Very similar setlist to the SD show the other night, I have to say, but still we were embraced by their love and high spirit and that is always more than enough. I did LOVE the acoustic PoRCH!! That was the highlight of the show for me. Everytime I hear that version, it is just so special.
I was expecting a bit of No Code and didn't get that. So, I am kind of bummed.
I almost felt a tear in my eye when Crown of Thorns was dedicated to Andy Wood.
Black was just right up there with Crown of Thorns as far as soaring emotions go. I love it when he does the "We Belong Together" tag (I and millions of other fans of course).
At one point, didn't Ed get bothered by the flashing cameras? He said something like "Please stop" or something like that. And people kept going with their flashes. That was kind of in bad taste.
It was a great experience seeing them at the Forum. I'm not from LA, so this was my first show at the Forum and I am so glad I decided to take the trip to LA and do this show.
It wasn't the greatest show I have been to, but still had me jump around like a crazy person and bruise my legs. So, I guess it wasn't too bad of a show either :-P.
He said "Keeley, stop". Keeley is lighting person. Too much light in his eyes. He was shielding his eyes. During Alive.
Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
I had worse seats than i did at san diego but it was a great show none theless. Highlights for me were hearing these TEN tracks for the first time: jeremy, WHY GO, and release. I called it too. I said release would be the opener! just had a gut feeling... Also, big wave gets better each time. I agree... the setlist was similar to san diego and that was a little dissapointing.. but then out of nowhere, thats when WHY GO hit and i went crazy. everyone in my section was standing and some sat during songs like Come Back and Inside Job. But for the most part, cool people giving each other high fives and just having a good time. Wasnt as lively as san diego but still a good crowd. Either way, i was buzzing, and i was dancing all night
Was thrilled to be at the Forum even tho they charged 20 bucks for parking....WTF's up with that?! Anyone read those flyers those protesters were handing out? Where it said to NOT buy pearl jam stuff. Once i read that i threw the paper.
oh yea and another thing, i was in line to get the wave poster and my friend in front of me got the last one... what was up with the posters running out? you bastards took all the wave posters!!! haha
I don't think it had anything to do with the merchandise but more about who was selling them as the protesting workers were locked out and those selling the stuff were replacements and probably not union members.
Reading 2004
Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
Chicago 2007
Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016 Fenway 2, 2018 MSG 2022 St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023 MSG 2024, MSG 2024 Philadelphia 2024
"I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
Things happen in the game. Nothing you
can do. I don't go and say,
"I'm gonna beat this guy up."
Anyone who got to hear Big Wave in San Diego knows how special it was, then to break it out again in LA 1 freakin amazing!! I prefered San Diego, but it was the seats. San Diego AWESOME ten club seats (thank you ten club), LA 1 Shitty ass KROQ seat up above the rigging on Mikes side, colonade 13? The people around me were all sitting during the new stuff, and screaming "Eddie I love you" during the Ten stuff. I think that because of the seats the energy wasn't there for me. If I had seen the concerts in the reverse order it would have been different as well. The boys were amazing, rocked the house, and the new songs are really something else live! Long live all that is PEARL JAM!!!
Ignore your rights and they'll go away!
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to have fun." Benjamin Franklin
www.AllAmericanBiofuels.com
Biodiesel: No War Required!
Just a little extra added emphasis on getting out of this "f'n town". Subtle dig i thought especially if one understands the long standing contempt the band has for the industry here in L.A. emphasized by Mike's comments about the Roxy and Whisky. Clive Davis must have these guys by the balls for them to be playing a 3 day KROQ stand with secret shows for industry types. It will be interesting to see what they do tonight.
Wow, I think you're reading way too much into it. I didn't sense any contempt for the city in the least bit. I sensed nothing but love & appreciation. I'd be pissed otherwise.
oh yea and another thing, i was in line to get the wave poster and my friend in front of me got the last one... what was up with the posters running out? you bastards took all the wave posters!!! haha
That sucks man. When I was in line some chick had like 10 of them in her hands as she was leaving the line. J
Ignore your rights and they'll go away!
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to have fun." Benjamin Franklin
www.AllAmericanBiofuels.com
Biodiesel: No War Required!
great show...best i have seen next to state college in 2003. i am lucky enough to have seen crown of thorns twice (the first being that philly show they did after atlantic city and canada tour). tim robbins was a nice touch. i thought it was cool. got to sit in the lodge behind stage (the top railing of where the zamboni machine comes out). never sat anywhere like this, but it was deffinately really cool. got to see eddie shade out to the stage wings to smoke one during solos, etc. unfortunately, no no code. i have still not yet seen wishlist. i will not give up. i thought the mix sounded much better than philly I. the crowd was pumping. the band thought they were done after baba, but mike grabbed a guitar real quick then stone and jeff went off stage and grabbed after he already started playing.
i think i would have liked to see a little bit more partying in the parking lot. but perhaps its because of my parking location.
i think this show meant a lot to mike. he mentioned how he had played at the roxy and whiskey with only 4 people in attendance (including duff from guns n roses). you can see how he persisted with big wave and going on further with ledbetter.
awesome personal experience for myself. i drove accross the country from pennsylvania this summer to live in la for an internship. the day i left for cali i proudly put on a pj sticker on my vehicle. got to hear given to fly, which is ultimately inspired by going to california by led zeppelin. i brought two posters to hang in my apartment: an old poster for the given to fly single that i found in some crazy obscure shop, and a tour poster from philly for the spring tour. this concert summed up the probably most unbelievable summer i will ever have.
i would also love to get ahold of a poster for this show to remember my last true free summer and the experience of a life time. of course i will pay cash, i will pick it up at your place, meet you somewhere, or ship by any means. please help me out. thanks.
