Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder brought his solo act to the Oakland Paramount this week. Although Mr. Vedder seems reluctantly aware of his talents, some 6000footdrop.com readers heretofore may not have been. So, for avoidance of doubt, let's be clear: Eddie Vedder is the greatest living American vocalist. He's not Mick Jagger, but he is the Frank Sinatra of our generation, as one local superhero put it at the Monday show.
The art-deco Oakland Paramount opened in 1931, three years after the neighboring Oakland Fox, but unlike the Fox, the Paramount has mostly stayed open and avoided two decades as a mushroom substrate and open toilet like the Fox had to endure. Indeed, the city-owned 3000 seat Paramount with its elaborate californicated decor is the nicest place in town, adjacent the shuttered highbrow women's I Magnin department store. (Oakland 2011 and I Magnin are so clearly in other worlds it's hard to imagine a time when they were compatible.)
Mr. Vedder continues to speak his mind, including publishing and enforcing a "no cameras of any kind including your cell phone -- this means you" policy for his solo tour. It worked! Hardly a lit screen in sight! Signage, repeated aural entry warnings, combined with flashlight-wielding, radio-controlled bouncers and emboldened audience vigilantes (perhaps naively unfamiliar with Oakland) kept it in check. Nice way to take the show back to a quieter generation, but it leaves compliant 6000footdrop.com only with post-show interior shots like this.
Dublin breakout busker Glen Hansard opened the show with his fast strumming and self-depricating Irish humor. Hansard's Dublin busker movie "Once" may aid in pushing him to the headliner status he clearly deserves. His power strumming through the slipstream of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks ("Here is a song I learned as a boy...") had the pjamers sincerely wanting an encore -- and Hansard did re-appear in Mr. Vedder's encore. After Hansard, Mr. Vedder's cadre of technicians, all sporting white lab coats, set up a spiral of stringed instruments -- three types of ukeleles, mandolins, acoustic guitars, and electric guitars looking quite large by comparison. A real treat ensued -- despite his sexiness, Mr. Vedder is overwhelmingly talented.
Mr. Vedder completes our green Hawaiian loop starting the show on his variety of ukeleles, and then working methodically up and down the spiral of instruments -- politely deflecting song requests "Thanks but I have this worked out already...." Mr. Vedder's phrasing is unique and precise, like he has already thoroughly seduced himself in rehearsal so he knows what works. Mr. Vedder can growl when he needs to or whisper if necessary. Eddie Vedder is so clearly more vocally talented than, for example, Trey Ansatasio, it is a mystery why no one at the show is dancing.
Set I: Can't Keep, Sleeping By Myself, Without You, More Than You Know, Broken Heart, Light Today, You're True, I Am Mine, Deadman, Wishlist, Just Breathe, Betterman, Santa Cruz, Far Behind, Long Nights with Glen Hansard, Guaranteed, Rise (dedicated to "Rob"), Untitled pump organ song, Lukin, Unthought Known, Arc. Mr. Vedder's controlled energy is present throughout the set and his voice dances up, down, in, out and through the repertoire -- flying through parts that could not have been done as well by Jim Morrison, or Rod Stewart, or Neil Diamond, or maybe even Steve Winwood.
Set II: Immortality ("He sounds like Pete" my seatmate portends as Vedder heads into a Pete song), I'm One, ("He sounds like Keith" comes another prediction as Vedder heads into a tease of) Waiting On A Friend, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town (heard sung all over the street after the show like your dad leaving church at Christmas), Glen Hansard returns for the closers: Sleepless Nights (un-miced with surprising audience cooperation), Society, Falling Slowly, Porch. E: Hard Sun.
There is bad plaid, but neither of these two is it -- both Hansard and Vedder are subdued superstars. Can't wait to hear Mr. Vedder dominate native Alaskan music next! See you 8/5-6 at the Gorge for the Phish!