Pearl Jam kicks off 2025 with a bang: deep cuts, new fire, and unforgettable vibes in Hollywood, FL.
Opening Act: Dead Pioneers
Setlist: Oceans, Present Tense, Why Go, Deep, Amongst The Waves, React, Respond, Dark Matter, Wreckage, Even Flow, Down, Corduroy, Won’t Tell, Leatherman, Wishlist, Running, Lukin, Porch
Encore: I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty), Footsteps, Do The Evolution, So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star? (The Byrds) Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams), Alive, Baba O’Riley (The Who), Setting Sun
Pearl Jam’s April 24, 2025 show at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, was an intense and deeply emotional experience—a perfect blend of live debuts, heartfelt tributes, personal stories, and timeless classics.
The night kicked off with a private ceremony involving members of the Seminole Tribe, who honored the band with a gift and moving words. Eddie Vedder, visibly touched, shared the moment with the audience, highlighting the significance of the gesture and thanking Jeff Ament for his ongoing commitment to Indigenous communities.
The show started at 8:51 PM, following an opening set by the Dead Pioneers. The band walked on quietly with Oceans, immediately setting a suspended and vibrant atmosphere. They followed up with Present Tense and Why Go, lighting up the crowd, who responded with full-throated energy.
A key element of the setlist was its continuity from last year’s tour: the new Dark Matter tracks have now cemented their place in the live repertoire, as if they’ve always belonged. React, Respond, Wreckage, Running, Dark Matter, and the tender Won’t Tell were seamlessly woven in with the classics, showing just how much the band believes in this new chapter. Won’t Tell, making its live debut, delivered an intimate and reflective moment, warmly embraced by the audience.
It’s also worth noting the inclusion of some now-rare gems like Leatherman, Deep, Down, and Amongst The Waves, enthusiastically received by longtime fans. The band struck a great balance between fresh material and hidden treasures from the past, crafting a setlist that felt both rich and surprising.
Eddie was in a chatty and heartfelt mood. He recalled the band’s very first show in Florida, talked about staying at a hotel with a guitar-shaped pool, and how vivid that memory still is.
He shared personal moments, including a moving tribute to Tom Petty before playing I Won’t Back Down. Later in the encore, they pulled out So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star?, a Byrds cover that Pearl Jam hadn’t played in 15 years.
Among the highlights, Footsteps stood out as one of the most emotional moments of the night, delivered with raw intensity. Porch took the band back to their roots, while Crazy Mary stretched into a long, unpredictable jam featuring Mike McCready and Boom Gaspar trading inspired solos.
The finale came with Alive, Baba O’Riley, and Setting Sun, just like at several shows last year—skipping the usual Yellow Ledbetter.
All in all, the band once again proved their worth – not just as musicians, but as a living, breathing collective in constant dialogue with their fans, their past, and the present.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.