Yesterday, I went to Lisbon to see Pearl Jam at Pavilhão Atlântico, which is the biggest shows' arena here in Portugal. There was all the hype you could hope for any Pearl Jam concert.

It began around 21:45, and for the next 2,5 hours, they showed why they're still one of the best active bands in the business.

Eddie Vedder doesn't act like a rockstar: he never was and he will never be, by his choice. He's just another Pearl Jam fan, who feels each show just like anyone in the audience, and for sure you can feel his passion for the music.

Eddie Vedder is a simple man, and he's the the heart of not only the Pearl Jam band, as well as its audience.

This was their second date here in Lisbon, as they've played the day before. The setlists are slightly different, altough each one was amazing, in overall. For 5th September, the setlist was:

Severed Hand / Corduroy / Hail Hail / Save You / WorldWide Suicide / Dissident / Even Flow / Army Reserve / Whipping / State Of Love And Trust / I Got Sh*t / Garden / Do The Evolution / Sad / Daughter / Insignificance / Black / Rearviewmirror / Come Back / I Believe In Miracles / Big Wave / Once / Footsteps / Alive / Life Wasted / Better Man / Smile / Why Go / Rockin' In The Free World / Yellow Ledbetter

As you can see, that's a huge lot of songs. 30 songs, in fact, which exceeds the regular amount of songs per show. All the hits were played (exception made, perhaps, to Jeremy and Last Kiss, played the night before), as well as two covers (Ramones' I Believe In Miracles and Neil Young's Rockin' In The Free World), and even a nice jam the band played with the word "Portugal" making up the lyrics. Eddie dedicated also 'Come Back' to his late friend Johnny Ramone, and 'Big Waves' to a Portuguese surfing champion, Tiago "Saca" Pires, who won for the second year straight the qualifying series championship here in his home country (more precisely, in Ericeira, from where I write this article :P).

To this point, I have witnessed many rock shows, some good, and some awesome. Pearl Jam's show fits, for sure, in this last division. In fact, it is side-by-side with Metallica's gig at Rock In Rio Lisboa 2004 in terms of the best show I've ever seen. Congratulations, Eddie Vedder, and Pearl Jam. True rock legends, and they showed us all they're capable of.

Next in schedule, Muse, 26th October :P I wish another great show.

EDIT: By the way, I realised I never wrote about any of the other shows I've attended, so for the next post, expect a full report :P