Pearl Jam joined on-stage by founding drummer Dave Krusen for the first time in 31 years

Pearl Jam were joined on-stage on Monday night (May 16) by founding drummer Dave Krusen for their first performance together in 31 years.

Krusen left the Seattle grunge icons in 1991, shortly after recording finished on their debut album ‘Ten’, due to alcohol issues, and has only appeared in public with them once since, at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2017.

Pearl Jam’s current drummer Matt Cameron is out of action on the band’s current tour after testing positive for COVID, so they’ve been enlisting stand-in drummers. The band were joined by a fan on drums at their Oakland show last Thursday (May 12), while an 18-year-old friend of Eddie Vedder’s daughter stepped up to the plate at the same venue on Saturday (May 14).

For the band’s show in Fresno on Monday, Krusen jumped behind the kit to play all but two songs from ‘Ten’, joining the band for the hits ‘Even Flow’, ‘Once’, ‘Jeremy’, ‘Alive’ and more.

See footage from the performance below.

Dave Krusen in Fresno, California, 5/16. pic.twitter.com/6ERsB0l6T8

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) May 17, 2022

One for the books, Fresno! @savemartcenter pic.twitter.com/flrS8cDGCe

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) May 17, 2022

Last week, Pearl Jam honoured Foo Fighters’ late drummer Taylor Hawkins during their LA concert at The Forum by performing 2005 song ‘Cold Day In The Sun’.

The original version of the track featured Hawkins on lead vocals and, for the Seattle band’s performance of it, Cameron took on singing duties.

Cameron and Hawkins previously worked together in the band Nighttime Boogie Association, releasing two songs together – ‘Long In The Tooth’ and ‘The Path We’re On’ – in 2020.

Earlier this month, the band took another moment to remember Hawkins as they kicked off their ‘Gigaton’ tour in San Diego. “[Hawkins] emitted something very incredible and very special,” Vedder told the crowd at that show.

“We’re all missing him, and so, Matt, I’m sorry again for your loss. But it just gives us another chance to say how much we appreciate you as well.”

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