After seeing Van Halen on tour in 2012, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready has called Eddie Van Halen “The Mozart of the guitar.”
Friday night, Pearl Jam performed a Van Halen medley during their show at Hartford, Connecticut’s XL Center. It was during a 2010 show at the very same venue that they surprised the crowd by launching into “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.”
At this weekend’s show, Eddie Vedder announced, “The last time we played here, in 2010, we played a song and we said it was the only time we would ever play this song. And it was the only time we ever played this song. But as soon as we walked into the back room tonight…I was like, ‘This is where we played that song! And, for some reason, I just really need to play that song again!’ But before we play that song, he’s [pointing to lead guitarist Mike McCready] going to play this song.” And then McCready tore through a rendition of Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption,” followed by the band kicking into “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.”
Related:
Pearl Jam Covers Van Halen: “Eddie’s a master, he’s the Mozart of the guitar” (2012)
Pearl Jam & Alice In Chains Attend Van Halen Show (2012)
Pearl Jam covers Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love” (2010)