Pearl Jam

With the number of shows Pearl Jam played last year, there's no reason the show at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas should be unique and special. But the date, October 22, 2000, holds special meaning for the band, as it was 10 years ago to the day that Pearl Jam, then under the name Mookie Blaylock, played its first show at the Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle. \nThe band comes out in full force, charging through a number of hard rockers, including "Animal," where Eddie Vedder lets the crowd handle vocals on the second chorus. Vedder mentions the band members are a little tense and that they're just going to try to relax. \n"Just realize that no matter how poorly we play, we probably played more poorly 10 years ago, on the first night," Vedder said. \nThe rest of the set is solid and fairly typical, with songs encompassing the band's career. It's not until the encore that the show becomes one for the ages. After the encore openers "Do the Evolution" and "Once," Vedder takes time to thank some of the people important to the band throughout the years. He then mentions the rest of the band and that bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard have been playing together for 17 years. He said the next song was in celebration of that. \nWhat follows is a Mother Love Bone cover called "Crown of Thorns," a moving and magical moment in a nod to the past and the dearly departed (Gossard and Ament began Pearl Jam after the death of Mother Love Bone lead singer Andy Wood.). The song is beautiful, and the emotion of the moment can be felt coming through the speakers. The band launches into "Black" with Brendan O'Brien's aid on the keyboard, a soaring musical trip with an outstanding solo from guitarist Mike McCready. O'Brien, who produced many of the band's albums, wraps up his helping stint on the Vegas-centric Elvis cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love with You," a well-performed and well-received performance.\nA stellar "Baba O'Reilly" and the always spectacular "Yellow Ledbetter" close out the show. Though on paper it was just another show, it will always be monumental for the band and those in attendance. The release of the CD will be a way for all fans to commemorate this historic show and relive both the last two hours of the show and the last 10 years of Pearl Jam.