A lot of people here are looking at this moment with sort of rose colored glasses. This was the one moment which could have gotten ugly. I was there that night and live on long island, and that was a completely absurd thing to do that night in my opinion. A lot of people don't realize on this board that long island is a little more "red" than the parts further west. So that crowd wasn't all city folk that would appear at MSG. From my vantage point some fights started in the crowd, and next to me 100's (believe it or not, still fanclub seats) side of stage a lot of people threw things in Ed's direction. The end of the show had absolutely no air in it and many people in the 300's left after he stomped on the mask. Just a stupid moment and could have turned into a real bad situation. He should have learned from playing it a week earlier in Denver (I believe). He pitted fans against eachother and it was a bit naive. That is probably why they stopped playing it after that.
To be fair, PJ did play Bushleaguer about 19 times after this incident. Some overseas. Some in the U.S., particularly in very red Irvine.
played 19 times without the mask. big difference. uniondale was last time played with the mask
I was there, maybe the best seats I've ever had. 2nd row sidestage, by Mike, about 15 feet from him. I was also 20 days removed from major neck surgery, and this concert was pretty much my first outing post surgery. I would say i was panicking, but I certainly was nervous, completely unable to defend myself, and obviously with nowhere to go. It was very very tense, and what worried me more than anything was getting hit in the back of the head by something thrown from behind or above
Personally, I love it. I love how they followed up "Bushleaguer" with two more songs that are critical of America... "Know Your Rights" and "Rockin' in the Free World". What's wrong with challenging people to think a little bit?
Eddie seemed to be totally antagonizing the crowd at the end of the show, chanting "USA, USA, USA". Watch the quarter hit Eddie at 5:50... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQW2PPO0pPI
Also, love Ed slamming the microphone and just walking off the stage. "Thank you, good night" (SLAM!!)
How do you think the material of the late comedian, Bill Hicks would have went over??? : Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do as we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!
Personally, I love it. I love how they followed up "Bushleaguer" with two more songs that are critical of America... "Know Your Rights" and "Rockin' in the Free World". What's wrong with challenging people to think a little bit?
Eddie seemed to be totally antagonizing the crowd at the end of the show, chanting "USA, USA, USA". Watch the quarter hit Eddie at 5:50... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQW2PPO0pPI
Also, love Ed slamming the microphone and just walking off the stage. "Thank you, good night" (SLAM!!)
How do you think the material of the late comedian, Bill Hicks would have went over??? : Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do as we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!
They actually cut a whole other encore off the set list after that. Was a killer show that would have been even bigger. Wherever they played the next night, Buffalo maybe, got all the left off songs.
I was there too. I couldn't believe all the boos. Being from LI, I felt misrepresented and was actually cheering. I was completely for the song. It was tense, but I don't think it was uncalled for. All of us from the ny/li area were affected by 9/11 but it was 2 years later so I don't believe that it was insensitive.
Its hard to know why people were booing. Democrats have won both nassau and suffolk that last couple of presidential elections but not by a lot. LI is split I believe fairly evenly. I guess people thought ed was being unpatriotic which I completely disagree with.
Personally, I love it. I love how they followed up "Bushleaguer" with two more songs that are critical of America... "Know Your Rights" and "Rockin' in the Free World". What's wrong with challenging people to think a little bit?
Eddie seemed to be totally antagonizing the crowd at the end of the show, chanting "USA, USA, USA". Watch the quarter hit Eddie at 5:50... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQW2PPO0pPI
Also, love Ed slamming the microphone and just walking off the stage. "Thank you, good night" (SLAM!!)
How do you think the material of the late comedian, Bill Hicks would have went over??? : Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do as we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!
...though I always thought he said 'picture weary retards', not 'pituitary retards'. What does pituitary even mean? Something to do with a gland?
