Pearl Jam debuted new drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. during a surprise set at Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival on Friday, and returned Sunday for a first full headlining performance, again with Laboriel behind the kit. The gig also saw Billy Strings joining the band for several songs. Pearl Jam played an 18-song set, with Strings joining for “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” and a cover of Neil Young’s “Throw our Hatred Down” during the main set, and again for a rendition of Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” during the encore.
The night also featured a tribute to Glen Hansard with a performance of “Long Road,” plus performances of “Given to Fly,” “Daughter,” “Why Go,” “React, Respond,” “Dissident,” “Even Flow,” “Wreckage,” “Running,” “Jeremy,” “Black,” and “Alive.” The encore also included “Setting Sun” and “Yellow Ledbetter.”
Pearl Jam’s New Drummer
The Friday and Sunday sets marked Pearl Jam’s first shows since drummer Matt Cameron amicably left the band last year. While longtime Paul McCartney stickman Abe Laboriel Jr. manned the kit for both Ohana sets, it’s still not 100% clear if he’s indeed Pearl Jam’s permanent new drummer.
During the show, Eddie Vedder told the audience, “We’re very honored that a Beatle no less, Paul McCartney, would allow us to borrow Abe to help us. Well, because here’s the thing. There’s an old musical adage that I do believe, and that is that you cannot be — and we’ve had the best — but you cannot be a great band without a great drummer. So, we thank Abe for keeping us in the running.”
Vedder then dedicated “Better Man” to Laboriel, saying, “So, I would like to dedicate, not the whole song, but just the chorus line to Mr. Abe — the chorus that says, ‘Can’t find a better man.’”
Reaction to the New Drummer
According to Rolling Stone, Laboriel appeared touched by Vedder’s words, holding his hand to his chest and wiping his eyes.
In an interview with Rolling Stone just prior to Ohana Fest, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament said of the band’s new drummer, “It was the first name that came up. … In our minds, let’s start at the top. And all of us have, like, really good friends who are drummers. … The hardest part was, like, telling … my friends who are, like, killer drummers that we had a guy.”
Again, it is unclear if Ament was talking about Laboriel as the band’s new permanent drummer.
See video of Pearl Jam’s Sunday set at Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California, as well as the setlist, below.
Setlist:
Long Road (preceded by a Glen Hansard memorial video)
Given to Fly
Daughter (with U2’s “Bad” & Glen Hansard’s “Down On Our Knees”)
Why Go
React, Respond
Dissident
Even Flow
Wreckage
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town (with Billy Strings)
Throw Your Hatred Down (Neil Young cover, with Billy Strings)
Running
Jeremy
Black
Better Man (chorus dedicated to Abe Laboriel Jr. with introduction)
Alive
Encore:
Setting Sun
Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover, with Billy Strings)
Yellow Ledbetter (shortened)
In conclusion, Pearl Jam’s performances at Ohana Festival marked a new era for the band, with Abe Laboriel Jr. behind the kit. While it’s still unclear if Laboriel is the band’s permanent new drummer, his performances with the band have been well-received, and Pearl Jam fans are eagerly awaiting the band’s next move. With their powerful live performances and dedication to their music, Pearl Jam continues to be one of the most beloved and respected bands in the industry.
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