A Special Night with The Ledbetters
Last night at the Wells Fargo Center, there was a hockey game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens (which the Flyers won 3-2). But that wasn’t the only excitement of the night. Last night was also the first-ever Pearl Jam Night, which was in celebration of Pearl Jam’s Ten sellout shows (Ten is also the band’s debut album which was released in 1991).
To mark this historic occasion, The Ledbetters - A Tribute to Pearl Jam were invited to give a pregame performance to fans that purchased the special Pearl Jam Night ticket package, which also included a commemorative Flyers x Pearl Jam t-shirt. Also on display in the main concourse was the Pearl Jam sellouts banner that normally hangs in the arena, on display for the first time ever for fans to take pictures in front of.
Looking at the setlist prior to the show, I knew immediately this performance was going to be special. Always looking to create a different and unique show for their fans, the band opened with their debut of “Whipping”, a fast paced and heavy choice to get the [still entering] crowd energized. Speaking of the crowd, the line to enter was wrapped around the building, fans outside anxious to get in, grab their new swag and watch the band perform. I didn’t get the final number, but we were told upwards of 800 people were in attendance.
Continuing with the intensity they have become known for, the band went to fan favorite songs “Jeremy”, “Evenflow” and “Given To Fly”, which by this time the crowd was in full unison with lead singer Jamie Stem, reciting every word with him as if they were part of the band. Ever the entertainer, and feeding into the crowd, during “Betterman”, Jamie invited the energetic crowd to sing back to him. What started with some simple “whoa oh oh oohs” turned into “Go Flyers", Go Flyers, We’re Fucking Flyers” which the crowd joyously repeated back.
What made this night extra special was the amount of family in the crowd. All the band members had their kids and loved ones with them, some seeing their parents perform for the first time. During Yellow Ledbetter, guitarist Steve Piperno navigated his way into the crowd to find his three kids, who all took a turn strumming his guitar, and surprisingly not missing a chord during the song. Jamie’s son was his biggest fan of the night, standing above the crowd and waiving his Flyers jersey in proud support of his Dad.
The Ledbetters have been rocking the Philadelphia area for the last few years, and have become one of the premiere acts to really emerge and come alive on the tribute band scene. Combining an authentic recreation of Pearl Jam’s studio recordings, mixed in with intense live shows, they will bring you right back to your flannel-wearing days of the 90’s.
The Ledbetters are comprised of powerhouse lead singer Jamie Stem, James Burke on lead guitar, Steven Piperno on guitar and backup vocals, Rocco De Lise on bass guitar, and John Stover on drums. Their upcoming shows can be found here, https://www.theledbettersmusic.com/, with many of them paired up with the equally talented Superunknown. Their shows tend to sell out fast, a testament to their popularity and performance, so don’t hesitate to grab your tickets for a show.
The Wells Fargo Center, one of the busiest arenas in the world, is home of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, and the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League. After opening its doors for the first time with the World Cup of Hockey on August 31, 1996, the Wells Fargo Center has hosted a variety of nationally-recognized events.
The Ledbetters are represented by Blue Raven Entertainment, an all-encompassing entertainment agency, handling every aspect of an artist’s career to include artist management, booking, marketing, and promotion.
