The front row was awesome on Mike's side Sat. night. Of course you had the asshole bum rushers, but overall it was awesome. Tight and sweaty, but awesome. Tonight, right between Eddie and Stone. I have a new appreciation for the word COMPRESSION! Physics in college didn't teach me shit compared to what I learned tonight. Stone's side was NUTS! My body is paying for it right now. But by far, one of the top nights of my life. The setlist was so great. The band is so cohesive. You just see that they too are loving it. 1 more show to go and I'm so sad to see Leg 2 over with. I bought extra Kleenex for the Gorge.
My wife and I tried Mike's side on Saturday night. We were about 5 rows back and we only made it through WWS. Half way through Save You some idiots tried to push there way up front. We just decided it was better to get out then before it really got ugly. It looked like things calmed down though as the show went on. That was the only bummer on a great weekend. I think Sunday had the much better crowd. Looking forward to Tuesday when we'll get Black, Porch, Jeremy, Immortaility and hopefully some more Yield.
Yeah, I thought Sunday's setlist was amazing, and loved the show. Sunday I had 10c tickets, so I was able to get seats in the lower balcony on Stone's side. All 10 clubbers, so an enthusiastic space with a great view of the stage. Much better place to be than upper balcony in the back Saturday (one of the few sections that sat the whole show!).
I do think, though, that the band seemed to be in a better mood Saturday. The setlists really seemed to reflect their energy each night, with Sunday's leaning more towards the (for want of a better way to put it) aggressive.
Those of you in the front of the floor, things looked pretty dicey much of the night. I hope you're all ok.
Anyway, thanks to the 10C for giving letting us get in first and giving us the chance for some great seats.
Great show tonight, very cool setlist. Band and crowd had great energy. My wife and I were on Mike's side, not far back. Mr. McCready has become a show unto himself, it's awesome. Mike is all over the place, acknowledging the crowd like crazy. As someone else posted, there was the everpresent Drunken/Testosterone fueled idiots in attendance. A few felt the need to completely try to barge through people to get to the front. One idiot spent 10 minutes trying to shove his girl right through us, but we held our ground. Eventually said idiot found another route, and since I'm tall I could watch the trail of this idiot as he pummeled his way through pissed off fans. Both groups who disrupted our area were the typical skin head looking, sweaty soccer hooligan types. That's one of the reasons I wish the 10 club tickets were reserved seats, completely does away with this crap.
Here's tip for Tuesday. Unless you're a big Sonic Youth fan, bring ear plugs. What they lack in talent and creativity they make up for with absolute noise. Loud noise, if you catch my drift. Kim Gordon just can't sing. My apologies if you're a fan, but they look like 5 homeless people belting out garage noise. My ears were shot by the time PJ came on.
Oh, and here's one of the worst offending jerkoffs. He decided halfway through the show that he should be at the front. This guy used his girlfriend as a battering ram to get where he wanted to go. I would have loved to have a cow prod on-hand to bring him down and brand "dick head" across his brow. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/wonderch33se/idiot2-1.jpg
Ummm Sonic Youth is just noise and you want reserved seating...Stay Home! Stop going to rock shows.... You do not belong at a PJ/Sonic Youth show.
All I can say is wow. Absolutely incredible. The first night I was about 6 rows back (if there were seats) and didn't think I'd get any closer than that. Even though I caught a pick from Mike that night. Thanks Mike!!!
Last night, about 4 rows back, same side, right in front of Jeff. When Ed came out to sing Last Kiss it just blew my mind. He was right there, less than 10 feet away. That to go along with In My Tree, Lukin, Garden, Leash, Blood. Just unbelievable. Now I'm back at work on 3 hours of sleep after this crazy weekend, just waiting til Tuesday to go back and do it all over again. But this time I'm hitting the balcony, my body has taken a beating these past 2 days.
LMAO! Nice subtitling! There are a lot of jerks there, if you want to pass me, just be polite and say excuse me instead of pushing your way thru me. So much for hippies and love in your city.
91 - 11/22 Detroit (opening for RHCP)
98 - 7/14 Los Angeles Forum (missed Tenacious D)
00 - 8/24 Jones Beach, 10/24 Los Angeles Greek (can't find a Better Van!), 25 San Diego & 28 San Bernadino (Glen Helen)
03 - 6/2 & 3 Irvine, 5 San Diego, 6 Las Vegas MGM (10th Annivesary), 7 Phoenix
05 - 9/2 Vancouver
06 - 7/9 & 10 Los Angeles, 12 Hollywood (Fonda Theatre, it's a Worldwide Suicide), 15 & 16 San Francisco
08 - 7/12 The Who Tribute at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion! (Love, Reign o'er me! with orchestra) 09 - 8/23 & 24 Chicago United Center, 9/26 Portland, 9/30, 10/1, 6 & 7 Universal City Amphiteatre, 9 San Diego (2nd row)
10 - 5/20 & 21 MSG, 10/23 Bridge School
12 - 6/20 & 21 Manchester, UK
13 - 11/19 Phoenix, 21 San Diego, 23 & 24 Los Angeles, 12/6 Seattle (finally)!
