In my opinion, I don't think one can judge a show based on a boot - especially if they weren't there. You can't see the crowd OR the bands' energy. Of the shows I went to, here's my rank...
1. Grand Rapids - we need a DVD of that one
2. San Diego
3. Chicago 1
4. Chicago 2
5. Cleveland
6. Vegas
I can't stand the annoying whistlers either and what about the dude on the San Diego boot???? I don't know what that sound is or where it's coming from!
no shit. this asshole deserves a fucking stick in the eye. every time a song ends, the whistling dickhead gets his 3 seconds...
Some folks on the board have talked to this guy and he's quite proud of his contributions to the boots. He seems to crave attention. My theory is that he wasn't held enough as a baby.
I agree - is there a way to separate the best boots from the best shows? I would love to get a few bootleg from a show I didn't go to, but its hard to get any kind of objective point of view here, b/c people are recommending their favorite show they attended and obviously its partly b/c of the memories of the show.
can someone pls list their favorites based on sound quality and overall greatness of the show, not on the memory of how much fun they had?
maybe its just an impossible thing.
**There is a sickness, a sickness coming over me - like watching freedom, being sucked straight out to sea**
I agree - is there a way to separate the best boots from the best shows? I would love to get a few bootleg from a show I didn't go to, but its hard to get any kind of objective point of view here, b/c people are recommending their favorite show they attended and obviously its partly b/c of the memories of the show.
can someone pls list their favorites based on sound quality and overall greatness of the show, not on the memory of how much fun they had?
I've heard them all at least twice. My opinions are geared purely towards LISTENING to boots (crowds and visuals not considered). Only a few shows disappointed. LA1 is subpar, LA2 is average, and Cincy is sloppy. The recording error diminishes Meadowlands 2 and, though decent, the short St. Paul, Milwaukee, and Denver shows are short of a "real" PJ experience. Every other show is very good, but my special mention goes to these 10:
San Francisco 3 - The band was on a mission coming out of the short shows, and the final stretch of the tour proves it. But maybe none more so than this one. SF 1&2 aren't bad, but not up to the level of the gems on this stretch. But this third night reminds me a lot of the Buffalo show ending the first leg of '03. The last show(s) seemed more prone to hype, but shows near the end were actually better. Second only to Sweet Jane, Watchtower is arguably the most covered song of all time. For 30 years I've been listening to boots of varying quality with this song, and I now have a new favorite. Where has Untitled been? It's back here. Why is Red Mosquito so rare? It's back here. Present Tense, Why Go, In Hiding, Light Years. This show has a unique setlist and executed to the hilt. I think I'm comfortable calling this one the best, but still in the running for my personal favorite is also ...
Las Vegas - This is an unorthodox pick, as most people have fawned over the subsequent SD show and dismissed this one. Even if Ed's comments about the venue are true, it doesn't matter. And though Ed was sick, he made up for it in heart. As an opener, Inside Job is at its most appealing. The Fortunate Son-Porch closer for "W's birthday" is unmatched, with a Dirty Frank tease-tag. Also, the little Come Back tag at the end of Black is a nice twist. I love Boom, but the Benmont Tench wrinkle plus imrpov makes this one of the best Better Man versions ever. Throw in Little Sister and Parachutes for uniqueness, and LV is my sleeper pick for best show.
Santa Barbara - I'm not sure how the sets were set up. That first set isn't acoustic, but it seemed an early, shorter, mellower set ... and it's great! A superbly executed show that sees rarities Oceans, the Interstellar Overdrive Intro, and U. Grand Rapids is almost universally hailed as "the show" which, in my opinion, is based almost entirely on the first encore. Which begs the question ... where's the love for SB, the first set of which is every bit as good as the GR encore and is better as an overall show.
