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When Did Pearl Jam Fans Get so Old?
http://www.chicagonow.com/dry-it-in-the-water/2014/10/when-did-pearl-jam-fans-get-so-old/
By Brett Baker, Thursday at 11:53 am
Back in the late fifties and early sixties my mom was a teenager and liked the popular music of the time. The rock ‘n roll of those days is much tamer compared to what followed, but it still irritated the hell out of her father. I smile when I think of my grandpa yelling across the hall for her to “Turn that crap off!”
I’m a handful of years younger today than my grandpa was back then, but rock ‘n roll still appeals to me, thankfully.
I’ve been going to see Pearl Jam live for sixteen years. I saw them in Lincoln, Nebraska last week for the first time in three years. And as I stood among the general admission crowd, a few rows back from the stage, it occurred to me that Pearl Jam fans aren’t as young as they used to be.
My infatuation with Pearl Jam began in 1998, when I was twenty. They’d already been around for seven or eight years, and I knew the ultra-popular songs that are still played on the radio today, but I wasn’t familiar with all of their work. As soon as I thoroughly listened to them, and especially when I saw them in a live show, I was hooked.
At my third show in 1998, in Auburn Hills, Michigan, I distinctly remember the remarkable number of college-aged people in attendance. Of course there were a fair number of “old people” too, and my friends and I both admired them for their coolness, and tried to imagine whether we’d still be going to shows when we were “old.” But the crowd was predominantly young, probably 80% aged twenty-five or younger.
Sometimes I’ll watch an old movie and see an actor for the first time. In the movie they’re twenty-two years old, fresh-faced, just beginning their careers. Then after the movie I look them up on IMDB and of course they lived to be eighty-five years old and they’ve been dead for twenty years!
That’s what last week’s show in Lincoln was like!
In my mind the Pearl Jam audience is young college students, enthusiastic about life, ready to rebel against something, and just waiting to spend a few hours jumping around and singing along with 20,000 of their closest friends.
Somehow I forgot that we’ve all aged in the past sixteen years. I’ve been to more than a dozen shows since 1998, and obviously I look in the mirror everyday, but the stark difference really hit me last week.
I listened to a guy near me talk about a promotion he got at the bank in Omaha where he works. A friend asked him what he’d be doing and he said, “Still selling mortgages, just getting paid more for it now.”
Pearl Jam played at Metro in March 1992 with Smashing Pumpkins. How many mortgage bankers do you think were at that show?
Turns out, time has marched on. It’s not 1998 anymore, and I’m not twenty years old anymore. And, of course, neither is the band. They cut their long hair years ago, and now, like the rest of us, they have less than they used to. And watching a couple of the guys on stage, I couldn’t help but notice that they, too, look older. Gone are the years where they’d play 120 shows. Now they play twenty or twenty-five shows per year.
For a while I was bummed about how old everyone looked. As a friend from high school mentioned on my Facebook page, “Our days of being cool PJ fans are over. I felt that same feeling not to long ago. We are now like the hair metal fans were in our teen years.” Great, I’ve become like that guy who just can’t let go of how cool the band Ratt was in 1985.
But then the show began.
And I realized that it doesn’t matter. Of course I’m older. Time doesn’t stop. But like my wife said, “Fine wine, baby!”
And young people still love Pearl Jam and rock ‘n roll. In Lincoln a five-year-old boy stood in the front row with his dad. A young James Franco-looking dude stood near us in the crowd, along with his friend, who was at his first Pearl Jam show. I’m hoping to bring my own kids the next time they play Alpine Valley, and I have no doubt that will be my favorite show ever.
Pearl Jam plays tonight in Detroit and I’ll be there in the crowd, maybe feeling a little old. But with a good band—for a few hours—you can be young.
By Brett Baker, Thursday at 11:53 am
Back in the late fifties and early sixties my mom was a teenager and liked the popular music of the time. The rock ‘n roll of those days is much tamer compared to what followed, but it still irritated the hell out of her father. I smile when I think of my grandpa yelling across the hall for her to “Turn that crap off!”
I’m a handful of years younger today than my grandpa was back then, but rock ‘n roll still appeals to me, thankfully.