14 - 10/16 Detroit, 20 Milwaukee (YIELDED), 22 Denver
16 - 8/20 Wrigley #1 18 - 8/18 Wrigley #1 (40th show!), 8/20 Wrigley #2
has anyone had luck meeting the band in SF so far? what time did you see them if you were hanging around by the tour buses? I saw a long line of buses on the side of the venue, and then one lone bus behind the venue.. but the security guard wouldn't say if they would be coming out either exit (of course) and i didn't feel like waiting around all night.. strangely, i saw no fans waiting either.
night 1 was great. i was on the floor, right in front of the sound booth and it was alright. not a fan of trying to peek in between everyone's raised arms to see the band. and the crowd on the floor is pretty dead.
with that said.. night 2, i was in the seats.. sec 313 front row. way better to have the room to rock out even though everyone else in the section and sections around us sat 90% of the time. pretty lame crowd these days. i understand we are all older now... i'm 35.. and i don't care to be in the front moshing these days, but i'm still gonna rock out in my seat and work up a serious sweat.
setlist for night 2 was much better than 1 i thought. band was into it just as much as night 1. overall, 2 was better for me. can't wait for 3.
After seeing both shows in the LA Forum and now seeing them in the Bill Graham Civic center I can honestly say that my experience with PJ this tour has been nothing short of memorable. This show SF 2 was special to me for more than one reason, I was on the floor in about the 3rd row in front of Mike to the right side near Ed. I met some real neat people down in the trenches. Sure we had our share of bum rushers from behind but like true vets we just held our ground and protected the ones around us. It was like family down there. Smelly, sweaty, and bumpy, just like we like it! The show was great with some real hidden jems on the menu, blood! wow! RVM was great too. Who can deny the Alive!?! Ed really feels the crowd and he sure looks ALIVE. I think we give him more than he gives us! A true exchange.
I remember his mike cut out a few times and we just sang along and he was cool with it. I remember looking at Mike and he was laughing at Ed cause his mike was out when he was on the speakers on the left side. But as is the case we just rocked it out for him. Ed seemed very real, missing that opening song was classic and I'll never forget it. He said it was the first time in the history of PJ that he has forgotten the opening song, and that they never just stopped. Hey....Hard core fans, buy this bootleg for the comments, you'll love it.
Mike was throwing his picks out as he always does, I had one hit my chest and bounce off my hand and then off my shades which were hanging on my neck collar. The pick hit the floor and Matthew bent over and grabbed it. He said he had my back! I was waiting to grab another pick but alas, to no avail. After the show Matthew asked me if I got a pick, I said, "no I didn't get one, I'm bummed." Matthew gave me the one that hit me and fell to the floor! I want to say Matthew, you ROCK!!! I had a great time! I'd go into the pit and any other PJ show with you anytime!!! You have the content of what every PJ fan should hope to have, Character counts and you brother have it. MUCH RESPECT!!! When the band tours next time, let's hang and rock out!
The LA shows were huge 17,000 plus and the shows were full of energy. I can say the the SF show was more intimate and it just felt like family. I wish I were going to the Gorge.
I'd like to leave the people with this note, thanks to you all of you who were down in my section row 3 floor just to the right of Mike, you all made this show special to me. To the dude who was taking pictures with his new Cannon, with the girlfriend, you were fun to hang with with....did your girlfriend get Ed's tamberine? To the couple behind me, wasn't that dude in front of and to your right wierd, with his shaking. You all made me feel as part of your circle of friends. I was solo with my friend up in the balcony and I was worried that I wouldn't have anyone to hang with. You all fixxed that. I will never forget you all. This was a great experience for me!
See you all next show....where ever it is!
Until then,
Tony
( OIIIIO ) It's about being able to go where most can't - Forget it, It's a Jeep thing!
Ummm Sonic Youth is just noise and you want reserved seating...Stay Home! Stop going to rock shows.... You do not belong at a PJ/Sonic Youth show.
