Pearl Jam dedicated the debut performance of their new song "Can't Deny Me" to the survivors of the Parkland, Florida school shooting and the students taking part in today's National School Walkout.
Performing at MoviStar Arena on Tuesday, Eddie Vedder addressed the crowd in Spanish. "This is dedicated to the incredible students in Florida, and the United States, who survived a terrible tragedy. We will all be protesting tomorrow throughout the United States," Vedder said before honoring one of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School's most vocal students. "We support you all, and Emma Gonzalez, we love you. We'd like to play this for them, and us."
On Tuesday, students across America exited their respective schools at 10 a.m. local time for 17 minutes to show solidarity with the 17 victims of the Stoneman Douglas shooting as well as protest the government's inaction to curb gun violence and prevent future school shootings.
"Can't Deny Me" marked Pearl Jam's first new original song in five years, since the release of 2013's Lightning Bolt – and the first offering from their upcoming new LP.
The concert was Pearl Jam's first non-Rock Hall gig since August 2016, and the band's first show following the death of their friend and fellow Seattle legend Chris Cornell in May 2017. Vedder acknowledged the late Soundgarden singer prior to Pearl Jam's performance of "Come Back":