Largest PJ Crowd ??

Uncle Snuffy

Anyone know which PJ concert (non festival) had the largest attendance?

- Uncle Snuffy

Go Beavers

Would it have to be at a football stadium? Soldier Field popped in my head first.

mfc2006

good question. i know that ACL was packed, but i doubt it was the largest crown. but it WAS the largest crowd that i've ever seen at ACL for a headliner.

Uncle Snuffy

mfc2006 wrote:

good question. i know that ACL was packed, but i doubt it was the largest crown. but it WAS the largest crowd that i've ever seen at ACL for a headliner.

I bet the festival crowds are big. I am just curious qbout the biggest crowd strictly for a PJ concert.

I was thinking Soldier Field in '95 too but that is just my guess.

Anyone know definitively?

- Uncle Snuffy

eyecanwalk

ask 10c

Random_Hero

Lollapalooza 2007?? That was a sea of people.

Big Bank Hank

I know those South American stadiums hold a ton of people. and they just played for over 85,000 people at Rock Werchter but it is a festival and unfortunately the biggest crowd ever was 2000 Roskilde, it is a shame they have never gone back, even if just to remember the victims in a healing sort of way by dedicating the concert to them, because Roskilde is now known as one of the safest festivals in the world

derbydave

I'm not sure how accurate this info is, but these are the largest shows listed on:
http://www.fivehorizons.com/tour/cc/t199091.shtml
A lot of the shows don't have attendance records, or say if the shows were part of a festival...
There were 2 shows in 1993 with 80,000 attendees when PJ opened for U2...
Five Horizons records stop after the 2004 tour!! :ugeek:

06/24/95 - Golden Gate Park: Polo Fields: San Francisco, CA [140m]
attendance: 53,440
support act: Crash and Brittany and Bad Religion
set: Last Exit, Spin the Black Circle, Go, Animal, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Not for You
"NeilJam" set: Big Green Country, Act of Love, Throw Your Hatred Down, Powderfinger, Truth Be Known, Rockin' in the Free World, The Needle and the Damage Done, Hey Hey My My, I'm the Ocean, Down By the River, Downtown, Cortez the Killer
enc: Peace and Love, Rockin' in the Free World
notes: Ed leaves the stage ill after seven songs. Neil takes the stage and the audience gets an impressive Mirrorball premier. The crowd behaves poorly.

07/11/95 - Soldier Field: Chicago, IL [155m]
attendance: 47,000
support act: Otis Rush and Bad Religion
set: Release, Go, Last Exit, Spin the Black Circle, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Whipping, I Got Shit, Dissident, Even Flow, Improv/Sick o' Pussies, Deep, Jeremy, Glorified G, Daughter/(This Boy)/(The Real Me)/(W.M.A.)/(ABitW-II), Animal, Habit, Jam/Lukin, Not for You, Little Wing (teaser), Elderly Woman, Immortality, Alive, Porch
enc 1: Everyday People, Let My Love Open the Door, Better Man, Rearviewmirror, Black, Blood
enc 2: Yellow Ledbetter
notes: First night Monkeywrench broadcast the show through the radio. The crowd is pumped, with people crowdsurfing even during Otis Rush's set. Cool 'Tommy' riff after 'Lukin.' 'Black' lyrics are altered from "sun" to "moon" and Ed gestures to the full moon above the stadium. He jokes, "There's some fancy people in the skybox ... they're blinking to us, sending us a message up there." The crowd boos and he tells them not to get angry: "... you know life has a way of working itself out, you know? Think about this for a sec, right? These are the rich, fancy people, right? They got all the luxury, right? Looks to me, like they're the farthest ones away from the stage and they're behind a fuckin' window ... you hang in the trenches long enough, it pays off ..." Ed destroys his black Telecaster featuring the "skateboarding is not a crime" bumpersticker, smashing it against his mic stand. Producer Brendan O'Brien joins the band on keyboard for a surprising 'Everyday People' (a Sly and the Family Stone song) and then 'Let My Love Open the Door.' First lightning and later, fireworks, filled the sky this night. Amazing setlist and long performance with the pressure on in an intimidating venue.

03/11/95 - Eastern Creek Raceway: Sydney, Australia [130m]
attendance: 41,000
soundcheck: Dissident, Glorified G (probably incomplete)
support act: The Meanies
set: Last Exit, Animal, Spin the Black Circle, Even Flow, Corduroy, Not for You/(Improv), Elderly Woman, Go, Jeremy, Why Go, State of Love and Trust, Jack Irons chant/Daughter/(Hey Hey, My My), Whipping, I Got Shit, Rearviewmirror/Jam, Alive, Blood, Black, Satan's Bed/Improv, Better Man, Immortality, Porch, Indifference, Rockin' in the Free World
notes: Ed solos 'Throw Your Arms Around Me,' a Hunters and Collectors cover, prior to The Meanies' set, calling it "... an Australian song" and he's sporting a wig! Ed, experiencing throat problems, sips hot tea and says they won't play until the crowd gets some water. ("I'd give you some of this but it's hot tea.") The Meanies' singer joins PJ in 'RitFW.'

10/08/00 - Alpine Valley: East Troy, WI [130m]
attendance: 40,000
support act: Supergrass
set: Of The Girl, Hail Hail, Breakerfall, Whipping, Corduroy, Animal, Elderly Woman, Dissident, Given To Fly, Faithfull, Even Flow, Untitled, MFC, Light Years, Off He Goes, Insignificance, Black, Jeremy, Porch
enc: Wishlist, State of Love and Trust, Go, Better Man/(Save it for Later), Daughter/(The Wrong Child), Smile, Rearviewmirror
notes: "Welcome to the ice bowl," comments Ed after 'Hail Hail.' 'Whipping' is an excellent, tight version. Ed fucks up the beginning lyrics of 'Corduroy,' so he changes the lyrics in the middle of the song indicating it is "too fucking cold to sing." After 'Animal' Ed starts talking about how when people listen to the boots later on, in order to understand how cold it is, if they work in a restaurant they should open the freezer, and if they live in Antarctica they should just open the screen doors. He mentions that if anyone who actually lives in Antarchita hears this, this song can be for them because it's about a small town, leading to 'Elderly Woman.' Stone pogoes the entire 'Even Flow' solo, seemingly to keep warm. The extended version of 'Untitled' includes additional lyrics, including something about getting to somewhere warmer and then memories and forgiveness. During 'Jeremy,' Ed falls backwards over the monitor at the end. The bridge in 'Porch' includes several lines from Dead Moon's 'It's Okay.' When the band returns for the encore, Ed is holding a "Let Ralph Debate" sign and tapes it to the front of his monitor. He also mentions that it is going to be a very memorable show, referring to the weather. Mike has guitar problems at the start of 'Go' and Ed changes one of the first lyrics to "where's Mike McCready?" At the end of 'Daughter,' Ed starts chanting at a rapid pace: "Thunder road, thunder road, thunder road" (a nod to Bruce Springsteen). Ed makes a joke about No Code sales before 'Smile,' saying that the guy who wrote the lyrics in his notebook (Dennis Frog, who is side stage) receives 2/3 of a cent for each copy of the album sold ... "so that comes to (laughing) well ... No Code ... like $20 (laughs), no $200?" He turns to Stone, "How much money?" and Stone says "$2000." Matt is on the large screen (and seems to know it) while the stage is darkened for 'RVM.' He exhales in unison with his kick drum, which draws a laugh from the crowd since everyone can see his breath. How cold was it? Mike is bundled up in a hat and scarf (scarf around his face all night); Stone has a hat on; Ed doesn't remove the jacket the whole show; Matt is wearing a long sleeve shirt. Cold (28 degrees by show's end). 'Oceans' was on the setlist as the opener but not played.

05/23/00 - Restelo Stadium: Lisbon, Portugal [135m]
attendance: 40,000
support act: The Vandals
set: Of The Girl, Do The Evolution, Animal, Red Mosquito, Corduroy, Grievance, Light Years, Nothing As It Seems, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Faithfull, Untitled, Last Kiss, MFC, Breakerfall, Wishlist, Thin Air, Daughter, Evacuation, Immortality, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Black, Go
enc 1: Last Exit, Jeremy, Elderly Woman, Alive
enc 2: Yellow Ledbetter
notes: The opening show of the European tour in Lisbon is a total winner with PJ playing really well, looking very happy with the fantastic Portuguese fans in attendance. 'Corduroy' is one of the best ever versions. 'Untitled' (from the Live On Two Legs album) is a different, extended version, after which Matt begins having drum trouble and Ed starts doing 'Last Kiss' by himself. There is no recognizable 'Daughter' tag -- just Ed singing and the entire crowd is singing even when he has ended. Later, Ed forgets the words to to 'Immortality' and the audience helps out. 'Better Man' includes a very small 'Save It For Later' tag. Mike is on fire toward the close of the first set, soloing behind his head, rolling around and falling backward while playing! They return for the encore and the crowd is yelling "EDDIE" and he responds "SUCKS!" which brings that to an end, and the crowd is then singing the chorus to 'Alive.' Ed says that they won't have to sing that one since the crowd has already performed it. Dennis Rodman makes an appearance at the top of the second encore, bringing Ed out onto the stage over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He exits soon, with Ed commenting on how that was the shortest amount of time that Dennis Rodman has been on a Pearl Jam stage Another fantastic show in Lisbon with Mike in a great mood, playing hide and seek behind a speaker and Ed opening his shirt and patting his heart, obviously very moved by the crowd.


