Glad to see so many of you had fun coming to Wisconsin for this unbelievable weekend. If you had 1/2 as much fun as me it was well worth wherever you came from. From the moment I saw "It's Ok" on TB2K I have shouted "it's ok" at every show I have gone to when they get twoards the end of daughter. When he made the speach before Daughter I knew it was comming and it was so unbelievably awesome. No Way was the other highlight of the night for me. So glad they convinced Stone to play that cause I would have been really pissed at Stone if they hadn't, ha! Greatest concert of my life on Sunday, and I will never, never forget it! Really hope it's not 8 years before they come back to Alpine.
Alpine Valley 6/26/98, Alpine Valley 10/8/00, Champaign 4/23/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Grand Rapids 10/3/04
Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Milwaukee 6/29/06, Milwaukee 6/30/06, Lollapalooza 8/5/07
Eddie Solo Milwaukee 8/19/08, Toronto 8/21/09, Chicago 8/23/09
Chicago 8/24/09, Indianapolis 5/7/10, Ed Chicago 6/29/11, Alpine Valley 9/3/11 and 9/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Moline 10/18/14, Milwaukee 10/20/14
Here is the video I took of Spin. Sorry bout the bouncy camera, I kept getting hit by the guy in front of my who was rocking out. I took everything for me to not fall down laughing, it was awesome!
I had the most amazing weekend of my life. I'm still kinda speechless. Night 2 was just perfect. It's hard to believe for me that I was actually there. Thank you, PJ!
Please, Pearl Jam, consider a Benaroya Hall vinyl reissue!
If these two setlists were back to back anywhere else they would be panned by all of you.....think about it seriously....weak at best.
People would pan a 33 song setlist? There's a term that's been flying around these forums lately that would be an appropriate way to refer to those people.
If people are panning these shows, then they need to get busy panning all the other greater than great show PJ has put on over the last 20 years.
Wow... looks like all those who went had a blast, the band had a blast and the set list (+ guests of course!) was immense!!
Congrats on 20 wonderful years, what a way to celebrate
Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
Night two was nearly perfect. For various reasons night 1 was not a good one for me and by mid afternoon Sunday I was feeling a little down and like this was not worth it. But then Sunday night came. I thought Queens and the Strokes were especially good on Sunday, maybe it was my better mood, but there seemed to be a real energy to their sets. I was hoping PJ would match that. My main complaint from a music side Saturday is there was not real flow to the show. Sunday did NOT disappoint.
Knowing pj most likely would not repeat a song, the setlist on Sunday for me was nearly perfect. VERY up tempo rocking show. SOOOOO many highlights, things I am so glad I witnessed in person. Liam Finn in Habit, Mike doing circles in STBC, Eddie taking in the crowd during Black, Stone being a PITA about playing No Way, Temple of the Fucking Dog again, the new song Eddie wrote, seeing all those people on stage for rocking the free world, and catching Matt and Jeff sharing a moment when Mike was blistering through star spangled banner.
The crowd around me on Sunday was also much better, Saturday everyone seemed more interested in drinking, smoking and endless trips to the bathroom/get more beer line. It was distracting. Not to mention the 2 people behind us who talked for like 40 minutes of the show ruining it for everyone within earshot.
I have now been to 11 pj shows and night 2 was the best ever, will never, ever forget it. It was an amazing musical experience. Look I did not really like night ones list, but you know what, they have SOOOO many songs, and people have such different tastes that is is IMPOSSIBLE for them to make everyone happy. There are always going to be favorites of yours the can't get to. Its really not worth nor is it fair to bitch about it. They can't play their entire catalog every night lol.
I do wish I could have gotten the posters, sold out BOTH days by time we got there, really hoping 10c releases them online at some point.
Both nights were very special and different. That's what I love about this band. Obviously there are a ton of songs that I would have loved to hear that I didn't, but I love pretty much every song so it really doesn't matter, does it? I would have loved to get 'good' seats both nights, but as long as I can hear the music, I can sing and dance.
Alpine Valley is one sick venue...I sure got a work out walking around that place!
Oh, highlight for me Sunday...went in early to get a good spot in the 10C lawn area...went for a walk up to the merch booth near one of the side stages...stopped in my tracks when I heard Ed's voice and realized he was up there! Nice suprise
Thank you so much Pearl Jam for an amazing weekend that I will never forget. I am so glad we made it
Can't wait for a new album and some east coast shows...next year?!
No time to be void or save up on life...you've got to spend it all.
I met so many cool people this weekend: Jake from San Fran, Kyle from Minnesota, Dan from Chicago, the guy from Rochester, NY who travelled with his teddy bear, Tom and Kelly from Canton, the two British guys behind me in line for the PJ museum, the couple from Lockport, NY (sorry forgot your names), so many more. Everyone I met was top-notch.
I brought a friend who never experienced a Pearl Jam show. He was most blown away by the vibe and the people attending. Well, until the music. The staff at the venue as well as the Alpine Valley Resort were also very appreciative of the crowd. I witnessed very little monkey business.
QOTSA made a couple fans out of us this weekend as did the Strokes. Liam Finn had a great set on Sunday. Looooved Eddie and him doing Habit and switching roles throughout. I always dig Liam/Ms. Barnes with or without EV anyways.
On to the Pearl Jam show. I was in 203, row CCC almost to the corner of the seated area. Great angle and view. The feeling there was completely electric. I have never experienced such a collective feeling of excitement and anticipation. Not at any concert or sporting event I have been to.
I thought it had a decent start. Im a huge Wash guy and I believe it is the best opener (sorry Release). The Fixer worked really well as Song #2 as people were amped up at this point and were really into the song. Severed Hand ripped the place up.
The star of the show, maybe the weekend was Habit on night 2. This song, with the assistance of Liam Finn tore the roof off the amphitheater. My friend is recoving from major abdominal surgery and he forgot and hurt himself from yelling. It was one of the most intense songs I have ever seen live.
Even Flow was one of the best I have ever seen indeed. Daughter was good too, then It's OK was off the charts awesome.
Red Mosquito was destroyed IMO. Julian Casablancas either wasnt a good fit for the song, or his Mic was turned up way too high. The chorus sounded almost comical... which is a shame because the rest of the song sounded so good.
Satan's Bed was awesome.
A+ to New World with John Doe.
Black and Jeremy seemed to fit in. I was just entertained by the drunk guy in front of me who would pass out, then spring up and go nuts during Jeremy, Black, etc.
The Eddie Vedder improv song was great. Cant wait to hear it again.
I wasnt too overly thrilled with the 1st Encore, however, Spin the Black Circle was one of the top few highlights from the weekend. They burned it up and McCready orbiting the whole set was awesome looking at it from above, as Alpine is situated.
Encore 2. I gotta say I was bummed out when Chris Cornell was introduced again. I got the picture on night 1. When Cornell said that he was going to play some songs and he was just going to start with Call Me a Dog, I heard a groan from a lot of the crowd. Cornell was great, dont get me wrong, I think we all wanted PJ/EV to play. They looked so on and ready to rock. TOTD as an encore really deflated both shows IMO.
Then the flaming tealight bag almost brought the potential for a huge disaster as it became lodged in the roof. Luckily, Cornell's singing brought a down draft and it tipped and burned a hole in the side, which (sort of fortunately) caused it to plummt onto the seats below in 203.
Sonic Reducer was done marvelously.
Encore 3 was pretty typical for a final encore. You could tell they would have played a lot longer if it were possible. EV didnt want to get off the stage both nights.
I appreciated everything EV said throughout the night. Very appreciative of us, and very appreciative of his band members, crew, friends, families, etc. He was speaking as if they plan to keep PJ going for some time. The message of hope from John Doe was great too.
All in all, as a stand alone show, I dont know if it was all that fabulous. However, the experience and electricity in the air were off the charts. I wouldnt trade it for anything. Went to the PJ Museum on Day 2, that was un fucking real. Also met Brad Klausen, what a great guy. Immediately shook my hand, looking me in the eye. Very graceful when he was given praise. Ames Bros too. Mark 5, Maxx, Justin Hampton, it was so weird to meet those guys. I got some great gear from the Ames Bros.
As far as everything that went into the weekend and the organization of it. It really couldnt have been better planned and executed. It was a perfect weekend for me. I dont think I heard one complaint (that wasnt weather related). Even with the weather, we were provided plenty of cover. Alpine Valley is a great, beautiful venue and I now understand why it was chosen. The staff there, especially security was wonderful and reasonable. They were personable, and everything wasnt just 'black and white'. My friend is recovering from surgery and they granted him re-entry so he can rest (even without us asking for it). In all, I went well over $2K for the weekend and I have zero regrets.
OK, so we started slow on Sunday but got to the venue around 1:30 or so and met up with the party bus from Milwaukee. Thanks Peter!
A lot of the same crew from Saturday were there so that was fun. I was hurting from the night before so I think I only drank 3 beers all day Sunday and that was it. I was mellow. Met up with some friends I missed on Saturday. Thanks to Jeanette and Marty for the cookies!! And once again, thanks to Speedy for the food.
Night 2 was basically an extension of Night 1. This one had all the hits. Toni and I found a nice spot on the lawn and just sat there together and tried to soak it all in. She doesn't travel to shows with me to much so we really wanted to relax and take it all in.
Wash was a good start and again the first 5 or so were pedal to the metal. I love Given to Fly. I wanted to hear it so bad this weekend because I may never see them again. Who knows? And under that sky with that weather with Toni next to me, I couldn't ask for anything more. I love that song so much. It made my night.
Unthought Known is another favorite of mine so again - perfect choice for Night 2. Just Breathe + Nothingman + No Way = Holy Crap! No Way!! After the big singalong for Nothingman. Wow!! And Smile and Spin to end the first encore - with the aforementioned in the Night 1 thread insane Mike McCready. That's the way you do it folks.
I'm OK with the Temple of the Dog stuff. It is obviously very important to them or they wouldn't have done that both nights. We saw history and I'm totally cool with that.
Alive - one more time. I listen to that song as if it will be the last time I will hear it. We're all still Alive. After all this time.
Perfect show for me. Perfect weekend. I had some minor issues with the venue which I pointed out in the Overall Experience thread below, but they were minor in the grand scheme of things.
Were the Philly shows more epic? More representative of Pearl Jam and their career? Yeah, probably so. But the overall experience of this weekend trumps that. I think the band wanted it that way too.
I dont post on these boards often, but I wanted to share what I thought was so special about this weekend. I have been following the boys since I was in college with my first show in 92. PJ has been the soundtrack to my life over the past 20 years. Almost every song brings me back to a different place in my past, some of those memories are good while others not so great. But they always bring me back to something. There are not many bands who have been around long enough to span college/post college/Marriage/Kids/etc but They have done that for many of us.....What was so special about this weekend was that I was surrounded by 35,000 people who feel the exact same way as I do. I have been to 28 shows over the past 20 years and each one stands on it's own merits. To me this stood out not because of the set list, or the venue, or the guests. It was as if 35K people were one. It was like being a a tiny little Ten Club show, yet it was with 35K people. Everyone knew every song, every lyric and most importantly it meant as much to them as it did me......To those of you who were at Alpine VAlley, I thank you for for making this weekend one I will never forget...That was what it was all about for me
Thanks for the post. I am your age and was going to post the same thing. I would agree that this show had a different vibe. It was great to be a part of it. Every show leaves me buzzing for a couple days but this one was different, more emotional as I realized that life has been going by very fast. Lots of these songs marked an event in my life and it was great to celebrate and share the moment with so many that are moved as I am by these guys and their work over the years. I spent half of night 1 turning around to watch everyone on the lawn sing and dance/fist pump/raise their arms as one. It was amazing.
Perhaps it was the weather or the fact that a significant group of people found out the hard way on Sunday morning that they are 35 now and not 19 and had the hangover from hell, but the vibe was much better on Sunday night from what I could see. Unlike Saturday, I did not see collections of people throwing up and no one in our section even passed out!
I took my wife of ten years to the first night and my oldest son (he's 7) to the second night. I loved the setlists for both nights, but do agree that it was too much Cornell. Hunger strike and then Reach Down one night and All Night Thing the other would have been utopia for me.
After about 15 shows, Wash was always the one that eluded me and this alone made it worthwhile. A special thanks to the band for going on about 5 minutes later than I expected as my son needed to use the bathroom right before the show. We got to our seats just as the first chord was struck. I have to echo what many have said about "Habit"....not one of my favorite songs at all, but between the bands energy and Liam....I loved it. I've been fortunate enough to see them play Smile a few times and it just doesn't get old. Kick out the Jams was likely the worst ending song I've ever seen any band do and tonight they totally redeemed themselves with a great final encore.
The highlights for me were: Wash, Habit, STBS, Satans Bed, Jeremy (it just struck me right tonight), and Unthought Known. While my son wanted to hear "Animal" more than anything.....and I told him it was unlikely, he had a blast, danced the whole night and told me as we were leaving, "Red Mosquito was certainly a highlight!".
As we pulled away, my son lowered his window and yelled out "Happy Birthday Pearl Jam"....it was a fitting ending to a great weekend.
If only we could get rid of the meatheads who don't know their limits with drugs/alcohol and find a venue that is nicer than this place (ie anything nicer than a pile of manure would be an improvement), PJ30 will be an event to mark down in our calendars now!
And one final note: To the "fan" who decided to light off one of those little hot air balloons underneath the wooden shed just so it could get stuck against the wood....nearly set the place on fire, and then fall back down and certainly burn some fans near where I was sitting......I hope you accidentally let of a firework in your pants pocket when you got home and also caught syphilis.
There's Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Robert Johnson......and then everybody else.
Loved it all, the whole weekend and really only feel validated that the band loves what they do and all of them care about giving back to the fans. Thanks to all who made it such a great weekend, and one that will stay with me forever.
Sundays show had a very cool vibe, kind of like Sunday shows at the bridge school. Crowd was less drunk, more into the moment. Got there early enough to see EV join Glen for Once, such a powerful experience. That song with Eddie adding his vocals was the highlight of the day. Eddie joining John Doe for Golden State was also a great moment.
Queens rocked, strokes killed, MH roared, and PJ delivered a fantatstic set, as they always do. Chris Cornel nearly stole thr show, but another great tribute to a moment 20 years ago. Looking back is cool, I'm looking forward to more PJ inthe future.
Both days were awesome. I arrived with an open mind and was rewarded. Lucky for me I had covered seats on Sat. I hung out at the top on Sunday and had a blast.
By Simon Vozick-Levinson
September 6, 2011 10:35 AM ET
Toward the end of Pearl Jam's huge 20th-anniversary celebration on September 4th, Eddie Vedder returned to the stage alone with an acoustic guitar and began playing a sweet little tune he'd written just hours before. "Couldn’t have told me back then that it would someday be allowed to be so in love with life, as deeply as we are now," he sang, his voice full of genuine gratitude. "Never thought we would, never thought we could/So glad we made it/I’m so glad we made it/I’m so glad we made it to when it all got good."
Those words summed up the feel-good vibe at PJ20, a two-day lovefest that celebrated everything Pearl Jam has accomplished over the past two decades. Tens of thousands of devotees descended on East Troy, Wisconsin's famed Alpine Valley Music Theatre to spend their Labor Day weekend with the band. They came from all over the world, waving the flags of Japan, Mexico, Peru, Italy and other far-flung nations over their heads in the enormous outdoor amphitheater. They queued up all day to get a chance to see band artifacts housed in an on-site Pearl Jam museum, and they cheered their lungs out when their heroes took the stage.
Pearl Jam rewarded the faithful with two days and nights of top-notch guitar rock. The lineups for Saturday and Sunday were the same: Hand-picked openers including Glen Hansard, Joseph Arthur, Liam Finn, John Doe and thenewno2 played on two small side stages in the afternoon, followed by hard-charging performances from Mudhoney, Queens of the Stone Age and the Strokes on the main stage – all leading up to a killer three-hour Pearl Jam set each evening.
Each night also featured a previously unannounced Temple of the Dog mini-set in the middle of Pearl Jam's show. Twitter rumors beforehand had indicated that Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell might join the band to reunite their beloved pre-Pearl Jam project – and Cornell got possibly the loudest crowd reactions of the weekend each time he swaggered on stage and ripped through dusty 1991 classics like "Hunger Strike," "Say Hello 2 Heaven," "Call Me a Dog" and "Reach Down." But Pearl Jam gave the audience two very distinct experiences each night, completely switching up the set lists in their usual fashion.
After a long day of rain on Saturday, Pearl Jam opened their set with "Release," as super-pumped fans sang along to each and every word. After that they spent most of the night digging into rarely played deep cuts like 1998's "Push Me, Pull Me" and 2000's "In the Moonlight." Anyone who came to Alpine Valley on Saturday hoping to hear the big hits probably picked the wrong night. But the set list was surely a treat for the true believers who know every B-side and outtake by heart – and that description seemed to apply to most of the people in attendance. That said, the crowd absolutely lost it when they heard the opening lick of 1994 smash "Better Man," calling out the entire first verse and chorus while Vedder looked out in wide-eyed wonder over the teeming lawn. "[People said] this ain't gonna happen," he said of the band's 20-year milestone a bit later. "That it's a dream, against the odds. I'm glad we didn't listen. "
Special guests abounded on Saturday – the Strokes' Julian Casablancas wailing on "Not for You," Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme livening up "In the Moonlight," thenewno2's Dhani Harrison rocking out on "State of Love and Trust" and more. The biggest cameo of all, of course, came from Cornell. After Temple of the Dog's Saturday set, whose highlights included a cover of Mother Love Bone's "Stardog Champion" and a monumental Vedder-Cornell duet on "Hunger Strike" (watch video below), Pearl Jam returned for a cover-filled encore including the Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" and a rowdy spin through the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" with help from members of Mudhoney. "Let's do this again tomorrow!" Vedder said to close out the night.
Pearl Jam's members seemed to be everywhere on Sunday afternoon, when sunnier weather meant big audiences for the sidestage openers. PJ bassist Jeff Ament, drummer Matt Cameron and guitarist Mike McCready all came out to back Joseph Arthur on tunes including a strong new Ament-penned rocker called "When the Fire Burns" and Arthur's signature "In the Sun." A grinning Vedder popped up to play drums with Liam Finn, dashed off stage, then reappeared later to duet with Glen Hansard on "Falling Slowly," drawing packed crowds.
The whole thing makes much more sense now. This was certainly a 2 part event, each night stands independent but you needed to see both start to finish to appreciate the weekend. If you were a casual fan and only came night 1 you would have left confused and disappointed for sure. Only complaint I have is after seeing Chris on night one I could have used less of him..a lot less. Come out and do hunger strike, that doesn't get old, but then get out of the way so we could have seen 2-3 other PJ songs. Also, there wee so many rumors of who might be there for night 2. I heard everything from Neil Young to Bono!? That's no ones fault but the fans for speculating, but I was just waiting the whole set for "Uncle Neil" to come out.
Come out and do hunger strike, that doesn't get old, but then get out of the way so we could have seen 2-3 other PJ songs.
I don't think you get 2-3 more PJ songs if Cornell isn't there. I just think you just get 2-3 fewer songs, period. Ed needed the vocal break, especially since Night 2 was going to crack three hours.
That said, all of those Temple of the Dog songs kick fucking ass. They feature four members of Pearl Jam. And Mike McCready absolutely owns them. I don't know how any serious music fan could not enjoy them.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
If these two setlists were back to back anywhere else they would be panned by all of you.....think about it seriously....weak at best.