Stage College 03, Philly 05, Camden 06, Los Angeles 06, Los Angeles 07 (Ed solo w/ Flea and Jack Irons), MSG I & II 08, Beacon 08, Ed NYC II
Did anyone see the chick on the floor (Stones side, middle exit) get taken to the ground by about 6 security guards. She just sat on the floor crying, "Im going back to my seat..." ,she was all but hog-tied before she finally got up and her friend walked out with her.
My guess is she got caught trying to sneak up closer to the stage. There was no messing around with that game at the LA shows, to bad Bean Girl didnt show up and get that treatment.
This was my first PJ show ever. And I can't even pretend to be a hardcore fan. I would say mid-level, in that I know more then just the songs from Ten. But a lot of what I know is in part due to my fiance who I think can qualify as hardcore (He has seen four shows in the past two weeks, and has four more to go!).
It was fun before the show to meet other PJ fans. We met people from Boston and NYC. I had thought my fiance was kinda nutty for going to ALL the shows in California (and Nevada) but apparently that is nothing for true PJ fans.
I told my fiance going in there was no song I wanted to hear in particular because I knew if I told him I wanted to hear Jeremy I would sound like such a wannabe. But really I was DYING to hear that song because I LOVED that song when I was 15. So when Jeremy started up, I screamed my lungs out. And it was so awesome! The 15 year old inside me was so happy!
I know a lot of the huge fans were disappointed that this night was a "greatest hits" night but for my first show ever, it was AWESOME.
I remember when Betterman started up I got goosebumps. And during Black, I nearly started crying.
And the show seemed SO high energy. I was grooving even during the songs I didn't know as well.
The only downside was this was the one show my fiance didn't have Ten Club tickets for so we were up in the nose bleed section. Everyone around us was pretty lame. A lot of them sat when the song was not from Ten (how can you sit during World Wide Suicide?!) and the people to the right of us kept leaving and coming back. But I still danced and sang despite the losers around us.
It was an awesome experience! And when I went to work the next day, totally beat, I had "Why Go" lodged firmly in my head. I was kind of bummed that I had only agreed to go to one concert with my fiance. BUT our friend who was going to LA II with him canceled so guess who got to go?! I will go write about that in LA II fan reviews.
LA 7.9.06 & 7.10.06 = all it took to get me hooked!
Did anyone see the chick on the floor (Stones side, middle exit) get taken to the ground by about 6 security guards. She just sat on the floor crying, "Im going back to my seat..." ,she was all but hog-tied before she finally got up and her friend walked out with her.
My guess is she got caught trying to sneak up closer to the stage. There was no messing around with that game at the LA shows, to bad Bean Girl didnt show up and get that treatment.
Was this near the end of the show, when the house lights were on? I thought I saw this happening, my god, they nearly had to drag her out.
Was this near the end of the show, when the house lights were on? I thought I saw this happening, my god, they nearly had to drag her out.
No, it was about 1/3rd the way into the show, trust me with all the commotion and all the security guards around, you would know what Im talking about had you seen it.
And so do I. Thanks again for Sunday and Monday as I am still blown away by the EPIC Shows. I am still in Awe of it all. Thanks for playing for 2:40 minutes to give the fans a real old fashioned music fest.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Kings of the New Pantheon
Review: Pearl Jam's Forum opener solidifies its stature among the greatest bands ever.
By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register
There are so many different reviews I could write about Pearl Jam's tremendous performance Sunday night at the Forum, the first of the Seattle band's two sold-out shows this week at the venerable Inglewood haunt.
These days that building seems to remain standing for little reason other than to provide such a rock giant a proper stomping ground. It's definitely Ed Vedder's kind of place – as intimate as arenas get anymore, with no skyboxes and no advertising to be found. A place where no electronic scrawls scream for Budweiser and Carl's Jr. The sign merely reads: "beer, wine and snacks."
"Probably the same way it looked when the Who played here and Zeppelin played here," Vedder noted. This night it wouldn't be the first time he'd reference the first band, or the golden age of hard rock for that matter.
Which is largely what's steering this review toward big comparisons and lofty analogies. I could waste as much space dissecting speculative meanings behind transitions at this show. Why, for instance, did the soft reprise of the new mantra "Life Wasted" and the biting attack of its full-roar version bookend a set-within-the-set that included "Better Man" (its first verse taken from Vedder by the chanting crowd), a torrential "Whipping" and "Not for You," and "Inside Job."
Come to think of it, there are at least two reviews to be culled from that passage alone, one focused on Vedder's thinking-man's persona (posited by Rolling Stone recently as the last of the true American rock rebels) and another focused on what really might be going on underneath his Jesus locks these days.
He is, after all, experiencing a mid-career Renaissance, his popularity (along with the band's) spiking at a rate that would have alarmed the younger, attention-loathing Vedder. But settled into his skin now, and in firm control of how he's presented (if not perceived), he's become a tangible hero to devotees. We can't possibly know him that well, yet his music and his statements lately make us feel as though we do. He's not removed anymore, on a pedestal; he's just Ed.
That factor is as intrinsic to Pearl Jam's continued success as any of Mike McCready's or Stone Gossard's riffs or the group's determination to make every show something unique. But given the inspiring, two-hour-40-minute set Pearl Jam delivered Sunday night, any deeper analysis runs a distant second to talk of the band's stature among other gods in rock's new pantheon.
When you play every major track off "Ten," virtually all the hits that followed (including the challenging ones, like my personal favorite "Do the Evolution"), toss in Mother Love Bone's "Crown of Thorns," a cameo from Tim Robbins and a house-lights-up finale of "Baba O'Riley" and an impromptu "Yellow Ledbetter" – well, you're asking to be measured against the greatest ever.
And Pearl Jam holds up in any such face-off. As I see it, it's like this: U2 is the new Rolling Stones, Radiohead is the new Beatles and Pearl Jam is the new Who. (There is no new Zep, and probably never will be, though Jack White valiantly tries.)