The Gorge 1 - Dirty Frank!! They actually played it, and with a vigor that makes it sound better with each repeated listening. As a matter of personal taste, Wash as an opener always sets a special tone (and seems to be there in so many of the best recent shows). The Mamasan trilogy opens first encore with Crown Of Thorns. Since it seems to me Footsteps and Crown Of Thorns alone gave Chicago 2 it's glowing reviews (I was there), this show has so much more overall (and outdoor shows always have a built-in advantage). Finally, Daughter gets the It's OK tag, which is a big favorite of mine and leads me to ...
Cleveland - My favorite show of leg one inching out Camden 2. The '03 show here was also superb but was similarly unheralded. Forgive the ill-fated attempt to open the show with crowd singing and this show takes off otherwise. The Daughter/It's Ok here is a tour highlight. After screwing it up every time in 2000 but playing it masterfully in 2003, Immortality is MIA this tour ... but not here. The setlist won't floor you, but the execution of this show will. I love the Roger Waters-esque megaphone on Comatose with it's slap at Detroit. The bash-other-venues banter which riddles the Grand Rapids-Cleveland-Detroit stretch is hilarious and prior to the post-Petty west coast stretch, these three dates are where the band peaked.
Camden 2 - I have frequently given love to the GR-Cle-Det trio of the first leg but this show might stand above them all. No doubt Philly has gotten it's share of special shows (and Wash openers). The '05 show was insane and the Philly 1 '00 remains my favorite from that set. An incredibly solid show and I never thought I'd enjoy Wishlist for it's rarity, but it's come to that.
Detroit - I think this is the best I've ever heard Ed sound on a recording. They wisely dump the GR-Cle idea of singalong openers with a welcome return of Long Road. Nothingman has all but disappeared but shows up here, and I think Why Go-Porch-Indifference-Kick Out the Jams-YL is the best finish of the leg. It was great to hear the Jams cover in '05, but Detroit provided the MC5 inspiration that S.America could not making this one of the very best cover performances I've ever heard from PJ.
Grand Rapids - I think it's the longest show of the tour and the first encore is remarkable. Those reasons alone make it worthy of top mention ... but the only reasons. I differ quite a bit from most fans on this point. I still think GR is a great show, but by no means THE show.
San Diego - Great set openers with Oceans and encore with Long Road. solid show all-around. But if Ed doesn't make his typical tongue-in-cheek comments ripping on the Las Vegas gig ... do fans still rate this ahead of LV after complete listens?
Chicago 1 - Where is the love for this show? I have been at all Chicago and Wisconsin shows from 2000 on, and with the exception of Alpine Valley in 2003, this one was the most solid. Yes, better than night 2 ... slightly better than Rosemont 2000 ... and clearly better than the Ed-belongs-in-bed-with-Nyquil UC show of '03. For the fan of less recent vintage hoping for hits, Ten gets great play including jams on even Flow and Porch that match up with ANY. Like mellow rarities? Both Low Light and I'm Open here. For No Code freaks (like me), the Present Tense was as good as I've heard. Bush detractors must love the Daughter tag. And the Blood/Atomic Dog and Indifference back-to-back at the end blew me away. A well-executed, lengthy, and great sounding show (in a venue with abysmal acoustics).
Albany - Once 30+ shows rolled in afterwards, Albany lost a bit of its luster. too bad, because this show is excellent. The return of Rats and Satans Bed, perfectly executed, are treats. The Wasted Reprise-Life Wasted works. No Code gets a nod with rarities Red Mosquito and Off He Goes. And the Porch is mindnumbingly good. The end of this show is a bit flat and sloppy, but near perfect until then.
Okey-doke.... Was State College? No, not really...Some people like to be in the minority and they let that skew their judgement. There is a reason why State College is highly rated by listeners, because it blows Uniondale away.. I thinks you thinks it is overrated for the simple fact that every one loves these shows and you wish to be different.. Yes Yes? Also shout out to LAII, Unbelievably fast performance. State of- and Better Man are amazing. San Diego for atmoshphere, and Albany for great sound.
But does State College blow away Buffalo? East Troy? Council bluffs? San Antonio?
