October 22, 1990. Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, previously of Mother Love Bone, took the stage with their new band: Mookie Blaylock. It was an important moment in many ways.

For starters, it was their first true show since MLB frontman Andy Wood’s tragic death. The set also included a new lineup featuring lead guitar player and friend of Gossard’s, Mike McCready, drummer Dave Krusen, and a San Diego-based surfer named Eddie Vedder. This marks the concert as a significant point in music history: the beginning of Pearl Jam.



Today marks 25 years since Pearl Jam’s first show. To honor the occasion, we have selected 25 of the most unique Pearl Jam performances over that span. While it is certainly true that every Pearl Jam show has its own unique element to it, here is a collection of rarities that are in a class of their own.