I’ve been going to see Pearl Jam live for sixteen years. I saw them in Lincoln, Nebraska last week for the first time in three years. And as I stood among the general admission crowd, a few rows back from the stage, it occurred to me that Pearl Jam fans aren’t as young as they used to be.
My infatuation with Pearl Jam began in 1998, when I was twenty. They’d already been around for seven or eight years, and I knew the ultra-popular songs that are still played on the radio today, but I wasn’t familiar with all of their work. As soon as I thoroughly listened to them, and especially when I saw them in a live show, I was hooked.
At my third show in 1998, in Auburn Hills, Michigan, I distinctly remember the remarkable number of college-aged people in attendance. Of course there were a fair number of “old people” too, and my friends and I both admired them for their coolness, and tried to imagine whether we’d still be going to shows when we were “old.” But the crowd was predominantly young, probably 80% aged twenty-five or younger.
Sometimes I’ll watch an old movie and see an actor for the first time. In the movie they’re twenty-two years old, fresh-faced, just beginning their careers. Then after the movie I look them up on IMDB and of course they lived to be eighty-five years old and they’ve been dead for twenty years!
That’s what last week’s show in Lincoln was like!
In my mind the Pearl Jam audience is young college students, enthusiastic about life, ready to rebel against something, and just waiting to spend a few hours jumping around and singing along with 20,000 of their closest friends.
Somehow I forgot that we’ve all aged in the past sixteen years. I’ve been to more than a dozen shows since 1998, and obviously I look in the mirror everyday, but the stark difference really hit me last week.
I listened to a guy near me talk about a promotion he got at the bank in Omaha where he works. A friend asked him what he’d be doing and he said, “Still selling mortgages, just getting paid more for it now.”
Pearl Jam played at Metro in March 1992 with Smashing Pumpkins. How many mortgage bankers do you think were at that show?
Turns out, time has marched on. It’s not 1998 anymore, and I’m not twenty years old anymore. And, of course, neither is the band. They cut their long hair years ago, and now, like the rest of us, they have less than they used to. And watching a couple of the guys on stage, I couldn’t help but notice that they, too, look older. Gone are the years where they’d play 120 shows. Now they play twenty or twenty-five shows per year.
For a while I was bummed about how old everyone looked. As a friend from high school mentioned on my Facebook page, “Our days of being cool PJ fans are over. I felt that same feeling not to long ago. We are now like the hair metal fans were in our teen years.” Great, I’ve become like that guy who just can’t let go of how cool the band Ratt was in 1985.
But then the show began.
And I realized that it doesn’t matter. Of course I’m older. Time doesn’t stop. But like my wife said, “Fine wine, baby!”
And young people still love Pearl Jam and rock ‘n roll. In Lincoln a five-year-old boy stood in the front row with his dad. A young James Franco-looking dude stood near us in the crowd, along with his friend, who was at his first Pearl Jam show. I’m hoping to bring my own kids the next time they play Alpine Valley, and I have no doubt that will be my favorite show ever.
Pearl Jam plays tonight in Detroit and I’ll be there in the crowd, maybe feeling a little old. But with a good band—for a few hours—you can be young.
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03 - Tampa
08 - Tampa
12 - DeLuna Fest, EV Orlando 1 & 2, EV Ft Lauderdale 1 & 2
13 - Wrigley!!! ,Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford, OKC, Seattle
14 - Leeds, Milton Keynes, St Louis
16 - Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Wrigley 1 & 2
I don't mind how old everyone looks, but I could deal without the constipated looking fortysomething ponytailers who stand with their arms crossed during Even Flow. Mikey's straight up killing it up there. Loosen up or go home, you're harshing my mellow.
I started listening to PJ in 1997. My first show was Oakland where they opened for the Rolling Stones. I was 47! I was old when I started but started to get younger as I listened.
My last show was in Trieste. That's 73 shows later. Still having fun. Still dancing, but to Infallible now. Yes, good wine.