Although I have some tendencies to be "contrarian", it's never for its own sake. Grand Rapids '06 is a great show, and I enjoy State College '03 too. In '00, Katowice 2 and Philly 1 are widely hailed as "best" shows and I agree. I do not disagree simply to disagree, and to say a show is overrated isn't to say it's bad. Some excellent shows simply get less exposure and commentary. I love the Grand Rapids show, think the first encore very well may be THE highlight of the tour, and thus find it to be among the best shows ... but there are a handful I like better.
And since when does "everyone loving something" mean it's the best? Are the best songs the one played most on the radio? Are the best movies the ones with the biggest gross at the box office? Are the best musicians the ones who win Grammys?
Sometimes popular appeal and quality meet. Sometimes they do not.
Grand Rapids is a bad example because it is both popular and great. My calling it "overrated" isn't a knock. It just means I don't think it's #1, and I'd like to see what some people think if encouraged to listen to less heralded shows like Cleveland, Detroit, Santa Barbara, or Las Vegas.
I believe I called SF3 the best show, which is hardly "being different".
Chicago 1 - Where is the love for this show? I have been at all Chicago and Wisconsin shows from 2000 on, and with the exception of Alpine Valley in 2003, this one was the most solid. Yes, better than night 2 ... slightly better than Rosemont 2000 ... and clearly better than the Ed-belongs-in-bed-with-Nyquil UC show of '03. For the fan of less recent vintage hoping for hits, Ten gets great play including jams on even Flow and Porch that match up with ANY. Like mellow rarities? Both Low Light and I'm Open here. For No Code freaks (like me), the Present Tense was as good as I've heard. Bush detractors must love the Daughter tag. And the Blood/Atomic Dog and Indifference back-to-back at the end blew me away. A well-executed, lengthy, and great sounding show (in a venue with abysmal acoustics).
Thank you! I don't think this show gets the credit it deserves. I thought it was amazing.
Chicago 2000 : Chicago 2003 : Chicago 2006 : Summerfest 2006 : Lollapalooza 2007 : Chicago 2009 : Noblesville (Indy) 2010 : PJ20 (East Troy) 2011 : Wrigley Field 2013 : Milwaukee (Yield) 2014 : Wrigley Field 2016
Some folks on the board have talked to this guy and he's quite proud of his contributions to the boots. He seems to crave attention. My theory is that he wasn't held enough as a baby.
who the hell is he?!?!?!?!
i'm going to invent a way to reach through the internet and beat the shit out of someone...just because of this guy. what a goddamn knobhole.
thank god he's not on the grand rapids boot i bought.
Of course I value your opinion. It's what makes you wrong and me right.
Great setlist, energy, crowd, sound, length and puts the other boots to shame!
After EVERY tour this question is asked and EVERY tour Bostonians claim their show was the best. What is it with you guys? Your Napoleon complex from getting beat down by NY all these years means that standing up for city makes your opinions legit? Let me tell you something, you're all suspect.
It's Great To See A Band Since Oct..of 05..play 9 Show's In The Jersey Area,shit's Mind Blowing,and Everyone Was A Diffrent Show. The Reason I'm Bringing This Up Is People Talking About Louder Crowd's Mean Better Show's?it Dont Matter Where Ya See Them...there Alway's Gonna Move Your Soul,it's A F-in Religious Experience 4 Me Everytime..(the Pre-pearl Jam Party's In The Parkin Lot Might Have A Lil Play In It..u Alway's Have The One Drunk Fan,that The Only Song They Kinda Spit Out Is Evenflow,or Fuck U Eddie!!then The People Who Know Not Too Fuckin Ruin A Good Thing:)..the Die-harder's,the One's Like Us Still Thinkin About The First Time We Saw Them Play Live,and The Energy That Build's,the F-in Connection,...u F$#ker's Know Who U Are,..like Me,i Could See Them In Fuckin Iraq(...well Maybe Anywhere Else Like ?syria?anywhere There's P.j Playin,..f#ck It,i'm There....as Long As I'm Not Gonna Die Doing It...butt It Would Be A Great Way To Go!!!!!!!
