Pearl Jam: Touring Band 2000

Touring Band 2000 is a great showing of the band's incredible live performances of their grand catalog of songs spanning their 10 years as grungefathers. It clearly represents their superiority as one of the best live acts, especially on DVD where their music sounds even more outstanding. Added bonuses, like the Do the Evolution and the never before released Oceans music videos make it even more desirable to pick up. A must have for any serious PJ fan.

I saw the Alpine Valley show ("Dissident" in Touring Band was shot there) and I felt the 20 degree cold air blowing through my ears mixed in with Pearl Jam's music while watching this DVD. The sound is excellent and it includes a Matt (Cameron)-cam, interesting because the drummer is overlooked too much in music, that shows the drummer side of a concert. This movie is well-titled and will allow the audience to feel what it's really like at a Pearl Jam concert. A+.

Pearl Jam have proved themselves to be one of the enduring rock and roll bands of the 90's- still together, still making moving, combustible music that finds that perfect edge of hard-rock while still appealing to a massive audience. For its own cult group, which is rather big in and of itself, a DVD like Touring Band 2000 is a given to buy and soak up multiple times, but for the casual PJ fan it's worthwhile also. Classics like 'Daughter', 'Better Man', 'Even Flow', and some of my other favorites like 'Animal' and 'Rocking in the Free World' are among the lot of over two dozen songs included. The added treat is that the songs are NOT inter-cut with interviews, like other music DVD documentaries, and that they are from various concerts giving the wide range of material. I even dug the grainy style of filming, which could get under my skin, but stays above the line of incompetent, amateur filming. The style matches the energy and attitude that pours out of PJ with every song. However, one should get the DVD for its added bonus: bonus music videos, including one in particular for a favorite off of Yield- 'Do the Evolution', one of their very best videos directed by Todd McFarlane. To have this on video somewhere is a big treat.

I'm speechless; what else can anyone say after watching over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over this DVD? Pearl Jam is one of the greatest events in music of all time. It's honesty is only surpassed by the godly songs they create, and Touring band 2000 it's a legacy of sheer spiritual sounds live; a frame for the deep communion this five musicians have with themselves and with their audience. It's a must have for any music lover. Period.

Well it isn't seeing them in person, but it's pretty close. Anyone who has ever seen them live needs to own this. You will re-live the happiness that you enjoyed that wonderful night when you last saw them. And for anyone who has not been so fortunate as to see them live, you can see for yourself just what you have been missing.

Pearl Jam (Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Ed Vedder, and Matt Cameron) open the set (songs taken from different shows from the 2000 tour) with a moving rendition of "Long Road" and then proceed through the early setlist rockers "Corduroy", "Grievance", and "Animal". Before "Given To Fly", Ed notices a woman who is translating what he says to the crowd in sign language. He invites her on stage for the next song, and then dances with her as the song closes. During the "Rearviewmirror" jam, a highlight of any Pearl Jam show, the video cuts from the performing band and shows some kind of distorted image of the band members walking around - like some kind of hallucination. Then as the jam ends, it cuts back to the performance video.

As the band finishes the first encore with "Parting Ways", the camera follows the band as they walk backstage, giving the audience an angle they never see. They return to the stage and rip through Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World". During the song, Ed helps a young boy up on stage. As Ed sings, the boy just keeps on rockin out. During the closing jam, Ed puts the boy on his shoulders and carries him back alongside drummer Matt Cameron. Ed hands the boy some drum sticks and the boy plays along with Matt.

The DVD extra features are very nice as well. Included are three montages from the European leg of the tour, set to previously unreleased instrumentals. Also included are 3 Matt cam videos ("Evacuation", "Evenflow", "In My Tree") where the camera stays on drummer Matt Cameron for the entire song; as well as music videos for "Oceans" and the animated rocker "Do The Evolution".

This DVD is reason enough for any Pearl Jam fan to go out and BUY a DVD player. There is no better way to keep your sanity until the next tour, than with "Touring Band 2000".