A remarkable month for Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers had another unexpected win, as Eddie Vedder publicly welcomed the rockers into the wider Pearl Jam family.
Speaking ahead of Pearl Jam’s tour-closing performance Saturday, November 23rd at Sydney’s Engie Stadium, Vedder took to the stage to thank Teen Jesus, the support on the Australian trek.
Vedder admitted he watched the 2024 ARIA Awards last Wednesday night, just to see Teen Jesus collect the coveted Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award — which they did.
“These are the kind of things you don’t give a fuck about, until someone you care about wins it. And then you’re pretty damn happy,” he told thousands of fans assembled in the late afternoon. “And I couldn’t think of better people. And well deserved. For all the people who are yet to see them before and this is your first time, we are very honoured that you will say I saw them on the same stage as Pearl Jam.”
@libbymorph @Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers what a moment! Opening for @Pearl Jam #pearljam #eddievedder #teenjesusandthejeanteasers #fyp #grunge
This year has been a wild ride for Teen Jesus, who recently completed their first tour of the United States, where their 2023 LP I Love You is released through Mom + Pop Music.
The punk rockers – comprising Anna Ryan (they/slay; vocals/guitar), Scarlett McKahey (she/her; guitar/vocals), Jaida Stephenson (she/her; bass) and Neve van Boxsel (she/her; drums) – dropped I Love You Too on September 20th, a deluxe edition of their debut album, which crashed the top 10 of the ARIA Chart.
The following month, McKahey and Stephenson played host at the opening night of Rolling Stone House at SXSW Sydney, and finished the night with a banging DJ set.
Teen Jesus opened the 2024 ARIAs with a bang, by performing “I Used to be Fun”.
“They’ve been together for almost 10 years,” Vedder continued on stage in west Sydney. “And they’ve been great friends, and they grew up together in Canberra. And this is proof that great friends make great music.”
Later, Vedder gave the audience more than they bargained for when he announced the grunge legends would be back, sooner rather than later, “We haven’t been here for 10 years, so let me ask you this question, and I’m being serious. If we were to come back next year or two years tops, will you come back?”
As previously reported, Vedder continued: “I talked to the guy today; he’s holding the venues.”
The Rock And Roll Hall of Famers played seven stadium dates on the ANZ leg of their Dark Matter World Tour 2024, produced by Live Nation.
Read Eddie Vedder’s Teen Jesus speech in full below.
I know this is unusual. I was stuck in traffic, I didn’t get to introduce you. But I just wanted to say, the other night I was watching the ARIA Awards. Really, just to see these guys. And hope that they won the damn thing. Which they did for best breakthrough artist.
These are the kind of things you don’t give a fuck about, until someone you care about wins it. And then you’re pretty damn happy.
And I couldn’t think of better people. And well deserved. For all the people who are yet to see them before and this is your first time, we are very honoured that you will say I saw them on the same stage as Pearl Jam.
They’ve been together for almost 10 years. And they’ve been great friends, and they grew up together in Canberra. And this is proof that great friends make great music.
