Ever since they released Ten in 1991, Pearl Jam has been heavily recognized on both the media map and news radar on a local and national scale.  Today, almost twenty years later, they still deliver. For their first Big Apple show in nearly five years, Pearl Jam negotiated with Madison Square Garden to extend their curfew. 

To fill the expanded time slot, the band played a majority of their classics and only mixed in a few tunes from their more recent albums. The first set included hits "Corduroy," "Even Flow," "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town," "Whipping," and ended with an all-out rockin’ "Do the Evolution."  This was an especially timely version, which Vedder dedicated to the recently departed George Carlin, who died at age 71 this past Sunday. But Vedder didn't stay bummed for long as he began chanting “Let’s Go Rangers” during "Daughter"'s jam.

Of the three encores after the main set, the tunes that riled up the crowd were "Spin the Black Circle," The Ramones’ original "I Believe in Miracles" featuring bassist CJ Ramone, then the forever-cherished "Alive," along with the over-covered "All Along the Watchtower." But of course, for Pearl Jam fans, every song is a crowd-pleaser, a chance to sing along to an old favorite.