First off, I have to admit I’ve been lucky to see some very good shows in the past. I was at Santa Barbara in 2003 and Vancouver in 2005. This was in the top 3 for best shows I’ve been too.
I was at Vegas the night before, but for whatever reason the Vegas show was probably the worst show I’ve been to in 17 tries. Probably because I’m not much of the Vegas type (I spent the 8 prior days hiking and backpacking in Southern Utah). So that said, the Vegas show was still really good. I just don’t like Vegas.
Anyway, the show started out great. I remember mouthing “Oceans” about 1 second before they launched into the song. After that good sign, I figured this was going to be a great show.
The first thing I noticed is that Ed was in great spirits during the show. His happiness was very transparent. I’ve never seen him this carefree. The rest of the band directly fed off his attitude, as everyone seemed very loose for the entire night.
The girl I sat next too (she ran 4 local Coldstone stores) was the same I sat next to in the Vancouver 05 show. It was cool to see a familiar face some 2,000 miles away (I’m from Seattle). Since her family was running a local Coldstone at the arena, she was lucky enough to sneak into the soundcheck. Therefore, I was pleased, but not surprised when they broke into Brian of J. That said, the only Yield songs I’ve yet to here are “No Way”, “All Those Yesterdays”, and “In Hiding”.
Love Boat Captain was great with “Let The Show Begin” mixed in with it. It was the 2nd opener we would hear that night.
Even Flow, usually a pee break song, was accented with a kick ass McCready solo and a Matt drum solo. Even Ed was active for the entire song, dancing around instead of resting or smoking.
Wasted Reprise was great, and I was pleasantly surprised with the Betterman followup. It reminded me of the 2003 show in SD with the crowd singing the opening. As Ed would say, ‘Fucking Beautiful”. The Save it for Later was also one of the best I’ve seen.
Satan’s Bed was a very unexpected follow up, but much welcomed. They fucking nailed it!
Inside Job turned out to be the 3rd opener we were lucky to here. I loved the way they opened Vegas with this track. In my opinion, this song should be retired to “OPENER” status. It’s a great song that builds up beautifully.
RVM was one of the best versions I’ve seen. The jam was tight and great.
For a great surprise, the 4th opener would be LONG ROAD. I had not heard it live since the 2000 Groundworks show in Seattle. To see Ed be very frank and tell the story behind the song was very special. The follow up with Come Back was equally touching. The song was about 100 times more powerful after hearing Ed’s touching story with the Long Road intro. Very special.
The Crazy Mary jam was great. Mike and Boom were on fire and the entire band was having a great time.
It’s got to be hard for a band to keep raising the bar throughout such a great show, but that is exactly what they did by launching into Crown of Thorns. It was a really great version with Mikey on fire.
So how do you follow up Crown of Thorns???? With Alive??? Are you kidding me??? How can a song they have played 300 times pull an upset on Crown of Thorns??? I don’t know, BUT THEY PULLED OFF THE FUCKING UPSET OF THE DECADE!!!! This version of Alive was AMAZING. Seeing Ed and Mike standing on opposite speaker cabinets, Jeff and Stone rocking away. Fucking amazing!
After that, they could have ended the show and I would have been happy. But my smile temporally ended when the launched into Last Kiss. But to my surprise, it turned out to be great version. Ed was really happy and ended up climbing a ladder some 25 feet into the air to sing to the back of the room. I couldn’t help but think that the rest of the band had to feel concerned that their meal ticket was drunk and climbing a rope ladder. But all ended well.
Comatose is my favorite new song so that was awesome, but LEASH blew it away. It was a great moment to be able to hear that song live.
Although I was not praying to hear the song, Big Wave blew me the fuck away. It was a great tight jam. This will be a well-welcomed song to hear in the future.
It was cool to see Kelly Slater come out to help with RITFW, and Yellow Ledbetter is always a great welcome.
In the end, I would have to rank the best shows (That I’ve Been To) in the following order:
1) Vancouver 05 (Fucking amazing energy)
2) Santa Barbara 03 (Temple of the Dog. Enough said)
3) San Diego 06 (Thanks PJ! Can’t wait for the Gorge shows!)
im listening to this boot and im blown away.. they sounded so tight on the 2005 tour and on the albany and grand rapids boots they sounded even better... but never did i think they'd completely top that. mike especially is fucking ripping.. and matty's drumming is sounding even better with the band along with his backup singing!!
Did you dl the FLAC or mp3? I have to have this show and I want to know quality-wise which is better.
Thanks!!
"Do you think the carpetpissers did this?" - The Dude
First off, I have to admit I’ve been lucky to see some very good shows in the past. I was at Santa Barbara in 2003 and Vancouver in 2005. This was in the top 3 for best shows I’ve been too.
I was at Vegas the night before, but for whatever reason the Vegas show was probably the worst show I’ve been to in 17 tries. Probably because I’m not much of the Vegas type (I spent the 8 prior days hiking and backpacking in Southern Utah). So that said, the Vegas show was still really good. I just don’t like Vegas.
Anyway, the show started out great. I remember mouthing “Oceans” about 1 second before they launched into the song. After that good sign, I figured this was going to be a great show.
