Epic weekend plain and simple. Night one was unique with alot of great moments but the flow was off but still a good show.
Night two was freaking EPIC. The main set was EASILY the best main set ever. The energy the song choices, starting with Wash all the way through, Leatherman was cool as heck, Habit was amazing, Daughter with It's Okay tag was simply the best. First encore was fantastic, second encore was great though I would have like pushing forward back instead of reach down twice but you know what, it was still awesome to see TOTD for the first time in like what, 17 years and probably the last time ever, in time people will appreciate what a rare treat that was if they didn't in the moment. Final encore was absloute perfection, I mean seriously the greatest version of Alive, followed by an epic free for all on Rockin in the Free World followed by a beyond happy Mike doing YLB. If that isn't an epic show amongst the all time greatest then you will never be happy with anything. Awesome awesom awesome, couldn't have asked for anything better.
Also, seeing Dennis Rodman there was cool, did anyone else catch Eddie give that quick "nod" to Dennis, can't remember whcih song it was but he said somehting llike "this one is for Mr. Rodman" or something like that...
Oh yeah, and Mike has never been better, he was on fire last night like I've never seen before!
Post edited by butte1 on
R and R Station - Mar 26, 1992 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Aug 29, 1992 ** Summerfest Milw - Jul 08, 1995 ** Summerfest Milw - Jul 09, 1995 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Jun 26, 1998 ** ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre (E.V. at Tibetan Freedom Concert) - Jun 13, 1999 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Oct 08, 2000 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Jun 21, 2003 ** United Center - May 16, 2006 ** Summerfest - Jun 30, 2006 ** Riverside Theatre Milw (Eddie Solo Tour) - 2008 ** United Center - Aug 23, 2009 ** The Chicago Theatre (Eddie Solo Tour) - Jun 29, 2011 ** Orpheum Theatre MN (Eddie Solo Tour) - July 2, 2011 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Sep 03, 2011 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Sep 04, 2011
Just an observation.... no one who had the 10/31/9 Last Philly Spectrum show in their sig said Best Show Evah. Carry on, and see you in Montreal
No but I now folks who don't post wh've been to both who said last night was their favorite show.. So to each their own is all I am saying
R and R Station - Mar 26, 1992 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Aug 29, 1992 ** Summerfest Milw - Jul 08, 1995 ** Summerfest Milw - Jul 09, 1995 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Jun 26, 1998 ** ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre (E.V. at Tibetan Freedom Concert) - Jun 13, 1999 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Oct 08, 2000 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Jun 21, 2003 ** United Center - May 16, 2006 ** Summerfest - Jun 30, 2006 ** Riverside Theatre Milw (Eddie Solo Tour) - 2008 ** United Center - Aug 23, 2009 ** The Chicago Theatre (Eddie Solo Tour) - Jun 29, 2011 ** Orpheum Theatre MN (Eddie Solo Tour) - July 2, 2011 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Sep 03, 2011 ** Alpine Valley Music Theatre - Sep 04, 2011
Just an observation.... no one who had the 10/31/9 Last Philly Spectrum show in their sig said Best Show Evah. Carry on, and see you in Montreal
No but I now folks who don't post wh've been to both who said last night was their favorite show.. So to each their own is all I am saying
Fair enough... I was just being a NYC Metro-area SOB having some fun
That said, one of the things that made Philly 4 so phenomenal was the lack of guests... it was ALL PJ. At the risk of being sacrilegious, PJ is not my favorite band... not in the Top 5. I've been to Live Aid, seen Bruce from pretty close in NJ a few times, been front row for AC/DC, been 'back row' (first row directly behind Stewart Copeland) for the last Police show ever, and a lot more. Philly4 was possibly the 2nd best concert I've ever seen (nothing will beat Pink Floyd in an open field where they could really open up the quadrophonic effect... not even being front row by Gilmour for them inside a few months later) That's how good Halloween 2009 was.
