Monday, June 9, 2003 | 8:12 a.m.
Pearl Jam's recent recordings tell the story of a band that has become musically predictable.
Every couple of years the Seattle rockers release another solid yet unspectacular album, indistinguishable from its predecessor to all but its most serious fans.
Friday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena, however, Pearl Jam proved it still packs plenty of surprises when it takes its act on the road.
Many were to be found in the set list, the live element that links the band more to the Grateful Dead than to its hard-rock peers.
Vocalist Eddie Vedder and his four bandmates concoct a drastically different play list each night, turning their shows into guessing games not only for fans in attendance, but also for thousands following along online. (The practice probably doesn't hurt sales of Pearl Jam's official concert bootleg series, either.)
The Las Vegas crowd got an interesting mix, one that blended hits ("Even Flow," "Daughter," "Betterman"), deeper cuts from all seven of the band's albums ("Porch," "Last Exit," "Do the Evolution") and such rarities as the two tracks from 1992's "Singles" soundtrack ("State of Love and Trust" and "Breath").
Pearl Jam also indulged in seven full-on cover numbers, along with bits of several others, many during two marathon encore segments that added 40 minutes to the main set's 80-minute running time.
Vedder's solo, acoustic take on The Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" was one of the night's few quiet moments. Minutes later, the quintet's charge through the Clash's "Know Your Rights" was its most ferocious.
For the concert's final cover, Pearl Jam pulled yet another ace from its sleeve, this one in the form of Heart sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. In town to perform at a benefit, the duo took the stage for a show-capping, singalong version of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" to a fully lit arena.
Scottish opening act Idlewild also provided an unexpected treat for those who arrived on time, though a few of the band's ballads may have been a bit on the sappy side to impress Pearl Jam loyalists.
Unfortunately, not all the concert's surprises were quite so pleasant in nature. Vedder, who drank wine from a bottle throughout the night, struggled with lyrics in spots, though his explanation drew some of his loudest applause.
"You know, we all make mistakes. I feel like Sammy Sosa," Vedder joked. "The worst part is, I was feeling like such a winner, but it can turn against you so quickly."
Also -- and this is shocking considered the band's long touring history -- Pearl Jam demonstrated it still has a long way to go toward perfecting its arena experience.
The sound seemed distant for most of the show, despite noticeable efforts to adjust the dynamics at points in the night. In the back of the arena, it was not unusual to hear nearby conversations over the music.
Worse yet, Pearl Jam's inept lighting scheme relied heavily on white lights that projected bright beams directly into the crowd. Unless they wanted to go blind, fans were left guessing about who was doing what up there most of the time.
For those who couldn't see, here's the basic rundown on what you missed. Grouped around Vedder were bassist Jeff Ament, guitarist Stone Gossard and drummer Matt Cameron. The three men were decidedly low key, staying mainly in one place and doing little to draw attention to themselves.
Farther to the left stood guitarist Mike McCready. From his bleach-blond hair and visible tattoos to his piercing solos and energetic stage presence, McCready seemed like a rock star in comparison to his reserved bandmates.
As it turned out, the concert's most predictable aspect was that it turned political. All night, it seemed a matter of when and not if Vedder would turn his attention to President Bush, and the singer eventually did so during the second encore.
"I'm excited about the tax break," Vedder announced. "I'm going to use it to do everything I can to get Bush out of office."
The comment brought cheers and applause, followed by some loud boos and, in at least one section, chants of "U.S.A."
The mixed reaction only seemed to bolster Vedder's spirits.
"Hey, demoncracy ain't the prettiest thing," he said, "but it's democracy."
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