No. 1 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
No. 2 -- The weekend wasn't about the setlists anyway.
No. 3 -- Right, because no Pearl Jam fan ever likes hearing songs he/she has never heard live before (I heard 12).
No. 4 -- Right, because Temple of the Dog reunions happen all the time.
No. 5 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
Once again...
I have a better time at a show sitting on the fucking lawn, as far from the stage as possible...Why??
Because now you are singing and dancing with 4-6 friends...Having a blast...Hugging, high-fiving, SMILING and LAUGHING the whole time....
Exactly. At times the seats can be a bit too subdued for my taste.
The energy, the camaraderie, the general jubilation of the lawn, especially last night,
has always been more appealing to me than being as close as possible.
There is no comparison in my opinion or question in my mind as to how I wanted to see PJ20.
Singing, laughing and high-fiving. Perfect indeed.
The seats were anything but subdued at this thing. The energy down there was unbelievable and simply made Night 2 for me.
Night 1 was OK for me. I was on the lawn. Lot of statues up there, which is fine. I don't need the people around me to enjoy the show.
Night 2 was an whole different animal. The pavilion felt like the closest thing I've ever seen to a fan club only show. What little video I shot with my phone was mostly of the crowd.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
Why is it that the set list itself is more important to some of you than how the band actually performed the songs? I'm looking at the set list sure but i'm also looking at the pace, the energy, and the musicianship when I review a show. I've seen the band about 10 times over the past 10 years and Sunday was as good as it gets in terms of performance quality. They were completely on fire! Eddie's phrasing and delivery were the best i've seen in years even on the so called "hit songs". Plus I don't understand the lack of love for Alpine Valley - typically considered one of the best outdoor venues in the country. I love the steepness of the hill --- pretty cool that much of the audience can see eachother rocking out during the show. And have you ever been to a major outdoor show before? You're always going to get a clusterfuck in the parking lot post-show -- it's standard issue. Throw some lawn chairs up and relax!
If these two setlists were back to back anywhere else they would be panned by all of you.....think about it seriously....weak at best.
No. 1 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
No. 2 -- The weekend wasn't about the setlists anyway.
No. 3 -- Right, because no Pearl Jam fan ever likes hearing songs he/she has never heard live before (I heard 12).
No. 4 -- Right, because Temple of the Dog reunions happen all the time.
No. 5 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
I enjoyed both shows. While I do think there may have been too much Chris Cornell and other guests "helping"....I still thought it was a great f'n time!
Comments
Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Milwaukee 6/29/06, Milwaukee 6/30/06, Lollapalooza 8/5/07
Eddie Solo Milwaukee 8/19/08, Toronto 8/21/09, Chicago 8/23/09
Chicago 8/24/09, Indianapolis 5/7/10, Ed Chicago 6/29/11, Alpine Valley 9/3/11 and 9/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Moline 10/18/14, Milwaukee 10/20/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLnLIAkE3qY
People would pan a 33 song setlist? There's a term that's been flying around these forums lately that would be an appropriate way to refer to those people.
If people are panning these shows, then they need to get busy panning all the other greater than great show PJ has put on over the last 20 years.
weak? geez. this is why i don't read youtube comments. someone said it best earlier.
"PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE"
this show was a great time
you first.
Congrats on 20 wonderful years, what a way to celebrate
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
Knowing pj most likely would not repeat a song, the setlist on Sunday for me was nearly perfect. VERY up tempo rocking show. SOOOOO many highlights, things I am so glad I witnessed in person. Liam Finn in Habit, Mike doing circles in STBC, Eddie taking in the crowd during Black, Stone being a PITA about playing No Way, Temple of the Fucking Dog again, the new song Eddie wrote, seeing all those people on stage for rocking the free world, and catching Matt and Jeff sharing a moment when Mike was blistering through star spangled banner.
The crowd around me on Sunday was also much better, Saturday everyone seemed more interested in drinking, smoking and endless trips to the bathroom/get more beer line. It was distracting. Not to mention the 2 people behind us who talked for like 40 minutes of the show ruining it for everyone within earshot.
I have now been to 11 pj shows and night 2 was the best ever, will never, ever forget it. It was an amazing musical experience. Look I did not really like night ones list, but you know what, they have SOOOO many songs, and people have such different tastes that is is IMPOSSIBLE for them to make everyone happy. There are always going to be favorites of yours the can't get to. Its really not worth nor is it fair to bitch about it. They can't play their entire catalog every night lol.
I do wish I could have gotten the posters, sold out BOTH days by time we got there, really hoping 10c releases them online at some point.
Alpine Valley is one sick venue...I sure got a work out walking around that place!
Oh, highlight for me Sunday...went in early to get a good spot in the 10C lawn area...went for a walk up to the merch booth near one of the side stages...stopped in my tracks when I heard Ed's voice and realized he was up there! Nice suprise
Thank you so much Pearl Jam for an amazing weekend that I will never forget. I am so glad we made it
Can't wait for a new album and some east coast shows...next year?!