Post edited by concertaholicshirt on
Last Philly Spectrum Show - Halloween 2009
MSG 1 & 2 2010
Montreal 2011
Missoula 2012
Seattle 2013
Denver 2014
Central Park NYC 2015
Sunrise 2016
Wrigley 2 2016 Seattle 1 2018
~~~~~~~
EV NYC 2 2011
RNDM NYC 2012 TOTD SF 2016
This was my 10th show (I am in double digits now!) and I heard 8 songs tonight I never heard before. I am very happy with this performance and the trip to East Troy was well worth the time and money. Best of all I have now seen Pearl Jam 10 times with 10 different opening songs (as it says in my signature). I can't believe the band has that many songs they can play. Maybe Oceans next, please?
Just an observation.... no one who had the 10/31/9 Last Philly Spectrum show in their sig said Best Show Evah. Carry on, and see you in Montreal
I was at the spectrum on 10/31/09 and I would have to say this weekend gives it a run for its money, but for different reasons. Spectrum show was longer and had a certain feel because it was the end of an era. This weekend had a feeling of a new beginning. The start of a new chapter and more and great things to come from the band. As stated, there were multiple songs played this weekend that are rarities and many people got to mark a lot of songs off their lists (if that is what is important to you). But the general vibe for Sunday's show was off the hook. Everybody was happy and in a celebratory mood. The band brought it and the crowd responded in kind. The energy was awesome!
Great show last night, my 12th. We were on the main floor - and the band's energy, feeling and emotion was unbeliveable. Next closest in terms of intensity was a show in Madrid I saw in 2006 - where Ed and the band just fed off of the crowd's energy all night long.
The set list was appropriate for PJ20 anniversary - it captured the essence of the band perfectly. This was not a greatest hits night, this was an anniversary party. It was a great night with friends, celebrating a band that has meant so much to all of us who have been fans since the beginning. I would not trade one minute of last night for any other show I've seen. I've enjoyed other shows set lists more - but this was not about each song - it was about the band and its music. They played with their hearts and partied with their friends - and I'm so happy they let us into the party.
Thank for 20 years - you've brought joy, eased some pain, and given hope. Please just keep writing and playing the music!
This was my 10th show (I am in double digits now!) and I heard 8 songs tonight I never heard before. I am very happy with this performance and the trip to East Troy was well worth the time and money. Best of all I have now seen Pearl Jam 10 times with 10 different opening songs (as it says in my signature). I can't believe the band has that many songs they can play. Maybe Oceans next, please?
:thumbup:
For the ones who had a notion, a notion deep inside
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
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I've seen a ton of shows, and even questioned night one a bit. But last night's show was one of the greatest things that I have ever seen. The band was on a totally different planet. I don't know where it came from, but wow.......
How about that tense minute when the floating tealight torch got stuck under the all wood amphitheater roof?
That was wild. Someone lauched one during Nothing Man right at the "into the sun" part and it gave me goosebumps, but as soon as that 2nd one launched I thought "dipshit"...Ed had just talked about the recent stage collapses and hinted at Roskilde. I thought the whole thing was comin down.
How about that tense minute when the floating tealight torch got stuck under the all wood amphitheater roof?
That was wild. Someone lauched one during Nothing Man right at the "into the sun" part and it gave me goosebumps, but as soon as that 2nd one launched I thought "dipshit"...Ed had just talked about the recent stage collapses and hinted at Roskilde. I thought the whole thing was comin down.
I was in 203 row U and afroannnie and I totally missed this!
Love coming back to this thread to see how we all parse out pieces of the experience... I cannot wait for this boot!
Hey, anybody know if the big videocamera that was in front of Stone might give us hope for DVD?
well i booked a flight saturday afternoon and damn i'm glad I did! As I sit here and type this while working on 2 hours of sleep and having my sick 2 1/2 year old cough in my face; I think one day of misery is well worth the lifetime of memories I got from last nights show.
the band was on fire. the crowd was absoultely enormous (anybody know if it was a sell out) and into it. It was so cool seeing different people from all over the world converge on this little piece of real estate in the absoulte middle of nowhere to celebrate 20 years of the greatest band ever.
the museum was insane. from the four track ed used to tape the mamasan tape to the handwritten note from ed during the infamous polo grounds show in '95, "sorry, love ed"; the museume totally lived up to and excedded all expections and was well worth the 2 hours i waited in line. i could have stayed there for hours.
