Pearl Jam is touring North America and went through Chicago, where they made a very special presentation. There, Eddie Vedder and company covered the classic “Rebel Rebel” from David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs (1974). Although it is common for the group to add re-readings to their setlist, this presentation marked the first appearance of this song.
Another moment that surprised the fans was the presence of former NBA star Dennis Rodman the show. The athlete took the stage to deliver a ukulele to Vedder who played “Sleeping By Myself” next.
Check it out:
Pearl Jam Setlist @ Wrigley Field – Chicago
- Wash
- Low Light
- Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
- Breakerfall
- Corduroy
- Hail Hail
- Animal
- Getaway
- Leaving Here (Edward Holland, Jr. cover)
- Present Tense
- Even Flow
- Missing (Chris Cornell cover)
- Garden
- Not for You
- Can’t Deny Me
- Wishlist
- I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty cover)
- Porch
- Just Breathe
- Sleeping by Myself
- Footsteps
- State of Love and Trust
- Breath
- Know Your Rights (The Clash cover)
- Do the Evolution
- Alone
- Rearviewmirror
- Rebel Rebel (David Bowie cover)
- Better Man
- Alive
- Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
- Yellow Ledbetter
The song
“Rebel Rebel” was released in 1974 as a single from the album Diamond Dogs. Cited as his most-covered track, it has been described as being effectively Bowie’s farewell to the glam rock movement that he had helped pioneer, as well as being a proto-punk track.