POLITE PEARL JAM + STEVIE WONDER'S JEUNESSE ECLIPSE MCCARTNEY

IT'S a sign of the respect grunge hero Eddie Vedder commands that even when playing to a 50,000-strong crowd at Hyde Park, he could inspire a hush when he spoke.
Hard Rock Calling was a weekend of reminiscences – three very different, generous headliners set the tone for memorable days in the scorching sun.



Pearl Jam was looked upon with such reverence that at one point veteran frontman Vedder convinced the huge crowd to take three steps back for safety, just by asking politely. He earnestly promised to replay any songs he would have to stop if there were any crowd management problems.
Yeah, this doesn't sound like the kind of rock icon we've come to expect but it one we've come to love.
From the early evening, with Vedder joining Ben Harper's set for a powerful cover of Under Pressure, the tone was set for a special night.

The duet was not unexpected – Vedder and Harper have been known to team up on occasion and their duet of Indifference is a Youtube favourite.
But it was a treat all the same and one Harper reciprocated during Pearl Jam's set, with an incredible instrumental on encore Red Mosquito.
It was touching to see Vedder in trademark grunge lumberjack shirt of old, running through tracks old and new, classics and a tribute to Joe Strummer with a cover of Arms Aloft in Aberdeen, with the same molasses-quality voice we idolised as teens. Entrancing.
By most standards, Hard Rock Calling was a success – bar a timetabling clash pitting Elvis Costello against World Cup disappointment on Sunday.
We were eager to hear how Gomez had got on more than a decade after soaraway debut album Bring it On but only lovers of sauna-type conditions could bring themselves to step inside the sweltering Pepsi Max tent for the full set and there was a minor exodus after biggest hit Whippin' Picadilly.
For Stevie Wonder's set on Saturday it felt like the numbers had doubled. Kids, grandparents and everyone in-between piled in to see the legend in action and they were not disappointed.
Wonder's success was almost his failing. His set was a bonanza of every hit you would ever wish to hear, his cheeky, cheery disposition kept the mood light, but the sheer numbers made it at times uncomfortable.
As people later eased into their spaces, it was a historic sight to see the mass human carpet become one giant funky dance show of moves through the ages.
Stevie – whose inability to contain his joy was infectious – played an ambitious back catalogue of everything from Sir Duke to Ma Cherie Amour to I Just Called To Say I Love You, and Happy Birthday – a reminder that this man, whose life-work is so extensive and influential, is still only 60.
Paul McCartney on day three took a little time to warm up, but something changed when the sun went down.
As if a spirit had suddenly possessed him, he came alive – helped by electrifying fireworks during Live and Let Die and the second half of the set was stunning.
The sounds of Hey Jude echoed across the park as every single person joined in the mass singalong – na na na nana na naaa – did N-Dubz learn it from these guys?