Yes, U2 is more like the Beatles in terms of global impact, but Radiohead has Bono and the boys beat in terms of groundbreaking yet accessible experimentation nowadays. U2, though more crucial on a sociopolitical level than the Stones could ever be, has nevertheless become the planet's grandest spectacle.
And, yes, we've all heard this Who babble regarding PJ before, since before Vedder became so chummy with Pete Townshend, actually. Yet every time the band returns, it seems more Who-like than before, just as Vedder appears more like a grown-up incarnation of one of Townshend's schizoid antiheroes.
Surely it's deliberate on Pearl Jam's part to evoke the Who, especially when playing the Forum. Why else keep reviving "Baba" (as they did three years ago in Irvine and eight years ago at the Forum)? Why else would Vedder resort to windmilling his guitar like Townshend and whipping his microphone about like Roger Daltrey?
It's on this tour, however, that Pearl Jam not only solidifies that parallel to the past, it also rises to the level of populist appeal that only U2 and maybe Springsteen have held in the past decade-plus.
The last few times Pearl Jam came to town, the (smaller) shows still felt geared toward die-hards, no matter how many overplayed staples were included. This time, the way Vedder and the guys (including bassist Jeff Ament and drummer Matt Cameron) worked the crowd over seemed more calculated. Not phony – especially when there's no Jumbotron screen or curtain of lights in sight. Harking back to the '70s (and early '90s) with every cut, this is just a band at the peak of its powers, well-juiced and stripped of artifice.
But the approach was very much like U2's – heavy on the hits so that the peppering of new ones doesn't bore casual fans or push them to tune out messages. And at that PJ has topped U2, slipping in 10 (!) fresh tracks from its outstanding new self-titled disc, from stirring entry points like "World Wide Suicide" and "Big Wave" to moodier moments like "Come Back" and "Severed Hand."
To top it off, there was a Dylanesque rarity: a duet between Vedder and Robbins on the stinging Phil Ochs song "Here's to the State of Mississippi," rewritten by Robbins to taunt Bush, Cheney, Jerry Falwell and other figures"Here's to the land you've torn the heart out of," they sang in harmony. "(Fill in the blank), find yourself another country to be a part of."
That's just the sort of move that can lead to ridiculous "Robbins and Vedder in '08!" chatter. It's also the sort of thing few other acts would dare. I don't think even the forebears Pearl Jam has come to most resemble were ever so outspoken.
Whether this night's attempt at something monumental is par for the course, however, remains to be seen as I write this. Monday night's gig could be more of the same or radically different and less inviting to radio listeners – just as Wednesday's impossible-to-get-into KROQ-sponsored stop at the Fonda in Hollywood could be another jaw-dropping sight.
That's why, like all great bands, Pearl Jam is worth following night after night.
The only disappointment here was opening act Sonic Youth, a mighty and influential force that nonetheless has trouble connecting with people at an arena level.
The band's sound is simply too fractured and atmospheric for this setting, and adding an unnamed bassist to unleash Kim Gordon to bounce about in silvery short-shorts was just awkward. Sticking almost entirely to material off its latest album, "Rather Ripped," it was as if Sonic Youth had set out to introduce itself to a whole new crowd as a whole new band.
Which is admirable. But also more than a little off-putting to faithful fans.
And so do I. Thanks again for Sunday and Monday as I am still blown away by the EPIC Shows. I am still in Awe of it all. Thanks for playing for 2:40 minutes to give the fans a real old fashioned music fest.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Kings of the New Pantheon
Review: Pearl Jam's Forum opener solidifies its stature among the greatest bands ever.
By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register
There are so many different reviews I could write about Pearl Jam's tremendous performance Sunday night at the Forum, the first of the Seattle band's two sold-out shows this week at the venerable Inglewood haunt.
These days that building seems to remain standing for little reason other than to provide such a rock giant a proper stomping ground. It's definitely Ed Vedder's kind of place – as intimate as arenas get anymore, with no skyboxes and no advertising to be found. A place where no electronic scrawls scream for Budweiser and Carl's Jr. The sign merely reads: "beer, wine and snacks."
"Probably the same way it looked when the Who played here and Zeppelin played here," Vedder noted. This night it wouldn't be the first time he'd reference the first band, or the golden age of hard rock for that matter.
Which is largely what's steering this review toward big comparisons and lofty analogies. I could waste as much space dissecting speculative meanings behind transitions at this show. Why, for instance, did the soft reprise of the new mantra "Life Wasted" and the biting attack of its full-roar version bookend a set-within-the-set that included "Better Man" (its first verse taken from Vedder by the chanting crowd), a torrential "Whipping" and "Not for You," and "Inside Job."
Come to think of it, there are at least two reviews to be culled from that passage alone, one focused on Vedder's thinking-man's persona (posited by Rolling Stone recently as the last of the true American rock rebels) and another focused on what really might be going on underneath his Jesus locks these days.
He is, after all, experiencing a mid-career Renaissance, his popularity (along with the band's) spiking at a rate that would have alarmed the younger, attention-loathing Vedder. But settled into his skin now, and in firm control of how he's presented (if not perceived), he's become a tangible hero to devotees. We can't possibly know him that well, yet his music and his statements lately make us feel as though we do. He's not removed anymore, on a pedestal; he's just Ed.
That factor is as intrinsic to Pearl Jam's continued success as any of Mike McCready's or Stone Gossard's riffs or the group's determination to make every show something unique. But given the inspiring, two-hour-40-minute set Pearl Jam delivered Sunday night, any deeper analysis runs a distant second to talk of the band's stature among other gods in rock's new pantheon.
When you play every major track off "Ten," virtually all the hits that followed (including the challenging ones, like my personal favorite "Do the Evolution"), toss in Mother Love Bone's "Crown of Thorns," a cameo from Tim Robbins and a house-lights-up finale of "Baba O'Riley" and an impromptu "Yellow Ledbetter" – well, you're asking to be measured against the greatest ever.
