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PEARL JAM TOUR FAILS

Pearl. Jam have cancelled the last eight dates on the first stage of their USA tour but different reasons have been given for the abrupt halt to the tour. At the San Francisco Golden Gate State Park concert on June 23, before a 50,000 crowd, Eddie Vedder left the stage after , seven songs -due to stomach flu. Neil Young who was standing by for an encore -appearance, joined; the band for a 90 minute set. Fans : , were vocal when later it was announced that Vedder would not . return. The following day the band released a statement cancelling the remaining eight shows due to "business problems and controversies surrounding the band’s attempt to schedule an alternative tour.” The statement did . not mention Vedder’s ill health. It appears that the tour using - unorthodox venues (stadiums not aligned with Tickmaster) has been a logistic nightmare. . Billboard commented “It’s not 'a stretch to assume some band members became irked when the topic of ticketing overshadowed Pearl Jam’s music."

Law enforcement authorities in San Diego recommended cancellation of two shows at the Del Mar fairgrounds due to the possibility that 50,000 fans might show-up without tickets. After talk of changing their concerts to the afternoon, Pearl Jam then moved the shows to a Ticketmaster venue, after the much-maligned company waived their exclusive contract with the San Diego Sports Arena. Vedder denied on radio that they would consider going back to selling their shows via Ticketmaster, even though the large company is now reducing their margin for price-aware bands like Offspring. As the Pearl Jam tour floundered around the country frustrating fans, their stubborn battle ceased to be a popular cause and the USA Justice Dept decided to drop its investigation into the Tickemaster monopoly stating, “this was not an appropriate time to bring a case.” The shows the band will now have to reschedule are Salt Lake City, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, New Orleans, Milwaukee and Chicago. One frustrated fan wrote, “Those ‘kids’ have let their little boy egos supersede the happiness of their fans.

They’ve gone too far; I’m done with them.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/RIU19950801.2.12

Bibliographic details

Rip It Up, Issue 216, 1 August 1995, Page 5

Word Count
354

PEARL JAM TOUR FAILS Rip It Up, Issue 216, 1 August 1995, Page 5

PEARL JAM TOUR FAILS Rip It Up, Issue 216, 1 August 1995, Page 5