and the show! i've been some real legendary shows (46 shows from randalls, penn state, spectrum run, all msg shows), and i have to say this is somewhere in the top 3 for me. the band had so much fun playing. neil finn is the man because habit never sounded so good. the set list was abosultely stellar with no pearl jam repeats from night one (only totd repeats).
bravo the the crowd, crew, and every fan out there that made this day so damn special. i wish i was there for both nights because you could really sense the communal atmosphere amongst all of us.
and a big thanks to pat from seattle for giving me a reserved ticket free of charge! i absolutely owe you a msg show. and whoever i split a taxi with this morning at 4:30 am, hope you got home to la safe and sound.
I go to concerts with the hope to see a band at their absolute best giving it everything they have. I’ve only been able to go to 7 Pearl Jam shows, and I always compared each concert no matter the band to my first Pearl Jam concert since I was just a teenage kid at my first rock concert seeing my favorite band of all time. It’s hard to recreate that moment when you first experience thousands of people and their brother trying to hold those notes with Eddie during Black, or Mike improvise an unbelievable guitar solo (Little Wing in my case).
Prior to this weekend, my last concert was a Springsteen & the E Street Band concert where I won the lottery and was just feet away from Big Man at what turned out to be one of his last shows. That concert was 3 hours of indescribable energy and just communal joy shared between the band and fans, and I never thought that concert or my first Pearl Jam could be topped.
Saturday’s show was for me a great show, but Sunday’s show took me back to that indescribable energy and communal joy shared between the band and fans I never thought I would experience again. And based the awe and speechless stares I witnessed on many faces during and after the concert, Sunday took many others there too. The word awesome is overused, but that was Sunday. THANK YOU PEARL JAM.
Milwaukee 7-9-95; East Troy 6-26-98; East Troy 10-8-00; Milwaukee 6-29-06; Milwaukee 6-30-06; East Troy 9-3-11; East Troy 9-4-11; Portland 11-29-13; Milwaukee 10-20-14; Chicago 8-22-16; Seattle 8-8-18; Seattle 8-10-18; Chicago 8-18-18
(Ed) Milwaukee 8-19-08; Phoenix 11-4-12
Last night was beyond incredible. Hell, the whole weekend was unreal, but Night 2 was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life.
Looking to my left, with the sea of people on the lawn jumping, singing, smiling, arms upraised - I hope I never forget how wonderful it felt to be a part of that.
Ed said something (I'm not sure which night) about the fact that this was the most fun they had had playing in a long time. They looked genuinely happy all night long. Jeff would be laying down some kick ass bass line per the usual, and I'd catch him grinning. Just grinning, and banging away.
Before "Daughter," Ed mentioned they were going to end it in a way they hadn't in 10 years or so. I forced myself not to get my hopes up for "It's OK," and when those chords crept in, I just about lost it. I could tell by the crowd's reaction that some others did as well. The beauty of that moment, my god.
"No Way," lord in heaven.
Ed was talking before they got down to business on the 3rd Encore (and yes, the capitalization is appropriate), Stone went into "Alive" early, and Ed looked at him. Stone stopped. He stood there for a second, then jokingly hung his head in shame. Ed went on that he had some things to say. There were three spotlights on Stone as he literally stood in a makeshift corner looking sheepish. Too funny.
It felt like "Rockin' in the Free World" was going to end the night. Having so many voices from behind, all the way up the hill, seeing hands in the air everywhere, the people in the pavilion rocking out so thoroughly it was hard to believe there were actual seats - it was so powerful.
I was overcome with emotion throughout the night, buy my voice was cracking during RITFW. It was just too much.
I'm not sure if they were going to play "Yellow Ledbetter" all along, but our collective refusal to let them go without one more is the kind of emotional display this band deserves to feel more often.
This was worth every minute I spent trying to get tickets, all the planning and effort I spent preparing for the trip and the two days spent on a hill, every dollar I spent for the entirety of it, and every iota of physical pain I'll happily accept in exchange for this experience.
