Robert Plant & Pearl Jam

There's significant demand already on the Pearl Jam message boards for this show to be released on DVD. I'm not sure of the likelihood of this, since Robert and PJ do not share the same label. If it's going to be released, the proceeds would obviously go to the respective charities mentioned in the Two Feet Thick review.

There's some history between Robert/Zeppelin and Pearl Jam. Yield came out in 1998, while Page and Plant were supporting Walking Into Clarksdale with the Walking Into Everywhere tour. Plant supposedly made some remark about the introduction of Given To Fly being a little too similar to Going To California. There was a little back and forth in interviews with the two bands, but I don't think the criticism could be too serious on Page/Plant's part, since they begged, borrowed, and stole from various blues artists in their day (the band was sued in 1993 by Willie Dixon, who wrote "You Need Love" and provided the lyrical foundation for "Whole Lotta Love." Songwriting credits on subsequently issued albums now list Dixon among the writers).

During an interview for Playboy, Plant recounted an exchange he had with Vedder in 2000:

"I saw Eddie Vedder in Oslo the night before that really unfortunate accident in Roskilde [the June 30, 2000 Pearl Jam show when nine fans were crushed to death], and we share the agent, not carnally, but literally, in Europe, and so I went backstage and was introduced to him. Nice guy, nice band, good people. I said, "How's that song doing that we wrote?" He said, "Ah, it's coming along fine." So I stood at the lighting desk and I was enjoying the show and he got to that song and he said, "Here's a song that we wrote for a guy out there somewhere in the dark." It's very close [to Going to California], isn't it?"

As you'll see in the notes below, PJ dedicated Given To Fly to Robert, and then Plant and Strange Sensation came out to do Going To California, with PJ looking on. Robert then joined with PJ, trading vocals on the Elvis song, "Little Sister," which Plant has performed on and off as a solo artist going back to 1981.

This is the live debut of Fool In The Rain, off In Through The Out Door. It had never been played by Zeppelin or any of the three surviving members at any time in the past. It's a tribute to Matt Cameron that Plant would even attempt this track; it is such a classic performance by Bonham.

According to some people on the message boards, Pearl Jam had soundchecked Thank You at least once in the last few days before one of their shows. McCready threw in a bit of the Stairway solo to Crazy Mary on September 30. Notes from various boards claimed that Fool in the Rain was heard during the soundcheck outside the House of Blues, with Robert's voice audible. I'm especially pleased to note all the positive feedback about Plant's voice from those who went to the show. Hopefully he'll gain some new fans. It's somewhat discouraging to think that this may have been his most enthusiastic crowd of the whole year (I've already talked plenty about the people who sit down during his shows), but I'm glad if it made him feel appreciated, especially by those who are not die-hard fans. I can't wait to hear this show - I would imagine he busted out some spine-chilling wails for the lucky crowd.

HUGE show. I'd be willing to pay through the nose for a decent bootleg.

From Two Feet Thick -


UPDATED October 6, 2005
10/05/05 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL, USA

PJ Main Set: Love Boat Captain, Grievance, Do The Evolution, Even Flow, Dissident, Elderly Woman..., Corduroy, Green Disease, Daughter, Half Full, I Am Mine, Better Man, Black, Alive, Save You, Porch

First Encore: Man of the Hour, Hard to Imagine, I Got Shit, Rearviewmirror

Second Encore: Given to Fly, Going to California (performed by Robert and Strange Sensation - PJ looked on), Little Sister, Money (That's What I Want), Fool In the Rain, Thank You
(Plant and Vedder traded vocals for the last four songs)

Third encore: Rockin' in the Free World (w/Plant on guitar)

TFT Notes:
This show was a benefit for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, tickets were $1000 with net proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity, The American Red Cross and Jazz Foundation of America. 25 pairs of Ten Club tickets were made available to Chicago members for a minimum $80 donation per pair. "Elderly Woman..." is dedicated to those from the nearby small town of Naperville. "Daughter" does not include a formal tag, but there are shout-outs between Ed and the crowd. Being a Chicago Cubs fan, Ed talked a little about Chicago's other team, the White Sox, and the baseball playoffs (at the time of the show, White Sox are leading a playoff series). The crowd's response induced both "Cubs!" and "Sox!" chants. Ed then grabbed a Sox hat from the crowd and said, "Ok, Ok, is this better?". Someone threw a Cubs jersey with "23" with "Vedder" on the back which he hung on his guitar stand.
After "Man of the Hour", everyone except Ed stands up off their stools. Ed asks for requests, (paraphrasing) "don't get used to it, but you paid one big one ($1,000), so we'll make an exception." He comments that he hears "Bee Girl" and something else. Jeff, Mike and Stone are all interacting with fans in front of them who are yelling requests, including the now routine vocal plea for "Leash".
Mike heard a request, walked over to Ed and Ed said, "alright we'll do that one", leading to "Hard To Imagine". By the time the band finishes the song, Ed has his guitar and starts the lead into "I Got Shit".

"Given to Fly" is dedicated to Robert Plant. During "Given To Fly", he requested and received an Illinois license plate from the crowd which said "GVN TO FLY". At the end of the song, Plant and his players Strange Sensation come out and go right into "Going to California" (from Led Zeppelin IV) as Ed sits on the drum riser, Mike and Jeff take a seat on the stage, and Stone stands to the side sipping some wine. The band is clearly into it as much as the crowd. Ed gets up, they have some banter and Plant stays on for Elvis Presley's "Little Sister" trading off on verses (Robert Plant has performed "Little Sister" throughout his career as a solo artist and with The Honeydrippers). "Money (That's What I Want)" (a motown hit from 1959 that has been covered in the past by the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and also by Robert Plant during his solo career) is played with Mike, Ed, Jeff, Stone, Matt all singing the "that's what I want!" chorus.

"Fool In the Rain" (from Led Zeppelin's In Through the Out Door) is somewhat extended, with Boom providing the essential groove inherent to the song. Ed and Robert comment on having to have the lyric sheets and then they throw them to the crowd after the performance.

"Thank You" (from Led Zeppelin II) was next, with Plant taking over most of the vocals as Ed left the stage. The band is clearly enjoying themselves and thrilled to be onstage with Robert Plant. They return for another encore with "Rockin' in the Free World" with Robert Plant playing Ed's guitar. Mike is shirtless for the encores. Ed does the usual "catch-pound-break-throw" routine with many tamborines. After a failed attempt, he flings one all the way to the balcony, but it is then thrown back into the pit by the person who caught it. Ed sees it come flying back and for a moment has a completely surprised look on his face as he looks back to the balcony.

At close, the band left the stage with Plant and Ed out front. Ed started to leave the opposite way of Plant, stopped himself, then followed him off the same way, mouthing to the crowd and pointing "I'm with him".

On the setlist but not played: MFC (replaced by Green Disease), Last Kiss (replaced by "Hard to Imagine).