06/26/98 - Alpine Valley: East Troy, WI [110m]
attendance: 35,000
support act: Frank Black
soundcheck: All Those Yesterdays, Leatherman, Sometimes, Tremor Christ, Red Mosquito, Off He Goes, Smile, Mankind, parts of Brain of J
set: Do the Evolution, Animal, Last Exit, Brain of J, Given to Fly, In Hiding, Corduroy, Wishlist, Lukin, Even Flow, Daughter/(Stuff and Nonsense), Dissident, MFC, Better Man, Red Mosquito, Black
enc 1: Hail Hail, Mankind, I Got Shit/(Cinnamon Girl), Rearviewmirror, Alive
enc 2: Yellow Ledbetter
notes: The band is in a great mood, laughing, joking and smiling (especially Eddie). 'Last Exit' is botched and Ed says, "Fuck that song ... let's get to the next." A series of technical problems are evidenced, both in Ed's and Mike's sound. Although 'Leatherman' appears on the setlist after 'Better Man,' it isn't played. Ed says "hello" to his brother in the crowd before 'Daughter.' The 'Stuff and Nonsense' tag is a Split Enz tune. After destroying a tambourine, Ed tries to give it to a female show attendee but a struggle ensues and Ed says, "Give it to the girl." (He makes sure that she gets a second one at the end of 'Alive.') Ed says, "Once upon a time, we made a record with Neil Young. It took about six days, and we played, but Neil did all of the singing and stuff. We wrote and Neil helped out to make a couple songs to make a single - and uh, all that proves is that in six days Neil can write 12 songs and we can only write two. This one's called 'I Got Shit'." A wild 'Alive,' with Ed hitting himself in the mouth with the microphone, anointing the crowd with wine and proceeds to the end of a video screen and points to it as if displaying Matt. He runs back to the mic and adds an improv/tag (something about "sometime ..."). The song ends with Jeff bouncing a superball off the stage which he'd been toying with earlier. Before 'Red Mosquito,' he notes that Alpine Valley is the last place Stevie Ray Vaughn ever played. (SRV died in a helicopter crash after the show.) 'Yellow Ledbetter' is also for SRV and toward the end, Mike tosses in a bit of Jimi Hendrix' 'Machine Gun.' The whole band watches Mike solo with Jeff standing behind his amp stack where he's hung a sign from the audience that says "smile."
poster
review

06/27/98 - Alpine Valley: East Troy, WI [115m]
attendance: 35,000
support act: Frank Black
soundcheck: Faithfull, All Those Yesterdays, Brain of J (all instrumental, no vocals)
set: Interstellar Overdrive, Corduroy, Hail Hail, Brain of J, Last Exit, Tremor Christ, Given to Fly, Jeremy, Faithfull, Nothingman, Improv, MFC, Habit, Off He Goes, Even Flow, Once, All Those Yesterdays, Go, Immortality
enc: Do the Evolution, Leatherman, Better Man/(jam)/(RVM), Wishlist, Alive, Smile
notes: The 'Interstellar Overdrive' instrumental intro is performed in the same fashion as the ARO.space show. Mike smashes his guitar after 'Brain of J.' Ed performs the "back and forth" dance during 'Last Exit.' 'Faithfull' is introduced as "a song about being careful with your trust." The improv after 'Nothingman' is mostly Ed with Matt and Jeff playing along. Tonight's 'Habit' line is "speaking as someone who's never worn a piece of orange styrofoam on his head." (Ed goes on to explain that the cheesehead comment wasn't an insult and how he has a cheesehead hat at home and how he finds it "to be quite comfortable actually. Makes me look cool and I get chicks.") 'Better Man' features two tags, including 2 lines from 'RVM' ("saw things ... clearer, clearer"). (2,045k) Ed chats about how Dennis from The Frogs wrote a page in Ed's journal and it became 'Smile,' leading to that song and a spotlight is shined on Dennis, who is side stage. Wonderful setlist and performance.
poster
review