I was at that show as well. Before Bu$hleaguer, that had to be one of the best shows I have ever been to. The crowd was loud and into the show, the band was on fire and the set list was amazing. In fact, out of all the shows I have been to it is up there as one of the best set list shows I have been to. I kind of had a feeling they would play it that night and was expecting it. I had three friends who were over fighting at the time and one shipped out two weeks earlier, so for me personally I didn't want to hear it. As soon as they played it I quietly went up and used the restroom and came back when the song was over, but yeah there were a lot of boos. I respect PJ's right to play the song, but at that time in that venue they had to anticipate some type of reaction. NYC probably wasn't the best place to play it. As for the people who threw things at the band that is just flat out ignorant. That should not be tolerated. People should be able to voice their disapproval without acting like children. As for the extra songs I remember a website posted the setlist, there was supposed to be another 3 song encore Soldier of Love, Indifference and I forget the other one. Too bad too because like I said it was an awesome show. Definitely the most unique PJ show I have been to.
Hartford 10/02/96, Hartford 09/13/98, Mansfield, MA. 08/29/00, Albany 04/29/03, Uniondale 04/30/03, Mansfield, MA 07/03/03, Camden 07/05/03, New York (MSG) 07/08/03, Hershey, PA 07/12/03, Reading, PA 10/01/04, Albany 05/12/06, Hartford 05/13/06, Boston 05/24/06, Hartford 06/27/08, Mansfield, MA 06/28/08, Mansfield, MA 06/30/08, Hartford 05/15/10, Newark 05/18/10
i was dead center of the stage about 15 rows back... with five friends . we all booed BUSH not the song.. and if you ask me everyone around was booing the Bush the person not the song.. i also remember people yelling ..." NOO NOO we are boing Bush not the song" ..
but when it comes down to it . New york is a Democratic state and Bush is a Republican ...
hell when i was the 2004 vote for change tour that song got booed every time it was played
I think the anger in the crowd came from a perception that EV was disrepecting the office by mugging with the mask-that was perceived as being unpatriotic when patriotism was at an all time high.
"Hey thats our president man!" "booooooo" "Show some respect!" "booooo"
That simple sentiment got some momentum IMHO.
Still a great concert moment and I cant wait to relive it when the DVD arrives.
All the more the reason why they should have played it IMO. If America doesn't want any more 9/11's then they should be all the more critical of war mongers like George W Bush taking office and increasing the chances of the U.S being attacked again.
I agree. The song is anti-Bush, not anti-American or in any way related to the terrorist attacks.
I think the anger in the crowd came from a perception that EV was disrepecting the office by mugging with the mask-that was perceived as being unpatriotic when patriotism was at an all time high.
This was one month after the invasion of Iraq. My perception is that the crazy amount of patriotism had already subsided by this point as many people were supporting the Afghanistan war but not this one.
I was there at the show and it was truly bizarre. It was really unbelievable to hear people booing their favorite band, but I do understand why they did it.
i was thinking this too, but this show had to of been polluted with casual fans, meathead/fratty long island guys (no offence, but the island is full of them) looking for a stir.
i really find it hard to believe that an arena made up of 60/70% fanclub or so would boo their band like that.
edit: and if it was a large population of PJ fans, what do you expect? riot act tour, riot act song. if you are afraid of the band playing the one song out of their 30 song performance that offends you, you are best off sitting at home and following the setlist on the forum.
the song offends me, just because it is a shit song. not because of bush
i was dead center of the stage about 15 rows back... with five friends . we all booed BUSH not the song.. and if you ask me everyone around was booing the Bush the person not the song.. i also remember people yelling ..." NOO NOO we are boing Bush not the song" ..
but when it comes down to it . New york is a Democratic state and Bush is a Republican ...
i have it once and i'll say it again ...
i was dead center of the stage about 15 rows back... with five friends . we all booed BUSH not the song.. and if you ask me everyone around was booing the Bush the person not the song.. i also remember people yelling ..." NOO NOO we are boing Bush not the song" ..
but when it comes down to it . New york is a Democratic state and Bush is a Republican ...
good point, but how do you explain items getting thrown at ed & the band?
I was there as well and agree with most of what has been said by the others who were in attendance – even those who disagree in some cases. For anyone who wasn’t, I think it’s clear from these posts that it was a very confusing, intense few minutes. Remember this was a live show so everyone’s adrenaline was up and the lights were off.