The first thing I noticed is that Ed was in great spirits during the show. His happiness was very transparent. I’ve never seen him this carefree. The rest of the band directly fed off his attitude, as everyone seemed very loose for the entire night.
The girl I sat next too (she ran 4 local Coldstone stores) was the same I sat next to in the Vancouver 05 show. It was cool to see a familiar face some 2,000 miles away (I’m from Seattle). Since her family was running a local Coldstone at the arena, she was lucky enough to sneak into the soundcheck. Therefore, I was pleased, but not surprised when they broke into Brian of J. That said, the only Yield songs I’ve yet to here are “No Way”, “All Those Yesterdays”, and “In Hiding”.
Love Boat Captain was great with “Let The Show Begin” mixed in with it. It was the 2nd opener we would hear that night.
Even Flow, usually a pee break song, was accented with a kick ass McCready solo and a Matt drum solo. Even Ed was active for the entire song, dancing around instead of resting or smoking.
Wasted Reprise was great, and I was pleasantly surprised with the Betterman followup. It reminded me of the 2003 show in SD with the crowd singing the opening. As Ed would say, ‘Fucking Beautiful”. The Save it for Later was also one of the best I’ve seen.
Satan’s Bed was a very unexpected follow up, but much welcomed. They fucking nailed it!
Inside Job turned out to be the 3rd opener we were lucky to here. I loved the way they opened Vegas with this track. In my opinion, this song should be retired to “OPENER” status. It’s a great song that builds up beautifully.
RVM was one of the best versions I’ve seen. The jam was tight and great.
For a great surprise, the 4th opener would be LONG ROAD. I had not heard it live since the 2000 Groundworks show in Seattle. To see Ed be very frank and tell the story behind the song was very special. The follow up with Come Back was equally touching. The song was about 100 times more powerful after hearing Ed’s touching story with the Long Road intro. Very special.
The Crazy Mary jam was great. Mike and Boom were on fire and the entire band was having a great time.
It’s got to be hard for a band to keep raising the bar throughout such a great show, but that is exactly what they did by launching into Crown of Thorns. It was a really great version with Mikey on fire.
So how do you follow up Crown of Thorns???? With Alive??? Are you kidding me??? How can a song they have played 300 times pull an upset on Crown of Thorns??? I don’t know, BUT THEY PULLED OFF THE FUCKING UPSET OF THE DECADE!!!! This version of Alive was AMAZING. Seeing Ed and Mike standing on opposite speaker cabinets, Jeff and Stone rocking away. Fucking amazing!
After that, they could have ended the show and I would have been happy. But my smile temporally ended when the launched into Last Kiss. But to my surprise, it turned out to be great version. Ed was really happy and ended up climbing a ladder some 25 feet into the air to sing to the back of the room. I couldn’t help but think that the rest of the band had to feel concerned that their meal ticket was drunk and climbing a rope ladder. But all ended well.
Comatose is my favorite new song so that was awesome, but LEASH blew it away. It was a great moment to be able to hear that song live.
Although I was not praying to hear the song, Big Wave blew me the fuck away. It was a great tight jam. This will be a well-welcomed song to hear in the future.
It was cool to see Kelly Slater come out to help with RITFW, and Yellow Ledbetter is always a great welcome.
In the end, I would have to rank the best shows (That I’ve Been To) in the following order:
1) Vancouver 05 (Fucking amazing energy)
2) Santa Barbara 03 (Temple of the Dog. Enough said)
3) San Diego 06 (Thanks PJ! Can’t wait for the Gorge shows!)
Thanks PJ!
Great Review!!
Like you said, usually I'm not thrilled to hear "Last Kiss" but the energy and Ed climbing and singing simultaneously made it a real treat. Also, I'm usually really bummed to hear Ledbetter because we know it's the end, but this time after over 2 1/2 hours I was able to enjoy the song and hearing Mike do Star Spangled Banner...NIIIICE!!!
I knew this was my only chance this year so I waited outside with about 10 other people to see if I could meet any of them. About 2AM, a van drove up and the security guy just told us Ed is tired and would just like to say "hi" so no pictures and no autographs. My camera's card was full. I was standing there with my Sharpie and Avocado cd, but I had to respect those wishes. Ed came out and shook our hands and chatted with the group for maybe 5 mins. He had a perma-smile and looked exhausted. Then he hopped back into the van and drove away. That was a nice topper to a amaaazing show. That was cool of him to even stop
"Do you think the carpetpissers did this?" - The Dude
Awesome setlist - Oceans, You Are, Crown of Thorns, Leash. Brain of J, Satan's Bed and Big Wave were superb. Thought the intro to Long Road was a bit lengthy however it gave Mike some time to rest. I was 19th row side stage (Section P - Mike's side) and I had an awesome view of Mike tearing it up and Ed climbing the ladder.
My wife and I were one of the ten or so people who met Ed after the show which was pretty cool. Loved how he jumped out of the van, ran over and said thanks for waiting for him. You could tell that he was exhausted and a little tipsy and would have been justified to have just driven on home. Hell of a guy to stop and talk to us. Just another reason to love this band.
