Pearl Jam: Vote for Change? 2004 Tour Film
With the 2008 election hot on our tails, we thought it would be the perfect time to dig into our archives and "take a look back to take a look forward." In 2004, Pearl Jam was one of seventeen musicians who took part in the Vote for Change tour - caravanning through battle ground states to Get Out The Vote. An indie film crew made up of Jeff Ament's filmmaker/ skater friends (see sixstair.com) documented the experience. They captured portions of each of concerts, the crowds, on-the-street interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage leading up to Election Day 2004 - all in 8mm film.
Pearl Jam: Vote for Change? 2004 by Rick Charnoski and Coan Nichols will be released digitally and free of charge on the Pearl Jam website in the days leading up to the November 4th election. Keep checking back here for the latest.
A film synopsis by directors Rick Charnoski and Coan Nichols
In April of 2004 we were deep in the San Bernadino, CA skating a few of the dozens of pools left empty by the fires that swept through the area a few months earlier. Jeff Ament, bass player for Pearl Jam, had come along to take advantage of this opportunity. Jeff has been a fan of our skate films (Fruit of the Vine, Northwest, Tent City, etc.) for a few years and asked if we would be interested in doing something with Pearl Jam. He mentioned that they were planning a "Vote For Change" tour right before the election and maybe we could come along and make a film.
We worked it out and ended up in Seattle in the beginning of October 2004 in time to shoot some rehearsals and meet the other band members. We didn't really have much of a plan and we hadn't shot much live music before, but we figured we'd just wing it and see what we got. We brought a few Super 8 movie cameras, a video camera and loads of film and just started shooting.
We flew from Seattle to New York, then followed the tour in a van to Reading PA, Toledo OH, Grand Rapids MI, St Louis MO, Asheville NC and ended up in Kissimee FL. Along the way we met with and spoke to hundreds of fans and just ordinary people about voting, democracy and politics in general. We cut the interviews into the live performances from each city, along with a few exclusive interviews with each band member. It is the first rock and roll tour film that WE know of shot entirely in super 8mm film with an amazing sound track recorded live and mixed by Brett Eliason.
We got home and cut the film, but never showed it to anyone. The enthusiasm for the project dwindled due to the outcome of the election. Ironically, we feel like Bush's reelection may have made the film even more important/ valid and we think now is a great time to dig it out and remind people why it is so important to vote. We love this film, it's like nothing we have ever done before and we are stoked to finally have the chance to show it.
Coan Nichols/ Rick Charnoski- Six Stair
September 2008
- Array
©2009 Pearl Jam. All rights reserved.
Comments
Nice work, see change finally happend!
Yeah, amazing. Barack Obama, a better world.
Wow! How prophetic.... "It's hard to imagine" where we'd be today had we listened 4 years ago.... Keep praying and changing.
Seeing the film now, after Obama got elected.. Seeing there is still hope for all of us.. The depression is getting everyone, except the people who made us into one.. That's a shame!
Pearl Jam changes lives! They make you matter, and make people feeling good about themselves. That's amazing!
DVD please!!!
Thanks for all the years of dedication, truth, and freedom!
Eddie Vedder for President!!!
good movie, glad there was a change............eventually
yo I say Mike Mcready for VP
PLEASE release this to dvd, please come to Green Bay Wisconsin on tour!!! If you only knew what PJ means in my life......Thank you so much for giving me a reason to live!!!
Pearl Jam changes lives.. oh I agree!! hey I breath PJ sleep PJ wake up PJ rock PJ love PJ dream PJ quote PJ call myself PJ call my cats PJ adopt a chimp because he's called Eddie I simply live PJ and yeh happy!
awesome footage !
Some random thoughts: I was at the Reading show. The venue was this minor league hockey stadium. It was great! Very intimate. I called the opening song - LBC - as did this girl sitting in front of me. GTF is my theme song! I think the Letterman performance captures the anger and frustration alot of us were feeling at that time. PJ, Ed in particular, were so relentless in expressing their opposition to the Bush administration (even before it was popular to do so). I remember arguing with friends during the 2003 tour in Boston about whether or not a rock and roll stage was an appropriate political platform. I saw the first 2 shows but missed the epic final performance because it was a week later. Anyway . . . the Obama victory and the change in direction is very satisfying. I've been to 19 PJ shows over the last 11 years. Bush was president for the last 14. Can't wait for the next one now that the darkness has lifted. This is a great film!
