Day on the Hill 1992 - Lawrence, KS

Mitch8415

This story is the stuff of legend back home in Kansas... I know folks that were there... wish I could have gone, but I was only 14 at the time. :x

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZcppJvab5w

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/aug/1 ... onthehill/

""That “free-for-all” reached its apex in 1992. Early that year, SUA had booked a little-known garage band out of Seattle whom most people outside of college radio DJs had never heard of. They were a promising young group with the odd name of Pearl Jam. By the time Day on the Hill rolled around, Pearl Jam’s debut had caught fire and was well on its way to becoming one of the best selling albums of all time. Pure anarchy broke loose.

“It was the craziest thing I’d ever seen in Lawrence,” recalls Johnson, still a bit shell-shocked after all these years. “I was 14 years old and was witnessing total, unmanaged chaos. By no estimation, three months prior to that performance, did anyone expect Pearl Jam was going to be that huge. It was unbelievable. I got to witness all of the associated hedonism that comes with a large outdoor concert. There was an ungodly and uncountable number of people there. When you’ve got that many people up there, it’s impossible to police everything that’s going on.”

“I went with KUPD up to the top of the football stadium and they showed me how they estimated the crowd,” says Hoffman. “The crowd size has grown over the years, like an old fish story, but there were probably about 16,000. It was a one-time event that we’ll never recreate, and we’ve been living in the Pearl Jam shadow for almost 20 years.”

However, most incoming students won’t even be aware of that impossible yard stick.

“I feel bad, but I didn’t know much about Day on the Hill when I started working for SUA last year,” confesses Do. “Someone educated me last month on some of the bands we’ve had. I’m really just astonished by the talent we had. I mean, Pearl Jam? Hello? I can see why there’s a lot of pressure to have Night on the Hill be successful.”"

Mitch8415

Some other videos from that show.

Why Go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-MfdJNq8Jw

Alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05vrEqXZKZs

Porch (different view)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyxkgHip2t8

Jameydog

all I can say is wow. the memories just came rolling back. i was there that day and was blown away by this group calling themselves Pearl Jam. That day was the begining of it all for me. me and 3 of my buddies drove 20 mins to lawrence from bonner springs and were amazed by all the people. this was my first concert, EVER. i was 16 years old and lied to my parents about where we were going. they never would have let me go so i made up some bullshit story. eddie was a freaking mad man and after that fucking incredible performance, eddie came out into the crowd and was hanging out with us and talking to people like he was one of us. but he wasnt just one of us, he was a fucking superstar but he didnt know it yet. but everyone else knew he was. he was passing out stickman stickers and looked me straight in the eye and handed me one. the sticker is still stuck to the wall in my parents basement. i fell in love with pearl jam that day and i have never stopped. thank you for posting those videos. i thought i would never see that again but now i can re-live it when ever i want. fucking awesome.

Mitch8415

Great story man... like I said, I wish I could have been there.

I have a couple of friends that were there and they said it was just insane. One of them worked backstage and helped with the setup of the whole thing.

release00

I graduated from there in 2008. Everytime I walked through that field on the way to class or football game I would think about this show. Wish I couldve seen it

Jameydog

to add to my story about this show, i did not know who Pearl jam was at the time. we were way in the back just hanging out. then they took the stage. they started off with even flow and knew i had heard the song on the radio or mtv but did not know the name of the band and was like oh so thats who sings that cool song. then black came on and something just clicked in my head and told me that something special is going on here. the band had my full attention and i had to get closer to the stage. my buddies could care less about the show and were more worried if this guy smoking a joint next to us would pass it to them or not. so i said screw this, i have to get closer to the stage. it took me awhile but i made it pretty damn close to the stage just as black was finishing up. then my life was changed forever. PORCH was the next song and thats where it all started. they tore that fucking song up and then eddie went into that fucking awesome stage climb. i could not believe what my ears were hearing and what my eyes were seeing. it was the stuff dreams are made of. i felt high but did not get any of that dudes joint. there was alot of smoke in the air but that wasnt it. it was the boys doing what they do best. rocking out. they played like 3 or 4 more songs and i felt like i just got my ass kicked when it was all said and done with. i made my way off to the side of the crowd and thats where i saw ed passing out the stickers and just hanging out with people. i managed to get pretty close to him and thats when he saw me and gave me a sticker and i got to tell him that they tore it up. he said thanks man i'm glad you enjoyed it. then he was pretty much engulfed by people wanting a sticker and to talk to him and i was pushed out of the way. i was in total shock of the past hour or so of what all my senses just went through. then it was time to find my friends again and headed back to the last spot i seen them. yea they were nowhere to be found. so i went to the car to see if thats where they were. nope, no friends and no car. this was in 92 so there were no cell phones. i walked around for an hour or so hoping i'd see one of them or maybe see them pull back up but no i came to the realization that my so called buddies fucking left me. so i had to put my tail between my legs and call mom to come and get me. i found a pay phone and had to confess to where i really was and deal the with the consequences. she grounded me for the whole summer but it was worth every minute of it. i got to see the greatest band of all time

release00

Jameydog wrote:

to add to my story about this show, i did not know who Pearl jam was at the time. we were way in the back just hanging out. then they took the stage. they started off with even flow and knew i had heard the song on the radio or mtv but did not know the name of the band and was like oh so thats who sings that cool song. then black came on and something just clicked in my head and told me that something special is going on here. the band had my full attention and i had to get closer to the stage. my buddies could care less about the show and were more worried if this guy smoking a joint next to us would pass it to them or not. so i said screw this, i have to get closer to the stage. it took me awhile but i made it pretty damn close to the stage just as black was finishing up. then my life was changed forever. PORCH was the next song and thats where it all started. they tore that fucking song up and then eddie went into that fucking awesome stage climb. i could not believe what my ears were hearing and what my eyes were seeing. it was the stuff dreams are made of. i felt high but did not get any of that dudes joint. there was alot of smoke in the air but that wasnt it. it was the boys doing what they do best. rocking out. they played like 3 or 4 more songs and i felt like i just got my ass kicked when it was all said and done with. i made my way off to the side of the crowd and thats where i saw ed passing out the stickers and just hanging out with people. i managed to get pretty close to him and thats when he saw me and gave me a sticker and i got to tell him that they tore it up. he said thanks man i'm glad you enjoyed it. then he was pretty much engulfed by people wanting a sticker and to talk to him and i was pushed out of the way. i was in total shock of the past hour or so of what all my senses just went through. then it was time to find my friends again and headed back to the last spot i seen them. yea they were nowhere to be found. so i went to the car to see if thats where they were. nope, no friends and no car. this was in 92 so there were no cell phones. i walked around for an hour or so hoping i'd see one of them or maybe see them pull back up but no i came to the realization that my so called buddies fucking left me. so i had to put my tail between my legs and call mom to come and get me. i found a pay phone and had to confess to where i really was and deal the with the consequences. she grounded me for the whole summer but it was worth every minute of it. i got to see the greatest band of all time

uhh...awesome!

Mitch8415

LOL... Hope you whooped your buddies' asses when you got home.

Jameydog

no but i was pretty pissed. but still worth being grounded the whole summer. and she stuck to it too. i was grounded until the start of school. we still talk and laugh about it.

Chrisilein

Jameydog wrote:

no but i was pretty pissed. but still worth being grounded the whole summer. and she stuck to it too. i was grounded until the start of school. we still talk and laugh about it.

Nice story!!!

Jameydog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX8bgUoT ... re=related

heres another view of alive. not as good as the first one but shows some of the crazy people in the crowd. thanks again for posting those videos. i never would have found them or this one if you didn't.

matt.watt

Digging up this old thread, but does anyone have a flyer or remember the full lineup from this show? I live in the KC area now and talked to a few people that remember the show, and one guy who claims he was a member of one of the opening bands.

lcusick

I wish I was there- history in the making!!!

grantstoner43

matt.watt wrote:

Digging up this old thread, but does anyone have a flyer or remember the full lineup from this show? I live in the KC area now and talked to a few people that remember the show, and one guy who claims he was a member of one of the opening bands.

I know this is a reallllllly old thread, but just came across it. I was there and it was epic. I knew Alive, and had heard a couple of songs, but didn't know much else about them. My big memory was them playing Why Go, and I was freaking hooked. There was quite an amazing mosh pit, and a long extended version of Porch with Eddie climbing up the scaffolding and swinging off... great day.

To answer your question, I want to say "Let's Go Bowling" opened. Although that might have been another Day on the Hill.

Mitch8415

Found this link...

http://www.songkick.com/festivals/315569-day-on-the-hill/id/10950019-day-on-the-hill-1992

Day on the Hill 1992
Saturday 02 May 1992

Pearl Jam
Let's Go Bowling
Zoom
Tribe After Tribe

NAUjackfan

I think I have the event poster for this (not in the best shape).

FoxyRedLa

I was 7 :-w

jpdannabelle

Resurrecting this old thread. Does anyone know of anyone who has the poster from this show? Been looking for one for a while. Let me know. Thanks!!!! Here’s the poster:

on2legs

jpdannabelle said:

Resurrecting this old thread. Does anyone know of anyone who has the poster from this show? Been looking for one for a while. Let me know. Thanks!!!! Here’s the poster:

@NAUjackfan

jpdannabelle

on2legs said:

jpdannabelle said:

Resurrecting this old thread. Does anyone know of anyone who has the poster from this show? Been looking for one for a while. Let me know. Thanks!!!! Here’s the poster:

@NAUjackfan

Thanks! PM sent!

Mitch8415

My brother still lives in Lawrence and got me that poster a couple of years ago as a gift.  Apparently it was hanging in a storefront on Mass St.  May be a reprint though.