Pearl Jam's first show in England for the 2024 Dark Matter World Tour
In February 2024 US rock band Pearl Jam announced a world tour in support of their twelve studio album ‘Dark Matter’, which included a date at the brand new Co-Op live arena in Manchester England.
A show that almost did not happened.
Prior to the show the Co-Op Live arena had seen major issues effecting the opening with many shows cancelled, rescheduled or moved to the other arena in the city. But problems were solved before the band arrived in the UK.
Did Pearl Jam European Tour Ticket Prices affect sales?
Prices for this tour were significantly higher than any previous Pearl Jam show in the UK at around 160 pounds a ticket, more than double the price of tickets in 2022. This price increase caused sales to be slow with a lot of fans refusing to pay the ticket price. Ticket prices were slightly reduced closer to the date but remained high and unsold.
Pearl Jam at the Co-Op Live Arena
The co-op live arena is a new venue in the UK and had as been designed with acoustics in mind, the aim is to be the biggest live music arena in the UK with the best acoustics.
The venue is easily accessible from central Manchester via the tram system and it is walkable (about 1 hour).
The venue is very well organised and the most striking feature once inside is how dark it is, with all walls and seats painted black with no digital advertising screens. This was a key decision when the venue was developed, to ensure its all about the immersive experience of a band playing with no distractions.
Pearl Jam’s Band performance in Manchester Co-op Live Arena 2024
The band opened with ‘Of the girl’, the first song of what turned out to be a 24 song set list, and straight away things seemed off. The first thoughts were the acoustics at the new venue, Lead Eddie Vedder’s, Lead singer, voice was not clear and the music seemed loud, drowning him out, the reason for this soon came clear.
After a couple of songs something unusual happened, the band stopped playing and had a group huddle by the drum kit of Matt Cameron for a few minutes, shortly after they played one more song before Eddie Vedder spoke to the crowd.
Eddie explained that he interacted with fans closely at the Dublin show and since then he felt sick and said the fans may need to help him out and that’s what happened.
For the rest of the set two things happened, fans got the chance to sing more than normal due to Eddies inability to reach the right notes and the really special thing, Mike McCready upped his game, impossible you might think.
Mike McCready was on another level, playing immense solos and really interacting with the crowd.
A telling sign of how much Eddie was not enjoying the night, he stated I wish I could give you all a free bootleg to make up for tonight but I never want to hear these vocals every again.
Prior to the final song, Yellow Ledbetter, Pearl Jam were set to play one of their ‘lost dogs’ – ‘Sonic Reducer’ but instead switched this out with a cover of Niel Youngs ‘Fukin Up’, a reflection of how this show turned out, due to the issues Eddie was having with his voice.
Watch Pearl Jam play Black live in Manchester 2004
Pearl Jam at Co-op Live, Manchester, England – Set List
- Of the Girl
- Present Tense
- Why Go
- All Night
- Given to Fly
- Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
- Scared of Fear
- React, Respond
- Immortality
- Even Flow
- Wreckage
- Daughter
- Dark Matter
- I Got Id
- Once
- Porch
- Inside Job
- State of Love and Trust
- Do the Evolution
- Play Video
- Black
- Alive
- Fuckin' Up
- Yellow Ledbetter
Why Eddie Vedder Didn’t Want Pearl Jam to Release Better Man
Did Pearl Jam have an official tour Poster for Manchester?
yes, and here it is:
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Pearl Jam review – Manchester Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Conclusion
The co-op live area proved to be a great venue but its full potential in unknown after the band could not live up to their full potential. In the end two things saved this show after Eddie Vedder was clearly suffering with his voice.
The first being one of the best performances by Mike McCready for years, although his guitar playing is always special, on this occasion it was on another level.
The second, the Fans. Whilst Pearl Jam are known to have great participation, on this occasion they realised Vedders issues and rather than being downhearted they embraced it and took the opportunity to participate in the chance to sing along.
In conclusion, a great show by a band that was struggling with illness, and the venue has amazing potential.