Fans sit in Pearl Jam after drummer Matt Cameron tests for COVID-19 positivity

Matt Cameron has been behind Pearl Jam’s drum kit since joining the band in 1998, but for the first time since then, he was forced to miss the show after testing positive for COVID-19. I did.

As chat Seattle drummers Richard Stuveld and Pearl Jam guitarists report on the band’s show in Oakland, CA on Thursday, May 12th. Josh Klinghoffe played drums on most shows.

“Matt Cameron is a true artist and he is a force of nature,” frontman Eddie Vedder told the crowd before introducing his successor drummer. “But even his superhero status couldn’t prevent him from being positive on the test. Yesterday, this pitiful COVID. Twenty-five months later, we scrambled for 24 hours. Continued … We were supposed to be here 25 months ago. We were waiting, and we were waiting. Postponement is not an option and cancellation is also for us There wasn’t. I couldn’t pull the plug because I didn’t want to pull the plug. We have our group here, we have our equipment here, and Most importantly, you are here. “

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Vedder continues. “Fortunately, we have some friends. One of our friends is already on this tour. He is a versatile and multi-faceted player who is currently playing behind the drum kit. A multi-instrumentalist .. Josh Klinghoffer. Like rock and roll Shohei Otani. Let’s hit the fans. Hopefully that’s a good thing. “

Klinghoffer was reportedly responsible for the drum work on 11 songs, and after Stuveld played on 12 songs, the band made a big surprise to the final song.

“Welcome to all the guests, Josh Arroyo!” Vedder told the audience, welcoming local drummer Arroyo to the stage and closing the show with “Yellow Ledbetter”.

You can see the performance of Pearl Jam with Arroyo in the video above.