When Eddie put on the mask some people were booing the mask, playing along with the charade. Others were booing the song. It was really hard to tell who was who. Then when the banter started back and forth and cheering started – it was hard to tell who was cheering the USA chant and who was cheering for the band.
The guy next to me was in frenzy pumping his fist and screaming at the band. At around the same time either a shoe or a bottle got thrown on stage and a very pissed-off looking Jeff blocked it with his bass. Others in my section supported the band (front row of the second section on the floor) but a few did storm out in a rage. At the time I called it about 50/50 and was surprised to hear how uneven it seemed from their perspective on the stage. I've spoken to others who were in the first few rows who said it was pretty overwhelmingly nasty near the front.
It was like a powder keg and it could have gotten real ugly in that crowd real quick.
i was dead center of the stage about 15 rows back... with five friends . we all booed BUSH not the song.. and if you ask me everyone around was booing the Bush the person not the song.. i also remember people yelling ..." NOO NOO we are boing Bush not the song" ..
but when it comes down to it . New york is a Democratic state and Bush is a Republican ...
hell when i was the 2004 vote for change tour that song got booed every time it was played
I was also booing Bush at first, then quickly stopped when I realized some people were actually booing the band. I remember being quite shocked that people were booing. Being at a Pearl Jam concert, I assumed everyone had like-minded political views.
With that being said, I can sort of understand why some people booed. As someone said earlier, Bush came to ground zero, stood on the pile next to a fireman, and essentially said he was going to get the muthas who did this to us. When I went to that show I remember thinking it was the 1st NY show since 9/11 and I was sure Ed would say something about how he was sorry about what we went through or something. It was less than 2 years and we were all still traumatized. (Hell, I still am.) He did later say that at MSG or "New York proper" as he called it. I guess he didn't think Long Island was New York proper eneough, even though 1/3 of the people who died on 9/11 were from Long Island.
"Those who dance are called insane by people who don't hear the music."
I think the anger in the crowd came from a perception that EV was disrepecting the office by mugging with the mask-that was perceived as being unpatriotic when patriotism was at an all time high.
It depends on how someone defines patriotism. Foaming at the mouth and chest-thumping because we're blowing up a country (that had nothing to do with 9/11) and carrying out an unjust war isn't my definition of patriotism.
The song should've been played. The climate at the time was that if anyone spoke out against the Bush administration, they were accused of basically committing treason. This general attitude is what Bush used to drive the country into an unjustifiable war. The general conformist attitude of the public, combined with the press giving Bush a free pass, contributed to going into Iraq, as well as Bush's re-election in '04.
played 19 times without the mask. big difference. uniondale was last time played with the mask
Not true. It was played with the mask in Toronto on June 28 2003. I loved it. It was great theatrics and one of my favourite concert moments.
sorry, i meant last time in the states played with mask. Bashing bush in Canada is a pretty easy sell
I'm not sure this is true. I was at the Mansfield, MA show a few months later and the mask made an appearance during the song. If I remember I think Ed threw it into the crowd after the song...
To each their own... we all know where PJ stands on the political spectrum. I'm glad they care enough even if I don't always agree. My only wish is they would consider what it does to their fans... one minute everyone is 'Alpine' then one song changes it all.... :( I'd rather be giving the people around me a high-five rather than argue politics.
I think the anger in the crowd came from a perception that EV was disrepecting the office by mugging with the mask-that was perceived as being unpatriotic when patriotism was at an all time high.
This was one month after the invasion of Iraq. My perception is that the crazy amount of patriotism had already subsided by this point as many people were supporting the Afghanistan war but not this one.
I dont think most of the people in that room knew that fact.
I think the anger in the crowd came from a perception that EV was disrepecting the office by mugging with the mask-that was perceived as being unpatriotic when patriotism was at an all time high.
It depends on how someone defines patriotism. Foaming at the mouth and chest-thumping because we're blowing up a country (that had nothing to do with 9/11) and carrying out an unjust war isn't my definition of patriotism.
