Pearl Jam

I have been bed ridden for the past week with Bronchitis and only able to hold soup in my stomach (safely). My friends kept telling me, "Man, I hope you are better by Pearl Jam, otherwise, you really shouldn't go."


This was not an option in my mind, as Pearl Jam is one of the few bands in my life that I have not seen live. Not once. "Nothing short of coma or death is keeping me from this concert".


Armed with a box of tissues, antibiotics, inhaler and my camera, I left my house with my street team. Only the weather seemed like it wouldn't cooperate, as it had been raining in the South Florida area the whole day. There was no way I could stand outside in the rain with Bronchitis, "but it's Pearl Jam", I kept telling myself; I could only hope for the best.


"Its Pearl Jam" seemed to be the evening's theme. People nationwide and worldwide, flew into Florida just for the show. Costa Rican, Venezuelan, and Argentinean flags', was just a few amongst many that were proudly displayed at the Cruzan Wednesday night. Fans that were proudly displaying their roots and how far they have come for Pearl Jam's opening night. "Hello from Maryland!" "Hello from Costa Rica!" was just some of the texts displayed on the Verizon Wireless TV playing throughout the venue.


"Pearl fucking Jam" was the most common.


As soon as gates opened at the Cruzan, fans started piling into the Amphitheatre with hopes of positioning (on the lawn) themselves with the best view of the stage.


Kings of Leon got the night started with a 45 minute set before Pearl Jam took the stage for two hours: Two whole hours of nothing but Pearl Jam on stage.


Picture an Ipod Bose home stereo blasting Pearl Jam tunes in Dolby digital surround sound and your best friends chilling with you having a few drinks and you will start to get the idea of how the night went.


Opening the night with "Oceans", Pearl Jam led the crowd into a night of favorites and familiarities that included: "Even flow", "Why go", "Dissident", "Rear view mirror", "Do the evolution", "Better man", and "Alive".


It was during these songs that you could hear the crowd singing along, probably a ½ mile away. Not one soul in the lawn or in the seats had their mouth closed. If you scanned the crowd you could see people smiling, dancing, or just getting lost in their own world. Looking outside the Cruzan Amphitheatre you could still see people outside the fence trying to score tickets to come inside. Pearl Jam has built a solid fan base for 17 years.

The band played with a simple backdrop on stage. It was of two waves looking like they were going to crash into each other which later changed into fiber optic lights that looked like mini stars; Simple and to the point.


South Florida could not have asked for a better concert. Pearl Jam fans couldn't have asked for more. And as for me, I can now die happy having seen the one band that made it from the infamous "grunge" era and continues to create great music that generations of people still (and will) listen too; even long after the band itself is gone.


After all, it is Pearl Jam.