Opener Glen Hansard recently played a 45-minute set, which included a performance from from Olivia Vedder, daughter of Eddie Vedder singing “My Father’s Daughter.” It was Hansard’s first time performing at Fenway Park, and he returned on stage for Pearl Jam’s encore.
Eddie Vedder daughter performs
It has been a long time since Pearl Jam last performed in Boston. Fans may have even wondered if frontman Eddie Vedder and the band would ever come back. On Sunday, however, the band returned for the first time in six years to Fenway Park for a 2 1/2-hour show.
The performance brought rarely performed songs, a teary-eyed frontman, and guitar solos that lit up the crowd. If Pearl Jam is indeed nearing retirement, Boston witnessed a truly memorable show on Sunday night from a band with an epic career. They looked and sounded better than ever.
During the concert, there were some notable references to Boston and sports. Frontman Eddie Vedder was dressed in his Dark Matter World Tour uniform, which consisted of a Chicago Bears Walter Payton No. 34 jersey, symbolizing the number of years the band has been performing.
He also shared a personal story about Tim Wakefield and dedicated the song “Just Breathe” to the late Red Sox pitcher and his late wife Stacy. Bassist Jeff Ament wore a T-shirt featuring Larry Bird, and later changed into a Jayson Tatum jersey. The organist, Boom Gaspar, wore a yellow Boston Strong jersey.
The 26-song setlist covered a range of their early hits and latest tracks from the April release of “Dark Matter.”
During the encore on Sunday, the band turned on the house lights, illuminating the packed stadium. Tambourines were tossed into the crowd and passed around on stage, creating celebratory moments. Vedder’s daughter, Olivia, and actor/director John Krasinski were spotted among the notable figures.
The band will play Fenway Park again on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Setlist for Pearl Jam at Fenway Park — Sept. 16, 2024
- Footsteps
- Release
- Given to Fly
- Hail, Hail
- Corduroy
- Scared of Fear
- React, Respond
- Down
- In My Tree
- Wreckage
- Even Flow
- Dark Matter
- Do the Evolution
- Glorified G
- Jeremy
- Something Special
- Rearviewmirror
Encore:
- Just Breathe
- Song of Good Hope
- Blood
- Better Man
- Setting Sun
- State of Love and Trust
- Alive
- Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
- Yellow Ledbetter
