Pearl Jam cover Pink Floyd’s ‘Brain Damage’ for first time in over a decade
Grunge icons Pearl Jam are back on tour for the first time in a year, and they kicked off their string of American dates at Minnesota’s Xcel Energy Center.
Two nights later, the band returned to the venue with a different setlist, treating fans to a rare cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Brain Damage’. The last time Pearl Jam played the classic track was in 2010, so its addition to the setlist was more than welcome.
After opening the concert with songs like ‘Pendulum’ and ‘Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town’, the band brought ‘Brain Damage’ out midway through the set. The band played ‘Who Ever Said’ before moving into the cover, with Eddie Vedder joking, “I’m losing my mind.”
Vedder performed the start of the song solo before the rest of the band joined in, only to transition into ‘I Am Mine’ from 2002’s Riot Act.
Elsewhere, Pearl Jam played ‘Severed Hand’ and ‘Got Some’ for the first time since 2018. They also performed three other covers, all occurring at the end of the set. They kicked off the encore with Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’ before launching into Wayne Cochran’s ‘Last Kiss’.
Finally, the band ended the 25-song-strong setlist with a cover of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’, with Jessica Dobson from Deep Sea Diver – the concert’s opening act – accompanying them.
Watch a clip of the band covering ‘Brain Damage’ below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.