The song should've been played. The climate at the time was that if anyone spoke out against the Bush administration, they were accused of basically committing treason. This general attitude is what Bush used to drive the country into an unjustifiable war. The general conformist attitude of the public, combined with the press giving Bush a free pass, contributed to going into Iraq, as well as Bush's re-election in '04.
the song should not have been played, it was too close to 9/11 and long island is filled with cops and fireman and other first responders. no matter how everyone hated bush he was the one all the first responders looked up to when they had this feeling of dread and loss and weere looking for someones ass to kick. I hated bush I hated the WAR but I was at the show and i was booing also. it was too soon and not the place for it. only time the band ever pissed me off (not like i matter just wanted to chime in)
Oh no not this again :oops: :oops: can i just jibber jabber about how i feel about this moment in PJ lore , whoaad whababb babddd bedddoooo doooo hehhehhhh eeehhhhhe ahhhhhhhhhhhhh .....Fuck Long Island
Oh no not this again :oops: :oops: can i just jibber jabber about how i feel about this moment in PJ lore , whoaad whababb babddd bedddoooo doooo hehhehhhh eeehhhhhe ahhhhhhhhhhhhh .....Fuck Long Island
are you from there? your location gives it away! lol j/k
I am still VERY confused as to what happened @ this show and again I wasn't there and I don't live in the New York area. Were people booing because they were/are Bush backers and/or Republicans and they didn't agree with a song being played that wasn't agreeing with their political affiliation?
Or were people booing because they somehow thought that the song was negative about what happened on 9/11??? As I said, I am VERY confused because the song is a dig @ George Bush Jr. (I don't call him W as he was Jr. in Texas FOREVER) and to me doesn't have a thing to do with what happened on that terrible day.
Would the same people if they were (Republicans) be booing today if say a band (or say Toby Keith) came out and played a song that was a dig @ Obama and the singer brought out a mask of Obama or would they be cheering?? As I have stated many times, I know people booed and some people left the show, but I am asking an honest question as to WHY they did this?
When you are at war, as the United States was on that day, and there's a dude on stage stomping the mask of your country's president, what are you supposed to think?
Right are wrong, the reaction that some had in the crowd -- particularly if they'd had loved ones killed in the attacks less than two years earlier -- is understandable, if not completely rational.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
Comments
played 19 times without the mask. big difference. uniondale was last time played with the mask
Eddie seemed to be totally antagonizing the crowd at the end of the show, chanting "USA, USA, USA". Watch the quarter hit Eddie at 5:50... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQW2PPO0pPI
Also, love Ed slamming the microphone and just walking off the stage. "Thank you, good night" (SLAM!!)
How do you think the material of the late comedian, Bill Hicks would have went over??? : Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do as we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!
2000: 8/15, 8/18, 10/9, 10/11, 10/12
2003: 6/18, 6/21, 6/22
2005: 9/9, 9/28
2006: 5/16, 5/17, 6/26, 6/27
2007: 8/5
2009: 8/23, 8/24
2010: 5/3, 5/4, 5/21
2011: 9/3, 9/4, 9/11, 9/12
2013: 7/19, 11/16
2014: 10/3, 10/9, 10/12, 10/17
2016: 4/16, 8/20, 8/22
2018: 8/18, 8/20, 9/2
2022: 9/18
2023: 8/31, 9/2, 9/5
2024: 5/18, 6/29
Not true. It was played with the mask in Toronto on June 28 2003. I loved it. It was great theatrics and one of my favourite concert moments.
They actually cut a whole other encore off the set list after that. Was a killer show that would have been even bigger. Wherever they played the next night, Buffalo maybe, got all the left off songs.
Its hard to know why people were booing. Democrats have won both nassau and suffolk that last couple of presidential elections but not by a lot. LI is split I believe fairly evenly. I guess people thought ed was being unpatriotic which I completely disagree with.
Regardless, Im glad I was there for that moment.