I'm in the Pearl Jam fan club. This doesn't mean I must love every band they decide to tour with. This is a thread for people who were there to post their opinions. Were you there? My opinion is that a band with a terrible secondary singer, and guitarists who spend a good deal of time banging their instruments with various tools and seeing how much feedback they can get from their amps isn't fun to watch. Great PJ show, though.
just waking up from the show last night, and what an amazing experience it was...
met such awesome people waiting in line and on the floor. was about 25 back on mike's side. general admission is soooo sweet! after planning my vacation to visit my sister out here around their dates, i dragged her with me- and she loved it!!! (drumstick injury and all )
thoughts on the show- where can i start? BIG WAVE and INSIGNIFICANCE were personal faves. loved how last kiss was sung amongst us- great sing along.
can't believe i could hear myself singing the next verses of sometimes when ed forgot- and surely that's why fuckin' up was played, and how!!!
to be honest, sometimes i wish they wouldn't play betterman. however, my sis immediately turned to me and said how much she loved this one!
on the crowd- loved the people we met around us, but some creepy guys shoved their way through during rearview to be in front of us. i guess that's why it was extra special that i asked to move back in front of them right before belting out "saw things so much clearer, etc."
one of the guys we met caught a stick at the end and had to fight for it with said creep- and won!!! bravo, crisitian, lo mereces
first show, on the floor - awesome. Eddie fucking up the first song set a great tone for the rest of the night (thankfully he nailed the rest of them though). felt really lucky to see them in such a small place. great singalongs on alive, last kiss, yl, etc. and what a refreshing thing to have a band release all the shows for download - looking forward to that. kinda bummed I won't be there tomorrow night
I turned to my wife after the opening "Sometimes" mess up and said "We're going to see an awesome show tonight now because of that".
We did, but it took a little while to get there. Rather than being 100% high octane from the outset (like I'm used to) this show built and grew with crazy rare gems like "In My Tree" and "Garden". I’ve been to seven shows now and there were two things that made this show memorable:
The best encores ever. The playlists, the energy and the endurance. People left after the first encore (duh!) and came running back to see not one but six more songs. They kept going. I felt like Eddie and the crew was playing "make up" for the first mess up. They went WELL above and beyond.
Second, I've always thought Mike McCready had THE skills... damn good, one of the best, one of my favorites. But last night that guy's guitar flat out melted my brain. To me, it was his night. Eddie roars with his vocals. This guy roars with his hands. The doubleneck on "Inside Job", the soaring rips on "I've Got Id", "Alive" "Alive" "Alive"... and he punched the powerful exclamation point on the whole night: the Hendrix-like "Star-Spangled Banner" at the end of Yellowleadbedder. (on the heels of Eddie dedicating "Fuckin' Up" to the entire Bush Administration). It went well beyond the awesome intensity we've come to love about this band. Mike McCready is hands down, THE BEST Guitarist of our generation...to think that by 1990 the guy had all but hung it up: “cut his hair, was working in a video store and was reading a book by archconservative Barry Goldwater”
Crazy. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world
RANDOM:
*one night, THIRTY songs
*The first song, "Sometimes" was stopped early and abruptly when Eddie said “I can’t remember the fucking words”. Then, reeling then gathering himself while the audience was realizing what exactly had just happened…. he said "I'll beg for your forgiveness the rest of the evening" . Almost before we could blink, but long enough for the audience to applaud hysterically, the guys jumped right into "Severed Hand". Later on he said that he's messed up lyrics before but never in the "first fucking song"
*At one point early on, he toasted the troops with his red wine. "It's great for us to be here enjoying ourselves, let's remember the folks overseas following orders."
*"Insignificance" was the only song played from the Binural (Album #6). No songs from "Riot Act" (Album #7). And... whoa... no songs from Yield (Album #5). Only one song from albums 5, 6 and 7 combined.
*Was fired up to hear “In My Tree” . Liked hearing a different version…but I think the album version is more intense and has a better tempo.
*Seventh PJ show... first time I've heard "Leash". I don't think 3/4 of the audience knew what a rare gem they were getting to hear. They don’t ever play this song, do they? They wouldn’t even play it for a David Letterman audience that begged for it.
*They stretched out "Rearviewmirror" and added some improve similar to how they used to with "Daughter" in earlier tours. Comment/question: on VH1 Eddie said that "Alive" had changed meaning over the years... any chance "Rearviewmirror" has as well? Could it be about history putting the Bush administration in perspective?...?...?
*Eddie took a minute to talk about Carbon reduction plan (see “Carbon Portfolio” on PJ webpage). Asked if there were any Environmentalists in the house and the place got real loud. At least I did. Interestingly enough they got a brief mention of it in either Newsweek or Time (I don’t remember which)… but I was little pissed because the magazine chose to focus on (complete with a feature photo) Coldplay and their contributions even though Stone and Ed were the first to do it. Whatever, as long as good is being done, right? Anyone know what media that interview will appear in or on?
*Eddie Vedder dedicated "Fucking Up" to George Bush, Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfield. YES!!!!!
*Spotlight reflecting off guitar to crowd = nice touch. You'll have to see it.
One parting thought:
I heard on the radio that Led Zeppelin was a band for 12 years. Pearl Jam has been a band for over 15.
