It’s generally understood that Dave Grohl is THE Cool Dad Rock Star. When he’s not paying beers forward, the Foo Fighters are playing a secret show in a pizzeria. But what about Eddie Vedder? The Pearl Jam singer has made it a habit to find new ways of showing his appreciation for the band’s rabid fans. In honor of his 50th birthday, let’s take a look at some of Vedder’s best “better man than most” moments.
1. One lucky member of Pearl Jam’s official fan club, the Ten Club, won a trip to Amsterdam to see his favorite band play for free. Plus, he picked the set list.
In the end, Farias concocted a set list for the ages. The second of the two Amsterdam shows – or as he calls it, “my show” – included deep cuts (“Alone,” a b-side from the Vs. single “Go”), vintage rarities (“Crown of Thorns,” a rarely-played Mother Love Bone number) and crowd favorites (“Alive,” Daughter”). In fact, there was only one song, Farias says, that he absolutely needed to hear: “Bugs.” The obscure Vitalogy cut, on which Vedder plays accordion and rambles about insects, had only been played once in concert, and it was the only album cut that Farias had never heard. Vedder was initially hesitant. “Brian, we didn’t bring the accordion. I don’t have it with me,” the singer told Farias. But, as Farias explains, “Ed being Ed, always going above and beyond, he went back to his hotel and learned a way to do it on guitar. He turned it into a totally beautiful, different song.” (Via)
2. Eight-year-old Nick held up a sign at a show in Philadelphia that read, “It’s My First Concert.” Vedder responded by making sure one of the band’s tambourines reached “the kid.” He also “sent a bunch of other stuff over to Nick” and waved to get his attention.
3. In 1992, Joe Wolfe ran into Pearl Jam outside a movie theater and Eddie Vedder “said he would do a picture with me the next time I saw him.” On October 1, 2014, it happened.
After the concert, according to Wolfe, Vedder invited him backstage to shake his hand and snap a photo (he also got an autograph and a guitar pick). Vedder thanked him for being a part of the show that night. If it sounds too good to be true, don’t worry: Vedder actually talked about the entire situation during the show, and explains why he didn’t take the picture with Wolfe initially (he thought he stole his joint at Bogarts 22 years ago!). (Via)
4. That time he drank wine from an audience member’s shoe.
5. Vedder decreased the world’s population of white dudes with dreadlocks by one when a fan said he’d shave his off if Pearl Jam played “Brain of J.” They did. No regrets.
6. When he grabbed the cell phone of a fan in the front row, and began filming the crowd.
7. While most eight year olds are listening to Pitbull or some garbage, Jaxon is banging away at the drums to Pearl Jam songs on his YouTube channel. The group apparently saw one of them, and when he attended one of their shows, Vedder asked the crowd to cheer for him.
8. And lastly, a young Pearl Jam/the Who admirer covered “Baba O’Riley” with Eddie Vedder, and now it’s all downhill from here.
