The January Jam has been going on all month, which has me pumped to see some shows; especially some big ones. I have a few at the top of my “Concert Bucket List” that I’m eagerly hoping to cross off: Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Tool…and many more. Thankfully I was able to cross off Alice in Chains last April – what a show*.
The Foo Fighters are bound to be touring to support their new album which is out this Spring (check out a preview here) so, I’m hoping this is the year I finally run my pen through their name. They’re my favourite band, so they’re definitely at the top of my list. However, it’s a spot they share with another favourite: Pearl Jam.
I missed Pearl Jam when they played Halifax in 2005, and I still kick myself as much, if not more, for missing that show as I do for missing The White Stripes when they played Moncton…stupid schedule conflicts. Anyway, the beauty of Pearl Jam is they have hundreds of Official Bootlegs of their shows, so even when you do miss a show, you can experience it to an extent with one of those. I have the Halifax Show…it makes missing hurt all that much more, too. With all of these bootlegs available, it’s easy to question the necessity of a live compilation album.
Live on Ten Legs is a companion to the band’s previous effort, Live on Two Legs (1998), and features 18 songs on a single disc, taken from various performances during their 2003-2010 tours. Pearl Jam are known for marathon shows which covering material that dates back to the band’s debut, so the single disc is short by comparison to the bootlegs, but, much like their most recent studio effort it makes for a punchy, concise listen.
I was a little disappointed, at first, with the lack of banter from Ed between songs; it’s something that makes any live album worth having – beyond love of the music. That said, it’s strictly about the music on this one. Pearl Jam are celebrating 20 years together and this collection showcases some of the best they’ve had to offer over the years and shows they have no signs of truly slowing down. They seem to be as energetic and passionate about what they do now as they’ve ever been. Plus, it’s great to have recent hits The Fixer & Just Breathe in a live format…especially during The Fox January Jam.
Overall, Live on Ten Legs is a great collection for a casual fan – it acts as a kind of “greatest hits” – and, if you’re one of the die-hards…well, you already know how good it is, don’t you? It’s been getting lots of love in my stereo, so I’d recommend it for yours too. It’s a nice addition to the collection. (Go out and get a copy)
On the disc, PJ does a great cover of Arms Aloft by Joe Strummer, so as a bonus, I thought I’d share the original below:
-Crash-
*That's a link to the blog I had prior to getting space on foxrocks.ca
P.S. What's on your Concert Bucket List?
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