See you Tuesday.
"What chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?"
I'm back from night 2 and working off of one hour of sleep for work today…ya gotta love it…anything for Pearl Jam baby!!!! What a crazy night it was! After spending the first night in the balcony with a friend who was attending their first PJ show I just knew that night 2 I wanted to be on the floor. I didn't wait all day in line as I noticed on night 1 that getting a decent spot on the floor wasn't going to be that difficult. So I meet up with a few folks from the board and past shows and when the doors opened up, I headed to get my poster and a drink and went right to the floor.
During Sonic Youth, the crowd was totally respectful and no shoving going on. That all changed once PJ arrived on stage though…as soon as the busted out the first few chords to "Severed Hand" (after fucking up Sometimes) the whole crowd on Stones' side began shoving and trying to take closer position to the front. I was about 3 maybe 4 rows back on Stones side to start out the night and by the end of the evening I had pretty much gotten up to the front (not by pushing or being overbearing…just by going with the flow of the crowd). If you can withstand the first few onslaught of songs in a GA environment you will be alright has been my experience and tonight was no different…except that I was a few years older (okay..extremely older) than the last time I did a GA show like that. I will admit at first I felt like an old man and was debating on whether or not I should stay on the floor…but by "Corduroy" the crowd seemed to calm down a bit and it was smooth sailing from there on.
Highlights of the night for me were; "In My Tree", "Dissident", "Leash", "Marker", "Big Wave" and The Avengers "American In Me". And the biggest highlight of the evening was getting Jeff and Mike's autograph on my tambourine and meeting Ed. I cannot wait for night 3, but must admit that I need a good nights sleep to be ready for the final show…and what a incredible show I'm hoping it to be. See everyone there and enjoy and be safe!!
First off, another incredible show with incredible energy from the band and most of the crowd. Mike was really, really on tonight. Inside Job was much tighter than when I saw it back east. I was ecstatic when they played In My Tree, as that's one of my top five favorite PJ songs, and I hadn't heard it in any of my first 11 shows. This was probably my favorite version of Evenflow out of the seven or eight times I have heard it. Both Mike and Matt's solos were outstanding.
As for the bad, I didn't have fan club seats for the show (unlike Sat. night), so I ended up in a different section of seats. For those of you looking around, we were the massive section facing the stage that was sitting down all night. I tried to stand, and some asshole behind me threatened to kick my ass if I didn't sit down. No one in front of me was standing, so I couldn't use that. I showed him everyone else standing up, and he proceeded to make fun of the fact that I wore earplugs. I didn't want to get into a fight and be thrown out, so I just sat down. It was awful, and I seriously hope the guy dies in a car fire.
I just did the best I could to make the most of it anyway, and the show was still outstanding. These two SF shows have been far and away the best Pearl Jam shows I have ever seen. It is great watching Ed's face light up in reaction to the crowd. He continues to commend the crowd and talk about how they don't get crowds like these every night. Clearly, the band is feeding off of that energy. It will be interesting to see what gets thrown into the set on Tuesday.
It makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
My tour buddy (SOLAT319) and I met him after the show, and he told us the story. Great guy! We're going to try to get front-row balcony seats on Mike's side with him on Tuesday. You're welcome to join us if you're going to the show.
Eddie did actually start singing 'Somtimes' before he flopped, going silent and noticeably trying his darndest to find the lyrics from deep within before abandoning the song all together with a laugh.
"I forgot the fuckin' song."
I love that. Although I wish he hadn't, because I love Sometimes.
And later when he apologized ... "Through the advent of bootlegs and technology, uh, you guys know, uh, that the guy talking to you right now has been known to, uh, fuck up a song every now and then. But never the first fuckin' song."
classic.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
i loved hearing so much of the new album, but the rest of the setlist didnt include a lot of my faves. maybe ive been spoiled by the previous shows ive attended. highlights for me were inside job and penelope houston joining the band for american in me. i also met some great people, and the guy who bought my extra tickets absolutely ROCKS! he was my savior in the pit more than once and just a great guy, nothing less of what i expected from a fellow fan. maybe im getting old but being on the floor had some rough moments, and eventhough im pretty tall (5'9) i couldnt see about 75% of the time. and i think eddie might have set a record for most lyric flubs in one show. still i wouldnt trade tonight. and i decided id better go tuesday!!
Solazo -- you were my savior with the extra ticket and conversation. One of the best things about being a fan, is that you share an immediate affinity with so many phenomenal people. New friends are awesome.
