London: 29 5 00

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 - 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..." Q - 4 stars out of 5 - "...As these albums testify, Pearl Jam remain a powerful live act....the quality of songs prove [them] one of the very best rock groups of their generation..." 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..." Q (12/00, p.132) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...As these albums testify, Pearl Jam remain a powerful live act....the quality of songs prove [them] one of the very best rock groups of their generation..."

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.|