Barcelona: 25 5 00

Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...The band's authority and the consistency of these performances are astonishing....[their] roots in metal and '70s arena rock are precisely what make its music so well suited to stadiums....[They] are still the very best we've got..." Alternative Press - 4 out of 5 - "...For the casual fan, one of these things will do....There is not a turkey inthe bunch...old favorites breathe anew..." Spin - 8 out of 10 - "...The deep thrill is the microversion of the band's history: its tidal motion toward and away from anthemic grunge pop, and the sense that the conventions of music-as-product have been outmaneuvered....What makes these shows moving is how the sonics carry the philosophizing, with the faith that music can mean things..." Rolling Stone (10/26/00, p.112) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...The band's authority and the consistency of these performances are astonishing....[their] roots in metal and '70s arena rock are precisely what make its music so well suited to stadiums....[They] are still the very best we've got..." Spin (3/01, pp.143-5) - 8 out of 10 - "...The deep thrill is the microversion of the band's history: its tidal motion toward and away from anthemic grunge pop, and the sense that the conventions of music-as-product have been outmaneuvered....What makes these shows moving is how the sonics carry the philosophizing, with the faith that music can mean things..." Alternative Press (4/01, p.83) - 4 out of 5 - "...For the casual fan, one of these things will do....There is not a turkey inthe bunch...old favorites breathe anew..."

Though Pearl Jam began its life as part of a genre that found a massive audience rather quickly, Eddie Vedder and company have never done things the mainstream way. From its notorious distrust and avoidance of the rock star lifestyle, to its David-and-Goliath-like battles with corporate dragon Ticketmaster, Pearl Jam has always been a people's band. The group's series of simultaneously released live albums marketed through the Internet is another subversive chapter in its career.
The interesting thing about this 25-volume double-disc series documenting the group's 2000 European tour is not only the depth of repertoire it has amassed over the years--the diversity of the sets is impressive--but the consistently palpable emotional commitment it brings to its music night after night. This series offers a unique opportunity to follow that thread from one performance to the next, offering a sonic still-life portrait whose intimacy is unprecedented in the world of commercial concert recordings.|