And Pearl Jam holds up in any such face-off. As I see it, it's like this: U2 is the new Rolling Stones, Radiohead is the new Beatles and Pearl Jam is the new Who. (There is no new Zep, and probably never will be, though Jack White valiantly tries.)
Yes, U2 is more like the Beatles in terms of global impact, but Radiohead has Bono and the boys beat in terms of groundbreaking yet accessible experimentation nowadays. U2, though more crucial on a sociopolitical level than the Stones could ever be, has nevertheless become the planet's grandest spectacle.
And, yes, we've all heard this Who babble regarding PJ before, since before Vedder became so chummy with Pete Townshend, actually. Yet every time the band returns, it seems more Who-like than before, just as Vedder appears more like a grown-up incarnation of one of Townshend's schizoid antiheroes.
Surely it's deliberate on Pearl Jam's part to evoke the Who, especially when playing the Forum. Why else keep reviving "Baba" (as they did three years ago in Irvine and eight years ago at the Forum)? Why else would Vedder resort to windmilling his guitar like Townshend and whipping his microphone about like Roger Daltrey?
It's on this tour, however, that Pearl Jam not only solidifies that parallel to the past, it also rises to the level of populist appeal that only U2 and maybe Springsteen have held in the past decade-plus.
The last few times Pearl Jam came to town, the (smaller) shows still felt geared toward die-hards, no matter how many overplayed staples were included. This time, the way Vedder and the guys (including bassist Jeff Ament and drummer Matt Cameron) worked the crowd over seemed more calculated. Not phony – especially when there's no Jumbotron screen or curtain of lights in sight. Harking back to the '70s (and early '90s) with every cut, this is just a band at the peak of its powers, well-juiced and stripped of artifice.
But the approach was very much like U2's – heavy on the hits so that the peppering of new ones doesn't bore casual fans or push them to tune out messages. And at that PJ has topped U2, slipping in 10 (!) fresh tracks from its outstanding new self-titled disc, from stirring entry points like "World Wide Suicide" and "Big Wave" to moodier moments like "Come Back" and "Severed Hand."
To top it off, there was a Dylanesque rarity: a duet between Vedder and Robbins on the stinging Phil Ochs song "Here's to the State of Mississippi," rewritten by Robbins to taunt Bush, Cheney, Jerry Falwell and other figures"Here's to the land you've torn the heart out of," they sang in harmony. "(Fill in the blank), find yourself another country to be a part of."
That's just the sort of move that can lead to ridiculous "Robbins and Vedder in '08!" chatter. It's also the sort of thing few other acts would dare. I don't think even the forebears Pearl Jam has come to most resemble were ever so outspoken.
Whether this night's attempt at something monumental is par for the course, however, remains to be seen as I write this. Monday night's gig could be more of the same or radically different and less inviting to radio listeners – just as Wednesday's impossible-to-get-into KROQ-sponsored stop at the Fonda in Hollywood could be another jaw-dropping sight.
That's why, like all great bands, Pearl Jam is worth following night after night.
The only disappointment here was opening act Sonic Youth, a mighty and influential force that nonetheless has trouble connecting with people at an arena level.
The band's sound is simply too fractured and atmospheric for this setting, and adding an unnamed bassist to unleash Kim Gordon to bounce about in silvery short-shorts was just awkward. Sticking almost entirely to material off its latest album, "Rather Ripped," it was as if Sonic Youth had set out to introduce itself to a whole new crowd as a whole new band.
Which is admirable. But also more than a little off-putting to faithful fans.
Wow, that is some review!!! Thanks so much for posting!!!
i went to the first show in la... PJ put on one hell of a show... everything about it was amazing from the sound to the lighting to Pearl Jam putting on one killer show... ive been to a few PJ concerts and i have to say that this was without a doubt the best show ive seen them put on... like a fine wine they too keep getting better and better with time.... Keep up the great music guys..... for many years to come.... Southern California and the rest of world loves you guys.... Peace...
July 17, 2006 11:01 AM
by Jim Harrington
LiveDaily Contributor
Pearl Jam will probably never again be the biggest band in the world, a title it held for some years during the '90s. It takes two things to achieve that ranking: huge album sales and a monster live show. Eddie Vedder and crew don't have the former. But they certainly have the latter.
Fifteen years after the release of "Ten," a record that still ranks as one of the most successful debuts in rock history, Pearl Jam has struggled to find listeners for its new eponymous release. "Pearl Jam" has hardly marked the band's return to commercial glory. It failed to top the charts when it was released in May, coming in a distant second to Tool's "10,000 Days" (which roughly doubled the first-week sales of "Pearl Jam"), and made a surprisingly quick exit from the upper echelon of the Billboard Top 200.
Although no longer a real force in retail, Pearl Jam remains a powerhouse in the live arena. The band's current tour is one the summer's hot sellers, and you can usually count on the group to show fans a really good time.
Most recently, Pearl Jam sold out three nights at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. This run, which included dates on Saturday and Sunday (7/15-16) and ends Tuesday (7/18), marked the first time that the group had played within the San Francisco city limits in 11 years. The last time was the near-riot in Golden Gate Park in 1995, back when Pearl Jam was indeed the biggest band in the world, when local legend Neil Young took over for an ailing Vedder after only a few songs. Since that occasion, the band has been performing nearly all its Northern California dates at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in nearby Mountain View.
If local fans had any sore feelings regarding the band's lengthy absence, Pearl Jam definitely made it up to them with a blistering set of old and new tunes.
Following an opening set by legendary alt-rockers Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam took the stage and immediately began to rip through breakneck versions of such tunes as "Of the Girl" (from 2000's "Binaural"), "Go" (from 1993's "Vs.") and the new album's first single, "World Wide Suicide." Vedder, who seemed deliriously happy to be back performing in San Francisco, delivered his strongest Bay Area performance in years as he pushed his buds through the anthem-like "Given to Fly" (from 1998's "Yield").
Guitarist Mike McCready, as usual, was right there by Vedder's side and delivering the kind of high-flying leads that other alt-rockers can only dream about. (Vedder recalled his mid-'90s prime with this show. McCready, in contrast, reminded folks that he keeps getting better with each passing year.)
The band performed 17 numbers during the first set--which, on paper, looks to be enough to make for an entire evening of song. The catch is that Pearl Jam was moving at such a rapid pace that it finished its main set in just over an hour.
Thankfully, the group returned to play two lengthy encores that combined to last even longer than the first set. The first encore had old-school PJ freaks going nuts, as the band returned to its debut to play both "Even Flow" and "Alive."
The next encore proved to be even better as the group embraced the second half of its name--"Jam"--and really tore into versions of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" and the concert-staple "Yellow Ledbetter."
Great show I admit but I find it way too funny that people with these midsets like those members of the band who oppose big business men and who want to retain their indie roots can speak so badly of those like the business men when just about every vehicle outside was a limousine, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar or Lincoln town car. Thanks for the music guys but your getting a little out there with the "anti" stuff, what are you doing to help other countries who need medical aid, lower drug costs and overall humanitarian support?
"There's only one party I know and it is freedom"
-EV
6-3-03 Irvine, CA
Great show I admit but I find it way too funny that people with these midsets like those members of the band who oppose big business men and who want to retain their indie roots can speak so badly of those like the business men when just about every vehicle outside was a limousine, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar or Lincoln town car. Thanks for the music guys but your getting a little out there with the "anti" stuff, what are you doing to help other countries who need medical aid, lower drug costs and overall humanitarian support?
"There's only one party I know and it is freedom"
-EV
6-3-03 Irvine, CA
Are you aware of the charities and causes Pearl Jam supported with this tour?
They are one of the few bands that did not "sell out" and it has impacted their success. You could say that Eddie is a true "Anti" from way back. Don't take my word for it check it out. How much "other country" support is coming out of Orange County these days?
Great show I admit but I find it way too funny that people with these midsets like those members of the band who oppose big business men and who want to retain their indie roots can speak so badly of those like the business men when just about every vehicle outside was a limousine, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar or Lincoln town car. Thanks for the music guys but your getting a little out there with the "anti" stuff, what are you doing to help other countries who need medical aid, lower drug costs and overall humanitarian support?
"There's only one party I know and it is freedom"
-EV
6-3-03 Irvine, CA
Are you aware of the charities and causes Pearl Jam supported with this tour?
They are one of the few bands that did not "sell out" and it has impacted their success. You could say that Eddie is a true "Anti" from way back. Don't take my word for it check it out. How much "other country" support is coming out of Orange County these days?
Sure, there were many charities on this tour. But from a band that is using their influence mainly in politics I dont see anything that tries to promote their democratic views in helping third worrd countries. Nurses, Doctors and CARE are wonderful but what will happen when druglords who "run" those countries wont let them in or steal the supplies for money to buy more weapons. Im not debating the fact that they dont support aid in other countries, what are they doing to ensure the help is getting to the people, what governments are they working with? You cant simply assume just cause the media prints that aid is getting to he people is a true statement. Im sure there are people in the media despite what ever political affiliation they are with who are tempted to be paid off. Im sure life is beatutful in warm sunny OC with the beaches over there and everyone is doing their part to criticize everyone in the Bush Administration but where Im at is far from that.
Are you aware of the charities and causes Pearl Jam supported with this tour?
They are one of the few bands that did not "sell out" and it has impacted their success. You could say that Eddie is a true "Anti" from way back. Don't take my word for it check it out. How much "other country" support is coming out of Orange County these days?
Isnt that the whole point of not selling out, not giving way to sponsors and promoters. What do you think every Mercedez Benz icon is? it's a recruiting tool. I understand that Pearl Jam may not have been driving them but then they've lost touch with their fans then cause I was probably one of the few at that show with out an import and damn proud to have had a BUSH/CHENNEY 2004 bumper sticker.
Since when is it the bands responsibility for third world countries?
You speak of a great thing and we would all agree that everyone should be doing something about that. It seems to me that governments around the world are better suited for these type of things. Or maybe you should join the Peace Corps and help out yourself.
"I don't see anything that tries to promote their democratic views in helping third worlds countries"
Where does it say these are Democratic views? If you have a problem with Eddie speaking his mind you better get over it real quick because he always has and he always will. LOL
Let's see, so far they have voted the Dixie Chicks off of the island for their comments in 2003 and now Pink has done her, "Dear Mr. President" song so I am sure she is banned as well. Hey, how about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young that want to impeach the President? The list of musical groups and the dreaded Hollywood Actors are all speaking their minds and saying what they feel is growing every day. For a while there those that were suddenly had their Income Tax returns audited!?!
In my opinion Mr. Bush is doing what he believes in his heart to be the right thing. I disagree with him but it does not mean that I do not have empathy for our troops that are fighting for all of us and are in harms way every day. This country is divided into "Red" states and "Blue" states. However, the list of those that are becoming less than thrilled with the current Administration is growing. The Republican Conservatives are having a holiday because their team is in power and are not shy about doing exactly what they please. Hey, it's their show baby. They have control of the House, Senate and the Oval Office. Let's see how they do.
How is it that Pearl Jam has lost touch with their fans as they show up in imported cars?
PJ is essentially a "white or middle class fan based" rock group coming out of Seattle, WA and their fans are growing a little older and have managed careers and possibly some success in life. They are too smart to buy a Buick and either want an import or a SUV. J\K
It was easy to see what was on your mind with your post and comments and I think you are going in the wrong direction with regards to Pearl Jam. Even the Pope said it was ok to believe in Evolution and Christ so you can love Pearl Jam and not feel the same passion for their political beliefs. I have no issue with your beliefs or what party you support and say "good for you." In the end the criticism is part of the prestige of the position of being considered the most powerful person on the planet. You just can't please all of the people all of the time.
