Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder performed at the Global Citizens Festival: Mandela 100 on Sunday in Africa, and he discussed how opening for Beyonce and Jay-Z is a ‘dream come true.’ Alternative Nation transcribed Vedder’s comments.
“We’re going to sing a bit of a prayer for you. It’s an honor to be here, and for someone who has never played in your country before, it’s a dream come true. It’s also a dream come true to open for Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Something we don’t always think about, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I just want to mention our gratitude for the family members of Nelson Mandela. For him to be the father of this country, they had to sacrifice their own father, their own grandfather, their husband, because they shared him with the world, he was able to change the world. We appreciate them for sharing him with us.”
The Mandela 100 performance was Eddie Vedder’s final 2019 performance, and he will perform in March 2019 at the Innings Festival in Arizona. Pearl Jam currently have no scheduled 2019 tour dates, but they are expected to release their first new album in six years, the followup to 2013’s Lightning Bolt. Pearl Jam toured in North America, South America, and Europe this year.