No one can take this from me. EVER.
Oh, and it was worth the clusterfuck that is the Alpine Valley parking lot. I'm not going to wash the mud off my car for a while. I want to be reminded of this weekend every waking moment.
I said it somewhere else, and I'll say it many more times I'm sure: I am truly honored to have been a part of that. I take pride in the fact that I was a member of THAT crowd. It did have the feel (as has been mentioned by others) of the biggest Ten Club show ever. The amount of energy poured into those two nights is beyond my ability to comprehend. I'm still in awe.
It's hard to put this weekend into words. It was PERFECTION by the worlds best rock band! I'm sitting in my living room listening to old boots thinking about this weekend. It almost brings tears to my eyes. I just pray I get to see them again someday. LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
This is a weekend I will take to the grave with me. Met so many great people, and brought a friend who is floored by said great people. The fans really represented pj well, as I spoke with security personnel at the hotel and venue who loved the fanbase and the common courtesy.
How about that tense minute when the floating tealight torch got stuck under the all wood amphitheater roof?
This was pretty scary.
I was in the second row on the lawn, so just above the aisle at the top of the pavilion. The torch drifted into the pavilion, gently hit part of the inside of the root, then started to kind of skirt along the roof along the incline. Physics!
The torch cannot "leave" from underneath the roof without dropping a couple of feet to get under a vertical section that comes down from the roof itself (I don't know anything about construction, so forgive me).
A security guard in the aisle literally ran to another, grabbed him and pointed as the torch was up there burning and clearly stuck, and the two of them took off running. Not jogging, mind you - they both ran as though it was of far less consequence if they knocked a few people over on there way.
After a few minutes (maybe it wasn't quite that long, I can't be sure), the torch finally began to drift again.
However, it began drifting into the pavilion, while losing altitude.
The thing was over people in 203, descending, and coming towards them from behind. It was terrible to watch.
It made its way towards the far right aisle, and appeared to just drop. From where I was, it was impossible to see if anyone was hurt, but it was clear that that was all too plausible. Does anyone know where it came down?
Two dozen security guards and a couple AMTs ran by. That was all we saw.
Ed was talking before they got down to business on the 3rd Encore (and yes, the capitalization is appropriate), Stone went into "Alive" early, and Ed looked at him. Stone stopped. He stood there for a second, then jokingly hung his head in shame. Ed went on that he had some things to say. There were three spotlights on Stone as he literally stood in a makeshift corner looking sheepish. Too funny.
Somewhere around these 2 songs Ed made a "It's Stone's fault" joke....Anybody get the exact quote?
Just an observation.... no one who had the 10/31/9 Last Philly Spectrum show in their sig said Best Show Evah. Carry on, and see you in Montreal
I was at both. Unfair comparison. Philly was incredible, but I would trade it for last night. Last night was a must for me. Peace.
Last night was better than Philly 4.
um.. Philly 3 was better than Philly 4.
under your tongue, im like a tab.. i will give you what your not supposed to have
in wide open spaces we sing, with strings.. launch a full on musical cannonball.. guided by bells that we bring, they ring.. sound for the sky and the sun, our own waterfall...
one with the raging wind, alive on the highest tides, my ship at sail can climb a mountain.. ride it to the sky
McCready dominated again last night, and it's been amazing to watch him grow so much as a guitarist over the past two decades. He's just so much better than he was in the early 90's, even if he still plays all pentatonic solos - not sure I would call any version of a song "the best ever," especially one played as many times as E-Flo, but that solo was nailed.
The crowd was fantastic on the hits - gigantic singalongs to EWBTCIAST, Even Flow, Daughter/It's Ok, Black, Jeremy, Hunger Strike, and maybe the greatest Alive I've seen. Cornell was much better than the night before, and Call Me a Dog was probably the last TOTD song I expected to hear. As a whole the band was much less sloppy than night one.
That said... this show doesn't even make my top 10, and that's probably why I'm hesitant to post. The main thing is that, in my opinion, Pearl Jam at their absolute best now is not the same as Pearl Jam at their absolute best in 2000. And the same for 2000 vs 1996, etc. So to qualify it better, for current era PJ it's pretty much spot on for the ideal show (maybe just behind Philly Halloween and Philly night 1) - and it was 100 times better than night 1's clusterf*** beginning. Again, just one dude's opinion.
What makes me happy is that there are so many people who really enjoyed these shows, and did have their best PJ experience this weekend. For me, I'll probably never match the past highs... but that's ok, because what makes it great is that PJ is still giving people the greatest live experience they've ever had - and that's what counts. As long as someone is having the best weekend of their lives, it's all worth it. That, and the museum
Didn't meet many people here, I'm shy But if you saw a tall dude in a 1984 Campbell Conference Gretzky jersey with high orange tiger stripe socks, you saw me. Thanks for stoppin by. Especially the people from Edmonton... you guys are awesome.
BTW - was about 15 feet away from where the fire fell into the crowd - it was out pretty quick, and Cornell was rockin my world so hard that I didn't pay it no mind.
Winner of the night was the completely hammered dude who decided riding a motorcycle after 40 beers was a good idea, got about 15 feet, and fell over. Then he got helped up, stood the bike back up, waited 10 min, then tried to leave again. Nearly went down more than once, almost collided head on with a garbage can, and finally gave up after 100 feet. Hope he made it home in one piece.
Mike was simply on fire the entire weekend. Hands down mvp of night one.
RC, SoDak 1998 - KC 2000 - Council Bluffs IA 2003 - Fargo ND 2003 - St. Paul MN 2003 - Alpine Valley 2003 - St Louis MO 2004 - Kissimmee FLA 2004 - Winnipeg 2005 - Thunder Bay 2005 - Chicago 2006 - Grand Rapids MI 2006 - Denver CO 2006 - Lollapalooza 2007 - Bonnaroo 2008 - Austin City Limits 2009 - Los Angeles 2009 - KC 2010 - St Louis MO 2010 - PJ20 Night 1 - PJ20 Night 2
Absolutely un-fucking-real. Best concert I've ever been too. Hadn't been listening to much Pearl Jam lately, but after tonight my faith had been renewed in why they are so fucking good. Brought my boyfriend and another friend to this concert, neither of them are very big Pearl Jam fans, but they left having huge respect for how amazing they are live and being blown away by the experience of witnessing one of their shows. What a perfect night.
Winner of the night was the completely hammered dude who decided riding a motorcycle after 40 beers was a good idea, got about 15 feet, and fell over. Then he got helped up, stood the bike back up, waited 10 min, then tried to leave again. Nearly went down more than once, almost collided head on with a garbage can, and finally gave up after 100 feet. Hope he made it home in one piece.
Awesome!! I have to give the nod to a guy every bit as wasted as the motorcycle man, that was gettin dragged out by his friends during Alive as he incoherently tried to sing along. He wanted to rock to Alive harder than anybody I've ever witnessed.
EDIT: Does anybody remember the brief tag on Black? I had it in my head last night, but it's slippin my mind today. I remember it being a really nice touch.
Winner of the night was the completely hammered dude who decided riding a motorcycle after 40 beers was a good idea, got about 15 feet, and fell over. Then he got helped up, stood the bike back up, waited 10 min, then tried to leave again. Nearly went down more than once, almost collided head on with a garbage can, and finally gave up after 100 feet. Hope he made it home in one piece.
Awesome!! I have to give the nod to a guy every bit as wasted as the motorcycle man, that was gettin dragged out by his friends during Alive as he incoherently tried to sing along. He wanted to rock to Alive harder than anybody I've ever witnessed.
EDIT: Does anybody remember the brief tag on Black? I had it in my head last night, but it's slippin my mind today. I remember it being a really nice touch.
There was also a guy behind me who was so drunk he could barely stand, screamed "shut the F*** up!!" at the stage when they false started Alive, and then started crying during RITFW, which was a new one for me.
Comments
MSG 1 & 2 2010
Montreal 2011
Missoula 2012
Seattle 2013
Denver 2014
Central Park NYC 2015
Sunrise 2016
Wrigley 2 2016
Seattle 1 2018
~~~~~~~
EV NYC 2 2011
RNDM NYC 2012
TOTD SF 2016
Highlights Of Last Spectrum Show
Mike DESTROYING in Seattle 2013
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - HST
Instagram (great concert shots of many bands): concertaholic
Night two was freaking EPIC. The main set was EASILY the best main set ever. The energy the song choices, starting with Wash all the way through, Leatherman was cool as heck, Habit was amazing, Daughter with It's Okay tag was simply the best. First encore was fantastic, second encore was great though I would have like pushing forward back instead of reach down twice but you know what, it was still awesome to see TOTD for the first time in like what, 17 years and probably the last time ever, in time people will appreciate what a rare treat that was if they didn't in the moment. Final encore was absloute perfection, I mean seriously the greatest version of Alive, followed by an epic free for all on Rockin in the Free World followed by a beyond happy Mike doing YLB. If that isn't an epic show amongst the all time greatest then you will never be happy with anything. Awesome awesom awesome, couldn't have asked for anything better.
Also, seeing Dennis Rodman there was cool, did anyone else catch Eddie give that quick "nod" to Dennis, can't remember whcih song it was but he said somehting llike "this one is for Mr. Rodman" or something like that...
Oh yeah, and Mike has never been better, he was on fire last night like I've never seen before!
No but I now folks who don't post wh've been to both who said last night was their favorite show.. So to each their own is all I am saying
That said, one of the things that made Philly 4 so phenomenal was the lack of guests... it was ALL PJ. At the risk of being sacrilegious, PJ is not my favorite band... not in the Top 5. I've been to Live Aid, seen Bruce from pretty close in NJ a few times, been front row for AC/DC, been 'back row' (first row directly behind Stewart Copeland) for the last Police show ever, and a lot more. Philly4 was possibly the 2nd best concert I've ever seen (nothing will beat Pink Floyd in an open field where they could really open up the quadrophonic effect... not even being front row by Gilmour for them inside a few months later) That's how good Halloween 2009 was.
MSG 1 & 2 2010
Montreal 2011
Missoula 2012
Seattle 2013
Denver 2014
Central Park NYC 2015
Sunrise 2016
Wrigley 2 2016
Seattle 1 2018
~~~~~~~
EV NYC 2 2011
RNDM NYC 2012
TOTD SF 2016
Highlights Of Last Spectrum Show
Mike DESTROYING in Seattle 2013
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - HST
Instagram (great concert shots of many bands): concertaholic
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
I was at the spectrum on 10/31/09 and I would have to say this weekend gives it a run for its money, but for different reasons. Spectrum show was longer and had a certain feel because it was the end of an era. This weekend had a feeling of a new beginning. The start of a new chapter and more and great things to come from the band. As stated, there were multiple songs played this weekend that are rarities and many people got to mark a lot of songs off their lists (if that is what is important to you). But the general vibe for Sunday's show was off the hook. Everybody was happy and in a celebratory mood. The band brought it and the crowd responded in kind. The energy was awesome!
I will add three. Matt fucking Cameron.
for the least they could possibly do
Can you see me now
I am myself
Like you somehow
I'll ride the wave
Where it takes me
I'll hold the pain
Release me
The set list was appropriate for PJ20 anniversary - it captured the essence of the band perfectly. This was not a greatest hits night, this was an anniversary party. It was a great night with friends, celebrating a band that has meant so much to all of us who have been fans since the beginning. I would not trade one minute of last night for any other show I've seen. I've enjoyed other shows set lists more - but this was not about each song - it was about the band and its music. They played with their hearts and partied with their friends - and I'm so happy they let us into the party.
Thank for 20 years - you've brought joy, eased some pain, and given hope. Please just keep writing and playing the music!
:thumbup:
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES
http://www.UNOS.org
Donate Organs and Save a Life
http://www.kevinviner.net
That was wild. Someone lauched one during Nothing Man right at the "into the sun" part and it gave me goosebumps, but as soon as that 2nd one launched I thought "dipshit"...Ed had just talked about the recent stage collapses and hinted at Roskilde. I thought the whole thing was comin down.
I was in 203 row U and afroannnie and I totally missed this!