When i finally came back she said "WTF i think u were the only person in line who didnt look 45 or 50"
First PJ Show: March 20, 1994 | Ann Arbor | Crisler Arena
In the early days, they played and you could feel the anger in some songs (like Blood, Animal, Once). The anger is gone these days and why wouldn't it be? They're older, they're rich(lol), they have families. Their priorities have changed. They still fight for change and things they believe in, but in a different way now because they have more status/power than those early days. They are a happier band now and in many ways, a much better band. They're more technically sound and to me, put on a much better show. While I, and I'm sure many of you, wish they would go on another big tour, I understand why they don't. Playing the 20-25 shows a year allows them to play the best shows they can to their abilities and spend as much time as possible the rest of the year with their families and I for one, am happy they do it this way. Back in 2000/2003, they played some great shows, but there were some shows I'm sure where they just went through the motions. Today...they bring it every night. Eddie was sick the other night in Memphis and could've easily just stood up there, but he didn't. He rocked it out and didn't let it bother him. I just hope that when I'm the age they are now, I have that much energy.
The fans may not be crowd surfing anymore. Eddie may not crowd surf or climb anything he can find, but the shows today are better IMO. We're lucky this band is still together and willing and able to give us their best night in and night out. So thanks Stone, Jeff, Eddie, Mike, Matt and Boom for giving us your all and being a band we're proud to be fans of
2000--Deer Creek Music Theater, Indianapolis, IN
2003--U of I Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL
2003--Alpine Valley, WI
2006--United Center, Chicago
2014--Moline, IL
2016--Wrigley Show # 1
2016--Wrigley Show # 2
2020--Baltimore--Didn't happen
2023--Chicago United Center Night 2
2024--Chicago Wrigley Field Night 1
2024--Chicago Wrigley Field Night 2
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
:-@ Cheers! "Old" is a state of mind- we are just growing up, and I'm sorry Demetrios, although your post is well written it sounds very sad :((
After last night's show, are you feeling a little better? Setlist is un-frkn-believable!!! =D>
♫ Let the hair fall to the ground and let the skin wrinkle up, it just shows that WE ROCK! ♫
Peace Love & Pearl Jam forever!!
Growing older sure beats the alternative...
There was one recent moment though, a video clip, that kinda pained me a little... I think it was from the most recent Europe tour, and didn't Ed break out into a little bit of "Let It Go" from the kids movie Frozen? I have a young daughter, so I've got no problem at all with that cute little tribute probably to his own kids. But from what I remember of his voice on the clip, his voice sounded awful for those few little lines!!! It was... I don't know why, but I remember feeling ANCIENT in that moment, as a PJ fan and also just watching him! Don't get me wrong, I actually loved the gesture and think it was awesome, but the sound for some reason made my bones creak all of a sudden!!!
But I gotta give it to the whole band: at whatever ages they each are, they are in far better shape and have far far more stamina than I probably did even 15 years ago! More power to them, may they go on and on and on! And I'll be there sitting in my portable back-support chair, with tea and ear plugs (or a hearing aid) cheering them on... between naps...
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“I think you won, but I enjoyed the fight” - EV
I do get weirded out when I see a teenager wearing a Nirvana t-shirt.
I don't know if it's because they truly like their music or its just some cool thing now.
I am so out of touch with the youth of today.
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
I don't think were the old rocker in the crowd, because crowd's at PJ shows are still made up predominantly of 30 and 40 year olds. It's not like 20 years ago when people would of been in their teens/20s and someone our age showed up, then you'd be the old guy at the concert. PJ's fanbase has completely aged. To me it's like going to see Sabbath and The Who around 1999/2000. The older people weren't the older people at the show. They made up the majority of the audience. It was more like I was the young guy at the show. I imagine that's how younger PJ fans might feel because it's them in the minority and that's how I felt when I was young and in the minority watching older legendary rock bands play.
LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
I am sorry, are you referring to the Nirvana shirts?
I almost always want to say something but it is usually some teeny bopper girl and she probably would think some old dude is trying to hit on her, sooooo ultimately I will just keep wondering.
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
Beatles fans then:
and Beatles fans now:
That's just how it goes I guess!
Looks like the one lady on the left just died right as the picture was being taken.
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore