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Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer joins Pearl Jam’s live lineup

Pearl Jam gave songs from their album Gigaton their live debut at a New Jersey festival over the weekend.

Josh Klinghoffer onstage

Photo: Kevin Winter / Getty

September 20, 2021 
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Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has joined Pearl Jam as a touring musician, performing with the band at the Sea.Hear.Now festival in New Jersey’s Asbury Park over the weekend (18 September).

The former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist joined Pearl Jam for the entirety of their 20-song set, tackling guitar, backing vocals and percussion. At the gig, the band performed a number of songs from their latest album Gigaton on stage for the first time.

Watch footage from the show below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR0DM8OKb7I&ab_channel=JimPowers

A Pearl Jam representative confirmed to Consequence Of Sound that Klinghoffer’s role as a touring musician is ongoing.

Klinghoffer was let go from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2019, when former guitarist John Frusciante returned to the fold. At the time, Klinghoffer called his dismissal a “complete shock but not a surprise”.

“It’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band. So that’s why I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he’s back with them,” he added.

Earlier this month, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder released Long Way, the first single from his upcoming solo album Earthling, which featured Klinghoffer on guitar and piano, as well as Chad Smith from the Chili Peppers on drums.

Inseparable from his MIJ Fender Jazzmaster and Sunn Beta Lead amp, Daniel has been playing for almost 20 years and counts Jeff Parker, Ichirou Agata and Jan Akkerman among his guitar heroes. When he’s not playing with his ear-splitting band YOY, Dan covers all the latest news for Guitar.com.