Alright This Is Way To Long,i Apologize For This Long Ass A.d.d. Rant...butt I Wanna Be Heard Damn-it,..waaaaaaaaa No One Loves Me...if Your Still Reading Ya Shoulda Bailed A Long Time Ago,.....later People...keep On Rockin(in The Not So)free World.....impeach Bush....or Light Candles On My-space,haaaaaaaaa ...later....chris
Now we got a fuckin fight up here,what there's a republican in the audience,what's going on? Eddie(Randell's Island N.Y 96)
Alright This Is Way To Long,i Apologize For This Long Ass A.d.d. Rant...butt I Wanna Be Heard Damn-it,..waaaaaaaaa No One Loves Me...if Your Still Reading Ya Shoulda Bailed A Long Time Ago,.....later People...keep On Rockin(in The Not So)free World.....impeach Bush....or Light Candles On My-space,haaaaaaaaa ...later....chris
I've heard them all at least twice. My opinions are geared purely towards LISTENING to boots (crowds and visuals not considered). Only a few shows disappointed. LA1 is subpar, LA2 is average, and Cincy is sloppy. The recording error diminishes Meadowlands 2 and, though decent, the short St. Paul, Milwaukee, and Denver shows are short of a "real" PJ experience. Every other show is very good, but my special mention goes to these 10:
Thanks for this post - you've got the right criteria in mind for helping people who weren't there decide which shows' bootlegs to buy, and based on the bootlegs I've heard so far, we seem to agree on a lot of points. For one thing, I knew I was witnessing a standout show that last night in SF, and listening to the bootleg has confirmed that.
So how do PJ's performances stack up with the 30 years of other bands' performances you've listened to? I don't have that kind of experience, but I will say that the simple act of listening to PJ's bootlegs with headphones and a bottle of red wine takes me to some incredible places.
Thanks again. This will be a great help to me in prioritizing my bootleg purchases.
i'd love to say pittsburgh because that show was just flat out insane. i would definetly say the boston shows were WAY overrated this year! also include grand rapids, gorge, san diego.
"Fuck the talkin' let's start rockin" - Eddie Vedder 9-5-00 Pittsburgh
4/26/03 Pittsburgh 5/3/03 State College 7/12/03 Hershey 10/1/04 Reading 9/28/05 Pittsburgh 5/20/06 Cleveland 6/23/06 Pittsburgh 6/22/08 DC
friends don't let friends listen to good charlotte
It's Great To See A Band Since Oct..of 05..play 9 Show's In The Jersey Area,shit's Mind Blowing,and Everyone Was A Diffrent Show. The Reason I'm Bringing This Up Is People Talking About Louder Crowd's Mean Better Show's?it Dont Matter Where Ya See Them...there Alway's Gonna Move Your Soul,it's A F-in Religious Experience 4 Me Everytime..(the Pre-pearl Jam Party's In The Parkin Lot Might Have A Lil Play In It..u Alway's Have The One Drunk Fan,that The Only Song They Kinda Spit Out Is Evenflow,or Fuck U Eddie!!then The People Who Know Not Too Fuckin Ruin A Good Thing:)..the Die-harder's,the One's Like Us Still Thinkin About The First Time We Saw Them Play Live,and The Energy That Build's,the F-in Connection,...u F$#ker's Know Who U Are,..like Me,i Could See Them In Fuckin Iraq(...well Maybe Anywhere Else Like ?syria?anywhere There's P.j Playin,..f#ck It,i'm There....as Long As I'm Not Gonna Die Doing It...butt It Would Be A Great Way To Go!!!!!!!
Alright This Is Way To Long,i Apologize For This Long Ass A.d.d. Rant...butt I Wanna Be Heard Damn-it,..waaaaaaaaa No One Loves Me...if Your Still Reading Ya Shoulda Bailed A Long Time Ago,.....later People...keep On Rockin(in The Not So)free World.....impeach Bush....or Light Candles On My-space,haaaaaaaaa ...later....chris
I just want to say...that's a lot of capital letters. freaky.
