Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #1

 #1, OHANA FESTIVAL

FOUR!  Four shows in 2021.  That's what you got from Pearl Jam this year.  It's understandable, but we have been pining for live music (especially those of us in the US who have enjoyed an average two Pearl Jam shows a year from 2017 through 2020).

Next year things will change, but in 2021, nothing was more exciting than the three shows Pearl Jam played at Dana Point were easily the highlight of the year.  Festival shows are never a favorite of hardcore fans, but it was our [almost] first chance to hear "Gigaton" songs live.

Having them dig deep with such rarities as "Sweet Lew," "All Night," "Again Today," and "I Got Shit" really brightened everyone's experience, whether you were at the shows or watching fan clips via YouTube.

Will 2022 be the year that Pearl Jam plays a proper US tour?  Add in Europe and an Ed solo album, and we've got a lot to look forward to in just two days.

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #2

 #2, FLAG DAY ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

A retired Pearl Jam blogger recently asked me, "when you started doing this, did you ever expect to be reporting on Olivia Vedder news?"  I did not, and yet, here we are ... big news in the Pearl Jam world this year was all about Eddie's daughter Olivia and her impressive vocals on "My Father's Daughter" written by her father and Glen Hansard and featured on the soundtrack for Sean Penn's film, Flag Day.

The soundtrack was a bit uneven, but featured unquestionable gems by both Vedders, Hansard, and Cat Power, including a cover of REM's "Drive" by Eddie Vedder.  In a world where we've been desperate for any music by our favorite artists, this was as close to a Pearl Jam album as 2021 got.

You can try to hate this album because Olivia Vedder started a mini family legacy with it, but you'll love it in the end.  Pick up the album on vinyl or CD here.

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moment of 2021, #3

 #3, I SHOULD BE OUTSIDE

Among the members of Pearl Jam, Jeff Ament seems to be the most active during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting out a 7in single of two songs with his friend John Wicks, an political-themed EP, and now a full album of songs recorded at his studio in Montana.

After making the initial announcement, Ament used a new Instagram account to release pieces of his prolific painting portfolio to drum up interest and excitement, which definitely worked.  Fans were rabidly excited by release day, and "I Should Be Outside" is easily the best received of all of Jeff's solo albums.  Good enough, that for a time, it eclipsed any other Pearl Jam coverage, including the anniversaries of "Ten" (30 years) and "No Code" (25 years).

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #4

 #4, DEEP

Pearl Jam calls DEEP a Live Bootleg Immersive Experience.  We call it a web-based platform for accessing all of their available bootlegs.  Whether you have a flair for the dramatic or not, it's hard to argue that the introduction of DEEP (which coincided with Pearl Jam's bootleg collection becoming available on Spotify) wasn't a great boon for fans hoping to rock out at all hours of the day.

You can pick whichever show you'd like to hear, access playlists curated by the Fan Club, or make your own playlist with a Custom Setlist Generator.  The whole thing draws from 186 shows and 5,404 tracks, spanning tours from 2000, 2003, 2008, and 2013.

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #5

 #5, STIP & THE SOLAT PODCAST

This year Jason and Paul of the State of Love and Trust podcast found an amazing guest for their amazing podcast in the form of TheSkyIScrape.com author, Brian Stipelman.  One could get lost in the minutia of our Red Mosquito Forum or the contest mastery of the only long-term Pearl Jam podcast out there, but Stip can handle it all.  Grab a download or a stream of the podcast and listen to Jason, Paul, and Brian wax poetic about:

• The Red Mosquito Forum and the Pearl Jam fanbase
• Alive
• The Legacy of No Code
• Vs' Place in the Pearl Jam catalog

Or, it's really a beautiful podcast.  If you're in need of some good listening, subscribe here and let it fly.

[failure to use "Given To Fly" in that last sentence, noted.]

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, Dishonorable Mention

 THE CLEAR NO CODE

This collectible didn't make our list this year.  Heck, we didn't even report on it when it happened.  However, it would be unfair to say it wasn't a "Pearl Jam Moment."  Pearl Jam tweeted about the availability of this 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Reissue of No Code at 1:09 pm ET on Tuesday, June 15th, 2021.  It was sold out about 5 minutes later.  

The vast majority of fans didn't even know this record existed until it was gone.  There is also significant debate on the necessity of pushing the album out onto two albums, since the original fits on one and still sounds great.  

The SkyIScrape.com was a little disappointed in this piece memoriabilia because it was available only to those who can sit at their computer all day with Twitter notifications on or those with $200-$400 to pick one up on eBay.  Why Pearl Jam didn't randomize these into shipments of the normal, black vinyl reissue that also came out this year, we will never understand, but we'll serve it up between #6 and #5, because ... well ... it happened.

