25/5/00 - Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
It's the little things that make each show a band plays unique--the between-song banter and stories, the song selection, the slight variation in performances. This set, early on in Pearl Jam's 2000 European tour, has the feeling of a waking beast that is groggily pulling itself from a long slumber. The roiling dark clouds of "Long Road" and the edgy "Breakerfall" fromBinauralgive a lurching start to a set that doesn't fully ignite untilTen's "Even Flow," when guitarist Mike McCready pulls out an extended solo that is expressive and explosive. Vocalist Eddie Vedder is upbeat and conversational throughout, warning the crowd to "Be careful, we're going to be here a long time," and talking about Barcelona's own "Hendrix," famous artist and architect Antonio Gaudi. Plenty of the hits are played with gusto ("Alive," "Black," "Daughter," "State of Love and Trust," and "Last Kiss"), but a couple of less commonly played tunes, "I Got Shit" and the sweet, simple "Thin Air," are noteworthy at the end of the regular set.--Adem Tepedelen