Opening Night | Pirates Closer Helps Pearl Jam Open Tour

After three years Pearl Jam has finally started a full U.S. Tour. The Seattle rockers kicked off the near two-month jaunt with their first show in Pittsburgh since 2006 last night at the Consol Energy Center. Pearl Jam focused on material from the soon-to-be-released Lightning Bolt LP and even brought out a local hero during the first of two encores from the 31-song marathon show.

Eddie Vedder and Co. opened the show with the rocking “Pendulum” off Lightning Bolt, marking the live debut of the track. “Sirens,” “Infallible,” “Let The Records Play” and “Yellow Moon” were the other Lightning Bolt tunes that were debuted last night. Both “Mind Your Manners” and “Lightning Bolt,” which had been played for the first time during Pearl Jam’s brief two-night summer swing, were performed in Pittsburgh.

Pearl Jam didn’t just stick to new material, as they worked classics like “Animal,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” “Why Go” and “Daughter” into their 20-song main set. A seven-song first encore saw Pittsburgh Pirates closer Jason Grilli emerge after “Footsteps” to proclaim “Next year is our fucking year!” before stomping around the stage during “Whipping.” The band brought the show to a close with a second encore that included “Black,” “Alive,” a cover of “Rockin’ In The Free World” and the obligatory “Yellow Ledbetter.”

Here’s the setlist from last night’s show:

Watch Jason Grilli greet the Pittsburgh crowd and Pearl Jam’s “Whipping”: