Roskilde obviously changed this band forever, and their eyes were opening wide as they settled back onto US soil. These were life-changing shows from July through early November, and you can feel the band worshiping what they have in front of them on this night as they really hit their groove.
The band was so freaking tight and alive on this leg, I think any of the mentions here from this run are legit ... there are many nights that rival 11.06 from this stretch IMO, and for me this is the one. So raw, yet so polished at the same time. I can't say enough about where they were.
The first seven songs [Of the Girl, then Breakerfall > Corduroy > Go > God's Dice > Even Flow > GTF] just burn with intensity ... listen to Mike busting out of his skin on the opening crawls on Of the Girl, and you know this night is going to explode. Ed notes it with his first intro, greeting the crowd after that run with a heartfelt acknowledgement of the "extraordinary welcome" they were receiving. Everyone knows how special Mansfield is, and it is clearly on display here this first night back. There are so many peaks ...
At the end there's an extended RVM closing out the first encore, then trumping YL with a ferocious Fuckin' Up to end the second ... they simply didn't want to leave. It is as joyous and triumphant a noise as they've ever made.
All good thoughts on here. As Kerouac wrote in the Darma Bums through Japhy Ryder, "...comparisons are odious." Everyone has what they think is their best and they are all just as right as any others. I dig the thread. I was a 20 year old little flipper when I drove up with my friend from Oxford, Ohio (Miami U.) to Chicago. We didn't have tickets and had to scalp in the lot before the show. We found them for $210 a pair I think. I still have the crazy big bug ticket. We partied like mad in the lot. I had just seen the Grateful Dead at Deer Creek the a few days before and was one of the idiots who got in free through the fence for their show which led to them canceling the second show there, they then played their last show ever at Soldier Field (with Jerry dying a month later). As those of you know from the bootleg in which Eddie thanks them for leaving the stage behind and saying that there were still joints left on it! So there were still some Dead style party people there for PJ as I recall with their great mood altering charms and nitrous hippy crack in the lot. It was just such a beautiful Midwest summer day, warm, sunny, blue skies, white clouds and perfect . We were so pysched and so geeked up for the show. I had only seen them 1 time before and that was at the Voter's For Choice show in January '95 in DC. It was my buddy's first time seeing them. The thing about this thread is that I feel that the essence of Pearl Jam from their inception with their Even Flow video and early Seattle shows is that it was all about the losing of individuality/status by being a fan surviving in the pit. The shows people are voting for that are later than '95, except for some like in this past Europe(and I do have to say that my time at London and Copenhagen were really incredibly fun pit shows) and some others, are all ones that don't have the pit, and have the spread out, assigned arena/pavilion seats. I'm sorry but, it just really isn't the same feel for a concert of good hard old fashioned blazing guitar rock N roll for a band that started like they did with the angst/anguish of the Generation X alienated early '90s era when you're not surviving and enjoying it with the closeness of others in a pit. Most of us fans might've missed out on the early shows and the '92 Lollapalooza tour shows and the '94 shows were the beginning of them being a very hard ticket to come by with those selling out in minutes. '95 shows had the Vitalogy release popularity and had them so fresh with only the 3 albums to play from. Don't get me wrong though, I am actually a fan that loves to hear where a band has evolved and how good they are in the present. So, I love Pearl Jam, not like others for just 10, and the true fans know who those fans are at a show, only waking up when Even Flow finally comes on, but for their amazing body of work since 10. We made our way to the field with super buzzes ready to go. It was cool that they had laid down those huge interlocking puzzle pieces of rubber to protect the field and made it cool for the pits. We got about as close as we could about 50 feet back still right of Stone's side. Release came on and is still my favorite version live ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQa8e_MwRUA&NR=1 I floated into the pit during it and I remember turning around to my buddy and giving him that here we go goodbye look and that was the last I would see of him. The jams kicked on and it was off into the pits for me. I spent most of the show dead center in front of Ed about 25 feet back. The pits were so rough(but not fist throwing punk pit rough (well...maybe at times, like during Blood)) but they were super fun to mosh around in and sing to. I remember getting lucky behind a big dude who was always clearing the way and making space. I had my J's perfectly spaced out time wise and shared them with all around me. I remember killing my third one dead center in front of Ed to Elderly and just being as happy as one can be. The moon was so super beautiful rising fat and full over the top row of the stands back over my right shoulder (out opposite of Stone's side at the far end) and Ed ever in tune to his surroundings made mention of it. The Sly and the Family Stone Jam had slowed the pits and I can remember all of the huge African-American and big offensive lineman sized white security guards arm in arm swaying back and forth in front of the stage enjoying that one. When Ed Townshended his guitar and destroyed the mic stand it was the coolest buzz saw back and forth Mike, Jeff, Stone jamming I've still ever heard them do (during Blood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQLK8j0tTW8 check it out if you haven't seen it already). I remember how super rough the pits were and when he threw smashed parts of his guitar into the pit down to the right of me, there was this huge whirlpool suction loss of balance as everyone fell in towards it and I remember being like "Oh no Ed, don't do that" as it was just complete pandemonium. He then threw all kinds of other shit in too, and I remember something fell right in front of me and I had long college hair in my face and my hat clenched in both of my fists in front of my chest and someone ripped my right hands to the right pulling on my hat (thinking it was the stage junk prize Ed had just thrown in) and I screamed to the due who I couldn't see squashed in amongst others "Dude, Dude it's my hat, it's my hat!" Shritless tatted up Mikey played it out and when the dust settled I finally found my bud on the field right, where we had left one another. We were speechless with shit eating grins on our faces at how absolutely incredible a time we had just had. Crackling voice be damned has nothing to do with the greatness of a show, it is and always will be how the overall vibe/experience plays out while you are there. It is about how the energy from the stage synergizes with the energy in the crowd to create that beautiful unity and physical/emotional bliss. And this fuckin show had it like none other. I just think that the most special era for them when they were at the absolute height of their rise upward were those '92 through '95 years. They have done incredible work and incredible shows since then. But, I can attest as it being one of the most special nights in my life, that I will in my humble opinion agree...that this was their best show ever!
Peace to All Jammers
Can't wait for June!
1/95 DC 7/95 Chicago Tor Tol Cha 96 AlpV I II Chi St L KC 98 BSB I II 99 Phx Vegas Fresno SBern 00 BSB I II 01 (met ed) Vegas Phx Fargo St. Paul Chicago Alpine V Indy Col Virg Phi I II MSG I II (got on DVD!) 03 Calg 05 Clev Vegas LA I II SBar 06 Lon Dus Cop Nij Bel 07 Phi I II DC MSG I II Har BOS I II 08, LA3/4, SD '09, MSG I II '10, Missoula, London ONT, Wrigley, SD, LA1/2, Portland. Wrigley '16 I and II.
1/95 DC 7/95 Chicago Tor Tol Cha 96 AlpV I II Chi St L KC 98 BSB I II 99 Phx Vegas Fresno SBern 00 BSB I II 01 (met ed) Vegas Phx Fargo St. Paul Chicago Alpine V Indy Col Virg Phi I II MSG I II (got on DVD!) 03 Calg 05 Clev Vegas LA I II SBar 06 Lon Dus Cop Nij Bel 07 Phi I II DC MSG I II Har BOS I II 08, LA3/4, SD '09, MSG I II '10, Missoula, London ONT, Wrigley, SD, LA1/2, Portland. Wrigley '16 I and II.
