# Backspacer Tour

The Backspacer Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its ninth studio album, Backspacer (2009). Fifty-six shows were played, across North America, Europe and Oceania.

## History

Pearl Jam promoted Backspacer with tours in Europe, North America and Oceania in 2009 and further legs in North America and Europe in 2010.
In August 2009, Pearl Jam headlined the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, which was preceded by five shows in Europe and three in North America. This tour preceded the release of Pearl Jam's 2009 album, Backspacer. On August 11, 2009, the band played an intimate show at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. The band was joined onstage by The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood to play a cover of "All Along the Watchtower". Later that night the band was joined by Simon Townshend, younger brother of Pete Townshend, to perform The Who's "The Real Me".
On August 21, 2009, the band played in Toronto. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists were scheduled to be the support band, but Leo was unable to attend, after being stuck at the border. This resulted in vocalist Eddie Vedder taking to the stage to cover Neil Young's "Sugar Mountain" and "The Needle and the Damage Done". Guitarist Mike McCready then played two songs, followed by guitarist Stone Gossard covering "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" by Johnny Thunders, before The Pharmacists played their set.
In October 2009, Pearl Jam headlined the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The Austin City Limits appearance took place amidst the fourteen-date North American leg of the tour. On October 6, 2009, the band played in Los Angeles at the Gibson Amphitheatre. They were joined onstage by former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell to perform the Temple of the Dog song "Hunger Strike". This was followed with an appearance by Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell on "Alive".
Pearl Jam was the final band that performed at the Wachovia Spectrum with four shows that took place on October 27–28 and October 30–31. At the final show at the Spectrum, the band played the song "Bugs" from their 1994 album Vitalogy for the first time. The band also performed a cover of Devo's "Whip It" in full costume. An additional leg consisting of a tour of Oceania took place afterward. The band played at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, 2010. They then played twelve dates in America in the same month and completed a second European leg in July 2010.
While most shows on the 2010 US leg were met with positive reviews, Dan Aquilante of the New York Post commenting on the first night at Madison Square Garden, said the lyrics were "mostly indiscernible" and "were little more than garbled jibber-jabber". At the show at the O$_2$ in Dublin, a fan broke his arm in three places, after he jumped off the balcony and landed on the canopy above the mixing desk.
Official bootlegs are available for this tour through the band's official website in FLAC, MP3, and CD formats.

## Opening acts

* Gomez — 2009 European leg (excluding August 11)
* The Pharmacists — August 21, 2009
* Bad Religion — August 23 & 24, 2009 and October 30 & 31, 2009
* Ben Harper and Relentless7 — September 21, 2009 – October 9, 2009 (excluding October 4), Oceania, 2010 European tour (excluding festival dates)
* Social Distortion — October 27 & 28, 2009
* Liam Finn — Oceania
* Band of Horses — 2010 North America leg (excluding May 20)
* The Black Keys — May 20, 2010