The Montreal/LA surfer guy, his buddy and everyone else waiting around were alot of fun and made the time go alot quicker. Thanks for the entertainment guys!! Still am puzzled that the security lady asked to see my cigarette; I guess she thought I was smoking a joint.
Glad I hung out with everyone. Its always worth it when you get to shake hands with Ed.
Off to see the Black Crowes in Raleigh and Norfolk (my second favorite band).
Peace
PJ Cincy 00, Lex 03, Columbus 03, Hershey 03, Benaroya 03, Boston 9/28/04, Toledo 04, Grand Rapids 04, St.L 04, Asheville 04, Kitchener 05, London 05, Hamilton 05, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Philly 05, Chicago I & II 06, Cincy 06, Las Vegas 06, SD 06, EV LA2 08, Columbia 08, Camden I & II 08
My wife and I were one of the ten or so people who met Ed after the show which was pretty cool. Loved how he jumped out of the van, ran over and said thanks for waiting for him. You could tell that he was exhausted and a little tipsy and would have been justified to have just driven on home. Hell of a guy to stop and talk to us. Just another reason to love this band.
The Montreal/LA surfer guy, his buddy and everyone else waiting around were alot of fun and made the time go alot quicker. Thanks for the entertainment guys!! Still am puzzled that the security lady asked to see my cigarette; I guess she thought I was smoking a joint.
Glad I hung out with everyone. Its always worth it when you get to shake hands with Ed.
Ok, gotta know where'd you wait? how long did you wait? I have been dreaming about meeting Ed for years and had actual dreams the three nights following the show, so I want to know what to do at the next show so I can improve my chances of making it happen. Thanks for any info!
I'm too young to be old and too old to be young; I just don't fit anywhere.
5/9/10 - Cleveland, OH
9/28/09 - SLC, UT 6/17/08 - Virginia Beach, VA
7/7/06 - San Diego, CA 9/1/05 - George, WA
6/7/03 - Phoenix, AZ 10/21/00 - Phoenix, AZ
7/8/98 - Phoenix, AZ 10/7/96 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Awesome setlist - Oceans, You Are, Crown of Thorns, Leash. Brain of J, Satan's Bed and Big Wave were superb. Thought the intro to Long Road was a bit lengthy however it gave Mike some time to rest. I was 19th row side stage (Section P - Mike's side) and I had an awesome view of Mike tearing it up and Ed climbing the ladder.
My wife and I were one of the ten or so people who met Ed after the show which was pretty cool. Loved how he jumped out of the van, ran over and said thanks for waiting for him. You could tell that he was exhausted and a little tipsy and would have been justified to have just driven on home. Hell of a guy to stop and talk to us. Just another reason to love this band.
The Montreal/LA surfer guy, his buddy and everyone else waiting around were alot of fun and made the time go alot quicker. Thanks for the entertainment guys!! Still am puzzled that the security lady asked to see my cigarette; I guess she thought I was smoking a joint.
Glad I hung out with everyone. Its always worth it when you get to shake hands with Ed.
Off to see the Black Crowes in Raleigh and Norfolk (my second favorite band).
Peace
Jack Sparrow and his bud were a crack up. I was the guy in the Hendrix shirt trying to stay awake.
Have fun at the Crowes!!
"Do you think the carpetpissers did this?" - The Dude
Ok, gotta know where'd you wait? how long did you wait? I have been dreaming about meeting Ed for years and had actual dreams the three nights following the show, so I want to know what to do at the next show so I can improve my chances of making it happen. Thanks for any info!
At Cox arena behind the arena where all the trucks and vans load in. There is a wall and a gate with a security person letting vehicles in and out. Waited for 2 hrs. If it was at San Diego Sports arena(Ipay One Center) you would wait in back where the trucks and vans load in. Sometimes bands will stop and talk and sometimes no. I've met more than a few bands this way. This is where they always enter the venue, through the back where the equipment is loaded.
"Do you think the carpetpissers did this?" - The Dude
Jack Sparrow and his bud were a crack up. I was the guy in the Hendrix shirt trying to stay awake.
Have fun at the Crowes!!
Thanks bro! I hear you about trying to stay awake. I was whooped from driving to SD from Vegas, attending the show and reading tea leaves whether or not Ed have left yet but it was well worth it.
You are right about Jack Sparrow and his buddy. I almost cried from laughing so hard when he asked the security guy to sign his forehead and them ripping on each other. Good guys and Good times!!
By the way, you are so lucky living in SD. Coronado, LaJolla, Del Marr are very pretty places.
Peace
PJ Cincy 00, Lex 03, Columbus 03, Hershey 03, Benaroya 03, Boston 9/28/04, Toledo 04, Grand Rapids 04, St.L 04, Asheville 04, Kitchener 05, London 05, Hamilton 05, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Philly 05, Chicago I & II 06, Cincy 06, Las Vegas 06, SD 06, EV LA2 08, Columbia 08, Camden I & II 08
Review from the San Diego Union Tribune (not my review, there are a few sections here I would take exceptions with, specifically his talk about McCready's solos):
It took the five members of Pearl Jam a while to get their groove on Friday night at SDSU's sprawling Cox Arena, where the Seattle-based band made its first area appearance since 2003. But everything came together with the group's fifth selection and recent single, “World Wide Suicide,” a song that rocked so hard and triumphantly its reverberations may still be echoing in Cox as you read this.
A charged anti-war anthem in pop-rock clothing, “Suicide” combines slashing power chords and propulsive drumming with an infectious, radio-friendly hook and a soaring chorus that The Who's Pete Townshend would probably be happy to claim as his own. Juxtaposed against this rousing musical burst is an introspective message, which tempers “Suicide's” anger at the Bush administration with palpable sadness about the heavy toll of human suffering and death wrought by the ongoing war in Iraq.
This combination of galvanizing music and thoughtful, impassioned lyrics has long provided the artistic template for Pearl Jam's best songs. On Friday, before a capacity audience of 11,500 loudly enthusiastic fans, the 16-year-old band breathed new life into old favorites (most notably the dramatically expanded “Better Man”), as well as performing 10 of the 13 songs from its self-titled new album.
One of them, the soul-drenched ballad “Come Back,” suggested lead singer Eddie Vedder has been absorbing the peerless vocal style of the immortal Otis Redding. Another new number, the surging “Big Wave,” was performed live for the first time, according to Vedder, who learned to surf here as a teenager growing up in North County.
The pacing of the concert lost momentum several times and was marred by an annoyingly uneven audio mix, which too often buried the superb drumming of former San Diegan Matt Cameron. But the band generally played with enough vigor to elevate even some of its lesser material. It also offered a few surprises, most notably a cameo on rhythm guitar by Kelly Slater. The surfing legend was featured on a combustible version of Neil Young's “Rockin' in the Free World,” which came as the 2½-hour concert's penultimate selection before “Yellow Ledbetter” brought the show to a close.
“This man has taken me on waves so big that it's put the future of our band in jeopardy!” a grinning Vedder said of Slater.
Augmented by frequently inaudible keyboardist Boom Gaspar, the group also showcased its classic-rock and punk influences, for better and worse. Crunchy, melody-rich guitar riffs and high-octane musical velocity have an enduring appeal, but aimless, overextended guitar solos do not. There were enough of the latter Friday to suggest Pearl Jam is starting to take the second part of its name too literally, and lead guitarist Mike McCready (also a former North County resident) lacks sufficient virtuosity and finesse to justify the length of too many of his unfocused solos.
Happily, Vedder compensated by once again fostering a welcome feeling of community with his fans, which they returned in kind. While too many other rock stars pay lip-service to their concert audiences and sprout inane cliches (think: “You rock, San Diego!” or “I can't hear you!”), Vedder is genuinely connected with his listeners, who sang along on many selections.
He dedicated “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” to “Olivenhain, Vista, Fallbrook . . . all your one-liquor store kind of towns.” Vedder also spent several minutes paying earnest tribute to Clayton E. Liggett, his former drama teacher and beloved mentor at San Dieguito High School in Encinitas. A portion of the proceeds from Friday's concert will help fund a theater in Liggett's name at the school, where Vedder once starred in a production of “Bye Bye Birdie” (and from which he dropped out during his senior year to more fully nurture his artistic creativity).
Liggett's 1995 death inspired Vedder to write one of his most moving songs, “The Long Road,” and its performance at Cox was a highlight. Despite smoking and conspicuously swigging from a wine bottle during parts of the concert – precisely the type of boorish rock star behavior he once shunned – Pearl Jam's bearded singer left no doubt that, like his band's most potent music, his heart is still in exactly the right place.
It took awhile for the members of PJ to get their groove on?????!!! HUH??!!
Funny I thought it was on right from Oceans.....Plus no mention of Ed climbing that metal ladder, def could have been mentioned something like this.
"Vedder started to climb a metal ladder behind guitarist Mike McReady and was clearly ready to go all the way up recalling the band;s early days when they were blazing trails as grunge forefathers."...LOL
Review from the San Diego Union Tribune (not my review, there are a few sections here I would take exceptions with, specifically his talk about McCready's solos):
It took the five members of Pearl Jam a while to get their groove on Friday night at SDSU's sprawling Cox Arena, where the Seattle-based band made its first area appearance since 2003. But everything came together with the group's fifth selection and recent single, “World Wide Suicide,” a song that rocked so hard and triumphantly its reverberations may still be echoing in Cox as you read this.
A charged anti-war anthem in pop-rock clothing, “Suicide” combines slashing power chords and propulsive drumming with an infectious, radio-friendly hook and a soaring chorus that The Who's Pete Townshend would probably be happy to claim as his own. Juxtaposed against this rousing musical burst is an introspective message, which tempers “Suicide's” anger at the Bush administration with palpable sadness about the heavy toll of human suffering and death wrought by the ongoing war in Iraq.
This combination of galvanizing music and thoughtful, impassioned lyrics has long provided the artistic template for Pearl Jam's best songs. On Friday, before a capacity audience of 11,500 loudly enthusiastic fans, the 16-year-old band breathed new life into old favorites (most notably the dramatically expanded “Better Man”), as well as performing 10 of the 13 songs from its self-titled new album.
One of them, the soul-drenched ballad “Come Back,” suggested lead singer Eddie Vedder has been absorbing the peerless vocal style of the immortal Otis Redding. Another new number, the surging “Big Wave,” was performed live for the first time, according to Vedder, who learned to surf here as a teenager growing up in North County.
The pacing of the concert lost momentum several times and was marred by an annoyingly uneven audio mix, which too often buried the superb drumming of former San Diegan Matt Cameron. But the band generally played with enough vigor to elevate even some of its lesser material. It also offered a few surprises, most notably a cameo on rhythm guitar by Kelly Slater. The surfing legend was featured on a combustible version of Neil Young's “Rockin' in the Free World,” which came as the 2½-hour concert's penultimate selection before “Yellow Ledbetter” brought the show to a close.
“This man has taken me on waves so big that it's put the future of our band in jeopardy!” a grinning Vedder said of Slater.
Augmented by frequently inaudible keyboardist Boom Gaspar, the group also showcased its classic-rock and punk influences, for better and worse. Crunchy, melody-rich guitar riffs and high-octane musical velocity have an enduring appeal, but aimless, overextended guitar solos do not. There were enough of the latter Friday to suggest Pearl Jam is starting to take the second part of its name too literally, and lead guitarist Mike McCready (also a former North County resident) lacks sufficient virtuosity and finesse to justify the length of too many of his unfocused solos.
Happily, Vedder compensated by once again fostering a welcome feeling of community with his fans, which they returned in kind. While too many other rock stars pay lip-service to their concert audiences and sprout inane cliches (think: “You rock, San Diego!” or “I can't hear you!”), Vedder is genuinely connected with his listeners, who sang along on many selections.
He dedicated “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” to “Olivenhain, Vista, Fallbrook . . . all your one-liquor store kind of towns.” Vedder also spent several minutes paying earnest tribute to Clayton E. Liggett, his former drama teacher and beloved mentor at San Dieguito High School in Encinitas. A portion of the proceeds from Friday's concert will help fund a theater in Liggett's name at the school, where Vedder once starred in a production of “Bye Bye Birdie” (and from which he dropped out during his senior year to more fully nurture his artistic creativity).
Liggett's 1995 death inspired Vedder to write one of his most moving songs, “The Long Road,” and its performance at Cox was a highlight. Despite smoking and conspicuously swigging from a wine bottle during parts of the concert – precisely the type of boorish rock star behavior he once shunned – Pearl Jam's bearded singer left no doubt that, like his band's most potent music, his heart is still in exactly the right place.
It took awhile for the members of PJ to get their groove on?????!!! HUH??!!
Funny I thought it was on right from Oceans.....Plus no mention of Ed climbing that metal ladder, def could have been mentioned something like this.
"Vedder started to climb a metal ladder behind guitarist Mike McReady and was clearly ready to go all the way up recalling the band;s early days when they were blazing trails as grunge forefathers."...LOL
So here I am...some five days after attending that mighty show....and I'm listening to my precious SD boot. I'm thinking so many things about the band, the crowd, the vibe, the feelings, the DAY....
RVM just came on and I've had to replay the damn thing because it's just that good! The jam...how good can this band jam?...is so deep. About 6:50 minutes into it, it gets damn near tribal! And I remember it sounding good at Cox Arena (good, not great...the sound of the place was truly off), but the boot sounds f*cking amazing.
The drums. The bass. The guitars. So good. Just so damn good.
I went to the 2 LA shows which were good, but San Diego was my standard and it hasn't been topped yet.
I posted it on the main page too, but 94.9 in San Diego will be playing the full show commercial free saturday night. They stream, so you should be able to listen on the web.
I posted it on the main page too, but 94.9 in San Diego will be playing the full show commercial free saturday night. They stream, so you should be able to listen on the web.
Information is not knowledge
Knowledge is not wisdom
Wisdom is not truth
Truth is not beauty
Beauty is not love
Love is not music
Music is THE BEST . . .
- Frank Zappa
best shows I've seen including the shows I saw in Brazil which were simply sick(mostly cause for once everyone on the field level was allowed to go nuts)...awesome performance all around and great vibe between band and crowd...good time:)
I listened to the encores this morning. Such an energetic performance. Case in point - Crazy Mary - one verse Ed just _hisses_ the line. So much emotion and the crowd is just hanging on every line. I got chills listening.
OH MY GOD THIS WAS THE SHOW OF LEG 2. IT PRETTY MUCH LEFT BOSTON 2 HANGING BY A TOENAIL. :eek: I DIDNT THINK THERED BE ANY OTHER SHOW TO TOP THIS ONE BUT UHM........YEAH. 2 WORDS-HENRY FONDA. ITS ALL DOWNHILL AFTER THAT........ SAN DIEGO STILL RULED BIG WAVE STYLE!!! WOOHOOO!!!
~~~~~~ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME~~~~~~
Sir Mike McCready is....THE MASTER!!! WAHHH!!!
EVENFLOW PSYCHOS H.N.I.C~FEEL THE FLOW!!!