You seem very intelligent and it sounds like you have your head on straight.
Enjoy and I am glad you liked the show. We sure did.
Isnt that the whole point of not selling out, not giving way to sponsors and promoters. What do you think every Mercedez Benz icon is? it's a recruiting tool. I understand that Pearl Jam may not have been driving them but then they've lost touch with their fans then cause I was probably one of the few at that show with out an import and damn proud to have had a BUSH/CHENNEY 2004 bumper sticker.
I enjoyed LA I so much I didn't bother to look at who was driving what or what their bumper stickers said.
I can't wait to see them again!
bugs in the way...I feel about you
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
Comments
Yup. Weird though 'cause watching them again tonight, the spotlight is always in his face....
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
Best RVM ever.
I had worse seats than i did at san diego but it was a great show none theless. Highlights for me were hearing these TEN tracks for the first time: jeremy, WHY GO, and release. I called it too. I said release would be the opener! just had a gut feeling... Also, big wave gets better each time. I agree... the setlist was similar to san diego and that was a little dissapointing.. but then out of nowhere, thats when WHY GO hit and i went crazy. everyone in my section was standing and some sat during songs like Come Back and Inside Job. But for the most part, cool people giving each other high fives and just having a good time. Wasnt as lively as san diego but still a good crowd. Either way, i was buzzing, and i was dancing all night
Was thrilled to be at the Forum even tho they charged 20 bucks for parking....WTF's up with that?! Anyone read those flyers those protesters were handing out? Where it said to NOT buy pearl jam stuff. Once i read that i threw the paper.
oh yea and another thing, i was in line to get the wave poster and my friend in front of me got the last one... what was up with the posters running out? you bastards took all the wave posters!!! haha
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Wow, I think you're reading way too much into it. I didn't sense any contempt for the city in the least bit. I sensed nothing but love & appreciation. I'd be pissed otherwise.
That sucks man. When I was in line some chick had like 10 of them in her hands as she was leaving the line. J
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to have fun." Benjamin Franklin
www.AllAmericanBiofuels.com
Biodiesel: No War Required!
Those are awesome. Thanks for posting them!
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ
I'd be interested in getting my hands on a poster.... let me know if you have an extra and I'll buy it off you...
i think i would have liked to see a little bit more partying in the parking lot. but perhaps its because of my parking location.
i think this show meant a lot to mike. he mentioned how he had played at the roxy and whiskey with only 4 people in attendance (including duff from guns n roses). you can see how he persisted with big wave and going on further with ledbetter.
awesome personal experience for myself. i drove accross the country from pennsylvania this summer to live in la for an internship. the day i left for cali i proudly put on a pj sticker on my vehicle. got to hear given to fly, which is ultimately inspired by going to california by led zeppelin. i brought two posters to hang in my apartment: an old poster for the given to fly single that i found in some crazy obscure shop, and a tour poster from philly for the spring tour. this concert summed up the probably most unbelievable summer i will ever have.
heres a pic of the sticker when i arrived to the pacific ocean:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7177/2987/1600/DSC02621.jpg
My guess is she got caught trying to sneak up closer to the stage. There was no messing around with that game at the LA shows, to bad Bean Girl didnt show up and get that treatment.
It was fun before the show to meet other PJ fans. We met people from Boston and NYC. I had thought my fiance was kinda nutty for going to ALL the shows in California (and Nevada) but apparently that is nothing for true PJ fans.
I told my fiance going in there was no song I wanted to hear in particular because I knew if I told him I wanted to hear Jeremy I would sound like such a wannabe. But really I was DYING to hear that song because I LOVED that song when I was 15. So when Jeremy started up, I screamed my lungs out. And it was so awesome! The 15 year old inside me was so happy!
I know a lot of the huge fans were disappointed that this night was a "greatest hits" night but for my first show ever, it was AWESOME.
I remember when Betterman started up I got goosebumps. And during Black, I nearly started crying.
And the show seemed SO high energy. I was grooving even during the songs I didn't know as well.
The only downside was this was the one show my fiance didn't have Ten Club tickets for so we were up in the nose bleed section. Everyone around us was pretty lame. A lot of them sat when the song was not from Ten (how can you sit during World Wide Suicide?!) and the people to the right of us kept leaving and coming back. But I still danced and sang despite the losers around us.
It was an awesome experience! And when I went to work the next day, totally beat, I had "Why Go" lodged firmly in my head. I was kind of bummed that I had only agreed to go to one concert with my fiance. BUT our friend who was going to LA II with him canceled so guess who got to go?! I will go write about that in LA II fan reviews.
Was this near the end of the show, when the house lights were on? I thought I saw this happening, my god, they nearly had to drag her out.
No, it was about 1/3rd the way into the show, trust me with all the commotion and all the security guards around, you would know what Im talking about had you seen it.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Kings of the New Pantheon
Review: Pearl Jam's Forum opener solidifies its stature among the greatest bands ever.
By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register
There are so many different reviews I could write about Pearl Jam's tremendous performance Sunday night at the Forum, the first of the Seattle band's two sold-out shows this week at the venerable Inglewood haunt.
These days that building seems to remain standing for little reason other than to provide such a rock giant a proper stomping ground. It's definitely Ed Vedder's kind of place – as intimate as arenas get anymore, with no skyboxes and no advertising to be found. A place where no electronic scrawls scream for Budweiser and Carl's Jr. The sign merely reads: "beer, wine and snacks."
"Probably the same way it looked when the Who played here and Zeppelin played here," Vedder noted. This night it wouldn't be the first time he'd reference the first band, or the golden age of hard rock for that matter.
Which is largely what's steering this review toward big comparisons and lofty analogies. I could waste as much space dissecting speculative meanings behind transitions at this show. Why, for instance, did the soft reprise of the new mantra "Life Wasted" and the biting attack of its full-roar version bookend a set-within-the-set that included "Better Man" (its first verse taken from Vedder by the chanting crowd), a torrential "Whipping" and "Not for You," and "Inside Job."