Joy to The Haves!

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of No Code, Pearl Jam is reissuing the album on 150-gram vinyl. A limited edition clear vinyl version is available exclusively on the Pearl Jam shop and is officially out on August 13th, 2021.

Pre-order your copy: https://t.co/gkEEsdrPtP pic.twitter.com/gGN5RuQ87T

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) June 15, 2021

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #6

 #6, RECORD STORE DAY

This being the 30th Anniversary of Pearl Jam's album, Ten, Pearl Jam opted to release their first single on a 12" vinyl single and cassette in celebration of Record Store Day, the day in April [sic] that all of the record industry pushes business to brick and mortar record stores.

With the vinyl, fans got:

The 12” features the original promo single version of “Alive” plus three rare b-sides: “Wash”, “Dirty Frank” and the Beatles’ cover “I’ve Got A Feeling”, which is currently not available anywhere else. All four tracks are included on side A while side B contains an etching of the band’s Stick Man logo.

Side A: 1. “Alive (promo single version)” 2. “Wash” 3. “I’ve Got A Feeling” 4. “Dirty Frank”
Side B: Etching

With the cassette, fans got: 

The “Alive” cassette single is a replica of the promo cassette that was originally used around the album’s release. It includes the promo single version of “Alive” plus “Wash” and “I’ve Got A Feeling”, repeated on both sides.

Side A: 1. “Alive (promo single version)” 2. “Wash” 3. “I’ve Got A Feeling”
Side B: Repeat Side A program

Worth a trip out to your favorite record store for sure.

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #7

 #7, VAULT #1 ON VINYL

Ten years after kicking off their Vault program at the PJ20 Destination Weekend with a CD of their show at Moore Theater in 1992, Pearl Jam surprised fans last month with a vinyl release of that show.  Still missing the Baba O'Riley closer, but apparently that can't be helped.

Fan Club members had a chance to snatch this one up, and they did so quickly.  For those of you missing out, hopefully it will end up in the bootleg section.

Happy Birthday, Eddie Vedder!

 

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #8

 #8, 4TH OF JULY by PAINTED SHIELD

Painted Shield, Stone Gossard's side project band with Mason Jennings, Josh Freese, Brittany Davis, and Matt Chamberlain, released a video this year, just ahead of the Independence Day holiday, and less than a year after their debut album release.  

They have us thinking that a new album is underway at Loosegroove Records, and given how great the first album sounded, we can't wait!

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #9

#9, JOSH KLINGHOFFER

At the See.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, Pearl Jam introduced their newest bandmember, road guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer.  The former member of Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist will be joining the band on stage for the foreseeable future.

He is also an official member of Eddie Vedder's band, The Earthlings, which will be hitting the road this February in support of his latest solo album, Earthling.

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2021, #10

#10, FUNKO POP! FIGURINES

Fans have been begging for Pearl Jam action figures for a very long time, and in 2021, they finally got their wish ... times two.

In 2021, Pearl Jam partnered with Funko to commission two sets of Pearl Jam vinyl figurines: one set of the band in their classic 1990's look and a second set of glow-in-the-dark, zombie figurines exclusive to the Pearl Jam fan club in celebration of Halloween.

"Life-sized" versions even made an appearance at the Ohana Encore.

Shortly thereafter, fans did what fans do ...

You know the elf on the shelf. How about these? #10DaysOfPJ pic.twitter.com/5D02as2Uba

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) December 11, 2021

Eddie Vedder Adds a Second Chicago Show

 After a weekend of disappointed fans, Eddie Vedder has announced a second Chicago date for himself and his back-up band, The Earthlings.  The second show will be on February 10th, also at the Auditorium Theatre (is that really the name?).

Click here for ticket information.

Vitalogy Turns 27

 

Eddie Vedder's 2022 Earthlings Tour Announcement

Pearl Jam announced that Eddie Vedder will be touring in February 2022, and fan club members can enter the pre-sale today.  He'll be playing eight dates on the East Coast, West Coast, and Chicago backed by Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam), Chris Chaney (Janes Addiction), Andrew Watt (Earthling's producer), and Glen Hansard (who is also the opening act). Check the dates below, and click here for more ticketing information.

February 3 | New York, NY | Beacon Theatre
February 4 | New York, NY | Beacon Theatre
February 6 | Newark, NJ | NJPAC
February 9 | Chicago, IL | Auditorium Theatre
February 15 | San Diego, CA | The Magnolia
February 17 | Los Angeles, CA | YouTube Theatre
February 21 | Seattle, WA | Benaroya Hall
February 22 | Seattle, WA | Benaroya Hall