VIDEO: Howard Invited to Jam With Eddie Vedder While Attending First Pearl Jam Show

Howard was finally able to see Stern Show guests Pearl Jam during one of their recent shows at New York City’s historic Madison Square Garden. Evidently, the wait was well worth it. “Great show, those guys kicked motherfucking ass,” he reported on Monday morning.

One thing that did come as a surprise was when lead singer Eddie Vedder asked Howard if he and E Street Band rocker Little Steven Van Zandt wanted to come up onstage for a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” While Van Zandt “wasn’t even like a little bit concerned that he was going to get up onstage in front of 20,000 people,” Howard felt otherwise. “I went, ‘No, no, no, no,’” he recalled of the request before adding he even rejected Little Steven’s suggestion that he play tambourine. “Quite frankly, I’d have to practice for three months on the tambourine before I get up there.”

While Howard said he wasn’t enough of a musician to perform without going into a panic, the budding guitarist and Tuchus frontman was given some encouragement when Vedder gifted him with some of his signature picks. “I’ve been jamming with them hoping that some of that Eddie Vedder magic will enter my fingers through the pick,” he told co-host Robin Quivers.

Also in attendance was Gary Dell’Abate. As one fan observed, however, the Stern Show executive producer seemed more consumed with his phone than the performance in front of him. “The whole arena’s on their feet except for Gary,” staffer and frequent adversary Mike Trainor observed.