About this episode

The episode covers Pearl Jam's concert at The Showbox in Seattle on December 5, 2002, highlighting the themes of their album Riot Act and the band's evolution post-2000 tour.

Following the tumultuous 2000 tour, Pearl Jam took a year off to recalibrate their energy for 2001. After clearing their heads and writing new music, they were ready to release a brand new album with a different outlook on their personal journeys and the world around them. Riot Act has two centralized themes. One of them deals with the aftermath of Roskilde directly with songs such as Love Boat Captain, I Am Mine, Thumbing My Way and Arc. The other theme is a scathing critique of the United States decision to go to war after the attacks on 9/11. They were extremely critical of President George W. Bush, as well as the corporations that profited from the war. While the album released in November of 2002, the band didn't spend a lot of time focusing on touring as it was 2003 that would get the massive exposure for the record. The show we're covering is the first night at famed Seattle club, The Showbox, that would be followed up by a highly regarded show that turned into a DVD release. This show featured seven live debuts of Riot Act album songs and b-sides, and would be a great indication on how this material would end up working on the live stage during the ensuing tour. The band…

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• Episode 363: Kitchener, ONT, CAN - 9/11/2005 · April 10, 2026 · 1h 49m
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• Episode 361: Tokyo, JPN - 3/3/2003 · March 25, 2026 · 1h 34m

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