I was at the Grand Rapids show and let me tell you, the arena was a hot, stuffy, cramped warehouse-type venue but, my gosh, what a performance! The set list rocked and the band had a little edge to themselves that night - really good film here - great music (enjoyed seeing Neil Young)- PJ was ahead of this whole 'change" thing that has since swept our nation but I thought something about this film really caputured the frustrations many of us were feeling at the time - thank God there are people, like Ed and the band, that challenge us stay informed and encourage us to ask some tough and thought provoking questions once in a while. Keep pushing PJ! How about making this thing available on DVD too??
Bravo! That made my night.
It's 4 in the morning and I am watching the Vote for Change film again. It is so powerful for so many reasons. Here we are in 2009 and the film still holds true. The American people have made a difference and the future looks bright. I am Canadian and have always felt a closeness with America. I have relatives and close friends who live in The Untited States. From an outside perspective this video is relative to all democratic countries. We as citizens can make a difference. It is people like Eddie and Pearl Jam that make you believe. Watching this video again just reiterates that there is hope and if you believe in something enough you can make a differnce. Your newly elected President I believe is the person who, along with the people of The United States, will make the world a better, safer, happier place. It feels good. Thanks again PJ for never giving up.
Just watching the Vote for Change? 2004 video again, and it never gets old. How unfortunate for all Americans that the majority of Americans had their head in the sand and reelected Bush in '04. Who knows where we'd be now if things had been different. However, that doesn't diminish the power of this video and the power of voice.
But alas....America's voice was heard in November '08 and after four long years, CHANGE IS HERE! May CHANGE do U.S. and the World good, and thank you Pearl Jam for standing up and being the voice of millions around the world who voted for change then and now!
Peace to everybody.
Writing from Italy..
sad to realize that we still have a man like Berlusconi leading our country..
PJ should tour for a change in Italy now..
Thank you guys for electing Obama, this is giving us hope.
The problem is that we do not have any Obama here.. the oppostion sucks.
ciao!
MUST WATCH ZEITGEIST at zeitgeistthemovie.com
Thank you Pearl Jam. I love you.
Earth First! Monkeywrench!
There was a time when Pearl Jam stood up against the big corporations and said "no more monopolies." Today were are facing another of these corporate mergers where the people will suffer. We can't afford to sit around and play this game.
http://lnmc.crooksandliars.com/maxmarginal/late-night-music-club-pearl-j...
Pearl Jam needs to stand up to these corporate fat cats again. Ticketmaster and Live Nation are not PJ-friendly.
Please take up the fight again.
Thanks,
Clancy
Thats right change is here! Hang on to your change cause the government is stealing all of your money. Socialists of the world rejoice!
Now you can all congratulate yourselves that the government is taking over all of our lives and is going to raise taxes. You want government health care? Look at the Veterans Administration. You want socialism look at Sweden.
Now they are after your personal freedoms too, so be careful what you say. Here is what Chuck Schumer thinks about you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXJsxLvLdxo
Remember, the American people really don't care. So rollover and pay homage to your messiah.
Lets stick to what we can agree on and that is that Pearl Jam puts out great music.
Way to go! Change is here and it is pretty scary.
Would love a '09 show. Went to Tampa show (incredible!!) My daughter (11) has become a huge fan and has never forgiven me for not taking her. I was hoping to be on the floor since I bought the tickets from 10 club which was a mistake......I was expecting better seats. But it was still great!!!! We need more in FL or GA or even NM or TX would be great!!!! Also would love to see a Guitar Hero version w/ all PJ songs. Aerosmith did it (and they for the most part suck) but Metallica has jumped on the band wagon. I know you guys don't really need the money so it could go to charity or something???? For all us fans who have no guitar skills but love to feel the rush of Jammin!!! You guys are the best!!!!!
i happen to love guitar hero and i have three guitars of my own but there would be no better thing to do then toatally rock out on guitar haro w/ all pj songs. you guys should totally try it.
I love this film & YouTube video.. first time I saw it I nearly had to cry.. to see Pearl Jam on pan-US 2004 tour, trying to 'wake up fellow US citizens that WERE (in contrary to us from non-US) entitled to VOTE for CHANGE..' yet that major effort failed for ?!? reasons.. which then lead to another 4 years of the Bush terror GLOBALLY, affecting us ALL :(
Pearl Jam: Vote For Change? 2004 - Trailer 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmQjo55G_5A