08/22/98 - Molson Park: Barrie, Ontario [125m]
attendance: 35,000
support act: Cheap Trick, All Systems Go, Hayden, Cracker, Matthew Good Band
soundcheck: Not for You (snippet), Corduroy (short), I Got Shit, MFC
set: Corduroy, Brain of J, Hail Hail, Animal, Dissident, Given to Fly, MFC, Habit, Wishlist, Even Flow, Daughter/(Surrender), In Hiding, Jeremy, State of Love and Trust, Nothingman, Better Man, Leatherman, Alive
enc 1: Immortality, Rearviewmirror, Last Exit, I Got Shit/(Cinnamon Girl), Black, Do the Evolution
enc 2: Yellow Ledbetter
notes: As Cheap Trick is performing, various members of PJ are spotted rocking out (and Mike taking photos through a small hole cut in the black cloth enveloping the scaffolding!), including Ed doing chinups and swinging on the scaffolding poles like a monkey and then holding his hand out, practically above his head, snapping his fingers rapidly with Rick Nielsen acknowledging him and grinning. During the first few songs, someone tosses a football and Ed catches it and looks around as if to say, "What the hell?!" Then he says, "check this out" and he flings his shoe off his foot simply by throwing his leg up in the air and kicks the ball 40 yards into the crowd. After 'Animal,' Ed addresses the crowd for the first time: "We made it, looks beautiful out there, we'll try to do it better than last time we played here, I feel better, I'm Ed Vedder." During 'Habit,' Ed changes the "speaking as" line to "speaking as a dumb-ass, beer-drinking, propaganda-believing, missile-shooting, American." (556k) 'Surrender' is a Cheap Trick song. Right before 'State,' Ed refers to a Mike having a special guest, and Mike plays the song with one of Rick Nielsen's guitars. 'Nothingman' is highlighted with lightning bolts on the backdrop. During 'Leatherman,' Ed's guitar cuts out during the break, Matt just keeps drumming. Then: "Driving in today, I saw two of the coolest things I've ever seen: First I saw a guy wearing a watermelon on his head [laughing] - that guy's Canadian of the year; then I saw the most amazing thing I've ever seen on the tour: I saw a guy with a truck, and in the back of a truck he had a couch, a chair, a fridge ... this song's about a bad-ass, the people up front are a bunch of bad-asses, the people in the back are a bunch of bad-asses; you're all a bunch of bad-asses." During Mike's 'Alive' solo, Ed is walking along the speaker stands, dancing and pointing and jumping up and down. "Next time we come here - actually there might not be a next time - I don't know if you know this, but the Doomsday Clock was pushed forward a few minutes, the Doomsday Clock is now at 5 minutes to midnight; you guys don't know what I'm talking about, do you - it means we're all gonna die, fuckers ..." leading to 'Immortality.' (844k) 'Do the Evolution' features the new video on the backdrop. A great crowd with Ed acknowledging: "Next time we'll do three shows in smaller venues so we can get the same number of people in." When the band takes the stage for 'Yellow Ledbetter,' the crowd noise is unbelievable and Ed covers his ears! He changes the lyrics from "don't ever wanna feel this way again" to "am never gonna have this much fun again." Ed appears not to want to leave, staring at the cheering crowd and leaving with his hand placed over his heart.

javis el errante

thanks derbydave, nice find, kudos to the five horizons people...

Uncle Snuffy

javis el errante wrote:

thanks derbydave, nice find, kudos to the five horizons people...

Yes, thanks derbydave. Very interesting read. I can't imagine them playing to 45,000+ these days.....but it sure would be fun to be surrounded by that many PJ fans !!

- Uncle Snuffy

AzWicker

Didn't one of the Brazil shows this year top 50K?

javis el errante

AzWicker wrote:

Didn't one of the Brazil shows this year top 50K?

Probably Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, brazilians are a lot, and they know how to have a good time...

Lost In Ohio

*picks up megaphone*

YO EVERYONE...


http://www.TwoFeetThick.com took over the Concert Chronology for Five Horizons. They've been doing a FANTASTIC JOB.

