Pearl Jam Auditions Drummers, Hopes to Play in 2027

Pearl Jam is auditioning drummers to replace Matt Cameron, while bassist Jeff Ament says the band hopes to play live shows in 2027. Ament said the group is not in a major rush to make a decision, but feels some urgency to perform while its members are physically able. No permanent replacement or 2027 dates have been announced in the reports. Ament discussed the search in an interview about his photography book, Since Forever. He said Pearl Jam is continuing to audition drummers and praised Abe Laboriel Jr., who played with the band at Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival in September. Pearl Jam thanked Laboriel for sitting in, but has not announced him as a permanent member. The Ohana Festival performances were Pearl Jam’s first shows since Cameron’s departure in July 2025, after 27 years with the band. Cameron had joined in 1998. Ament said Cameron had talked for some time about winding down and pursuing other interests, and that the band’s search was still underway. Ament also said the death of Chris Cornell in 2017 had affected Cameron particularly strongly. Cornell was Cameron’s bandmate in Soundgarden. Ament described Cameron’s departure as a sad moment, while saying he was...