To those on the floor Tuesday, please have fun, bounce, and rock out... but be considerate to those around you. Everyone wants to have a good time, but if a good time means smashing into smaller people -- its just not cool. I think you can have a great time and stay in your space. Those of you that just plowed forward without concern for who were you going over -- fuck you. I don't want to hear about "hey its a GA show, know what you're going to get." I don't think that should mean then that everyone of the floor needs to be 6'3" and 225 lbs (me) to be able to enjoy the set then. When you're obliterated and pushing back and forth knocking down petite women, you're simply being inconsiderate. Rock out in your space and your cool.
has anyone had luck meeting the band in SF so far? what time did you see them if you were hanging around by the tour buses? I saw a long line of buses on the side of the venue, and then one lone bus behind the venue.. but the security guard wouldn't say if they would be coming out either exit (of course) and i didn't feel like waiting around all night.. strangely, i saw no fans waiting either.
We saw Boom at a Denny's at about 3 o'clock in the morning. I am not making this up.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
My tour buddy (SOLAT319) and I met him after the show, and he told us the story. Great guy! We're going to try to get front-row balcony seats on Mike's side with him on Tuesday. You're welcome to join us if you're going to the show.
• Loved Ed's pre-set choice: Drifting. Just Ed, a guitar and harmonica, and a chair.
• Liked Sonic Youth overall....especially their first two songs: Incinerate and Reena. They played just long enough.
• Ed messing up Sometimes was priceless.
• Band's energy seemed really, really high (despite a show the night before). Crowd was loud and into it from the start. Band definitely fed off the noise.
• A few pinheads in the crowd up front (I was about ten rows back on Stone's side), but pretty considerate overall. Not an unbearable amount of pushing and shoving.
• Great setlist, but I'm really hoping to hear Black tomorrow night.
I don't post here often, but last nite's show was sooo good. Thanks to all the cool people that I hung out with, in the lower balcony, dead center. Way better than the floor. Sat nite I was right by where Eddie sang Last Kiss on Sunday, and I just couldn't see anything. Last nite, I had the whole stage, and could watch the entire band. some notes:
Matt Cameron! Holy shit, does he make this band or what? He had everyone playing hard, his work on Betterman was special.
Stone: We all know about Mike, but last nite, it was Stone's turn. he was so into it, and his work on Fucking Up was just great. (i'm runnin out of adjectives).
they let themselves jam out tonite a bit more, much more than Saturday. i don't buy many boots, but I'll buy this one. Evenflow, Alive, Fucking Up,rvm, Inside job, come back, all the others, they were just done so well.
tomorrow, i think lower balcony, mike's side. there, you can get a good view of Stone's handiwork...he usually plays facing mike and the rest of the band. i'd love to be up front, but as a short dude, that's a problem. plus, i'll see them close enough up front at Gorge.
Eric/Jill -- I was sitting next to you before the show started (we were talking about our kids, PJ, etc...) before the pre-set and the crowd surged forward. You two ended up about four or five rows ahead... and in the danger zone for sure. Want to make sure you guys are ok; I didn't see you again after the group of 8 or so twenty something drunk dudes and gal with the lip ring plowed through and squatted in the front.
Jeff/Carin from Sacremento -- if you see this, missed you after the show. I wanted to hear about how Carin's first show experience -- hopefully you had a great time. Great to talk with you at the CCFA fundraiser and before the concert. You two are great, and I hope you can work out that trip to Italy...
I had to step out after the 1st encore because I lost my cell phone in the crowd... How long was Ed in the audience? Thanks fellow PJ fans.
He wasn't really "in" the audience. He was standing on the steps at the inside of the barricade. It made him look like he was "in" with us. It was for "Last Kiss" only.
Comments
My wife and I tried Mike's side on Saturday night. We were about 5 rows back and we only made it through WWS. Half way through Save You some idiots tried to push there way up front. We just decided it was better to get out then before it really got ugly. It looked like things calmed down though as the show went on. That was the only bummer on a great weekend. I think Sunday had the much better crowd. Looking forward to Tuesday when we'll get Black, Porch, Jeremy, Immortaility and hopefully some more Yield.
I do think, though, that the band seemed to be in a better mood Saturday. The setlists really seemed to reflect their energy each night, with Sunday's leaning more towards the (for want of a better way to put it) aggressive.
Those of you in the front of the floor, things looked pretty dicey much of the night. I hope you're all ok.
Anyway, thanks to the 10C for giving letting us get in first and giving us the chance for some great seats.
Jim
Ummm Sonic Youth is just noise and you want reserved seating...Stay Home! Stop going to rock shows.... You do not belong at a PJ/Sonic Youth show.
Last night, about 4 rows back, same side, right in front of Jeff. When Ed came out to sing Last Kiss it just blew my mind. He was right there, less than 10 feet away. That to go along with In My Tree, Lukin, Garden, Leash, Blood. Just unbelievable. Now I'm back at work on 3 hours of sleep after this crazy weekend, just waiting til Tuesday to go back and do it all over again. But this time I'm hitting the balcony, my body has taken a beating these past 2 days.
