Grunge is Still Alive: Pearl Jam's Dark Matter Tour Comes to Fenway

Indie-rocker Glen Hansard opened the show with a powerful vocals and riffs in "Didn't He Ramble", and driven basslines in "Down On Our Knees". Olivia Vedder (eldest daughter of PJ's frontman, Eddie Vedder) joined Hansard on stage for a touching performance of "My Father's Daughter", highlighting the generational impact of both artists' music.

Pearl Jam took the stage early in the evening, and proceeded to play an almost 3-hour set, packed with new material and original classics. The band opened with "Footsteps", entirely backlit, as the crowd immediately began cheering and singing along with the silhouettes of the rockstars. The lights came on for "Release" and "Given To Fly", before Vedder gifted two ti leaf leis he'd been wearing to lucky fans in the front row.

It's been more than 30 years since their debut album was released, but Vedder's voice has aged like fine wine. Speaking of wine, it wouldn't be a Pearl Jam show if Vedder didn't toast the audience with a bottle of his favorite Pinot Noir, before sailing through "Ten" era classics like "Even Flow" and "Jeremy". Jeff Ament's unmistakable basslines and epic solos from Mike McCready alone were worth the price of admission. Paired with guitarist Stone Goddard and drummer Matt Cameron, the band revived their classic sound. The band played an abridged version of "Do The Evolution" that rivaled the original recording, as well as a rare performance of "Glorified G".

Vedder introduces his band members, and pandered to Red Sox fans, calling on lead guitarist Mike McCready "batting left" as he mimed the motion with his Strat, saying he was "their own Kevin Youkilis", inspiring chants of the name across the field.

Vedder also took moments between songs to admire the near full moon, advocate for gun control, thank former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer who joined them on stage, and share memories of the band's journey to Fenway.

Apart from swapping "Ten"drummer Dave Krusen for Soundgarden's Matt Cameron early on, and the later addition of keyboardist Boom Gaspar, Pearl Jam is the last surviving original grunge lineup. It wasn't lost on Vedder how emotional the experience was, as he tearfully recounted memories climbing a tree they called "the Green Monster" alongside his friend and late Soundgarden/Audioslave/Temple Of The Dog singer, Chris Cornell, and dedicated a performance of "In My Tree" to his memory.

The band also played songs off their newest album "Dark Matter", including the title track, "React, Respond" and "Wreckage". Though the new music deviates a bit from their early grunge and later alternative sound, influences of each era can be heard throughout, making for a culmination of their discography on one original album. The encore included "Better Man", "State of Love and Trust", "Alive" and other top hits (except for "Black", which was played the second night). The band played their hearts out with each performance, bringing the crowd to their feet like it was the 90's, and proving Pearl Jam is far from finished.