Love coming back to this thread to see how we all parse out pieces of the experience... I cannot wait for this boot!
Hey, anybody know if the big videocamera that was in front of Stone might give us hope for DVD?
the band was on fire. the crowd was absoultely enormous (anybody know if it was a sell out) and into it. It was so cool seeing different people from all over the world converge on this little piece of real estate in the absoulte middle of nowhere to celebrate 20 years of the greatest band ever.
the museum was insane. from the four track ed used to tape the mamasan tape to the handwritten note from ed during the infamous polo grounds show in '95, "sorry, love ed"; the museume totally lived up to and excedded all expections and was well worth the 2 hours i waited in line. i could have stayed there for hours.
and the show! i've been some real legendary shows (46 shows from randalls, penn state, spectrum run, all msg shows), and i have to say this is somewhere in the top 3 for me. the band had so much fun playing. neil finn is the man because habit never sounded so good. the set list was abosultely stellar with no pearl jam repeats from night one (only totd repeats).
bravo the the crowd, crew, and every fan out there that made this day so damn special. i wish i was there for both nights because you could really sense the communal atmosphere amongst all of us.
and a big thanks to pat from seattle for giving me a reserved ticket free of charge! i absolutely owe you a msg show. and whoever i split a taxi with this morning at 4:30 am, hope you got home to la safe and sound.
thank you thank you pearl jam.
Prior to this weekend, my last concert was a Springsteen & the E Street Band concert where I won the lottery and was just feet away from Big Man at what turned out to be one of his last shows. That concert was 3 hours of indescribable energy and just communal joy shared between the band and fans, and I never thought that concert or my first Pearl Jam could be topped.
Saturday’s show was for me a great show, but Sunday’s show took me back to that indescribable energy and communal joy shared between the band and fans I never thought I would experience again. And based the awe and speechless stares I witnessed on many faces during and after the concert, Sunday took many others there too. The word awesome is overused, but that was Sunday. THANK YOU PEARL JAM.
(Ed) Milwaukee 8-19-08; Phoenix 11-4-12
Looking to my left, with the sea of people on the lawn jumping, singing, smiling, arms upraised - I hope I never forget how wonderful it felt to be a part of that.
Ed said something (I'm not sure which night) about the fact that this was the most fun they had had playing in a long time. They looked genuinely happy all night long. Jeff would be laying down some kick ass bass line per the usual, and I'd catch him grinning. Just grinning, and banging away.
Before "Daughter," Ed mentioned they were going to end it in a way they hadn't in 10 years or so. I forced myself not to get my hopes up for "It's OK," and when those chords crept in, I just about lost it. I could tell by the crowd's reaction that some others did as well. The beauty of that moment, my god.
"No Way," lord in heaven.
Ed was talking before they got down to business on the 3rd Encore (and yes, the capitalization is appropriate), Stone went into "Alive" early, and Ed looked at him. Stone stopped. He stood there for a second, then jokingly hung his head in shame. Ed went on that he had some things to say. There were three spotlights on Stone as he literally stood in a makeshift corner looking sheepish. Too funny.
It felt like "Rockin' in the Free World" was going to end the night. Having so many voices from behind, all the way up the hill, seeing hands in the air everywhere, the people in the pavilion rocking out so thoroughly it was hard to believe there were actual seats - it was so powerful.
I was overcome with emotion throughout the night, buy my voice was cracking during RITFW. It was just too much.
I'm not sure if they were going to play "Yellow Ledbetter" all along, but our collective refusal to let them go without one more is the kind of emotional display this band deserves to feel more often.
This was worth every minute I spent trying to get tickets, all the planning and effort I spent preparing for the trip and the two days spent on a hill, every dollar I spent for the entirety of it, and every iota of physical pain I'll happily accept in exchange for this experience.
No one can take this from me. EVER.
Oh, and it was worth the clusterfuck that is the Alpine Valley parking lot. I'm not going to wash the mud off my car for a while. I want to be reminded of this weekend every waking moment.