Between the Cleveland and Pittsburgh shows that I was at and the Chicago II and Gorge I boots that I also have, I rank them as follows:
1. Cleveland
2. Gorge I
3. Pittsburgh
4. Chicago II
The sound quality for Cleveland is pristine, and I am hard pressed to hear a bad note, let alone an actual "mistake." Mike's solo on Immortality is as pure as it is intense. The especially slow Porch intro gives way to a blistering extended jam.
Gorge I is a very close second. Great setlist - Dirty Frank nearly puts this one over the top by itself. Sound quality nearly as good as Cleveland.
Pittsburgh was a better show to attend than Cleveland as the crowd was more into the show and the live intensity was hard to beat. However, I don't think the sound quality is as crisp as Cleveland and Gorge I.
Chicago II's sound is slightly worse than Pittsburg, and the butchering of Last Kiss is rough (even though I often skip over Last Kiss even when it is played well).
But, who am I to say - a less-than-perfect (I will never say "bad") Pearl Jam show beats the best of nearly every other band out there.
Comments
1. Grand Rapids - we need a DVD of that one
2. San Diego
3. Chicago 1
4. Chicago 2
5. Cleveland
6. Vegas
I can't stand the annoying whistlers either and what about the dude on the San Diego boot???? I don't know what that sound is or where it's coming from!
: )
10 shows and can't wait to keep counting....
no shit. this asshole deserves a fucking stick in the eye. every time a song ends, the whistling dickhead gets his 3 seconds...
i hope the asshole has gum disease by now...
Some folks on the board have talked to this guy and he's quite proud of his contributions to the boots. He seems to crave attention. My theory is that he wasn't held enough as a baby.
I'll ride the wave where it takes me...
can someone pls list their favorites based on sound quality and overall greatness of the show, not on the memory of how much fun they had?
maybe its just an impossible thing.
followed by:
2. San Diego
3. Gore II
3. Albany
4. Boston II
San Francisco 3 - The band was on a mission coming out of the short shows, and the final stretch of the tour proves it. But maybe none more so than this one. SF 1&2 aren't bad, but not up to the level of the gems on this stretch. But this third night reminds me a lot of the Buffalo show ending the first leg of '03. The last show(s) seemed more prone to hype, but shows near the end were actually better. Second only to Sweet Jane, Watchtower is arguably the most covered song of all time. For 30 years I've been listening to boots of varying quality with this song, and I now have a new favorite. Where has Untitled been? It's back here. Why is Red Mosquito so rare? It's back here. Present Tense, Why Go, In Hiding, Light Years. This show has a unique setlist and executed to the hilt. I think I'm comfortable calling this one the best, but still in the running for my personal favorite is also ...
Las Vegas - This is an unorthodox pick, as most people have fawned over the subsequent SD show and dismissed this one. Even if Ed's comments about the venue are true, it doesn't matter. And though Ed was sick, he made up for it in heart. As an opener, Inside Job is at its most appealing. The Fortunate Son-Porch closer for "W's birthday" is unmatched, with a Dirty Frank tease-tag. Also, the little Come Back tag at the end of Black is a nice twist. I love Boom, but the Benmont Tench wrinkle plus imrpov makes this one of the best Better Man versions ever. Throw in Little Sister and Parachutes for uniqueness, and LV is my sleeper pick for best show.
Santa Barbara - I'm not sure how the sets were set up. That first set isn't acoustic, but it seemed an early, shorter, mellower set ... and it's great! A superbly executed show that sees rarities Oceans, the Interstellar Overdrive Intro, and U. Grand Rapids is almost universally hailed as "the show" which, in my opinion, is based almost entirely on the first encore. Which begs the question ... where's the love for SB, the first set of which is every bit as good as the GR encore and is better as an overall show.