Come to think of it, there are at least two reviews to be culled from that passage alone, one focused on Vedder's thinking-man's persona (posited by Rolling Stone recently as the last of the true American rock rebels) and another focused on what really might be going on underneath his Jesus locks these days.
He is, after all, experiencing a mid-career Renaissance, his popularity (along with the band's) spiking at a rate that would have alarmed the younger, attention-loathing Vedder. But settled into his skin now, and in firm control of how he's presented (if not perceived), he's become a tangible hero to devotees. We can't possibly know him that well, yet his music and his statements lately make us feel as though we do. He's not removed anymore, on a pedestal; he's just Ed.
That factor is as intrinsic to Pearl Jam's continued success as any of Mike McCready's or Stone Gossard's riffs or the group's determination to make every show something unique. But given the inspiring, two-hour-40-minute set Pearl Jam delivered Sunday night, any deeper analysis runs a distant second to talk of the band's stature among other gods in rock's new pantheon.
When you play every major track off "Ten," virtually all the hits that followed (including the challenging ones, like my personal favorite "Do the Evolution"), toss in Mother Love Bone's "Crown of Thorns," a cameo from Tim Robbins and a house-lights-up finale of "Baba O'Riley" and an impromptu "Yellow Ledbetter" – well, you're asking to be measured against the greatest ever.
And Pearl Jam holds up in any such face-off. As I see it, it's like this: U2 is the new Rolling Stones, Radiohead is the new Beatles and Pearl Jam is the new Who. (There is no new Zep, and probably never will be, though Jack White valiantly tries.)
Yes, U2 is more like the Beatles in terms of global impact, but Radiohead has Bono and the boys beat in terms of groundbreaking yet accessible experimentation nowadays. U2, though more crucial on a sociopolitical level than the Stones could ever be, has nevertheless become the planet's grandest spectacle.
And, yes, we've all heard this Who babble regarding PJ before, since before Vedder became so chummy with Pete Townshend, actually. Yet every time the band returns, it seems more Who-like than before, just as Vedder appears more like a grown-up incarnation of one of Townshend's schizoid antiheroes.
Surely it's deliberate on Pearl Jam's part to evoke the Who, especially when playing the Forum. Why else keep reviving "Baba" (as they did three years ago in Irvine and eight years ago at the Forum)? Why else would Vedder resort to windmilling his guitar like Townshend and whipping his microphone about like Roger Daltrey?
It's on this tour, however, that Pearl Jam not only solidifies that parallel to the past, it also rises to the level of populist appeal that only U2 and maybe Springsteen have held in the past decade-plus.
The last few times Pearl Jam came to town, the (smaller) shows still felt geared toward die-hards, no matter how many overplayed staples were included. This time, the way Vedder and the guys (including bassist Jeff Ament and drummer Matt Cameron) worked the crowd over seemed more calculated. Not phony – especially when there's no Jumbotron screen or curtain of lights in sight. Harking back to the '70s (and early '90s) with every cut, this is just a band at the peak of its powers, well-juiced and stripped of artifice.
But the approach was very much like U2's – heavy on the hits so that the peppering of new ones doesn't bore casual fans or push them to tune out messages. And at that PJ has topped U2, slipping in 10 (!) fresh tracks from its outstanding new self-titled disc, from stirring entry points like "World Wide Suicide" and "Big Wave" to moodier moments like "Come Back" and "Severed Hand."
To top it off, there was a Dylanesque rarity: a duet between Vedder and Robbins on the stinging Phil Ochs song "Here's to the State of Mississippi," rewritten by Robbins to taunt Bush, Cheney, Jerry Falwell and other figures"Here's to the land you've torn the heart out of," they sang in harmony. "(Fill in the blank), find yourself another country to be a part of."
That's just the sort of move that can lead to ridiculous "Robbins and Vedder in '08!" chatter. It's also the sort of thing few other acts would dare. I don't think even the forebears Pearl Jam has come to most resemble were ever so outspoken.
Whether this night's attempt at something monumental is par for the course, however, remains to be seen as I write this. Monday night's gig could be more of the same or radically different and less inviting to radio listeners – just as Wednesday's impossible-to-get-into KROQ-sponsored stop at the Fonda in Hollywood could be another jaw-dropping sight.
That's why, like all great bands, Pearl Jam is worth following night after night.
The only disappointment here was opening act Sonic Youth, a mighty and influential force that nonetheless has trouble connecting with people at an arena level.
The band's sound is simply too fractured and atmospheric for this setting, and adding an unnamed bassist to unleash Kim Gordon to bounce about in silvery short-shorts was just awkward. Sticking almost entirely to material off its latest album, "Rather Ripped," it was as if Sonic Youth had set out to introduce itself to a whole new crowd as a whole new band.
Which is admirable. But also more than a little off-putting to faithful fans.
Wow, that is some review!!! Thanks so much for posting!!!
July 17, 2006 11:01 AM
by Jim Harrington
LiveDaily Contributor
Pearl Jam will probably never again be the biggest band in the world, a title it held for some years during the '90s. It takes two things to achieve that ranking: huge album sales and a monster live show. Eddie Vedder and crew don't have the former. But they certainly have the latter.
Fifteen years after the release of "Ten," a record that still ranks as one of the most successful debuts in rock history, Pearl Jam has struggled to find listeners for its new eponymous release. "Pearl Jam" has hardly marked the band's return to commercial glory. It failed to top the charts when it was released in May, coming in a distant second to Tool's "10,000 Days" (which roughly doubled the first-week sales of "Pearl Jam"), and made a surprisingly quick exit from the upper echelon of the Billboard Top 200.
