In his first performance since Chris Cornell's unexpected death, Eddie Vedder paid tribute to his friend and collaborator without ever mentioning his name or covering his songs. Instead, he played a series of songs that could be easily be interpreted as a narrative about the loss.

Kicking off his European solo tour in Amsterdam last night (May 27), Vedder opened what would be an emotionally charged show with Pearl Jam's "Long Road," changing the lyrics to "Without you / Something is missing." Before Pearl Jam's "Sometimes," which had Vedder crying out "Where were you, dear God?" during the outro, he also played a cover of Cat Stevens' "Trouble." In addition, Vedder performed Pearl Jam's "Immortality," a cover of Neil Young's song "The Needle and the Damage Done" and his own "Without You."

When a fan shouted "I love you," Vedder responded with, “Thank you. I need it. We all need it. I’m thinking of a lot of people tonight, and some in particular, and their families. And I just know that healing takes time, if it ever happens. It takes time, and that means you have to start somewhere. So let it be music. Let it be love and togetherness. And let it be Amsterdam.”

Fans definitely received the message. Posting to Pearl Jam's message board, according to Consequence of Sound, a fan, Electro_UK, posted that he "He spoke a little how the healing process can start with music and made numerous references to how sad he was and how much he and his friends were struggling.

Frankly it is the bravest performance I have ever seen. At times it seemed like he was a word or two away from breaking into tears. He mumbled more than usual, he violently stamped into the floor on Immortality and others and after ‘The End’ I thought he was ready to just walk off and not play anymore. There were funny moments and he picked up in the second half. You could hear the crowd emotionally gasp when 'Light Years' started... It was heart breaking.”

Cornell died by hanging following a Detroit performance with his band Soundgarden on May 18. In 1990, Cornell formed the band Temple of the Dog to pay tribute to his former roommate, Andrew Wood, who had died over an overdose. The band was comprised of former members of Wood's band, Mother Love Bone, who went on to form Pearl Jam with Vedder at their helm.

Eddie Vedder 5/27/17 Set List
1. "Long Road"
2. "Trouble" (Cat Stevens cover)
3. "Sometimes"
4. "Can't Keep"
5. "Sleeping by Myself"
6. "Without You"
7. "Longing to Belong"
8. "The Needle and the Damage Done" (Neil Young cover)
9. "I Am Mine"
10. "Light Years"
11. "Good Woman" (Cat Power cover)
12. "Far Behind"
13. "No Ceiling"
14. "Guaranteed"
15. "Rise"
16. "I'm Open"
17. "Better Man"
18. "Immortality"
19. "Porch"
20. "I'm So Tired" (Fugazi cover)
21. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town"
22. "Imagine" (John Lennon cover)
23. "Heroes" (David Bowie cover)
24. "Just Breathe"
25. "Lukin"
26. "Song of Good Hope" (with Glen Hansard)
27. "Falling Slowly" (The Swell Season cover, with Glen Hansard)
28. "The End"
29. "Rockin' in the Free World"
30. "Hard Sun" (Indio cover, with Glen Hansard)

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