The Gorge 1 - Dirty Frank!! They actually played it, and with a vigor that makes it sound better with each repeated listening. As a matter of personal taste, Wash as an opener always sets a special tone (and seems to be there in so many of the best recent shows). The Mamasan trilogy opens first encore with Crown Of Thorns. Since it seems to me Footsteps and Crown Of Thorns alone gave Chicago 2 it's glowing reviews (I was there), this show has so much more overall (and outdoor shows always have a built-in advantage). Finally, Daughter gets the It's OK tag, which is a big favorite of mine and leads me to ...
Cleveland - My favorite show of leg one inching out Camden 2. The '03 show here was also superb but was similarly unheralded. Forgive the ill-fated attempt to open the show with crowd singing and this show takes off otherwise. The Daughter/It's Ok here is a tour highlight. After screwing it up every time in 2000 but playing it masterfully in 2003, Immortality is MIA this tour ... but not here. The setlist won't floor you, but the execution of this show will. I love the Roger Waters-esque megaphone on Comatose with it's slap at Detroit. The bash-other-venues banter which riddles the Grand Rapids-Cleveland-Detroit stretch is hilarious and prior to the post-Petty west coast stretch, these three dates are where the band peaked.
Camden 2 - I have frequently given love to the GR-Cle-Det trio of the first leg but this show might stand above them all. No doubt Philly has gotten it's share of special shows (and Wash openers). The '05 show was insane and the Philly 1 '00 remains my favorite from that set. An incredibly solid show and I never thought I'd enjoy Wishlist for it's rarity, but it's come to that.
Detroit - I think this is the best I've ever heard Ed sound on a recording. They wisely dump the GR-Cle idea of singalong openers with a welcome return of Long Road. Nothingman has all but disappeared but shows up here, and I think Why Go-Porch-Indifference-Kick Out the Jams-YL is the best finish of the leg. It was great to hear the Jams cover in '05, but Detroit provided the MC5 inspiration that S.America could not making this one of the very best cover performances I've ever heard from PJ.
Grand Rapids - I think it's the longest show of the tour and the first encore is remarkable. Those reasons alone make it worthy of top mention ... but the only reasons. I differ quite a bit from most fans on this point. I still think GR is a great show, but by no means THE show.
San Diego - Great set openers with Oceans and encore with Long Road. solid show all-around. But if Ed doesn't make his typical tongue-in-cheek comments ripping on the Las Vegas gig ... do fans still rate this ahead of LV after complete listens?
Chicago 1 - Where is the love for this show? I have been at all Chicago and Wisconsin shows from 2000 on, and with the exception of Alpine Valley in 2003, this one was the most solid. Yes, better than night 2 ... slightly better than Rosemont 2000 ... and clearly better than the Ed-belongs-in-bed-with-Nyquil UC show of '03. For the fan of less recent vintage hoping for hits, Ten gets great play including jams on even Flow and Porch that match up with ANY. Like mellow rarities? Both Low Light and I'm Open here. For No Code freaks (like me), the Present Tense was as good as I've heard. Bush detractors must love the Daughter tag. And the Blood/Atomic Dog and Indifference back-to-back at the end blew me away. A well-executed, lengthy, and great sounding show (in a venue with abysmal acoustics).
Albany - Once 30+ shows rolled in afterwards, Albany lost a bit of its luster. too bad, because this show is excellent. The return of Rats and Satans Bed, perfectly executed, are treats. The Wasted Reprise-Life Wasted works. No Code gets a nod with rarities Red Mosquito and Off He Goes. And the Porch is mindnumbingly good. The end of this show is a bit flat and sloppy, but near perfect until then.
But does State College blow away Buffalo? East Troy? Council bluffs? San Antonio?
Although I have some tendencies to be "contrarian", it's never for its own sake. Grand Rapids '06 is a great show, and I enjoy State College '03 too. In '00, Katowice 2 and Philly 1 are widely hailed as "best" shows and I agree. I do not disagree simply to disagree, and to say a show is overrated isn't to say it's bad. Some excellent shows simply get less exposure and commentary. I love the Grand Rapids show, think the first encore very well may be THE highlight of the tour, and thus find it to be among the best shows ... but there are a handful I like better.
And since when does "everyone loving something" mean it's the best? Are the best songs the one played most on the radio? Are the best movies the ones with the biggest gross at the box office? Are the best musicians the ones who win Grammys?
Sometimes popular appeal and quality meet. Sometimes they do not.
Grand Rapids is a bad example because it is both popular and great. My calling it "overrated" isn't a knock. It just means I don't think it's #1, and I'd like to see what some people think if encouraged to listen to less heralded shows like Cleveland, Detroit, Santa Barbara, or Las Vegas.
I believe I called SF3 the best show, which is hardly "being different".
Thank you! I don't think this show gets the credit it deserves. I thought it was amazing.
who the hell is he?!?!?!?!
i'm going to invent a way to reach through the internet and beat the shit out of someone...just because of this guy. what a goddamn knobhole.
thank god he's not on the grand rapids boot i bought.
After EVERY tour this question is asked and EVERY tour Bostonians claim their show was the best. What is it with you guys? Your Napoleon complex from getting beat down by NY all these years means that standing up for city makes your opinions legit? Let me tell you something, you're all suspect.
SF shows, San Diego.
Alright This Is Way To Long,i Apologize For This Long Ass A.d.d. Rant...butt I Wanna Be Heard Damn-it,..waaaaaaaaa No One Loves Me...if Your Still Reading Ya Shoulda Bailed A Long Time Ago,.....later People...keep On Rockin(in The Not So)free World.....impeach Bush....or Light Candles On My-space,haaaaaaaaa ...later....chris
What a waste of good electrons.
I'll ride the wave where it takes me...
I'll Admit///as Post Number 4's Go - In the History Of Fourth Posts...This One Is The Most Unique>>
Thanks for this post - you've got the right criteria in mind for helping people who weren't there decide which shows' bootlegs to buy, and based on the bootlegs I've heard so far, we seem to agree on a lot of points. For one thing, I knew I was witnessing a standout show that last night in SF, and listening to the bootleg has confirmed that.
So how do PJ's performances stack up with the 30 years of other bands' performances you've listened to? I don't have that kind of experience, but I will say that the simple act of listening to PJ's bootlegs with headphones and a bottle of red wine takes me to some incredible places.
Thanks again. This will be a great help to me in prioritizing my bootleg purchases.
4/26/03 Pittsburgh 5/3/03 State College 7/12/03 Hershey 10/1/04 Reading 9/28/05 Pittsburgh 5/20/06 Cleveland 6/23/06 Pittsburgh 6/22/08 DC
friends don't let friends listen to good charlotte
I just want to say...that's a lot of capital letters. freaky.
1. Cleveland
2. Gorge I
3. Pittsburgh
4. Chicago II
The sound quality for Cleveland is pristine, and I am hard pressed to hear a bad note, let alone an actual "mistake." Mike's solo on Immortality is as pure as it is intense. The especially slow Porch intro gives way to a blistering extended jam.
Gorge I is a very close second. Great setlist - Dirty Frank nearly puts this one over the top by itself. Sound quality nearly as good as Cleveland.
Pittsburgh was a better show to attend than Cleveland as the crowd was more into the show and the live intensity was hard to beat. However, I don't think the sound quality is as crisp as Cleveland and Gorge I.
Chicago II's sound is slightly worse than Pittsburg, and the butchering of Last Kiss is rough (even though I often skip over Last Kiss even when it is played well).
But, who am I to say - a less-than-perfect (I will never say "bad") Pearl Jam show beats the best of nearly every other band out there.
Biased (sort of) - Gorge 1 and 2
Portland 11/02/00 Vancouver 09/02/05
Boise 11/03/00 Gorge 1 07/22/06
Seattle 1 11/05/00 Gorge 2 07/23/06
Seattle 2 11/06/00 Vancouver 09/25/09