"Pearl Jam fans are obsessed, they'd see the boys in HELL if tickets were sold."-CROJAM95
Almost three weeks after the SD show, I am still in awe and getting goosebumps every time I listen to the Bootleg of this show. I haven't taken it out of my car cd player in weeks, and I don't think that it will ever get old. I have been to 6 PJ concerts (All in CA) but, this was by far the most energy, from the band and crowd I have seen in any concert ever! Will never forget:the 15,000 fist pumping to "Alive", Eddie up on the ladder for "Last Kiss", the "Clayton E. Ligget/Long Road Story", the most haunting rendition of "Crazy Mary", and of course the 30+ other songs! This was one truly for the fans! Must hear this boot!
Almost three weeks after the SD show, I am still in awe and getting goosebumps every time I listen to the Bootleg of this show. I haven't taken it out of my car cd player in weeks, and I don't think that it will ever get old. I have been to 6 PJ concerts (All in CA) but, this was by far the most energy, from the band and crowd I have seen in any concert ever! Will never forget:the 15,000 fist pumping to "Alive", Eddie up on the ladder for "Last Kiss", the "Clayton E. Ligget/Long Road Story", the most haunting rendition of "Crazy Mary", and of course the 30+ other songs! This was one truly for the fans! Must hear this boot!
That was my first "save it for later" tag night.....I think i have played that betterman version a thousand times since the show.....
I was so busy with going to two more shows in LA after this one that I forgot to write a review!
I originally only planned on going to the two shows in LA, but then when my flight was changed to go into San Diego, I made a quick search on TM for a single ticket. I found one behind the stage but thought I’d try to find a 10c’er with an extra to help me out. Luckily mwbeck10 had one and we actually upgraded through another member with even better seats!
I got to SD and had trouble picking up the seats from the 10c transfer, but eventually got that worked out and received my floor tickets.
After getting some lunch, I went back to the arena and parked (for free, how awesome is that?) and went back up to the entrance of the venue where I saw some people buying posters through the opening of the gate. I took advantage of the opportunity and got one for myself. I still say it’s a cool poster.
This was my first time seeing Sonic Youth live, so I was very excited when they came on and played a lot of stuff from their new record.
PJ came on to a raucous ovation and then Ed starts off “1, 2, 3.....” and the band goes into OCEANS! I had predicted it for an opener while mwbeck10 and I were tailgating in the parking ramp. It was the best opener I’d ever witnessed. Mostly because I was waiting so long to hear it in person and after 12 shows, I finally got it!
BRAIN OF J was awesome!! At first I thought it was Save You because I wasn’t really paying attention so I was a bit disappointed then they kept going with B of J and once I realized what song it was, I went crazy!
Betterman/SIFL was awesome….Ed commented on our wonderful singing voices after the first sing a long verse. “That’s fucking beautiful.”
Satan’s Bed…holy crap, I can’t believe they played this. At first, Ed introduced it as a surf song, so I think everyone (including the screaming lunatic on the bootleg) thought it was going to be Big Wave. Then they launched into the funky intro that is Satan’s Bed and people went nuts!
It’s been said a lot, but the story Ed told along with Long Road for the first encore was amazing.
Then, Crown of Thorns…I’d never thought I’d hear it again after Chicago 2. I’m glad I was wrong.
BIG WAVE! Nice to have the live premiere of a song on my PJ fan resume.
Rockin’ was good, but Kelly Slater looked out of his element. That’s fine, we were rockin’ too hard to notice.
The arena was pretty cool. I’d never been to one like it where the concessions were outside. Plus, being on the floor, we were close to the concessions and restrooms in the back where one could pick up a beer very quickly. This was one of the loudest crowds at a PJ show that I’ve been a part of. (Winnipeg and Minneapolis probably were still louder than SD)
What a great show overall! There were rarities, favorites, tears, and laughs! Top 3 show out of 15 for me!
Oh yeah, almost forgot...thank you, woman who was wearing almost nothing for being at the show and sitting behind the stage.
I have converted many to the faithful after a listen to this show. I am so behind no too..got to get SF 1/2 Gorge 1 and numerous from europe....
Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/23
Comments
Open with Oceans and close with the Star Spangled Banner!!! God an amazing show! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!
I was at Vegas the night before, but for whatever reason the Vegas show was probably the worst show I’ve been to in 17 tries. Probably because I’m not much of the Vegas type (I spent the 8 prior days hiking and backpacking in Southern Utah). So that said, the Vegas show was still really good. I just don’t like Vegas.
Anyway, the show started out great. I remember mouthing “Oceans” about 1 second before they launched into the song. After that good sign, I figured this was going to be a great show.
The first thing I noticed is that Ed was in great spirits during the show. His happiness was very transparent. I’ve never seen him this carefree. The rest of the band directly fed off his attitude, as everyone seemed very loose for the entire night.
The girl I sat next too (she ran 4 local Coldstone stores) was the same I sat next to in the Vancouver 05 show. It was cool to see a familiar face some 2,000 miles away (I’m from Seattle). Since her family was running a local Coldstone at the arena, she was lucky enough to sneak into the soundcheck. Therefore, I was pleased, but not surprised when they broke into Brian of J. That said, the only Yield songs I’ve yet to here are “No Way”, “All Those Yesterdays”, and “In Hiding”.
