Vedder Plays Nader Rally

September 25 -- Eddie Vedder is a seasoned pro onstage, but at a fund-raising rally for presidential candidate Ralph Nader on Saturday night, he was happy to seem green — or rather, pro-Green.

The Pearl Jam singer took the stage of Seattle's Key Arena, where a crowd of several thousand paid 10 bucks apiece to hear Nader speak, shortly before the candidate. Armed with an acoustic guitar and ukulele, he warmed up the crowd with two numbers.

He dedicated Binaural's "Soon Forget," which recounts the tale of a man whose riches can purchase expensive residences and sports cars, but can't buy back his soul, to Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen. "Are they here somewhere?" he asked the crowd, according to The Associated Press. "Maybe in a skybox? If they're not here, they should be.

"I've never been to one of these," the singer admitted. "I think the reason why is I've never had anyone I could believe in before."

Nader spoke for about 90 minutes, hammering away at what he declared the unacceptable inequality of wealth in the United States today. The candidate also singled out Gates, noting that his wealth was equal to that of the 120 million poorest Americans.

"What he says, the truth, is so glaring compared to these 30-second sound bites you hear from the other candidates," Vedder told the AP later. In his speech, the third-party candidate said voters shouldn't be forced to choose between "the lesser of two evils and the evil of two lessers."

Vedder claimed that he wasn't the only member of Pearl Jam at the event. Four months ago, the singer donated a few thousand dollars of the group's money to Nader's campaign — without consulting the others first. Having reportedly expressed some reservations concerning Vedder's actions, they came out to the Arena to learn more about their investment.