Here's a story from the Age regarding Pearl Jam's Monday night show:

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder is the latest major overseas rocker to roast Prime Minister John Howard.

Midway through the American quintet's Melbourne show last night, Vedder slammed Howard for blaming the decline of the Australian economy on bananas.

"You know what," he said, "John Howard should get his hand off of George Bush's banana!"

The comment drew a huge roar from the 12,000-strong sell-out crowd.

The American rockers have never shied away from political commentary, in particular criticism of the Bush Government and the Iraq War. They were one of the first mainstream rock bands to openly condemn their government's actions. Like the Dixie Chicks, they have faced strong criticism for it at home.

Last night's incendiary two-and-a-half-hour show, the first of three sold-out engagements in Melbourne, dug heavily into the band's enormous back catalogue - now eight studio albums deep - and broke the venue's curfew by 20 minutes.

Highlights included Black, Alive, Corduroy, Given To Fly, Daughter and a surprise cover of Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing.

When a security guard attempted to eject a patron for smoking a cigarette, Vedder stopped singing and pleaded with the guard to go easy on him.

"I'm the bad guy, not him," he noted, before cheekily lighting a cigarette on stage.

"Take me before you take him!" he said defiantly.

Highly unusual link for today... drum roll please... pearl necklace. That is all.