Waiting for Eddie Vedder

I thought I’d be online today posting a picture of me and Eddie Vedder. As I waited outside his tour bus last night, I thought of what I might say if I got to shake his hand – thanks for a great show … your music and shows have meant so much to me … my 23-month-old daughter asks for your music.

We saw Eddie’s silhouette through the bus shade drinking and gesturing and we hoped he’d come out and say hello, as he’s done at other shows. (Though I personally never met him.) We waved as Jeff Ament, Bruce Springsteen, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins left the bus and walked to their cars. But Eddie never got off the bus.

I don’t really blame him. A tour staffer told us he had a rough two days. I had read going into the show that he was under the weather. He said early on in the show he was on little sleep though you couldn’t tell it in his powerful voice or unbelievable playing, except maybe when he forgot a lyric here and there and stopped to laugh at himself.

Maybe his rough patch had to do with stress. It can’t be easy dealing with rowdy New Yorkers, some who kept interrupting the show with hoots and hollers and shouting. This is pretty standard at MSG during PJ shows, but in a small, intimate solo show – come on people. Eddie played on, for the most part ignoring the yelping. But then he had a shorter than expected encore, and then he didn’t come off the bus.

Maybe he just didn’t feel like it, which is ok. I can’t complain. Overall, the show was amazing. Eddie played Pearl Jam rarities (Man of the Hour), outstanding covers (Millworker), and much of the ‘Into the wild’ soundtrack. I went to sleep hearing his raw, haunting voice on No Ceiling. Maybe I’ll get to say hello and thanks some other time.