Pearl Jam to headline the Isle of Wight Festival
Following in the footsteps of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica, who recently opted to book European shows in advance of North American ones, Eddie Vedder and the guys of Pearl Jam have announced a run of European tour dates for 2012. Whether Pearl Jam shares the same motivation as the Peppers and Metallica for booking the European dates ahead of a possible falling Euro is unknown, but regardless of the reasoning, overseas Pearl Jam fans are likely stoked for the run.
Among the big gigs is a high-profile, headlining gig at the Isle of Wight Festival on June 23. The rest of the Wight line-up includes Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on June 22 and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on June 24, so Pearl Jam are in good company. In addition to the headliners, other performers include Noel Gallagher (of Oasis), the Vaccines, Noah and the Whale and Elbow.
The Seattle rockers’ European tour stars on June 20 at the Manchester Evening News Arena before following through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Sweeden to wrap July 10 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Los Angeles punk group X will open for Pearl Jam at their non-festival appearances.
In other Pearl Jam news, the guys are getting in the Christmas spirit by donating $50,000 to Blessings in a Backpack, a program to feed 216 children over a three-year period at Wileman Elementary School in Delavan, Wis. The program provides food-filled backpacks for students each weekend, when school day lunch programs aren’t in service. Read more about the very donation on Pearl Jam’s artist page.
Pearl Jam 2012 European Tour Dates:
6/20 — Manchester, U.K.
6/23 — Isle of Wright, U.K.
6/26 — Amsterdam, Netherlands
6/29 — Werchter, Belgium
7/4 — Berlin, Germany
7/7 — Stockholm, Sweden
7/9 — Oslo, Norway
7/10 — Copenhagen, Denmark
