A Must Sea: Pearl Jam Kicks off 2025's Dark Matter Tour At Hard Rock Live In Hollywood, Florida With Tsunami of Powerful, Flowing Tunes

By Joanie Cox Henry

Vedder Man: Eddie Vedder wows the crowd at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida

Photo by Larry Marano

There's something both comforting and electrifying about Pearl Jam in 2025. The Seattle band, now well into their third decade as grunge gods, kicked off their highly anticipated 2025 Dark Matter World Tour on Thursday night at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, with the kind of assured performance that reminds us why they've outlasted virtually all their grunge-era contemporaries. I must preface this entire review by mentioning that while I have followed Pearl Jam's music since the early nineties, April 24, 2025 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, was my first time seeing them live. In the audience, I was delighted to be sitting next to a couple who had seen the band more than 80 times. The amazing couple behind me, Derek and Beth, had flown in for the concert, and this was show number 61 for them. Impressive stats indeed.

Performance art-fueled Indigenous punk band Dead Pioneers warmed up the crowd with a complex opening set. Fronted by renowned Indigenous artist Gregg Deal, this band delivered a unique fusion of music and activism that perfectly complemented Pearl Jam's own history of social consciousness. In between songs, Deal delivered spoken word poetry. "Mythical Cowboys" proved to be a thought-provoking, pointed critique of the romanticized cowboy figure in American culture, calling out John Wayne. A highly respected musician friend recently reminded me of Frank Zappa's beef with Wayne, so it was fascinating to see Dead Pioneers unapologetically revisiting this narrative.

From the moment Eddie Vedder and company took the stage opening with the hypnotic, wave-like pull of "Oceans" from their debut album, it was clear this would be no mere nostalgia trip. The band, seemingly rejuvenated by their critically acclaimed Dark Matter album, delivered a melodic marathon that traversed their extensive catalog while showcasing the raw urgency of their latest work.

The setlist happily had a heavy water theme and was very Florida-influenced with tunes such as "Amongst The Waves" and "Leatherman," which Vedder mentioned he added to the setlist spontaneously in honor of the Everglades. It masterfully constructed early classics like "Why Go" and "Deep" with standouts from their new album. The title track "Dark Matter" hit with particular ferocity, with Mike McCready's guitar work slicing through the venue with the same intensity that first made him a guitar hero in the '90s. But it was perhaps "React, Respond" that best captured the band's current ethos – defiant, politically charged, and sonically adventurous.

Vedder's voice, often the barometer of a Pearl Jam show's quality, was in remarkably strong form. Age has added a weathered texture to his baritone that brings new dimensions to classics like "Even Flow" and "Corduroy," both of which sent the capacity crowd into frenzied sing-alongs. When he addressed the audience between songs, Vedder was by turns philosophical, playful, and pointed— a reminder that while the band's politics remain firmly progressive, their primary mission has always been communion through rock and roll. I loved all the personal stories Vedder was sharing in this show, including the time they played Cameo Theater in Miami Beach and he fell asleep in the sun while reading Charles Bukowski's Post Office and got "burnt like a crispy piece of bacon."

The evening took on special significance during the encore, when Vedder, accompanied by an acoustic guitar, sat on stage and mentioned he had gotten that guitar from a friend in Florida. As he delivered a beautiful solo rendition of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down," he revealed that the guitar belonged to Petty himself. Seeing Vedder play Petty's guitar was pure magic—that lightning in a bottle moment where every cell in your body feels supercharged by the notes and your soul is vibrating with ecstasy. The tribute to Florida's native son prompted a sea of cellphone lights and tearful faces throughout the venue. When Vedder eventually belted out the band's iconic anthem "Alive," it was a reminder that we may never feel more alive than we do, right now in this perfect moment.

Later, a surprise cover of The Byrds' "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" (their first performance of the song since 2010) felt like both a nod to their influences and a wry commentary on their own unlikely longevity.

Bassist Jeff Ament and drummer Matt Cameron locked in with telepathic precision throughout the night, providing a rock-solid foundation for the band's more experimental moments. Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam's secret weapon, shifted between rhythm and lead roles with characteristic unassuming mastery. Touring member Josh Klinghoffer added textural keyboards and additional guitar, filling out the band's sound without overwhelming it.

By the time Pearl Jam closed with "Setting Sun," a dark, meditative new track that builds to a cathartic crescendo, it was evident that this tour represents not just a victory lap for a legendary band but a vital new chapter. While current music often feels dominated by algorithms and artifice, Pearl Jam's commitment to authentic, sweat-soaked rock and roll feels not just welcome, but necessary. The Dark Matter Tour has just begun, but if opening night is any indication, it may well rank among their most essential. Only a handful of cities remain on this golden ticket of a tour, including Atlanta, New Orleans, and Nashville, so check out https://pearljam.com/ for the latest on the tour and the band.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy33nXwhCnc

All images by Larry Marano: