Greatest Ever Venue To See A Live Pearl Jam Show

Vedderhead1

SPAC 2000 was an amazing show...'In My Tree' always stands out for me that night...It was surreal...not to mention 'Leatherman' into 'Porch'...

The only bad thing about SPAC these days is...major crackdown on tailgating, not tom mention the police checkpoints they set up on the roads leaving the venue...

Get this boot if you don't have it... :idea:

cutz

LineOneMightyFine wrote:

JL19851 wrote:

Just judging from where I've seen them, I would have to say:

Indoor Venue - Madison Square Garden: I know y'all love to hate on the Garden, but something about their performances there are very transcendant. It might have to do with the fans pushing them since fans from everywhere are coming in to see them, or it might have to do with their appreciation for the history in the building, or a combination of these and other forces, but they bring it here nearly every time, and the atmosphere in the building is unmatched from any other venue I have seen them.

Outdoor Venue - Saratoga Performing Arts Center: I know people really overemphasize the view at the Gorge, but the SOUND at SPAC is unbelievable. And there's an excellent experience with it set in a state park (your supposed view). Saw them there in 2000 and it was an amazing experience.

So worst venues I have seen them?

Jones Beach Amphitheater - let me count the ways this venue is terribly substandard, starting and ending most specifically with the sound. Since the wind from the beach carries the sound from side to side based on the placement of the venue, sitting stage left, even 20 rows from the stage, it sounds like you are in the parking lot outside the venue hearing the echo of the show.

Grant Park (Chicago) - while there is some amazement in seeing Pearl Jam play before 100,000-125,000 fans, it was just too big. That Lollapalooza was among the best concert experiences of my life, but the finale left me feeling that I was a spectator at someone else's show cause even being in the front quarter of the crowd, I was so very far away.

Randall's Island (Icahn Stadium now) - big. time. dump.

Good post, I agree with you. JB was pretty terrible in 2000 for so many reasons. Great performances that just didn't translate well out in the audience. Never really felt connected to the stage there. Good thing the boots sound excellent.

I'd toss the Newark Performing Arts Center in as a great location for a fan club only or acoustic show. Beautiful building, great acoustics, great views of the stage. Saw EV here in 2008, and would love to go back there sometime for another show.

The NJPAC in Newark would be AWESOME. I was at that EV show too, and that place is GREAT for a concert. You can drop a pin on the stage and you could hear it clear as day, and in stereo> I'd pay alot of MONEY to see PJ ther.

AlltheWay23

I've seen Pearl Jam at some pretty great places. Soldier Field, Alpine Valley, the Vic Theatre, Grant Park to name just a few. I've also been to Red Rocks and some other really great places for other shows.

However, nothing EVEN COMES CLOSE to what I experienced at Madison Square Garden this past year. I still think about that experience all the time. I had always wanted to see Pearl Jam there and had expectations that I thought could never be lived up to, but that place smashed every one of my expectations and then some. It's really hard to describe if you haven't been there, but that place is just magical.

ragejoe

This is a cool thread... good question

Ive decided im sick of seeing them outside... I just feel like the energy is so much more intense when the sound is bouncing off the walls and I just think the sound is better overall inside...

Seeing them at the Hartford Civic Center vs the Meadows in 2010 was fricken such a nice treat the band seemed to really like it there... it wasnt too big... not nearly as big as the meadows is and it was just a great show and the crowd was awesome... that being said by no means am i saying the Hartford Civic Center is the best venue for them hahaha

Ive seen Pearl Jam play at 9 different venues and even though Im from MASS the 1 conclusion ive drawn is that i will NEVER EVER EVER miss a Pearl Jam MSG show... as long as im physically capable... I will be there... there is just no experience like that...

Happy 20th PJ!

sleaze76

Gorge and Fox Theatre in St. Louis have been my two favorite. I was pretty young for the St. Louis one but it is a great venue. The Gorge at sunset is sick!

Jeremys Spoken

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

The electricity is unmatched.

loveatree

i've only seen them in california. but i do followed them all up and down california.
just have to say that the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco is a pretty awesome venue
Bill Graham gets my vote

danny

my house!

dccrash23

I've only seen them once at Canadian Olympic Park in Calgary, Canada. It was at the base of the ski hill. Couldn't have enjoyed it more, Huge mosh pit and since it was all standing I did whatever I could to get front row and there was something pretty cool about riding a chairlift in the middle of August to get back up to the parking at the top

SolarWorld

I've seen Pearl Jam over 30 times, in all types of venues. Some great, some not so great. If I could see Pearl Jam just one more time it would be at the Showbox in Seattle. That is the best club sized venue I've ever been to.

zarocat

2004-10-03 Delta PlexGrand Rapids, Michigan, was the best small venue show I've seen PJ in because of the gymnasium feel.
Molson Park, Barrie, Ontario, is the best outdoor I've seen PJ in. The Molson Amphitheater in Toronto also because they over sell the shit of out that venue for PJ.

Indoor, I'm leaning towards Buffalo's HSBC because the city is such a shit hole, and you get the feeling that PJ knows that, which makes what's happening inside that arena a little more pure because each song somehow applies in a literal meaning to the shit hole that is Buffalo. <--- What a sentence ... lol

TheMookster

Brixton Academy - my favourite venue in London and the first time I saw them headlining a gig.

Wuhlheide had amazing atmosphere and sunset though & would love to catch an MSG, Gorge or Showbox show.

But hell, EVERY SINGLE TIME I see them the hairs on the back of my neck stand up (even at Hyde Park last year which was just too big) so my conclusion is I'll see 'em anywhere they wanna play

(oh yeah, and saw Brad at the Bowery Ballroom in NY last year and it was A-MAZING!!!!. PJ gig there? That would be pretty cool too I reckon!)

RyFly

Alpine Valley!!

Big Giant Head

Paulina87 wrote:

Digital Twilight wrote:

dimitrispearljam wrote:

I'm with you Dimitris

me too

Me too! Wuhlheide is amazing!

dimitrispearljam

Big Giant Head wrote:

Me too! Wuhlheide is amazing!

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

aNiMaL

SolarWorld wrote:

I've seen Pearl Jam over 30 times, in all types of venues. Some great, some not so great. If I could see Pearl Jam just one more time it would be at the Showbox in Seattle. That is the best club sized venue I've ever been to.

I have seen probably 20 or 30 different shows at The Showbox over the years - by far my favorite place to see live music in Seattle. I have only caught Pearl Jam there one time in 2004 for the Vote For Change tour - Fucking blew my mind!!! So intimate, such a small setting, only 1,100 people, all crammed in together. Just an experience I will never forget to see a band as big as PJ in such a small place.

monkeewrench

aNiMaL wrote:

I would probably have to list them like this...

Large indoor venue (from everyone's account here): MSG
Small indoor venues: The Showbox

Large outdoor amphitheaters: 1) The Gorge. 2) Red Rocks
Small outdoor amphitheater: Santa Barbara Bowl

Agree 100% with MSG, Showbox, and The Gorge. Haven't yet been lucky enough to experience Red Rocks or Santa Barabara.

DP15

Verona, Italy

Elderly Man

Ed Sullivan Theater and Irving Plaza. and it was the same week, ridiculous

PJFAN13

I haven't seen the old Aladdin Theater in Vegas...
Killer sound in the old club...that intimate "Toad's Place" vibe just mind blowing...
Hooked me