...though I always thought he said 'picture weary retards', not 'pituitary retards'. What does pituitary even mean? Something to do with a gland?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfBSXbuQfcw
sorry, i meant last time in the states played with mask. Bashing bush in Canada is a pretty easy sell
i was dead center of the stage about 15 rows back... with five friends . we all booed BUSH not the song.. and if you ask me everyone around was booing the Bush the person not the song.. i also remember people yelling ..." NOO NOO we are boing Bush not the song" ..
but when it comes down to it . New york is a Democratic state and Bush is a Republican ...
hell when i was the 2004 vote for change tour that song got booed every time it was played
"Hey thats our president man!" "booooooo" "Show some respect!" "booooo"
That simple sentiment got some momentum IMHO.
Still a great concert moment and I cant wait to relive it when the DVD arrives.
I agree. The song is anti-Bush, not anti-American or in any way related to the terrorist attacks.
This was one month after the invasion of Iraq. My perception is that the crazy amount of patriotism had already subsided by this point as many people were supporting the Afghanistan war but not this one.
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
2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
i was thinking this too, but this show had to of been polluted with casual fans, meathead/fratty long island guys (no offence, but the island is full of them) looking for a stir.
i really find it hard to believe that an arena made up of 60/70% fanclub or so would boo their band like that.
edit: and if it was a large population of PJ fans, what do you expect? riot act tour, riot act song. if you are afraid of the band playing the one song out of their 30 song performance that offends you, you are best off sitting at home and following the setlist on the forum.
the song offends me, just because it is a shit song. not because of bush
This makes more sense.
good point, but how do you explain items getting thrown at ed & the band?
When Eddie put on the mask some people were booing the mask, playing along with the charade. Others were booing the song. It was really hard to tell who was who. Then when the banter started back and forth and cheering started – it was hard to tell who was cheering the USA chant and who was cheering for the band.
The guy next to me was in frenzy pumping his fist and screaming at the band. At around the same time either a shoe or a bottle got thrown on stage and a very pissed-off looking Jeff blocked it with his bass. Others in my section supported the band (front row of the second section on the floor) but a few did storm out in a rage. At the time I called it about 50/50 and was surprised to hear how uneven it seemed from their perspective on the stage. I've spoken to others who were in the first few rows who said it was pretty overwhelmingly nasty near the front.
It was like a powder keg and it could have gotten real ugly in that crowd real quick.
I was also booing Bush at first, then quickly stopped when I realized some people were actually booing the band. I remember being quite shocked that people were booing. Being at a Pearl Jam concert, I assumed everyone had like-minded political views.
With that being said, I can sort of understand why some people booed. As someone said earlier, Bush came to ground zero, stood on the pile next to a fireman, and essentially said he was going to get the muthas who did this to us. When I went to that show I remember thinking it was the 1st NY show since 9/11 and I was sure Ed would say something about how he was sorry about what we went through or something. It was less than 2 years and we were all still traumatized. (Hell, I still am.) He did later say that at MSG or "New York proper" as he called it. I guess he didn't think Long Island was New York proper eneough, even though 1/3 of the people who died on 9/11 were from Long Island.
It depends on how someone defines patriotism. Foaming at the mouth and chest-thumping because we're blowing up a country (that had nothing to do with 9/11) and carrying out an unjust war isn't my definition of patriotism.
The song should've been played. The climate at the time was that if anyone spoke out against the Bush administration, they were accused of basically committing treason. This general attitude is what Bush used to drive the country into an unjustifiable war. The general conformist attitude of the public, combined with the press giving Bush a free pass, contributed to going into Iraq, as well as Bush's re-election in '04.
I'm not sure this is true. I was at the Mansfield, MA show a few months later and the mask made an appearance during the song. If I remember I think Ed threw it into the crowd after the song...
I remember boos as well.
are you from there? your location gives it away! lol j/k
When you are at war, as the United States was on that day, and there's a dude on stage stomping the mask of your country's president, what are you supposed to think?
Right are wrong, the reaction that some had in the crowd -- particularly if they'd had loved ones killed in the attacks less than two years earlier -- is understandable, if not completely rational.
for the least they could possibly do