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| Europe ||||
| August 11, 2009 | London | England | O$_2$ Shepherd's Bush Empire |
| August 13, 2009 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Rotterdam Ahoy |
| August 15, 2009 | Berlin | Germany | Wuhlheide |
| August 17, 2009 | Manchester | England | Manchester Evening News Arena |
| August 18, 2009 | London | England | The O$_2$ Arena |
| North America ||||
| August 21, 2009 | Toronto | Canada | Molson Amphitheatre |
| August 23, 2009 | Chicago | United States | United Center |
| August 24, 2009 | Chicago | United States | United Center |
| August 28, 2009 | San Francisco | United States | Golden Gate Park |
| September 21, 2009 | Seattle | United States | KeyArena |
| September 22, 2009 | Seattle | United States | KeyArena |
| September 25, 2009 | Vancouver | Canada | General Motors Place |
| September 26, 2009 | Ridgefield | United States | The Amphitheater at Clark County |
| September 28, 2009 | West Valley City | United States | E-Center |
| September 30, 2009 | Los Angeles | United States | Gibson Amphitheatre |
| October 1, 2009 | Los Angeles | United States | Gibson Amphitheatre |
| October 4, 2009 | Austin | United States | Zilker Park |
| October 6, 2009 | Los Angeles | United States | Gibson Amphitheatre |
| October 7, 2009 | Los Angeles | United States | Gibson Amphitheatre |
| October 9, 2009 | San Diego | United States | Viejas Arena |
| October 27, 2009 | Philadelphia | United States | Wachovia Spectrum |
| October 28, 2009 | Philadelphia | United States | Wachovia Spectrum |
| October 30, 2009 | Philadelphia | United States | Wachovia Spectrum |
| October 31, 2009 | Philadelphia | United States | Wachovia Spectrum |
| Oceania ||||
| November 14, 2009 | Perth | Australia | Members Equity Stadium |
| November 17, 2009 | Adelaide | Australia | Adelaide Oval |
| November 20, 2009 | Melbourne | Australia | Etihad Stadium |
| November 22, 2009 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Football Stadium |
| November 25, 2009 | Brisbane | Australia | Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre |
| November 27, 2009 | Auckland | New Zealand | Mt Smart Stadium |
| November 29, 2009 | Christchurch | New Zealand | AMI Stadium |
| North America ||||
| May 1, 2010 | New Orleans | United States | Fair Grounds Race Course |
| May 3, 2010 | Kansas City | United States | Sprint Center |
| May 4, 2010 | St. Louis | United States | Scottrade Center |
| May 6, 2010 | Columbus | United States | Nationwide Arena |
| May 7, 2010 | Noblesville | United States | Verizon Wireless Music Center |
| May 9, 2010 | Cleveland | United States | Quicken Loans Arena |
| May 10, 2010 | Buffalo | United States | HSBC Arena |
| May 13, 2010 | Bristow | United States | Jiffy Lube Live |
| May 15, 2010 | Hartford | United States | XL Center |
| May 17, 2010 | Boston | United States | TD Garden |
| May 18, 2010 | Newark | United States | Prudential Center |
| May 20, 2010 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden |
| May 21, 2010 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden |
| Europe ||||
| June 22, 2010 | Dublin | Ireland | The O$_2$ |
| June 23, 2010 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Odyssey Arena |
| June 25, 2010 | London | England | Hyde Park |
| June 27, 2010 | Nijmegen | Netherlands | Goffertpark |
| June 30, 2010 | Berlin | Germany | Wuhlheide |
| July 1, 2010 | Gdynia | Poland | Lotnisko Gdynia-Kosakowo |
| July 3, 2010 | Arras | France | Citadelle Vauban |
| July 4, 2010 | Werchter | Belgium | Werchter Festival Grounds |
| July 6, 2010 | Venice | Italy | Parco San Giuliano |
| July 9, 2010 | Bilbao | Spain | Mount Cobetas |
| July 10, 2010 | Oeiras | Portugal | Passeio Marítimo de Alges |

### Festivals and other miscellaneous performances

* $^A$ This concert was a part of "Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival"
* $^B$ This concert was a part of "Austin City Limits Music Festival"
* $^C$ This concert was a part of "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival"
* $^D$ This concert was a part of "Hard Rock Calling"
* $^E$ This concert was a part of "Rock In Park Festival"
* $^F$ This concert was a part of "Open'er Festival"
* $^G$ This concert was a part of "Main Square Festival"
* $^H$ This concert was a part of "Rock Werchter"
* $^I$ This concert was a part of "Heineken Jammin' Festival"
* $^J$ This concert was a part of "BBK Live Festival"
* $^K$ This concert was a part of "Optimus Alive!"

## Band members
### Pearl Jam

* Jeff Ament – bass guitar
* Stone Gossard – rhythm guitar
* Mike McCready – lead guitar
* Eddie Vedder – lead vocals, guitar
* Matt Cameron – drums

### Additional musicians

* Boom Gaspar – Hammond B3 and keyboards

## Gallery

* Pearl Jam fans outside the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, England on August 11, 2009
* Pearl Jam in London, England on August 11, 2009
* Pearl Jam in London, England on August 11, 2009
* Pearl Jam, with Ronnie Wood, performing "All Along the Watchtower" in London, England on August 11, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Manchester, England on August 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Manchester, England on August 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Manchester, England on August 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Manchester, England on August 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Adelaide, Australia on November 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Adelaide, Australia on November 17, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Melbourne, Australia on November 20, 2009
* Eddie Vedder in Melbourne, Australia on November 20, 2009
* Ben Harper and Eddie Vedder covering "Under Pressure" in Sydney, Australia on November 22, 2009
* Eddie Vedder in Sydney, Australia on November 22, 2009
* Ben Harper and Eddie Vedder covering "Under Pressure" in Brisbane, Australia on November 25, 2009
* Pearl Jam in Brisbane, Australia on November 25, 2009
* Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on May 20, 2010
* Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on May 20, 2010
* Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2010
* Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2010