I said it somewhere else, and I'll say it many more times I'm sure: I am truly honored to have been a part of that. I take pride in the fact that I was a member of THAT crowd. It did have the feel (as has been mentioned by others) of the biggest Ten Club show ever. The amount of energy poured into those two nights is beyond my ability to comprehend. I'm still in awe.
This was pretty scary.
I was in the second row on the lawn, so just above the aisle at the top of the pavilion. The torch drifted into the pavilion, gently hit part of the inside of the root, then started to kind of skirt along the roof along the incline. Physics!
The torch cannot "leave" from underneath the roof without dropping a couple of feet to get under a vertical section that comes down from the roof itself (I don't know anything about construction, so forgive me).
A security guard in the aisle literally ran to another, grabbed him and pointed as the torch was up there burning and clearly stuck, and the two of them took off running. Not jogging, mind you - they both ran as though it was of far less consequence if they knocked a few people over on there way.
After a few minutes (maybe it wasn't quite that long, I can't be sure), the torch finally began to drift again.
However, it began drifting into the pavilion, while losing altitude.
The thing was over people in 203, descending, and coming towards them from behind. It was terrible to watch.
It made its way towards the far right aisle, and appeared to just drop. From where I was, it was impossible to see if anyone was hurt, but it was clear that that was all too plausible. Does anyone know where it came down?
Two dozen security guards and a couple AMTs ran by. That was all we saw.
I was at both. Unfair comparison. Philly was incredible, but I would trade it for last night. Last night was a must for me. Peace.
Somewhere around these 2 songs Ed made a "It's Stone's fault" joke....Anybody get the exact quote?
um.. Philly 3 was better than Philly 4.
in wide open spaces we sing, with strings.. launch a full on musical cannonball.. guided by bells that we bring, they ring.. sound for the sky and the sun, our own waterfall...
one with the raging wind, alive on the highest tides, my ship at sail can climb a mountain.. ride it to the sky
The crowd was fantastic on the hits - gigantic singalongs to EWBTCIAST, Even Flow, Daughter/It's Ok, Black, Jeremy, Hunger Strike, and maybe the greatest Alive I've seen. Cornell was much better than the night before, and Call Me a Dog was probably the last TOTD song I expected to hear. As a whole the band was much less sloppy than night one.
That said... this show doesn't even make my top 10, and that's probably why I'm hesitant to post. The main thing is that, in my opinion, Pearl Jam at their absolute best now is not the same as Pearl Jam at their absolute best in 2000. And the same for 2000 vs 1996, etc. So to qualify it better, for current era PJ it's pretty much spot on for the ideal show (maybe just behind Philly Halloween and Philly night 1) - and it was 100 times better than night 1's clusterf*** beginning. Again, just one dude's opinion.
What makes me happy is that there are so many people who really enjoyed these shows, and did have their best PJ experience this weekend. For me, I'll probably never match the past highs... but that's ok, because what makes it great is that PJ is still giving people the greatest live experience they've ever had - and that's what counts. As long as someone is having the best weekend of their lives, it's all worth it. That, and the museum
Didn't meet many people here, I'm shy
BTW - was about 15 feet away from where the fire fell into the crowd - it was out pretty quick, and Cornell was rockin my world so hard that I didn't pay it no mind.
Winner of the night was the completely hammered dude who decided riding a motorcycle after 40 beers was a good idea, got about 15 feet, and fell over. Then he got helped up, stood the bike back up, waited 10 min, then tried to leave again. Nearly went down more than once, almost collided head on with a garbage can, and finally gave up after 100 feet. Hope he made it home in one piece.
Awesome!! I have to give the nod to a guy every bit as wasted as the motorcycle man, that was gettin dragged out by his friends during Alive as he incoherently tried to sing along. He wanted to rock to Alive harder than anybody I've ever witnessed.
EDIT: Does anybody remember the brief tag on Black? I had it in my head last night, but it's slippin my mind today. I remember it being a really nice touch.
There was also a guy behind me who was so drunk he could barely stand, screamed "shut the F*** up!!" at the stage when they false started Alive, and then started crying during RITFW, which was a new one for me.
"So if you've got a heart and give it away, and someone breaks it, fuck 'em."