LMAO! Nice subtitling! There are a lot of jerks there, if you want to pass me, just be polite and say excuse me instead of pushing your way thru me. So much for hippies and love in your city.
98 - 7/14 Los Angeles Forum (missed Tenacious D)
00 - 8/24 Jones Beach, 10/24 Los Angeles Greek (can't find a Better Van!), 25 San Diego & 28 San Bernadino (Glen Helen)
03 - 6/2 & 3 Irvine, 5 San Diego, 6 Las Vegas MGM (10th Annivesary), 7 Phoenix
05 - 9/2 Vancouver
06 - 7/9 & 10 Los Angeles, 12 Hollywood (Fonda Theatre, it's a Worldwide Suicide), 15 & 16 San Francisco
08 - 7/12 The Who Tribute at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion! (Love, Reign o'er me! with orchestra)
09 - 8/23 & 24 Chicago United Center, 9/26 Portland, 9/30, 10/1, 6 & 7 Universal City Amphiteatre, 9 San Diego (2nd row)
10 - 5/20 & 21 MSG, 10/23 Bridge School
12 - 6/20 & 21 Manchester, UK
13 - 11/19 Phoenix, 21 San Diego, 23 & 24 Los Angeles, 12/6 Seattle (finally)!
14 - 10/16 Detroit, 20 Milwaukee (YIELDED), 22 Denver
16 - 8/20 Wrigley #1
18 - 8/18 Wrigley #1 (40th show!), 8/20 Wrigley #2
with that said.. night 2, i was in the seats.. sec 313 front row. way better to have the room to rock out even though everyone else in the section and sections around us sat 90% of the time. pretty lame crowd these days. i understand we are all older now... i'm 35.. and i don't care to be in the front moshing these days, but i'm still gonna rock out in my seat and work up a serious sweat.
setlist for night 2 was much better than 1 i thought. band was into it just as much as night 1. overall, 2 was better for me. can't wait for 3.
I remember his mike cut out a few times and we just sang along and he was cool with it. I remember looking at Mike and he was laughing at Ed cause his mike was out when he was on the speakers on the left side. But as is the case we just rocked it out for him. Ed seemed very real, missing that opening song was classic and I'll never forget it. He said it was the first time in the history of PJ that he has forgotten the opening song, and that they never just stopped. Hey....Hard core fans, buy this bootleg for the comments, you'll love it.
Mike was throwing his picks out as he always does, I had one hit my chest and bounce off my hand and then off my shades which were hanging on my neck collar. The pick hit the floor and Matthew bent over and grabbed it. He said he had my back! I was waiting to grab another pick but alas, to no avail. After the show Matthew asked me if I got a pick, I said, "no I didn't get one, I'm bummed." Matthew gave me the one that hit me and fell to the floor! I want to say Matthew, you ROCK!!! I had a great time! I'd go into the pit and any other PJ show with you anytime!!! You have the content of what every PJ fan should hope to have, Character counts and you brother have it. MUCH RESPECT!!! When the band tours next time, let's hang and rock out!
The LA shows were huge 17,000 plus and the shows were full of energy. I can say the the SF show was more intimate and it just felt like family. I wish I were going to the Gorge.
I'd like to leave the people with this note, thanks to you all of you who were down in my section row 3 floor just to the right of Mike, you all made this show special to me. To the dude who was taking pictures with his new Cannon, with the girlfriend, you were fun to hang with with....did your girlfriend get Ed's tamberine? To the couple behind me, wasn't that dude in front of and to your right wierd, with his shaking. You all made me feel as part of your circle of friends. I was solo with my friend up in the balcony and I was worried that I wouldn't have anyone to hang with. You all fixxed that. I will never forget you all. This was a great experience for me!
See you all next show....where ever it is!
Until then,
Tony
I'm in the Pearl Jam fan club. This doesn't mean I must love every band they decide to tour with. This is a thread for people who were there to post their opinions. Were you there? My opinion is that a band with a terrible secondary singer, and guitarists who spend a good deal of time banging their instruments with various tools and seeing how much feedback they can get from their amps isn't fun to watch. Great PJ show, though.
met such awesome people waiting in line and on the floor. was about 25 back on mike's side. general admission is soooo sweet! after planning my vacation to visit my sister out here around their dates, i dragged her with me- and she loved it!!! (drumstick injury and all
thoughts on the show- where can i start? BIG WAVE and INSIGNIFICANCE were personal faves. loved how last kiss was sung amongst us- great sing along.
can't believe i could hear myself singing the next verses of sometimes when ed forgot- and surely that's why fuckin' up was played, and how!!!
to be honest, sometimes i wish they wouldn't play betterman. however, my sis immediately turned to me and said how much she loved this one!
on the crowd- loved the people we met around us, but some creepy guys shoved their way through during rearview to be in front of us. i guess that's why it was extra special that i asked to move back in front of them right before belting out "saw things so much clearer, etc."
one of the guys we met caught a stick at the end and had to fight for it with said creep- and won!!! bravo, crisitian, lo mereces
all in all, stunning!!!!!!!!