SHOCKED that derbydave drove all the way up and down the east coast looking for FAITHFULL ALE, but apparently didn't know the above tidbit! :fp:

Mamasan Bren

Big Bank Hank wrote:

I know those South American stadiums hold a ton of people. and they just played for over 85,000 people at Rock Werchter but it is a festival and unfortunately the biggest crowd ever was 2000 Roskilde, it is a shame they have never gone back, even if just to remember the victims in a healing sort of way by dedicating the concert to them, because Roskilde is now known as one of the safest festivals in the world

Well, they did go back to Copenhagen in '07 to play the Forum, as they will again very soon. I was lucky enough to be there, and it was their first concert in Denmark since the tragedy. They did dedicate that show to the victims and even had their family members invited out to it. I spoke to a drained Ed after the show and he related how emotional it was speaking with all of them.

derbydave

Lost In Ohio wrote:

*picks up megaphone*

YO EVERYONE...


http://www.TwoFeetThick.com took over the Concert Chronology for Five Horizons. They've been doing a FANTASTIC JOB.

SHOCKED that derbydave drove all the way up and down the east coast looking for FAITHFULL ALE, but apparently didn't know the above tidbit! :fp:

Hey Peter,

I knew about TFT's show chronology...but they don't list much in the way of attendance records!!
Other than a few of the 2005 shows, there isn't anything listed at all regarding concert attendance.
For the 2006 tour, they do list a few of the arenas capacities, but don't say how many tickets were sold.

By the way, I still have 3 or 4 bottles of FAITHFULL ALE left too

Are you hitting the Sam Adams Tap Takeover at 4th Street on Saturday??

I may see you there

Mamasan Bren

Good stuff, Dave. The 5 Horizons info. seems to be approximations anyway. I mean how would they count the Polo Fields crowd in SF? Unless there was an actual official gate announced. Having attended the Soldier Field show, I can attest that it was fully full. And having been in the pit, I can vouch for the whole field being packed like sardines. Still their best show ever hands down IMO.

Karley

Hmm I could definitely see Hyde Park 2010 there! Technically it's a festival but you can only buy a daily ticket as far as I know, no camping, located in the middle of the city. So it's much more like a really big concert that starts around noon with ONE headliner. Ben Harper, The Hives, Gaslight Anthem and Robert Francis were on the bill, too but I doubt anyone bought the ticket to see a 40 minute set of Ben Harper. Anybody knows the exact number of people there? I'd say about 50.000!

Big Bank Hank

Mamasan Bren wrote:

Big Bank Hank wrote:

I know those South American stadiums hold a ton of people. and they just played for over 85,000 people at Rock Werchter but it is a festival and unfortunately the biggest crowd ever was 2000 Roskilde, it is a shame they have never gone back, even if just to remember the victims in a healing sort of way by dedicating the concert to them, because Roskilde is now known as one of the safest festivals in the world

Well, they did go back to Copenhagen in '07 to play the Forum, as they will again very soon. I was lucky enough to be there, and it was their first concert in Denmark since the tragedy. They did dedicate that show to the victims and even had their family members invited out to it. I spoke to a drained Ed after the show and he related how emotional it was speaking with all of them.

the thing is they would draw about 125.000 at Roskilde for a ROSKILDE MEMORIAL CONCERT WHILE HEADLINING THE FESTIVAL

B-Rock

Melbourne 2009 at Etihad Stadium was 45,000-50,000 people.

The Sydney show 2 days later looked at least 40,000 people...

Mamasan Bren

Big Bank Hank wrote:

Mamasan Bren wrote:

Big Bank Hank wrote:

I know those South American stadiums hold a ton of people. and they just played for over 85,000 people at Rock Werchter but it is a festival and unfortunately the biggest crowd ever was 2000 Roskilde, it is a shame they have never gone back, even if just to remember the victims in a healing sort of way by dedicating the concert to them, because Roskilde is now known as one of the safest festivals in the world

Well, they did go back to Copenhagen in '07 to play the Forum, as they will again very soon. I was lucky enough to be there, and it was their first concert in Denmark since the tragedy. They did dedicate that show to the victims and even had their family members invited out to it. I spoke to a drained Ed after the show and he related how emotional it was speaking with all of them.

the thing is they would draw about 125.000 at Roskilde for a ROSKILDE MEMORIAL CONCERT WHILE HEADLINING THE FESTIVAL

I suppose they would, but perhaps they choose not to return for obvious reasons.

EvilClosetMonkey

I thought lolla 2007 was around 60 - 70k?

luke.harvey3

Reading fest 06?
Hyde park 2010? I heard they had more in the crowd than McCartney and Steve wonder combined, don't know how tue that is!

Cheo Ramirez

morumbi 2011 was packed, seated capacity is 65,000