I brought a friend who never experienced a Pearl Jam show. He was most blown away by the vibe and the people attending. Well, until the music. The staff at the venue as well as the Alpine Valley Resort were also very appreciative of the crowd. I witnessed very little monkey business.
QOTSA made a couple fans out of us this weekend as did the Strokes. Liam Finn had a great set on Sunday. Looooved Eddie and him doing Habit and switching roles throughout. I always dig Liam/Ms. Barnes with or without EV anyways.
On to the Pearl Jam show. I was in 203, row CCC almost to the corner of the seated area. Great angle and view. The feeling there was completely electric. I have never experienced such a collective feeling of excitement and anticipation. Not at any concert or sporting event I have been to.
I thought it had a decent start. Im a huge Wash guy and I believe it is the best opener (sorry Release). The Fixer worked really well as Song #2 as people were amped up at this point and were really into the song. Severed Hand ripped the place up.
The star of the show, maybe the weekend was Habit on night 2. This song, with the assistance of Liam Finn tore the roof off the amphitheater. My friend is recoving from major abdominal surgery and he forgot and hurt himself from yelling. It was one of the most intense songs I have ever seen live.
Even Flow was one of the best I have ever seen indeed. Daughter was good too, then It's OK was off the charts awesome.
Red Mosquito was destroyed IMO. Julian Casablancas either wasnt a good fit for the song, or his Mic was turned up way too high. The chorus sounded almost comical... which is a shame because the rest of the song sounded so good.
Satan's Bed was awesome.
A+ to New World with John Doe.
Black and Jeremy seemed to fit in. I was just entertained by the drunk guy in front of me who would pass out, then spring up and go nuts during Jeremy, Black, etc.
The Eddie Vedder improv song was great. Cant wait to hear it again.
I wasnt too overly thrilled with the 1st Encore, however, Spin the Black Circle was one of the top few highlights from the weekend. They burned it up and McCready orbiting the whole set was awesome looking at it from above, as Alpine is situated.
Encore 2. I gotta say I was bummed out when Chris Cornell was introduced again. I got the picture on night 1. When Cornell said that he was going to play some songs and he was just going to start with Call Me a Dog, I heard a groan from a lot of the crowd. Cornell was great, dont get me wrong, I think we all wanted PJ/EV to play. They looked so on and ready to rock. TOTD as an encore really deflated both shows IMO.
Then the flaming tealight bag almost brought the potential for a huge disaster as it became lodged in the roof. Luckily, Cornell's singing brought a down draft and it tipped and burned a hole in the side, which (sort of fortunately) caused it to plummt onto the seats below in 203.
Sonic Reducer was done marvelously.
Encore 3 was pretty typical for a final encore. You could tell they would have played a lot longer if it were possible. EV didnt want to get off the stage both nights.
I appreciated everything EV said throughout the night. Very appreciative of us, and very appreciative of his band members, crew, friends, families, etc. He was speaking as if they plan to keep PJ going for some time. The message of hope from John Doe was great too.
All in all, as a stand alone show, I dont know if it was all that fabulous. However, the experience and electricity in the air were off the charts. I wouldnt trade it for anything. Went to the PJ Museum on Day 2, that was un fucking real. Also met Brad Klausen, what a great guy. Immediately shook my hand, looking me in the eye. Very graceful when he was given praise. Ames Bros too. Mark 5, Maxx, Justin Hampton, it was so weird to meet those guys. I got some great gear from the Ames Bros.
As far as everything that went into the weekend and the organization of it. It really couldnt have been better planned and executed. It was a perfect weekend for me. I dont think I heard one complaint (that wasnt weather related). Even with the weather, we were provided plenty of cover. Alpine Valley is a great, beautiful venue and I now understand why it was chosen. The staff there, especially security was wonderful and reasonable. They were personable, and everything wasnt just 'black and white'. My friend is recovering from surgery and they granted him re-entry so he can rest (even without us asking for it). In all, I went well over $2K for the weekend and I have zero regrets.
OK, so we started slow on Sunday but got to the venue around 1:30 or so and met up with the party bus from Milwaukee. Thanks Peter!
A lot of the same crew from Saturday were there so that was fun. I was hurting from the night before so I think I only drank 3 beers all day Sunday and that was it. I was mellow. Met up with some friends I missed on Saturday. Thanks to Jeanette and Marty for the cookies!! And once again, thanks to Speedy for the food.
Night 2 was basically an extension of Night 1. This one had all the hits. Toni and I found a nice spot on the lawn and just sat there together and tried to soak it all in. She doesn't travel to shows with me to much so we really wanted to relax and take it all in.
Wash was a good start and again the first 5 or so were pedal to the metal. I love Given to Fly. I wanted to hear it so bad this weekend because I may never see them again. Who knows? And under that sky with that weather with Toni next to me, I couldn't ask for anything more. I love that song so much. It made my night.
