I can never decide what I think the ultimate PJ opener is.....

loveboat captain

There's a bunch that I haven't heard yet that have been mentioned (Sometimes, Oceans, Wash) but I've been thinking about this lately: with all the talk about bringing back WMA, how awesome would it be as an opener?!?!? Definitely has the "build" that is in so many of their staple openers.

12345AGNST1

jeremy wrote:

breakerfall...
and get ready for an awesome show..

Never thought of that song as an opener... I bet that would be a killer opener actually.

Lost In Ohio

Probably would have to be Release or Love Boat Captain "let the show begin"...

I saw Can't Keep as an opener in 2003. They could have done better. The show before that was Long Road, and the shows after the one I saw were Animal, followed by Last Exit.

The guy behind me screaming for Animal was at the wrong show. No way in hell the band could have heard him -- I was about halfway towards the back of the seated pavilion. (Grassy area behind the seats.)

Surf Rider

interstellar

then right into.....corduroy

Lost In Ohio

12345AGNST1 wrote:

Never thought of that song as an opener... I bet that would be a killer opener actually.

Columbus, Ohio in 2000. The entire setlist only included two songs off Ten (plus YL at the end), but it was a very deep setlist. Not one for a Pearl Jam newbie. No Alive, no Jeremy, no Even Flow.\

Sonic Youth opened.

Information from (http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/fanscene/set2000b.html)

Set List: Breakerfall, Whipping, Spin The Black Circle, Hail Hail, Corduroy, In My Tree, Dissident, Given To Fly, Nothing As It Seems, Grievance, Light Years, Daughter/(Androgynous Mind), Lukin, Wishlist, Off He Goes, (Romance, classical song Eddie learned in Barcelona)/Better Man, State of Love and Trust, Insignificance, Rearviewmirror;
1st enc: Present Tense, Last Exit, Once, Small Town, Leatherman, Nothingman, Porch;
2nd enc: Last Kiss, Yellow Ledbetter

I didn't go, but i've listened to the bootleg probably a few hundred times by now...

I had heard a rumor that the show started late. Matt Cameron makes up for that by drumming at triple speed (ok, really, really fast.) During the intro to In My Tree, it almost sounds like some sort of jungle beat.

The Daughter tag was a sing-a-long with the crowd responding to Ed. After that song, Ed commented "Great job singing. Here's another singalong" and went straight into Lukin.

Wishlist had the line "Detroit-made Camero's hood"

Off He Goes had the "quarter to ten" line at 9:45 PM and the crowd responded favorably. (I was hoping for this to occur in 2003, but it didn't. :()

"Romance" was a fun way to start off Betterman.

Before Present Tense, Ed addressed the crowd by saying "there's enough people here to start a revolution" and then commenting on a (McCready for President) shirt that someone threw up to him by saying he'd have to vote for Ralph (Nader). He did say that if McCready became President, then "recording would have to take a back seat to the country's needs, but...what the fuck"... if you listen carefully, you can probably hear someone booing.

The Last Kiss straight into YL was a good way to end the show.

Lost In Ohio

PJAMEDVED wrote:

interstellar

then right into.....corduroy

August 18, 2000, Deer Creek Music Center; Indianapolis, IN

Even better, their 10th Anniversary show in Las Vegas, NV.

dane

Corduroy, just to scream "The waiting drove me mad"!
Alternative Go. It's a mercyless opener. No slow build-up. Just an instant release of energy. They opened with it in Berlin 06 and I still get the chills, when I listen to the boot and hear the roar from the crowd in that 1/2 second brake after the first chords.

danny

Murderers wrote:

I was thinking about it today. I always think Release is always the best opener to get a show going. It sorta connects the crowd, allowing everybody's energy to flow through each other for the rest of the night.

But then I started thinking that Sometimes would make a hell of a good opener. The mellow guitar, Ed's voice, and just the brilliant ambient feel to the song. It always makes a great build up to the following song (Hail Hail is probably the best choice to follow this one).

And then there's Wash. Oh, Wash. What an amazing song. I can only dream of seeing PJ open a show with this one. It seems like when the crowd hear the first note, they just know it is going to be a perfect night.

There's a lot of others too, but I'm tired atm. What are other peoples opinions?

i saw them open with sometimes in germany in 2000 amazing but would love release or brain of jfk!

Oz Jammer

My faves are Long Road and Release, but hearing them open with Alive in Newcastle was special, as was Betterman at the 3rd Sydney concert in 06

JordyWordy

dane wrote:

Corduroy, just to scream "The waiting drove me mad"!
Alternative Go. It's a mercyless opener. No slow build-up. Just an instant release of energy. They opened with it in Berlin 06 and I still get the chills, when I listen to the boot and hear the roar from the crowd in that 1/2 second brake after the first chords.

Yeah!! Go at that show was surprisingly great opener!

also thought Inside Job was a great opener..Why Go just below those....

Schoki

Go! perfect opener works every time.

Spot In The Sky

Not a fan of Go or Corduroy as an opener, and Ive seen both.
Ive never seen Sometimes or Oceans but am hoping to on this tour since they brought those back.
Release or Wash are the best. I did see Elderly as an opener which was OK but agree with most others that Severed Hand was a much better opener than expected.
I also have a special place in my heart for Of The Girl

pearljgirl2010

LOVE Of a Girl as an opener...release is my 2nd favorite :-)

coach pj

Release, Long Road, WWS and Oceans for me.

prince119

I saw them open with Inside Job and it was stellar.

I like Last Exit alot as an opener.

Lost In Ohio

"The waiting drove me mad..."

That line should definetely be heard near the beginning of a concert...you're waiting for (sometimes) YEARS just to see them again.

Evolution6579

Lost In Ohio wrote:

Columbus, Ohio in 2000.

"Romance" was a fun way to start off Betterman.

I have this boot. It was the first 200 boot that I bought. I love Breakerfall as the opener and Romanza is an AWESOME lead-in to Betterman.

I thought Why Go was an awesome opener for Lolla. On their forums, people were talking a bunch of shit about PJ and not wanting to see them. People saying they were going to leave before PJ to avoid a rush. Then hearing those drums bust out and the intensity with which they played that song. Amazing.

On a side note, I don't think anybody left early. It seemed like the whole fucking city of Chicago was there.

Wash is a good opener. I've heard the Champaign 03 boot and DTE was a good opener, too. Sometimes is awesome, too.

I think Hold On, if they ever play it, or Who You Are would be good openers. First time being played in a while, or ever, would make the crowd go apeshit.

TWHolt

Long Road in Montreal 03 was fantastic....so was Release in Toronto 06, 2nd night. But I'm going to have to say Hard to Imagine in Halifax was my ultimate opener.

Viggo

It will always be Release...

edvedderrocks

loveboat captain wrote:

There's a bunch that I haven't heard yet that have been mentioned (Sometimes, Oceans, Wash) but I've been thinking about this lately: with all the talk about bringing back WMA, how awesome would it be as an opener?!?!? Definitely has the "build" that is in so many of their staple openers.

would really just like to see WMA period... heard a bit of it at one show, but about 2 lines worth.

would love to see them play some rarer stuff like they did in Philly in 05. Opened with Wash, was awesome.

Although I think it would be great to start off with something fast, the closest I ever got was the Life Wasted Reprise into Life Wasted.

How about Army Reserve, I am Mine, Fatal (one of my favorites at the moment.)?