That being said, no man (nor band is perfect.) For evidence of that, I offer the statement that Pearl Jam issued on April 18th, 2016 as evidence.
In it, Pearl Jam stated that as a band, they couldn't in good conscience play a show in a state that had passed HB2.
As a lifelong fan of the band, I understand that they have always been an activist band. That's their prerogative. They make music, I give them money, I don't care what they do with it, so long as they are not contributing to terrorist groups. That's how capitalism works, even if they claim to oppose it with words and deeds.
However, to punish the fans who would pay ridiculous ticket prices, makes plans to travel, and generally get hyped to see their favorite band in the world. Perhaps Pearl Jam has gotten so big that they forget what it was like to see their favorites, or it's because their favorites have become their contemporaries that they don't understand what it means to have a fan experience. I'm not sure.
What I am sure of is this: there should have been a show in Raleigh, NC tonight (04/20), where thousands of adoring fans would have gladly listened to Eddie and the guys rip in to HB2 to their heart's content, whether they cared about the issue or not. Pearl Jam fans are a tolerant lot when it comes to their favorite bands' pontificating on various political issues. In fact, it's nearly a show standby.
To have the same band give them the virtual middle finger, and (in the most hypocritical manner possible) skip their tour date accomplishes nothing at all, except costing the band fans. A message that was posted in reply to what I had written them on their Facebook page encapsulated the feeling perfectly:
It is 48 hours before the fucking show, Eddie. What a dick move.There's nothing I can write that will top that, so I'll move to the other point made in response that I thought was really powerful:
All of the artists who are canceling shows in NC are turning into something I despise. Bullies. For the record, I live in a different state.
I love PJ. Eddie could have used his voice to do something so much more powerful than any law, which is beyond disappointing. I guess I expected more from him.
I keep thinking of all of the people who were taking their kids, going with friends or family- people who planned this, who are fans and have been since the beginning-people who got them where they are today, those who are traveling by plane and had hotels, who spent their hard earned money on tickets.... Yet some people are still supporting them!
Unfollowed, unliked, will never support PJ again. It's okay for him to discriminate because, WHY?
If they're not willing to perform, they should reimburse all fans for flights, hotels, time requested off work. Furthermore, they should pull all PJ albums, CDs and merch as well. Logic is a MF, isn't it?To me, this is even better. It's one thing to injure fans (and all others that need shows to earn a living to feed their families in these down economic times), but the high hypocrisy comes when the band is still willing to make money off the people of N.C., just so long as they don't have to live up to their contractual obligations because of their self-subscribed 'morals'. It's a joke.
At one point, I had considered buying tickets for all of the shows that PJ were playing this week, as I'm off school for the week. In hindsight, I'm glad I did not. If I had driven (or flown) to NC, and the band cancelled the show on me, I too, would be done with them. As it is, I'll hope that they have the fortitude to show up for the show I had to pay 5x the face value of, because ticketmaster, nor the greatest band in the world seems unable to stop scalpers from buying every single seat within 2 seconds of them going public.
Maybe spend some outrage there, guys.
