New York, July 8, 2003

In "Love Boat Captain," Pearl Jam ringleader Eddie Vedder sings "Let the show begin" to an adoring New York audience on the band's first of two shows in the Big Apple. Like Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Karn Evil" without the pretense, the group states its intentions with a wink and launches into the blistering "Last Exit" from the 1994 album Vitalogy. After an inspired run through "Green Disease," the set loses momentum and things begin to fall apart. Vedder warbles between songs like a man fighting back vomit and the band reacts to his lack of energy with little zeal. The band goes through the motions on its breakthrough hit "Even Flow" before resurrecting itself by delivering a gritty and emotional version of fellow political upstart John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth." From that point on, the fire that propelled Pearl Jam to rock icon status gets in their pants and smolders through fan favorites like "I Am Mine," "RVM," and "Breath." Grief stricken over the loss of legendary Who bassist John Entwhistle, the group treats fans to a sloppy yet reverent and passionate version of "Baba O' Riley." ~ James Christopher Monger