Eleven years after last performing in Utah, the seminal quintet from Seattle, Pearl Jam, will finally return to the Beehive State for a concert Monday at the E Center.
Pearl Jam, still one of the biggest bands in the world, last performed in Utah at Wolf Mountain (now The Canyons) on June 21, 1998. Since then, they have stayed busy with touring and consistently putting out quality albums, such as 2006's self-titled release and their most recent effort, the excellent "Backspacer."
Speaking to the Deseret News from his home in Seattle, after wrapping up two sold-out nights at Key Arena to kick off the band's new tour, guitarist Stone Gossard said the band is fortunate to be able to tour just about anywhere the members want. Unfortunately, they can't hit every city.
"We can't tour the world all at once," he said.
When asked about his touring memories of Utah, the first show that came to Gossard's mind was the infamous rained-out show of 1995, also at Wolf Mountain. The band was just about to go on stage when a spring storm unleashed heavy rain that forced the band to cancel. The band made up for it the next year with two shows at the Delta Center.
Gossard also had memories of playing at Salt Lake City's iconic Club DV8 in the early '90s, just as Pearl Jam was on its rise to stardom. The vacant club was destroyed in a four-alarm fire last year.
Pearl Jam's latest album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, finds the band reuniting with producer Brendan O'Brien, who previously produced "Vs.," "Vitalogy," "No Code" and "Yield."
"It had been awhile. It was really inspiring. There was a real positive connection for us to get back together," Gossard said of the band's producer and longtime friend. "He kind of challenged us to make a little different record."
"Backspacer" exhibits Pearl Jam's punk-rock spirit on songs like "Gonna See My Friend," "Got Some," "The Fixer" and "Supersonic." But there are also slower acoustic numbers such as "Just Breathe," a song that sounds like it could have come off lead singer and lyricist Eddie Vedder's "Into The Wild" soundtrack.
"I was really excited to bring that 'Into The Wild' element into Pearl Jam," said Gossard, who praised Vedder's lyrics.
Vedder's lyrics have been revered by critics and fans since Pearl Jam's masterful debut "Ten," voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
"I think this record is an evolution of his writing," Gossard said.
Earlier this year, Pearl Jam re-issued a remastered version of "Ten." Fans had the option of ordering packages that included a generous selection of out-takes and memorabilia along with the album.
Gossard said Vedder and bassist Jeff Ament did most of the work putting the package together. So when it was released, he was seeing it essentially for the first time, along with fans.
"I got to experience it as a fresh release," he said. "It was really a joy for me to see it."
If you go …
What: Pearl Jam
Where: E Center, 3600 S. Decker Lake Drive
When: Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.
How much: $50-$65
Phone: 800-745-3000
Web: www.ticketmaster.com
e-mail: preavy@desnews.com