Love Boat Captain was great with “Let The Show Begin” mixed in with it. It was the 2nd opener we would hear that night.
Even Flow, usually a pee break song, was accented with a kick ass McCready solo and a Matt drum solo. Even Ed was active for the entire song, dancing around instead of resting or smoking.
Wasted Reprise was great, and I was pleasantly surprised with the Betterman followup. It reminded me of the 2003 show in SD with the crowd singing the opening. As Ed would say, ‘Fucking Beautiful”. The Save it for Later was also one of the best I’ve seen.
Satan’s Bed was a very unexpected follow up, but much welcomed. They fucking nailed it!
Inside Job turned out to be the 3rd opener we were lucky to here. I loved the way they opened Vegas with this track. In my opinion, this song should be retired to “OPENER” status. It’s a great song that builds up beautifully.
RVM was one of the best versions I’ve seen. The jam was tight and great.
For a great surprise, the 4th opener would be LONG ROAD. I had not heard it live since the 2000 Groundworks show in Seattle. To see Ed be very frank and tell the story behind the song was very special. The follow up with Come Back was equally touching. The song was about 100 times more powerful after hearing Ed’s touching story with the Long Road intro. Very special.
The Crazy Mary jam was great. Mike and Boom were on fire and the entire band was having a great time.
It’s got to be hard for a band to keep raising the bar throughout such a great show, but that is exactly what they did by launching into Crown of Thorns. It was a really great version with Mikey on fire.
So how do you follow up Crown of Thorns???? With Alive??? Are you kidding me??? How can a song they have played 300 times pull an upset on Crown of Thorns??? I don’t know, BUT THEY PULLED OFF THE FUCKING UPSET OF THE DECADE!!!! This version of Alive was AMAZING. Seeing Ed and Mike standing on opposite speaker cabinets, Jeff and Stone rocking away. Fucking amazing!
After that, they could have ended the show and I would have been happy. But my smile temporally ended when the launched into Last Kiss. But to my surprise, it turned out to be great version. Ed was really happy and ended up climbing a ladder some 25 feet into the air to sing to the back of the room. I couldn’t help but think that the rest of the band had to feel concerned that their meal ticket was drunk and climbing a rope ladder. But all ended well.
Comatose is my favorite new song so that was awesome, but LEASH blew it away. It was a great moment to be able to hear that song live.
Although I was not praying to hear the song, Big Wave blew me the fuck away. It was a great tight jam. This will be a well-welcomed song to hear in the future.
It was cool to see Kelly Slater come out to help with RITFW, and Yellow Ledbetter is always a great welcome.
In the end, I would have to rank the best shows (That I’ve Been To) in the following order:
1) Vancouver 05 (Fucking amazing energy)
2) Santa Barbara 03 (Temple of the Dog. Enough said)
3) San Diego 06 (Thanks PJ! Can’t wait for the Gorge shows!)
Thanks PJ!
Did you dl the FLAC or mp3? I have to have this show and I want to know quality-wise which is better.
Thanks!!
Great Review!!
Like you said, usually I'm not thrilled to hear "Last Kiss" but the energy and Ed climbing and singing simultaneously made it a real treat. Also, I'm usually really bummed to hear Ledbetter because we know it's the end, but this time after over 2 1/2 hours I was able to enjoy the song and hearing Mike do Star Spangled Banner...NIIIICE!!!
I knew this was my only chance this year so I waited outside with about 10 other people to see if I could meet any of them. About 2AM, a van drove up and the security guy just told us Ed is tired and would just like to say "hi" so no pictures and no autographs. My camera's card was full. I was standing there with my Sharpie and Avocado cd, but I had to respect those wishes. Ed came out and shook our hands and chatted with the group for maybe 5 mins. He had a perma-smile and looked exhausted. Then he hopped back into the van and drove away. That was a nice topper to a amaaazing show. That was cool of him to even stop
My wife and I were one of the ten or so people who met Ed after the show which was pretty cool. Loved how he jumped out of the van, ran over and said thanks for waiting for him. You could tell that he was exhausted and a little tipsy and would have been justified to have just driven on home. Hell of a guy to stop and talk to us. Just another reason to love this band.
The Montreal/LA surfer guy, his buddy and everyone else waiting around were alot of fun and made the time go alot quicker. Thanks for the entertainment guys!! Still am puzzled that the security lady asked to see my cigarette; I guess she thought I was smoking a joint.
Glad I hung out with everyone. Its always worth it when you get to shake hands with Ed.
Off to see the Black Crowes in Raleigh and Norfolk (my second favorite band).
Peace
Ok, gotta know where'd you wait? how long did you wait? I have been dreaming about meeting Ed for years and had actual dreams the three nights following the show, so I want to know what to do at the next show so I can improve my chances of making it happen. Thanks for any info!
5/9/10 - Cleveland, OH
9/28/09 - SLC, UT 6/17/08 - Virginia Beach, VA
7/7/06 - San Diego, CA 9/1/05 - George, WA
6/7/03 - Phoenix, AZ 10/21/00 - Phoenix, AZ
7/8/98 - Phoenix, AZ 10/7/96 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Have fun at the Crowes!!