Although no longer a real force in retail, Pearl Jam remains a powerhouse in the live arena. The band's current tour is one the summer's hot sellers, and you can usually count on the group to show fans a really good time.
Most recently, Pearl Jam sold out three nights at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. This run, which included dates on Saturday and Sunday (7/15-16) and ends Tuesday (7/18), marked the first time that the group had played within the San Francisco city limits in 11 years. The last time was the near-riot in Golden Gate Park in 1995, back when Pearl Jam was indeed the biggest band in the world, when local legend Neil Young took over for an ailing Vedder after only a few songs. Since that occasion, the band has been performing nearly all its Northern California dates at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in nearby Mountain View.
If local fans had any sore feelings regarding the band's lengthy absence, Pearl Jam definitely made it up to them with a blistering set of old and new tunes.
Following an opening set by legendary alt-rockers Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam took the stage and immediately began to rip through breakneck versions of such tunes as "Of the Girl" (from 2000's "Binaural"), "Go" (from 1993's "Vs.") and the new album's first single, "World Wide Suicide." Vedder, who seemed deliriously happy to be back performing in San Francisco, delivered his strongest Bay Area performance in years as he pushed his buds through the anthem-like "Given to Fly" (from 1998's "Yield").
Guitarist Mike McCready, as usual, was right there by Vedder's side and delivering the kind of high-flying leads that other alt-rockers can only dream about. (Vedder recalled his mid-'90s prime with this show. McCready, in contrast, reminded folks that he keeps getting better with each passing year.)
The band performed 17 numbers during the first set--which, on paper, looks to be enough to make for an entire evening of song. The catch is that Pearl Jam was moving at such a rapid pace that it finished its main set in just over an hour.
Thankfully, the group returned to play two lengthy encores that combined to last even longer than the first set. The first encore had old-school PJ freaks going nuts, as the band returned to its debut to play both "Even Flow" and "Alive."
The next encore proved to be even better as the group embraced the second half of its name--"Jam"--and really tore into versions of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" and the concert-staple "Yellow Ledbetter."
"There's only one party I know and it is freedom"
-EV
6-3-03 Irvine, CA
Go Cubs!
Are you aware of the charities and causes Pearl Jam supported with this tour?
They are one of the few bands that did not "sell out" and it has impacted their success. You could say that Eddie is a true "Anti" from way back. Don't take my word for it check it out. How much "other country" support is coming out of Orange County these days?
Here is information from their website:
http://www.tenclub.net/activism/nonprofit.php
Hail, Hail!!!
Sure, there were many charities on this tour. But from a band that is using their influence mainly in politics I dont see anything that tries to promote their democratic views in helping third worrd countries. Nurses, Doctors and CARE are wonderful but what will happen when druglords who "run" those countries wont let them in or steal the supplies for money to buy more weapons. Im not debating the fact that they dont support aid in other countries, what are they doing to ensure the help is getting to the people, what governments are they working with? You cant simply assume just cause the media prints that aid is getting to he people is a true statement. Im sure there are people in the media despite what ever political affiliation they are with who are tempted to be paid off. Im sure life is beatutful in warm sunny OC with the beaches over there and everyone is doing their part to criticize everyone in the Bush Administration but where Im at is far from that.
Go Cubs!
Isnt that the whole point of not selling out, not giving way to sponsors and promoters. What do you think every Mercedez Benz icon is? it's a recruiting tool. I understand that Pearl Jam may not have been driving them but then they've lost touch with their fans then cause I was probably one of the few at that show with out an import and damn proud to have had a BUSH/CHENNEY 2004 bumper sticker.
Go Cubs!
You speak of a great thing and we would all agree that everyone should be doing something about that. It seems to me that governments around the world are better suited for these type of things. Or maybe you should join the Peace Corps and help out yourself.
"I don't see anything that tries to promote their democratic views in helping third worlds countries"
Where does it say these are Democratic views? If you have a problem with Eddie speaking his mind you better get over it real quick because he always has and he always will. LOL
Let's see, so far they have voted the Dixie Chicks off of the island for their comments in 2003 and now Pink has done her, "Dear Mr. President" song so I am sure she is banned as well. Hey, how about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young that want to impeach the President? The list of musical groups and the dreaded Hollywood Actors are all speaking their minds and saying what they feel is growing every day. For a while there those that were suddenly had their Income Tax returns audited!?!
In my opinion Mr. Bush is doing what he believes in his heart to be the right thing. I disagree with him but it does not mean that I do not have empathy for our troops that are fighting for all of us and are in harms way every day. This country is divided into "Red" states and "Blue" states. However, the list of those that are becoming less than thrilled with the current Administration is growing. The Republican Conservatives are having a holiday because their team is in power and are not shy about doing exactly what they please. Hey, it's their show baby. They have control of the House, Senate and the Oval Office. Let's see how they do.
How is it that Pearl Jam has lost touch with their fans as they show up in imported cars?
PJ is essentially a "white or middle class fan based" rock group coming out of Seattle, WA and their fans are growing a little older and have managed careers and possibly some success in life. They are too smart to buy a Buick and either want an import or a SUV. J\K
It was easy to see what was on your mind with your post and comments and I think you are going in the wrong direction with regards to Pearl Jam. Even the Pope said it was ok to believe in Evolution and Christ so you can love Pearl Jam and not feel the same passion for their political beliefs. I have no issue with your beliefs or what party you support and say "good for you." In the end the criticism is part of the prestige of the position of being considered the most powerful person on the planet. You just can't please all of the people all of the time.
You seem very intelligent and it sounds like you have your head on straight.
Enjoy and I am glad you liked the show. We sure did.
I enjoyed LA I so much I didn't bother to look at who was driving what or what their bumper stickers said.
I can't wait to see them again!
"New music, new friends. Pearl Jam."
I like our socks. I hear we make a fine sock. I always say, You might not love our records, but I think you'll like our socks. - Stone
"This record is us speaking out in class." -EV on PJ