Cannot wait until tomorrows show........
=P
and i barely have a voice....answering the phone at work sucks haha
can't wait for tomorrow, i need another fix, gimmee more!!!
We did, but it took a little while to get there. Rather than being 100% high octane from the outset (like I'm used to) this show built and grew with crazy rare gems like "In My Tree" and "Garden". I’ve been to seven shows now and there were two things that made this show memorable:
The best encores ever. The playlists, the energy and the endurance. People left after the first encore (duh!) and came running back to see not one but six more songs. They kept going. I felt like Eddie and the crew was playing "make up" for the first mess up. They went WELL above and beyond.
Second, I've always thought Mike McCready had THE skills... damn good, one of the best, one of my favorites. But last night that guy's guitar flat out melted my brain. To me, it was his night. Eddie roars with his vocals. This guy roars with his hands. The doubleneck on "Inside Job", the soaring rips on "I've Got Id", "Alive" "Alive" "Alive"... and he punched the powerful exclamation point on the whole night: the Hendrix-like "Star-Spangled Banner" at the end of Yellowleadbedder. (on the heels of Eddie dedicating "Fuckin' Up" to the entire Bush Administration). It went well beyond the awesome intensity we've come to love about this band. Mike McCready is hands down, THE BEST Guitarist of our generation...to think that by 1990 the guy had all but hung it up: “cut his hair, was working in a video store and was reading a book by archconservative Barry Goldwater”
Crazy.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world
RANDOM:
*one night, THIRTY songs
*The first song, "Sometimes" was stopped early and abruptly when Eddie said “I can’t remember the fucking words”. Then, reeling then gathering himself while the audience was realizing what exactly had just happened…. he said "I'll beg for your forgiveness the rest of the evening" . Almost before we could blink, but long enough for the audience to applaud hysterically, the guys jumped right into "Severed Hand". Later on he said that he's messed up lyrics before but never in the "first fucking song"
*At one point early on, he toasted the troops with his red wine. "It's great for us to be here enjoying ourselves, let's remember the folks overseas following orders."
*"Insignificance" was the only song played from the Binural (Album #6). No songs from "Riot Act" (Album #7). And... whoa... no songs from Yield (Album #5). Only one song from albums 5, 6 and 7 combined.
*Was fired up to hear “In My Tree” . Liked hearing a different version…but I think the album version is more intense and has a better tempo.
*Seventh PJ show... first time I've heard "Leash". I don't think 3/4 of the audience knew what a rare gem they were getting to hear. They don’t ever play this song, do they? They wouldn’t even play it for a David Letterman audience that begged for it.
*They stretched out "Rearviewmirror" and added some improve similar to how they used to with "Daughter" in earlier tours. Comment/question: on VH1 Eddie said that "Alive" had changed meaning over the years... any chance "Rearviewmirror" has as well? Could it be about history putting the Bush administration in perspective?...?...?
*Eddie took a minute to talk about Carbon reduction plan (see “Carbon Portfolio” on PJ webpage). Asked if there were any Environmentalists in the house and the place got real loud. At least I did. Interestingly enough they got a brief mention of it in either Newsweek or Time (I don’t remember which)… but I was little pissed because the magazine chose to focus on (complete with a feature photo) Coldplay and their contributions even though Stone and Ed were the first to do it. Whatever, as long as good is being done, right? Anyone know what media that interview will appear in or on?
*Eddie Vedder dedicated "Fucking Up" to George Bush, Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfield. YES!!!!!
*Spotlight reflecting off guitar to crowd = nice touch. You'll have to see it.
One parting thought:
I heard on the radio that Led Zeppelin was a band for 12 years. Pearl Jam has been a band for over 15.
See you Tuesday.
During Sonic Youth, the crowd was totally respectful and no shoving going on. That all changed once PJ arrived on stage though…as soon as the busted out the first few chords to "Severed Hand" (after fucking up Sometimes) the whole crowd on Stones' side began shoving and trying to take closer position to the front. I was about 3 maybe 4 rows back on Stones side to start out the night and by the end of the evening I had pretty much gotten up to the front (not by pushing or being overbearing…just by going with the flow of the crowd). If you can withstand the first few onslaught of songs in a GA environment you will be alright has been my experience and tonight was no different…except that I was a few years older (okay..extremely older) than the last time I did a GA show like that. I will admit at first I felt like an old man and was debating on whether or not I should stay on the floor…but by "Corduroy" the crowd seemed to calm down a bit and it was smooth sailing from there on.
