A note before we start, Pearl Jam's new documentary Let’s Play Two is a film close to my heart. For the past four years, most of my annual leave has been dedicated to following Pearl Jam around the world. And the best part of it is that I get to do it with a community of fans that are also as crazy as I am. So, in saying that, if you have a keen eye and know what I look like, you could actually spot me on the front rail in the concert footage (probably looking a little tired after two days of camping out for the position).
2016 was a big year for Chicago. It was a year of hope - an audacious hope that their beloved Cubs go all the way to win the baseball World Series for the first time since 1908. Halfway through the season, Pearl Jam returned to Wrigley Field to play over two nights in August, for their second stint at the hallowed grounds.
Firstly, it's important to clarify from the start, if you're walking into this with the expectation that this will be a film showcasing the band's performance, you'll be disappointed. The same if you're expecting this to be a documentary about the band and where they're at in their career. If you want those, please refer back to Live At The Garden and PJ20. Instead, what's offered is a film about frontman Eddie Vedder and his lifelong relationship with his beloved Cubs, an obsession that began as a four-year-old attending games with his uncle.
Directed by photographer and long-time friend of the band Danny Clinch, Let's Play Two begins with the rattle of the L-train, the line that brings hundreds of thousands of fans to the Wrigleyville precinct each year, with Vedder's distinct baritone sweeping in over the top to explain that walking into Wrigley for the first time is "like stepping into Oz."
It's important here to explain why the term "let's play two" has shaped, influenced and gone on to be the title of the film. Legendary Cubs player Ernie Banks coined the term, saying that the day's nice enough, let's play two games. It's a fitting tribute to Banks, who passed away in 2015, just two years after he joined Vedder on-stage for Pearl Jam's 2013 Wrigley performance of All The Way, the song written as a tribute to the team.
It's not long before the 2016 concert footage is introduced, bringing in a mix of the band's better known hits and some deeper cut fan favourites.
Whereas previous films have had a stronger focus on fan experience, Clinch has chosen to focus on just two fan stories throughout; one American named John who shares what Pearl Jam's music has meant to him over the years, and one Australian named Jason who shares what's special about the Pearl Jam community. Okay, so full disclosure here – Jason's actually my dad. Yep, fight me if you think your dad is cooler. Even fuller disclosure, the guy sleeping on the pavement waiting to get into the General Admission area is my husband.
Amongst the story of the Cubs comes funny moments shared between the band and their friends. There's a notable appearance from the Chicago Bulls' Dennis Rodman, and a touching moment with former NFL player Steve Gleason.
What Clinch achieves with Let's Play Two will challenge Pearl Jam fans, and you know what, after 25+ years maybe we need it. "It's not all about winning or losing. It's not. It's about the journey," says Vedder of his Cubs before their triumphant Game 7 victory. Maybe that's the message to take along with you throughout Let's Play Two; go on the journey, ride the wave and maybe you'll be rewarded with a trophy in the form of a new perspective about a man and band you thought you knew so well already.
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