Thanks bro! I hear you about trying to stay awake. I was whooped from driving to SD from Vegas, attending the show and reading tea leaves whether or not Ed have left yet but it was well worth it.
You are right about Jack Sparrow and his buddy. I almost cried from laughing so hard when he asked the security guy to sign his forehead and them ripping on each other. Good guys and Good times!!
By the way, you are so lucky living in SD. Coronado, LaJolla, Del Marr are very pretty places.
Peace
Cool video though.
Any ideas?
Convert files to mpeg-4 via any number of video editing software progs. change resolution from a most likely 640x 480 to 360 x 240.
It took awhile for the members of PJ to get their groove on?????!!! HUH??!!
Funny I thought it was on right from Oceans.....Plus no mention of Ed climbing that metal ladder, def could have been mentioned something like this.
"Vedder started to climb a metal ladder behind guitarist Mike McReady and was clearly ready to go all the way up recalling the band;s early days when they were blazing trails as grunge forefathers."...LOL
It took awhile for the members of PJ to get their groove on?????!!! HUH??!!
Funny I thought it was on right from Oceans.....Plus no mention of Ed climbing that metal ladder, def could have been mentioned something like this.
"Vedder started to climb a metal ladder behind guitarist Mike McReady and was clearly ready to go all the way up recalling the band;s early days when they were blazing trails as grunge forefathers."...LOL
RVM just came on and I've had to replay the damn thing because it's just that good! The jam...how good can this band jam?...is so deep. About 6:50 minutes into it, it gets damn near tribal! And I remember it sounding good at Cox Arena (good, not great...the sound of the place was truly off), but the boot sounds f*cking amazing.
The drums. The bass. The guitars. So good. Just so damn good.
I went to the 2 LA shows which were good, but San Diego was my standard and it hasn't been topped yet.
...signed...the token black Pearl Jam fan.
FaceSpace
I agree with you there. My voice was nearly lost Friday night in comparison to Sunday & Monday. Can't wait for the Frisco shows!
But You Might Die Trying
http://www.fm949sd.com/home/index.cfm
http://www.last.fm/user/merkinball/
spotify:user:merkinball
BTW...
That's 7:30pm Pacific.
Knowledge is not wisdom
Wisdom is not truth
Truth is not beauty
Beauty is not love
Love is not music
Music is THE BEST . . .
- Frank Zappa
Mind your manners!!!!!
San Diego and LA 2
Sir Mike McCready is....THE MASTER!!! WAHHH!!!
EVENFLOW PSYCHOS H.N.I.C~FEEL THE FLOW!!!
"Pearl Jam fans are obsessed, they'd see the boys in HELL if tickets were sold."-CROJAM95
It takes balls to put out a UKE album!
That was my first "save it for later" tag night.....I think i have played that betterman version a thousand times since the show.....
I was so busy with going to two more shows in LA after this one that I forgot to write a review!
I originally only planned on going to the two shows in LA, but then when my flight was changed to go into San Diego, I made a quick search on TM for a single ticket. I found one behind the stage but thought I’d try to find a 10c’er with an extra to help me out. Luckily mwbeck10 had one and we actually upgraded through another member with even better seats!
I got to SD and had trouble picking up the seats from the 10c transfer, but eventually got that worked out and received my floor tickets.
After getting some lunch, I went back to the arena and parked (for free, how awesome is that?) and went back up to the entrance of the venue where I saw some people buying posters through the opening of the gate. I took advantage of the opportunity and got one for myself. I still say it’s a cool poster.
This was my first time seeing Sonic Youth live, so I was very excited when they came on and played a lot of stuff from their new record.
PJ came on to a raucous ovation and then Ed starts off “1, 2, 3.....” and the band goes into OCEANS! I had predicted it for an opener while mwbeck10 and I were tailgating in the parking ramp.
BRAIN OF J was awesome!! At first I thought it was Save You because I wasn’t really paying attention so I was a bit disappointed then they kept going with B of J and once I realized what song it was, I went crazy!
Betterman/SIFL was awesome….Ed commented on our wonderful singing voices after the first sing a long verse. “That’s fucking beautiful.”
Satan’s Bed…holy crap, I can’t believe they played this. At first, Ed introduced it as a surf song, so I think everyone (including the screaming lunatic on the bootleg) thought it was going to be Big Wave. Then they launched into the funky intro that is Satan’s Bed and people went nuts!
It’s been said a lot, but the story Ed told along with Long Road for the first encore was amazing.
Then, Crown of Thorns…I’d never thought I’d hear it again after Chicago 2. I’m glad I was wrong.
BIG WAVE! Nice to have the live premiere of a song on my PJ fan resume.
Rockin’ was good, but Kelly Slater looked out of his element. That’s fine, we were rockin’ too hard to notice.
The arena was pretty cool. I’d never been to one like it where the concessions were outside. Plus, being on the floor, we were close to the concessions and restrooms in the back where one could pick up a beer very quickly.
What a great show overall! There were rarities, favorites, tears, and laughs! Top 3 show out of 15 for me!
Oh yeah, almost forgot...thank you, woman who was wearing almost nothing for being at the show and sitting behind the stage.