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Music

22nd Oct 2014

Video: Pearl Jam played their very first gig as a band 24 years ago today and here’s the footage

"I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a sun in somebody else's sky..."

Paul Moore

“I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life, I know you’ll be a sun in somebody else’s sky…”

There are certain bands that people grow up with and they’ll always have a special affinity towards. For JOE, Pearl Jam are most definitely that band.

It’s incredible to think that their seminal album Ten is over 23 years old but today marks an even older anniversary for the group.

On this day 24 years ago, Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Mike McCreedy, Jeff Ament and Dave Krusen all took to the stage for the very first time together to perform their first gig as a band.

At the time they weren’t known as Pearl Jam but rather Mookie Blaylock, named after the then-active All-Star basketball player, as they performed some of their most iconic songs to a much smaller crowd than they would later become accustomed to.

Even the greats have to start small.

We think it’s funny that the people in attendance at the Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle could have hardly known that they were about to witness the debut performance of one of the greatest contemporary rock and roll bands.

Eddie Vedder was just 25 when this footage was recorded but his distinct voice was still as incredibly powerful, haunting and moving as it is now.

Take a look at this version of their classic and deeply personal anthem Alive; it’s notable that even as an upcoming band the amazing guitar riff still has the ability to electrify.

If that didn’t get you revved up then this version of the brilliant Even Flow should do the trick. God they’re good even while they were learning their craft.

We couldn’t leave this article without mentioning arguably Vedder’s strongest lyrics from Ten, the pensive and reflective stadium-filling anthem Black.

Do you know what? They played that also.

Topics:

Music,Pearl Jam