"I am still in so much shock! Merry Christmas and thank you."
Pearl Jam @ Big Day Out Melbourne (Credit: Matt Allan)
Pearl Jam singer and seemingly all-around good bloke Eddie Vedder got into the Christmas spirit in late December, surprising three young musicians in Hawaii with brand-new guitars ahead of the festive season.
Harry Koizumi, a teacher at Coconut Grove Music in Kailua, Oahu, told the story on Facebook on Christmas Eve. Koizumi wrote that last month, Vedder walked into Coconut Grove Music and asked a salesman at the store if there was a teacher who taught young musicians.
Vedder then quizzed Koizumi about the best guitars for three young players and subsequently purchased them. The three young guitarists – Declan, Melia and Elliott – wrote letters in appreciation for what Vedder had done, with the Jeremy singer writing letters back – calligraphy and all on the envelopes.
In response to receiving a guitar from Vedder, Declan wrote in a letter shared by Koizumi in a Facebook post, “It is nice to see that some celebrities still have the common goal of kindness. I am still in so much shock that you decided to give this to Harry! Merry Christmas and thank you”.
Koizumi said that the experience is one he won’t forget, writing, “What a beautiful blessing and a wonderful experience to be involved as Santa’s helper!
“Eddie Vedder - You Rock with such Aloha spirit! Thank you for an awesome Christmas that we all will never forget!”
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
You can check out Koizumi’s post below.
Also in December, rumours about Pearl Jam potentially announcing an Australian tour soon began circulating on social media after the band themselves posted a teaser on Instagram.
The rockers shared a video performing Do The Evolution at their 1998 show at Melbourne Park along with the telling caption, “Are you koala-fied for our ticket presales? Not a current member? Hop to it, mate! 🐨🦘🇦🇺 #TenDaysOfPJ”.
While nothing is official yet, eagle-eyed fans on the band’s subreddit have suggested that Pearl Jam’s Australian and New Zealand shows will take place from 8 to 10 November in Auckland before heading to Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne from 13 to 23 November.
The news would undoubtedly be huge, considering the last time that Pearl Jam played in Australia was during the final Big Day Out run in 2014.
A Christmas Story in Kailua,Oahu 2023 Early this week, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam came into Coconut Grove Music and asked...
Posted by Harry Koizumi on Sunday, December 24, 2023