plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, ukulele and sings with a bold and energetic voice. (Just going back a few days; Sunday night he tells us he is hung over but he still put on a top show and I was and still am impressed).

I feel that the passionate fans have a lot to do with the feeling that is in the air at his shows, they line up at merchandise, they come into a room clutching their purchase’s and they sit down wondering where the night will take them. They heckle, applause, jump up and dance, sing along to songs and seem to be genuinely at their happiest.

Songs like Immortality are just amazing live, what utter soul and devotion is in this song, and I melt each time. Better Man sounded perfect for the acoustic sound whereas Porch was eerie with the harmonica. Behind Vedder on stage was various curtain changes, some complete with stars that lit up for the appropriate song. The stage was set up like a camp site and a faux fire would flicker at times until Vedder blew it out and out it remained. A Seahawks jersey was hung up, favourably displayed in amongst the ‘camp site’. The Hunters and Collectors cover of Throw Your Arms Around Me wasn’t bad but nothing like Seymour’s voice can do that song justice, song from Into The Wild, Bruce Springsteen Covers as well as songs from Eddie’s two solo albums, only about a quarter of the set includes these songs, the rest is a variety of everything else mentioned.

Towards the end of the show you just know people are in a tether and they must get close and try they do, but they don’t get far. Most are happy in their seats and stay till the music comes on and even them they are searching around for plectrums and trying hard to suck up the roadies for set lists.