Eddie Vedder, Henry Clay People, and Eels

Wow. Life is just a big game of ketchup:

Eddie Vedder @ Wiltern: When I was a kid, I thought I hated Eddie Vedder because I thought Kurt Cobain hated Eddie Vedder because he was kind of a jock, whereas Kurt was kind of the arty type. But now it's plain to see that Vedder is a survivor and a consummate musician -- something I always doubted, as, even as the frontman, he was the least musically relevant member of Pearl Jam. His solo set was proof positive, especially "Arc," a dreamily haunting looped-vocal performance with a bit of kitsch, thanks to an on-stage reel-to-reel. But he's forgiven.

Other highlights: The "hey" in "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," the Ben Harper-Liam Finn-Jack Irons jam of "All Along the Watchtower" (even if it was a mess) and spending time with Hillary, all the way up front, as if the rules didn't apply to us.

Oh yeah, they didn't.

Henry Clay People @ Echo:

The Henry Clay People - Children Of Chin (Live) from Rock Insider on Vimeo.
'Nuff said.

Eels @ MBE: I think I realized I was one of only about 7 people watching E and The Chet play masterfully and hauntingly through a ton of E's best songs, including "Bus Stop Boxer" (with The Chet playing Saw, with a bow!) and "Last Stop: This Town" as well as "I'm going to stop pretending," still devastating and relateable. Looking very much forward to Thursday, now.