Atlanta, Georgia is a place where for some reason 5,000,000+ people have located. Atlanta grew from its founding at a railroad crossing and lacks a river or lake or bluff or shore or hill or any of the other types of dramatic landscape that many towns feature. Not a high speed detachable quad in sight. Pearl Jam, however, provided superb landscape, drama, and texture Saturday night to Atlanta as the headliner of the recently-revived Midtown Music Festival at Piedmont Park.
Midtown is a two day festival with a three-tier pricing structure: $55/daily for general admission; $250/daily for "VIP" where the food, beer and wine are "free" and patrons have a fenced-in slice of the field; and $500/daily for "Super VIP" where even the cocktails are free and a raised viewing platform is provided -- although these banners draping the stage blocked the expensive view.
The festival was packed Saturday night, with at least 35,000 in attendance. The festival was well-enough organized -- for example, unlike some of the Midtown neighborhood's luxury hotels, the festival had running water. Temperatures were mild with humidity well above 50%.
The "free" alcohol (served right to the end of the shows) in the VIP sections made for amusing people watching. Here is a fun-loving couple getting the most of their $250 tickets.
Seattle plaid rockers Pearl Jam delivered a very strong show, packing thousands of beats and notes and beads of sweat into its two-hour time-slot. We took a spot on the lawn in the back of the roomy VIP section, too far away to see the band, but not too far away to hear them. Here is Mr. Vedder in a short-sleeved shirt at 56x zoom.
Set I:
Why Go -- Although Florence and the Machine's opening set was strong, Mr. Vedder didn't need to ask this question -- no one was leaving.
Save You -- Buzzing like a swarm of Georgia Tech Yellowjackets.
Animal -- This impressively complex number could use two drummers.
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town -- "Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away..." Perfect.
Corduroy -- Micro wale black skinny jeans only work on perfectly built women.
Got Some -- 35,000+ and hardly a bob-talker among them. Indeed, even fewer tobacco users than expected. Show-roving uniformed armed police add to the fun.
Amongst the Waves -- Mr. Vedder introduces the song talking about love "as deep as the ocean" and reminding the southern audience that "even men can love me..."
Wishlist -- We all have a wishlist, but does yours include un-exploded neutron bombs and Camaros?
Better Man/Save it for Later -- Mr. Vedder is channeling Pete Townshend windmilling and jumping like he's 20.
Do the Evolution -- Have we evolved in Pearl Jam's 20 year run? Does the answer lie in the hairstyles of guitarists Stone Gossard (loose and long) or Mike McCready (tight and short)?
Even Flow-- Mr. Vedder is even better than Adam Sandler on the Yabba-dabba-do parts.
Know Your Rights -- Mr. Vedder introduces the song by reminding the audience that this is an election year and encouraging them to vote. He explains that Georgia requires government issued photo identification, and that a student card is not enough (although a concealed weapon permit is.) Then the band slides into this tune from The Clash that encourages youth to speak up.
Nothingman -- Acoustic with Jeff Ament on stand-up bass.
Supersonic -- Buzzsaw.
Jeremy -- Mike McCready on a matte black electric guitar.
Porch -- Big energy song closes the first set.
Set II:
Crazy Mary -- Mr. Vedder explains that the band is happy to have been invited. Keyboardist Boom Gaspar is the MVP of the tune.
Given to Fly -- Arms are wide open all over Piedmont Park.
The Fixer -- Mr. Vedder explains this tune is about a friend of his from Atlanta and then goes into the crowd to give the audience more detail. "Yah, yah yah..."
Rearview Mirror -- Dark and bassy, with Mr. Vedder on the fast strumming.
E:
Unknown Thought -- Mr. Vedder thanks the audience and the promoters and the crew and the rest of the band.
Black -- Sweet and friendly. Mr. Vedder re-buttons his shirt.
Alive -- Stone Gossard supplies the classic Pearl Jam riff while the rest of the band parades around trying to avoid the promoter who has come on the stage to shut the show down before it goes overtime.
Rockin in the Free World -- The two minute version.
See you in Missoula for Pearl Jam!