Pearl Jam Rocks The Tonight Show With “Got Some” From Upcoming Album Backspacer

by Albert Costill in Pearl Jam

Last night’s debut of the new Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien turned out to be a HUGE night for Pearl Jam fans - the band debuted a new song from their upcoming album Backspacer called “Got Some”. The single is rumored to be released in July with the album dropping September 22nd.

As an obvious Pearl Jam junkie, it’s easy to understand for me why they were chosen with this honor, even being picked over from other upcoming Tonight Show guests like Green Day and Chickenfoot (the super group featuring Van Halen alum Sammy Hager and Michael Anthony, guitar whiz Joe Satriani and RHCP drummer Chad Smith). Each and every time the band is in front of the camera, a great TV moment occurs.

I’ve already done a post on Pearl Jam and The Late Show with David Letterman (so check that out right here), so let’s rediscover some other of Pearl Jam’s greatest TV moments.

February 4, 1992: Pearl Jam, on the eve of their first European tour, made their first ever television performance on BBC2 TV’s Late Show with “Alive”.

March 16, 1992: Pearl Jam’s famous MTV Unplugged performance is filmed, which didn’t air until May 13. Long sought after by fans the performance is finally released to DVD on March 24, 2009 as part of the special edition of the Ten reissue. The highlights still have to be “Porch” and “Black”.

April 11, 1992: The band makes their first Saturday Night Live performance with electric performances of “Alive” and “Porch”. They even appear in a skit with host Sharon Stone.

September 9, 1992: Pearl Jam does an intense version of “Jeremy” during the MTV Video Music Awards. Supposedly the band wanted to perform The Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer” instead of “Jeremy”, hence why it appears that Ed is mumbling some lyrics from “Sonic Reducer”.

September 2, 1993: After touring with Neil Young during 1993, the band returns to the VMA’s with one of the greatest VMA performances ever…”Rockin’ In The Free World” with the man himself.

April 16, 1994: Shortly following Kurt Cobain’s suicide, Pearl Jam performs on Saturday Night Live for the second time. A darker and more intense performance including not the typical two, but three, songs of the as of yet unreleased “Not For You”, “Rearviewmirror” and “Daughter(Hey Hey, My My)”, which is a tribute to Kurt since he referenced the Neil Young tune in his suicide note.

April 15, 2006: After years of not appearing on much TV, I’m talking about the full band here, the guys return for their third SNL appearance. Pearl Jam performs their current single “World Wide Suicide” and debuts “Severed Hand”.

April 25, 2006: I believe this was the correct date for the band’s performance on Later with Jools Holland, which is an ultra-cool music show in the UK with several stages set up so that different performers can keep on playing. The show begins with Pearl Jam doing some of “Why Go” before the other guests join in during their introductions. The band performs “World Wide Suicide”, “Severed Hand” and “Alive”, as well as, a little interview with Ed and Mike.

May 31, 2006: Pearl Jam does an episode of VH1’s Storytellers with the following setlist: “Better Man”, “Unemployable”, “World Wide Suicide”, “Gone”, “Sleight of Hand”, “Army Reserve”, “Insignificance”, “Alive”, “Here’s To The State of Mississippi” and “Life Wasted”.