All good thoughts on here. As Kerouac wrote in the Darma Bums through Japhy Ryder, "...comparisons are odious." Everyone has what they think is their best and they are all just as right as any others. I dig the thread. I was a 20 year old little flipper when I drove up with my friend from Oxford, Ohio (Miami U.) to Chicago. We didn't have tickets and had to scalp in the lot before the show. We found them for $210 a pair I think. I still have the crazy big bug ticket. We partied like mad in the lot. I had just seen the Grateful Dead at Deer Creek the a few days before and was one of the idiots who got in free through the fence for their show which led to them canceling the second show there, they then played their last show ever at Soldier Field (with Jerry dying a month later). As those of you know from the bootleg in which Eddie thanks them for leaving the stage behind and saying that there were still joints left on it! So there were still some Dead style party people there for PJ as I recall with their great mood altering charms and nitrous hippy crack in the lot. It was just such a beautiful Midwest summer day, warm, sunny, blue skies, white clouds and perfect . We were so pysched and so geeked up for the show. I had only seen them 1 time before and that was at the Voter's For Choice show in January '95 in DC. It was my buddy's first time seeing them. The thing about this thread is that I feel that the essence of Pearl Jam from their inception with their Even Flow video and early Seattle shows is that it was all about the losing of individuality/status by being a fan surviving in the pit. The shows people are voting for that are later than '95, except for some like in this past Europe(and I do have to say that my time at London and Copenhagen were really incredibly fun pit shows) and some others, are all ones that don't have the pit, and have the spread out, assigned arena/pavilion seats. I'm sorry but, it just really isn't the same feel for a concert of good hard old fashioned blazing guitar rock N roll for a band that started like they did with the angst/anguish of the Generation X alienated early '90s era when you're not surviving and enjoying it with the closeness of others in a pit. Most of us fans might've missed out on the early shows and the '92 Lollapalooza tour shows and the '94 shows were the beginning of them being a very hard ticket to come by with those selling out in minutes. '95 shows had the Vitalogy release popularity and had them so fresh with only the 3 albums to play from. Don't get me wrong though, I am actually a fan that loves to hear where a band has evolved and how good they are in the present. So, I love Pearl Jam, not like others for just 10, and the true fans know who those fans are at a show, only waking up when Even Flow finally comes on, but for their amazing body of work since 10. We made our way to the field with super buzzes ready to go. It was cool that they had laid down those huge interlocking puzzle pieces of rubber to protect the field and made it cool for the pits. We got about as close as we could about 50 feet back still right of Stone's side. Release came on and is still my favorite version live ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQa8e_MwRUA&NR=1 I floated into the pit during it and I remember turning around to my buddy and giving him that here we go goodbye look and that was the last I would see of him. The jams kicked on and it was off into the pits for me. I spent most of the show dead center in front of Ed about 25 feet back. The pits were so rough(but not fist throwing punk pit rough (well...maybe at times, like during Blood)) but they were super fun to mosh around in and sing to. I remember getting lucky behind a big dude who was always clearing the way and making space. I had my J's perfectly spaced out time wise and shared them with all around me. I remember killing my third one dead center in front of Ed to Elderly and just being as happy as one can be. The moon was so super beautiful rising fat and full over the top row of the stands back over my right shoulder (out opposite of Stone's side at the far end) and Ed ever in tune to his surroundings made mention of it. The Sly and the Family Stone Jam had slowed the pits and I can remember all of the huge African-American and big offensive lineman sized white security guards arm in arm swaying back and forth in front of the stage enjoying that one. When Ed Townshended his guitar and destroyed the mic stand it was the coolest buzz saw back and forth Mike, Jeff, Stone jamming I've still ever heard them do (during Blood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQLK8j0tTW8 check it out if you haven't seen it already). I remember how super rough the pits were and when he threw smashed parts of his guitar into the pit down to the right of me, there was this huge whirlpool suction loss of balance as everyone fell in towards it and I remember being like "Oh no Ed, don't do that" as it was just complete pandemonium. He then threw all kinds of other shit in too, and I remember something fell right in front of me and I had long college hair in my face and my hat clenched in both of my fists in front of my chest and someone ripped my right hands to the right pulling on my hat (thinking it was the stage junk prize Ed had just thrown in) and I screamed to the due who I couldn't see squashed in amongst others "Dude, Dude it's my hat, it's my hat!" Shritless tatted up Mikey played it out and when the dust settled I finally found my bud on the field right, where we had left one another. We were speechless with shit eating grins on our faces at how absolutely incredible a time we had just had. Crackling voice be damned has nothing to do with the greatness of a show, it is and always will be how the overall vibe/experience plays out while you are there. It is about how the energy from the stage synergizes with the energy in the crowd to create that beautiful unity and physical/emotional bliss. And this fuckin show had it like none other. I just think that the most special era for them when they were at the absolute height of their rise upward were those '92 through '95 years. They have done incredible work and incredible shows since then. But, I can attest as it being one of the most special nights in my life, that I will in my humble opinion agree...that this was their best show ever!
