Pearl Jam began Philly run at Wells Fargo Center (pics, video, setlist)

Pearl Jam are on their 2024 tour supporting this year’s Dark Matter, and after a pair of Madison Square Garden shows last week (including the band’s 50th NYC show on Wednesday, September 4, which featured guest appearances from Steven Van Zandt, Andrew Watt, and Glen Hansard), they stopped in Philadelphia on Saturday night (9/7) for the first of two shows at Wells Fargo Center. Eddie Vedder paid tribute to South Jersey hockey players Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bikes on August 29, dedicating “Given to Fly” to them. “I lost my brother five years ago in something that was very immediate and traumatic,” Vedder said. “Jeff Ament lost one of his great friends in a similar fashion. And Chris told me that what made it even more tragic was that they were such good men.” Pearl Jam’s Saturday night setlist also included the tour debut of Yield Track “Brain of J,” and renditions of Mother Love Bone’s “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns,” The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” and Vedder’s solo take on Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” which he played on a guitar Petty had given him. See pictures from the show by Sachyn Mital along with attendee-taken video, and the setlist, below. SETLIST: PEARL JAM @ WELLS FARGO CENTER, 9/7/2024 Long Road Low Light Why Go Brain of J. React, Respond Dark Matter Given to Fly Wreckage Even Flow Do the Evolution MFC Red Mosquito Won’t Tell Black Breath Running Rearviewmirror Encore: I Won’t Back Down Daughter Last Exit Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns State of Love and Trust Alive Baba O’Riley Indifference