[Editor's note: Originally published 10/22/18]
On October 22, 1990, a five-man band known as Mookie Baylock took the stage for the first time at a small venue in Seattle, Washington called Off Ramp Cafe. Sharing the bill with bands Inspector Luv, Bathtub Gin and Ride Me Babies, Mookie Baylock played a short, eight-song set featuring several songs that would end up on their debut album the following year.
Later rechristened as Pearl Jam, the band is now known as one of the most influential rock bands of the last quarter century.
The group kicked off the night with "Release" followed by "Alone," "Alive," "Once," "Even Flow," "Black," "Breath" and played "Just a Girl" as an encore.
Songs like "Alive" and "Even Flow" from the band's debut album, 1991's Ten, don't seem like they're ever going to cycle out of rotation. Our setlist data tells us that Pearl Jam has played "Even Flow" a whopping 861 times since this show, with "Alive" close behind at 794.
"Just a Girl," however, has only been played live twice: this show and a 1991 show in Vancouver.
During a 2014 concert on October 22, frontman Eddie Vedder acknowledged the band's anniversary, saying: "It was our first gig. We're proud of that. We're proud to still be together. We're proud to be in a long relationship."
Since the band's inception, its members have included Vedder (lead vocals), Mike McCready (lead guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar) and Jeff Ament (bass). As of 1998, drummer Matt Cameron and touring pianist Boom Gaspar, among other rotating tour mates, have joined the line-up.
Vedder joined the group after Ament and Gossard, previously of Mother Love Bone, started to look for a new lead singer following the death of Andrew Wood. With the success of Ten, Pearl Jam became one of the key players in the grunge movement of the early '90s. Though the album was slow to sell at first, the second half of 1992 brought Ten breakthrough success: becoming certified gold and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard charts.
Check out Pearl Jam's first ever show below:
Pearl Jam currently wrapped up their Home X Away Shows tour, and don't have any scheduled North American shows in the near future, but visit their website for band news and info.