Peace to All Jammers
Can't wait for June!
Yep! What he said!
I was alone and far away when I heard the band start playing!
...I was always a DeadHead, but when I first heard Winston Rodney, aka the Burning Spear, sing, I became a SpearHead too!
Theres probably different categories to determine.
Legendary Shows - Shows talked about over the years alot
(not my ranking)
Atlanta 1994
Chicago Soldier Field
Seattle 2000
Mansfield 2003
MSG (DVD)
Gorge 2005
Niche shows
Santa Barbara 2003
Vic
Benaroya
The best shows are the ones you are at. You cant really listen to a boot and say "Thats the greatest show ever" or look at a setlist and make that determination. I've never been to a bad show, and really everyones criteria deserves to be heard what determines the greatest show.
Comments
Roskilde obviously changed this band forever, and their eyes were opening wide as they settled back onto US soil. These were life-changing shows from July through early November, and you can feel the band worshiping what they have in front of them on this night as they really hit their groove.
The band was so freaking tight and alive on this leg, I think any of the mentions here from this run are legit ... there are many nights that rival 11.06 from this stretch IMO, and for me this is the one. So raw, yet so polished at the same time. I can't say enough about where they were.
The first seven songs [Of the Girl, then Breakerfall > Corduroy > Go > God's Dice > Even Flow > GTF] just burn with intensity ... listen to Mike busting out of his skin on the opening crawls on Of the Girl, and you know this night is going to explode. Ed notes it with his first intro, greeting the crowd after that run with a heartfelt acknowledgement of the "extraordinary welcome" they were receiving. Everyone knows how special Mansfield is, and it is clearly on display here this first night back. There are so many peaks ...
At the end there's an extended RVM closing out the first encore, then trumping YL with a ferocious Fuckin' Up to end the second ... they simply didn't want to leave. It is as joyous and triumphant a noise as they've ever made.
Philly- 2005, 2013, 2016, 2024
Camden 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2022, 2023
Philly Spectrum 2009 x4 - We closed that MFER Down Proper
Baltimore- 2024
DC- 2006, 2008
New York- 2008, 2010
Boston - Fenway 2016 (night 2) , 2024 (night1)
East Rutherford, New Jersey- 2006
Chicago - Lollapalooza 2007
Seattle- Gorge 2005
EV Solo- DC x2, Baltimore x2 , Newark NJ x2, Tower Theater x2
- Given To Fly
Peace to All Jammers
Can't wait for June!
Yep! What he said!
...I was always a DeadHead, but when I first heard Winston Rodney, aka the Burning Spear, sing, I became a SpearHead too!
Legendary Shows - Shows talked about over the years alot
(not my ranking)
Atlanta 1994
Chicago Soldier Field
Seattle 2000
Mansfield 2003
MSG (DVD)
Gorge 2005
Niche shows
Santa Barbara 2003
Vic
Benaroya
The best shows are the ones you are at. You cant really listen to a boot and say "Thats the greatest show ever" or look at a setlist and make that determination. I've never been to a bad show, and really everyones criteria deserves to be heard what determines the greatest show.