Sometimes all it takes is being at a live show to come up with a band name that works. At least that’s how it was for Pearl Jam before they began their twenty year career that’s being celebrated this year with a tour and a film by Cameron Crowe.
According to this 2006 Rolling Stone interview, the whole Pearl Jam mythology of the band’s name coming from Vedder’s aunt Pearl was just that, a creative mythical story.
And the real root of the name, as Ament and McCready explained to Rolling Stone, was that Ament came up with “pearl”, and that the band later settled on “Pearl Jam” after watching Neil Young play Nassau Coliseum in New York, in which he extended his songs as improvisations, or “jams” lasting 15–20 minutes in length.
Good stuff to know if you’re a band and struggling to come up with a catchy name. Just go see your favorite band play and see what comes to you.
And now twenty years later Pearl Jam is taking time to celebrate by hosting and headlining a Labor Day weekend concert celebration at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI on September 3rd and 4th, followed by a ten-date Canadian tour.
Wait There’s More…
In addition to these live shows and the recently released live album compilation Live on Ten Legs, the band will release a Cameron Crowe-directed film, Pearl Jam Twenty, which captures the band’s journey over its twenty years, along with an accompanying book and soundtrack album this fall.
PEARL JAM TWENTY FILM BY CAMERON CROWE
And to document their history, award-winning director and music journalist, Cameron Crowe has told the band’s narrative by carving it out from over 1,200 hours of rarely and never-before-seen footage, plus 24 hours of recently shot interview and live footage.
And we’re looking forward to telling you about the film and the new live album on a future Live Fix podcast so stay tuned for that.
In the mean time, here’s more info on the live dates and other good stuff to know.
PEARL JAM LABOR DAY ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND CONCERT
Serving as the band’s only U.S. shows of 2011, Pearl Jam’s Labor Day anniversary weekend concert at Alpine Valley (September 3rd and 4th) will include performances by fellow artists and friends including The Strokes, Queens of the Stone Age, Mudhoney, John Doe, Joseph Arthur, Glen Hansard, Liam Finn and special guests to be announced.
Tickets go on sale starting Monday, May 23rd for the Ten Club and Saturday, June 4th for the general public.
Detailed information on Pearl Jam’s Labor Day anniversary weekend concert weekend at www.pj20.com.
A special ticket pre-sale for members of Pearl Jam’s Ten Club begins Tuesday, May 24th. More information and the latest new visit www.pearljam.com.
NOTE: $2 from every ticket sold to Pearl Jam’s Labor Day anniversary weekend concert and Canadian tour will be donated to Vitalogy Foundation, which grants funds to non-profit organizations chosen personally by the members of Pearl Jam.
What’s your Pearl Jam live concert story? Share your favorite live music memory of the band in the comments below!