Some gigs are really hard to put into words. It’s that “look, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you weren’t there and you really missed out” sort of feeling. You don’t want to come off a dick, but at the same time, you know it’s true. And nothing you can say in words can replicate that feeling. It’s the connection with the crowd, it’s the energy in the air – it’s the banter that time forgot. This is what a night with Eddie Vedder is like, returning to the State Theatre for his first solo tour in three years, following a few weeks on the road with Pearl Jam and the Big Day Out.
The night opened in style with a man who is just kicking off his voyage around Australia, supporting Eddie on this run of shows before headlining his own nights… including a stint at the Sydney Opera House – a venue which by the time this run of shows comes to an end, maybe some kind of record. Between himself and The Swell Season, the House has given Hansard a lot of love over the years. But that’s neither here nor there. Tonight it was the State Theatre’s turn, and armed with nothing but his old trusty, beaten-up acoustic guitar, a ukulele and old electric (for “Her Mercy”), our Irish troubadour gave the Theatre the sort of performance that he’s known for: raw, beautiful and often hilarious.
His nine song set, crammed into just under 50 minutes, was full of songs new and old, with the final track, “This Gift”, exploding with intensity as he looped his guitar and vocals into a world of distortion, his guitar string snapping at one of his final strokes, the crowd responding in kind with a huge applause and a standing ovation. It’s the sort of moments rock stars live for, and though Once may suggest otherwise, he’s every bit the rock star in our books. You need look no further to some footage of the man fronting The Frames to know we’re right. “When You’re Mind’s Made Up” was a highlight of the set for many, though kindly throwing in “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy” for a girl down the front, that goes down as pretty special, too.
This isn’t the first time Glen has supported Eddie. The two have toured the world together three times now. Glen reflected on the start of this relationship, when Eddie reached out to him following a suicide at one of the Swell Season’s concerts, having been through his own tragedy at the infamous Roskilde Festival in 2000, which claimed nine lives – including one Australian (to whose family he dedicated “I Am Mine”). Eddie later admitted it wasn’t as selfless as Glen made out – he needed to talk to someone about it all too. But a friendship was formed out of those early phone chats and years later, here they are, touring Australia together. He also said that some guy would blog about all this backstory… and here we are. Hello Mr. Vedder! Long time fan, first-time caller.
Eddie Vedder took the stage to a sold out room and a deafening applause. It was a room of fans, and he had them in the palm of his hands from the minute he walked onto the stage. But that in itself isn’t enough to make a good show. Lesser performers would rest on their laurels, drone out their songs and walk off stage, but not Eddie. With at least two encores (it’s hard to know whether to count some of his pauses as encores, so let’s go with two for now…) and a set that ran half an hour overtime (partly due to some lighting problems, he quipped), Eddie ensured that no one in the room left disappointed, be they lifelong fan or part-time admirer. For your reference, I fit myself into the latter category, and tonight was my first time seeing Vedder performing solo – indeed it was just him and a room full of guitars on the stage – though I have experienced the wonder of Pearl Jam several times over the years.
But enough about me… let’s talk about Vedder and his show. Firstly, I have to say I was surprised to see Vedder treat the theatre as just that. Curtains changed behind him throughout the night, moving his impeccably set up stage through the different worlds we might see a man with his guitar – from busking on the street, to sitting by a campfire, to the basement… before we arrive in total darkness, Vedder’s voice echoing in loops throughout the room… and a surprise second encore with Hansard joining Vedder as the sun came up over the sea for the appropriate “Hard Sun”, the incredible track from the Into The Wild soundtrack (albeit originally composed by Indio), which closed the night as the crowd rushed to the front of the room and finally gave the room the only thing the night was missing: a true party atmosphere. But it’s fair to say we had our fair share of that at the Big Day Out…
Vedder moved through his back catalogue with skill and style, giving well-known tracks like “Better Man” new life in the acoustic environment, appropriating the song with a small body acoustic and making it almost unrecognisable. And even though there was only one man on stage, he was a man of many instruments. Though the on stage piano seemed only for show, he snuck in a mandolin for the track “Rise” and the ukelele made a few appearances, including for “Sleeping by Myself”. Arguably the biggest singalong of the night went to “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”, which ended with some lone harmonica, although “Porch”, which ended the main set, may have given it a run for its money.
Filled with banter, stories and excellent crowd interaction, Vedder is a master of the stage. Having never witnessed the man in action in such an intimate space before, it was a joy to see such a legend in acoustic mode. In many ways, it surpassed any experience I’ve had seeing Pearl Jam live. I felt like I was getting to see the songs as they were meant to be enjoyed. Over a campfire, or in your parent’s basement. And though the guys up the top mightn’t have been able to hear it, we even got to witness the man (along with Hansard) away from the microphone for an unplugged version of “Sleepless Nights”, then hear Vedder play the “girl” part in Hansard’s “Falling Slowly”, which was pretty damn special in its own right.
There is little more to say about this epic night of music, but it’s fair to say I’ve barely scratched the surface. This was one of those nights I’ll never forget, and look… I don’t know how to tell you this, but if you weren’t there, you really missed out.
Hansard and Vedder continue their tour around Australia with additional dates in Sydney, including the Sydney Opera House. Dates are available HERE. Though every show is sold out, it never hurts to try your luck at the venue box office on the day. And if you want more Hansard, he has his own solo tour after these shows. Check out those details HERE.
GLEN HANSARD SETLIST
?? (New Song, First Time Performance)
Revelate (by The Frames)
Love Don’t Leave Me Waiting
Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy (from Once)
When Your Mind’s Made Up (from Once)
Pennys In The Fountain (On the Ukulele)
Bird of Sorrow
Her Mercy
This Gift (from The Odd Life of Timothy Green soundtrack)
EDDIE VEDDER SETLIST
Long Road (Pearl Jam song)
Brain Damage (Pink Floyd cover)
Sometimes (Pearl Jam song)
Don’t Be Shy (Cat Stevens cover)
Around the Bend (Pearl Jam song)
Thumbing My Way (Pearl Jam song)
Speed of Sound (Pearl Jam song)
Can’t Keep (Pearl Jam song)
Sleeping By Myself
Without You
I Am Mine (Pearl Jam song)
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles cover)
Setting Forth
Guaranteed
Rise
Better Man (Pearl Jam song)
Millworker (James Taylor cover)
Porch (Pearl Jam song)
Encore:
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town (Pearl Jam song)
Lukin (Pearl Jam song)
Sleepless Nights (The Everly Brothers cover – Unplugged)
Falling Slowly (The Swell Season cover)
Parting Ways (Pearl Jam song)
Just Breathe (Pearl Jam song)
Off He Goes (Pearl Jam song)
Open All Night (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Arc (Pearl Jam song)
Encore 2:
Hard Sun (Indio cover)
