Hold on your caps and get ready to be moved America, because we now have another guitar great rendition of the "The Star Spangled Banner." Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, who was raised in Seattle, performed the National Anthem before the Seattle Sounders playoff game against FC Dallas on Monday and left not a person in the crowd unmoved (via Consequence Of Sound). The pioneer of the guitar rendition is Jimi Hendrix, whose version at Woodstock in 1969 remains a shining moment in anthem history and a master class in covering a song, but Pearl Jam's Mike McCready gives him a run for his money.
Mike McCready brings the heat for two minutes, shredding his cover of the "The Star Spangled Banner," toying with the original song, adding his own licks and going heavy on the reverb. In its 200th year, Sir Francis Scott may not have envisioned such an anthemic instrumental version of his song to be played, but he almost surely would have approved. Century Link field is notoriously one of the loudest stadiums in the country and Mike was greeted with a welcoming roar once the cover was finished.
The Seattle Sounders would tie the game, but advance on goal differential because of their one away goal. If the Sounders can get this patriotic encouragement each game, they should have a great chance of winning each time. It also helps to have finished the season with the best record in Major League Soccer and have Captain America, aka Clint Dempsey in your ranks.
Pearl Jam just passed another big milestone, releasing their 10th artist album Lightning Bolt last October. One of the big 90s bands from the grunge / alternative movement of the 1990s, Pearl Jam is considered music royalty in their hometown of Seattle. One of the original members of Pearl Jam, Mike McCready has been a rock in the band for close to 25 years.
Watch the video below to see the spine-tingling rendition by Mike McCready and get your American flags ready to wave via MLS.