Highlights of the night for me were; "In My Tree", "Dissident", "Leash", "Marker", "Big Wave" and The Avengers "American In Me". And the biggest highlight of the evening was getting Jeff and Mike's autograph on my tambourine and meeting Ed. I cannot wait for night 3, but must admit that I need a good nights sleep to be ready for the final show…and what a incredible show I'm hoping it to be. See everyone there and enjoy and be safe!!
Peace,
RM
As for the bad, I didn't have fan club seats for the show (unlike Sat. night), so I ended up in a different section of seats. For those of you looking around, we were the massive section facing the stage that was sitting down all night. I tried to stand, and some asshole behind me threatened to kick my ass if I didn't sit down. No one in front of me was standing, so I couldn't use that. I showed him everyone else standing up, and he proceeded to make fun of the fact that I wore earplugs. I didn't want to get into a fight and be thrown out, so I just sat down. It was awful, and I seriously hope the guy dies in a car fire.
I just did the best I could to make the most of it anyway, and the show was still outstanding. These two SF shows have been far and away the best Pearl Jam shows I have ever seen. It is great watching Ed's face light up in reaction to the crowd. He continues to commend the crowd and talk about how they don't get crowds like these every night. Clearly, the band is feeding off of that energy. It will be interesting to see what gets thrown into the set on Tuesday.
My tour buddy (SOLAT319) and I met him after the show, and he told us the story. Great guy! We're going to try to get front-row balcony seats on Mike's side with him on Tuesday. You're welcome to join us if you're going to the show.
"I forgot the fuckin' song."
I love that. Although I wish he hadn't, because I love Sometimes.
And later when he apologized ... "Through the advent of bootlegs and technology, uh, you guys know, uh, that the guy talking to you right now has been known to, uh, fuck up a song every now and then. But never the first fuckin' song."
classic.
for the least they could possibly do
Solazo -- you were my savior with the extra ticket and conversation. One of the best things about being a fan, is that you share an immediate affinity with so many phenomenal people. New friends are awesome.
To those on the floor Tuesday, please have fun, bounce, and rock out... but be considerate to those around you. Everyone wants to have a good time, but if a good time means smashing into smaller people -- its just not cool. I think you can have a great time and stay in your space. Those of you that just plowed forward without concern for who were you going over -- fuck you. I don't want to hear about "hey its a GA show, know what you're going to get." I don't think that should mean then that everyone of the floor needs to be 6'3" and 225 lbs (me) to be able to enjoy the set then. When you're obliterated and pushing back and forth knocking down petite women, you're simply being inconsiderate. Rock out in your space and your cool.
Great set and awesome show.
Thanks again Solazo!
We saw Boom at a Denny's at about 3 o'clock in the morning. I am not making this up.
for the least they could possibly do
• Liked Sonic Youth overall....especially their first two songs: Incinerate and Reena. They played just long enough.
• Ed messing up Sometimes was priceless.
• Band's energy seemed really, really high (despite a show the night before). Crowd was loud and into it from the start. Band definitely fed off the noise.
• A few pinheads in the crowd up front (I was about ten rows back on Stone's side), but pretty considerate overall. Not an unbearable amount of pushing and shoving.
• Great setlist, but I'm really hoping to hear Black tomorrow night.
Peace.
Matt Cameron! Holy shit, does he make this band or what? He had everyone playing hard, his work on Betterman was special.
Stone: We all know about Mike, but last nite, it was Stone's turn. he was so into it, and his work on Fucking Up was just great. (i'm runnin out of adjectives).
they let themselves jam out tonite a bit more, much more than Saturday. i don't buy many boots, but I'll buy this one. Evenflow, Alive, Fucking Up,rvm, Inside job, come back, all the others, they were just done so well.
tomorrow, i think lower balcony, mike's side. there, you can get a good view of Stone's handiwork...he usually plays facing mike and the rest of the band. i'd love to be up front, but as a short dude, that's a problem. plus, i'll see them close enough up front at Gorge.
word.
Eric/Jill -- I was sitting next to you before the show started (we were talking about our kids, PJ, etc...) before the pre-set and the crowd surged forward. You two ended up about four or five rows ahead... and in the danger zone for sure. Want to make sure you guys are ok; I didn't see you again after the group of 8 or so twenty something drunk dudes and gal with the lip ring plowed through and squatted in the front.
Jeff/Carin from Sacremento -- if you see this, missed you after the show. I wanted to hear about how Carin's first show experience -- hopefully you had a great time. Great to talk with you at the CCFA fundraiser and before the concert. You two are great, and I hope you can work out that trip to Italy...
: )