Pearl Jam is more than the world’s second-most famous grunge band. They’re also a band with poignant awareness of thorny social issues, such as homelessness. This is why they’re doing their first show in Seattle in half a decade – to draw attention to homelessness crisis in the city.
The band will play at two benefit concerts called the Home Shows. They’ve already managed to raise $11.5 million for the cause. There will also be a day of volunteer initiatives between the two shows.
Stone Gossard, one of the band’s two guitarists, has stated it’s impossible to miss the rising numbers of people who need help. Of course, the shows sold out very quickly. They’re expected to draw 90,000 people from around the world. The band and other community members are matching raised funds (up to $960,000) to a new campaign they call the Home Fund.
Pearl Jam has the support of a number of major local businesses, such as Nordstrom and Starbucks, and sports team the Seattle Mariners.
The funds raised by the band will be distributed to local organizations and establishments working to alleviate and limit homelessness in the city and greater area.
We can’t help but be impressed by what they’ve achieved – many other bands wouldn’t have dared to take on the risk of alienating fans who don’t care about the cause, public relations issues, and the danger of fulfilling the saying about good intentions and the road to hell.