Unthought Known is another favorite of mine so again - perfect choice for Night 2. Just Breathe + Nothingman + No Way = Holy Crap! No Way!! After the big singalong for Nothingman. Wow!! And Smile and Spin to end the first encore - with the aforementioned in the Night 1 thread insane Mike McCready. That's the way you do it folks.
I'm OK with the Temple of the Dog stuff. It is obviously very important to them or they wouldn't have done that both nights. We saw history and I'm totally cool with that.
Alive - one more time. I listen to that song as if it will be the last time I will hear it. We're all still Alive. After all this time.
Perfect show for me. Perfect weekend. I had some minor issues with the venue which I pointed out in the Overall Experience thread below, but they were minor in the grand scheme of things.
Were the Philly shows more epic? More representative of Pearl Jam and their career? Yeah, probably so. But the overall experience of this weekend trumps that. I think the band wanted it that way too.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
MTL-9/15/05, OTT-9/16/05
PHL-5/27/06,5/28/06,10/30/09,10/31/09
CHI-8/2/07,8/5/07,8/23/09,8/24/09
HTFD-6/27/08
ATX-10/4/09, 10/12/14
KC-5/3/2010,STL-5/4/2010
Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
Thanks for the post. I am your age and was going to post the same thing. I would agree that this show had a different vibe. It was great to be a part of it. Every show leaves me buzzing for a couple days but this one was different, more emotional as I realized that life has been going by very fast. Lots of these songs marked an event in my life and it was great to celebrate and share the moment with so many that are moved as I am by these guys and their work over the years. I spent half of night 1 turning around to watch everyone on the lawn sing and dance/fist pump/raise their arms as one. It was amazing.
I took my wife of ten years to the first night and my oldest son (he's 7) to the second night. I loved the setlists for both nights, but do agree that it was too much Cornell. Hunger strike and then Reach Down one night and All Night Thing the other would have been utopia for me.
After about 15 shows, Wash was always the one that eluded me and this alone made it worthwhile. A special thanks to the band for going on about 5 minutes later than I expected as my son needed to use the bathroom right before the show. We got to our seats just as the first chord was struck. I have to echo what many have said about "Habit"....not one of my favorite songs at all, but between the bands energy and Liam....I loved it. I've been fortunate enough to see them play Smile a few times and it just doesn't get old. Kick out the Jams was likely the worst ending song I've ever seen any band do and tonight they totally redeemed themselves with a great final encore.
The highlights for me were: Wash, Habit, STBS, Satans Bed, Jeremy (it just struck me right tonight), and Unthought Known. While my son wanted to hear "Animal" more than anything.....and I told him it was unlikely, he had a blast, danced the whole night and told me as we were leaving, "Red Mosquito was certainly a highlight!".
As we pulled away, my son lowered his window and yelled out "Happy Birthday Pearl Jam"....it was a fitting ending to a great weekend.
If only we could get rid of the meatheads who don't know their limits with drugs/alcohol and find a venue that is nicer than this place (ie anything nicer than a pile of manure would be an improvement), PJ30 will be an event to mark down in our calendars now!
And one final note: To the "fan" who decided to light off one of those little hot air balloons underneath the wooden shed just so it could get stuck against the wood....nearly set the place on fire, and then fall back down and certainly burn some fans near where I was sitting......I hope you accidentally let of a firework in your pants pocket when you got home and also caught syphilis.
Yeah it was.
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
Queens rocked, strokes killed, MH roared, and PJ delivered a fantatstic set, as they always do. Chris Cornel nearly stole thr show, but another great tribute to a moment 20 years ago. Looking back is cool, I'm looking forward to more PJ inthe future.
A big Thank you to Pearl Jam.
i lost my shit near the end so in return i lost the camera. sorry it cuts off at very end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6-pdfFgHhc
Thanks for so eloquently summing up my emotions!
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... l-20110906
By Simon Vozick-Levinson
September 6, 2011 10:35 AM ET
Toward the end of Pearl Jam's huge 20th-anniversary celebration on September 4th, Eddie Vedder returned to the stage alone with an acoustic guitar and began playing a sweet little tune he'd written just hours before. "Couldn’t have told me back then that it would someday be allowed to be so in love with life, as deeply as we are now," he sang, his voice full of genuine gratitude. "Never thought we would, never thought we could/So glad we made it/I’m so glad we made it/I’m so glad we made it to when it all got good."
Those words summed up the feel-good vibe at PJ20, a two-day lovefest that celebrated everything Pearl Jam has accomplished over the past two decades. Tens of thousands of devotees descended on East Troy, Wisconsin's famed Alpine Valley Music Theatre to spend their Labor Day weekend with the band. They came from all over the world, waving the flags of Japan, Mexico, Peru, Italy and other far-flung nations over their heads in the enormous outdoor amphitheater. They queued up all day to get a chance to see band artifacts housed in an on-site Pearl Jam museum, and they cheered their lungs out when their heroes took the stage.
