Pearl Jam’s Illness Was “Near-Death Experience”

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Pearl Jam's Illness Was "Near-Death Experience"

Eddie Vedder has opened up about Pearl Jam’s recent health scare, which forced the band to cancel a handful of tour dates in London and Berlin last week.

During the encore of Pearl Jam’s return concert in Barcelona (get tickets to upcoming shows here) this past Saturday, Vedder described the band’s “frightening” illness in between performing “Just Breathe” and “Wasted Reprise.” Watch fan-shot footage of the speech below.

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“Can I just say that the last week, it almost felt like a near-death experience,” an emotional Vedder said. “It was very uncomfortable, and it got frightening. It felt like chest bronchitis. It felt like maybe you couldn’t breathe, and maybe you wouldn’t make it through the night, and maybe you’d have to go to the hospital.”

Adding that it impacted “a few of us,” Vedder continued, “You just realize how precious this life is. How lucky we are to have been living on a planet where we can go around and play to incredible people like the people in this room here tonight. So, it was a poignant experience. I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon. And we won’t be forgetting tonight anytime soon.”

Pearl Jam continued the tour behind their new album, Dark Matter, with a second night in Barcelona. They’re slated to return to the United States for more shows in late August. Get tickets here.

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