Pearl Jam rewarded the faithful with two days and nights of top-notch guitar rock. The lineups for Saturday and Sunday were the same: Hand-picked openers including Glen Hansard, Joseph Arthur, Liam Finn, John Doe and thenewno2 played on two small side stages in the afternoon, followed by hard-charging performances from Mudhoney, Queens of the Stone Age and the Strokes on the main stage – all leading up to a killer three-hour Pearl Jam set each evening.
Each night also featured a previously unannounced Temple of the Dog mini-set in the middle of Pearl Jam's show. Twitter rumors beforehand had indicated that Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell might join the band to reunite their beloved pre-Pearl Jam project – and Cornell got possibly the loudest crowd reactions of the weekend each time he swaggered on stage and ripped through dusty 1991 classics like "Hunger Strike," "Say Hello 2 Heaven," "Call Me a Dog" and "Reach Down." But Pearl Jam gave the audience two very distinct experiences each night, completely switching up the set lists in their usual fashion.
After a long day of rain on Saturday, Pearl Jam opened their set with "Release," as super-pumped fans sang along to each and every word. After that they spent most of the night digging into rarely played deep cuts like 1998's "Push Me, Pull Me" and 2000's "In the Moonlight." Anyone who came to Alpine Valley on Saturday hoping to hear the big hits probably picked the wrong night. But the set list was surely a treat for the true believers who know every B-side and outtake by heart – and that description seemed to apply to most of the people in attendance. That said, the crowd absolutely lost it when they heard the opening lick of 1994 smash "Better Man," calling out the entire first verse and chorus while Vedder looked out in wide-eyed wonder over the teeming lawn. "[People said] this ain't gonna happen," he said of the band's 20-year milestone a bit later. "That it's a dream, against the odds. I'm glad we didn't listen. "
Special guests abounded on Saturday – the Strokes' Julian Casablancas wailing on "Not for You," Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme livening up "In the Moonlight," thenewno2's Dhani Harrison rocking out on "State of Love and Trust" and more. The biggest cameo of all, of course, came from Cornell. After Temple of the Dog's Saturday set, whose highlights included a cover of Mother Love Bone's "Stardog Champion" and a monumental Vedder-Cornell duet on "Hunger Strike" (watch video below), Pearl Jam returned for a cover-filled encore including the Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" and a rowdy spin through the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" with help from members of Mudhoney. "Let's do this again tomorrow!" Vedder said to close out the night.
Pearl Jam's members seemed to be everywhere on Sunday afternoon, when sunnier weather meant big audiences for the sidestage openers. PJ bassist Jeff Ament, drummer Matt Cameron and guitarist Mike McCready all came out to back Joseph Arthur on tunes including a strong new Ament-penned rocker called "When the Fire Burns" and Arthur's signature "In the Sun." A grinning Vedder popped up to play drums with Liam Finn, dashed off stage, then reappeared later to duet with Glen Hansard on "Falling Slowly," drawing packed crowds.
98' - 6/26, 6/27, 6/29, 8/26, 9/22
03' - 4/25
06' - 6/29, 6/30
07' - 8/05
09' - 8/23
11' - 9/03, 9/04
12' - 9/30
13' - 7/16, 7/19, 10/21, 10/22, 11/15, 11/16, 12/06
14' - 06/28, 06/29, 10/1, 10/03, 10/16, 10/17, 10/20, 10/22
15' - 11/20, 11/22
16' - 4/21, 4/26, 4/28, 4/29, 5/1, 5/2, 7/9, 8/5, 8/7, 8/20, 8/22
17' - 4/7
18' - 7/1, 7/3, 7/5, 8/8, 8/10, 8/18, 8/20, 9/4
21' - 10/1, 10/2
22' - 7/12, 7/14, 9/6, 9/8
I don't think you get 2-3 more PJ songs if Cornell isn't there. I just think you just get 2-3 fewer songs, period. Ed needed the vocal break, especially since Night 2 was going to crack three hours.
That said, all of those Temple of the Dog songs kick fucking ass. They feature four members of Pearl Jam. And Mike McCready absolutely owns them. I don't know how any serious music fan could not enjoy them.
for the least they could possibly do
No. 1 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
No. 2 -- The weekend wasn't about the setlists anyway.
No. 3 -- Right, because no Pearl Jam fan ever likes hearing songs he/she has never heard live before (I heard 12).
No. 4 -- Right, because Temple of the Dog reunions happen all the time.
No. 5 -- Are you fucking kidding me?
for the least they could possibly do
The seats were anything but subdued at this thing. The energy down there was unbelievable and simply made Night 2 for me.
Night 1 was OK for me. I was on the lawn. Lot of statues up there, which is fine. I don't need the people around me to enjoy the show.
Night 2 was an whole different animal. The pavilion felt like the closest thing I've ever seen to a fan club only show. What little video I shot with my phone was mostly of the crowd.
for the least they could possibly do
I agree 100% with this ....