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Top Five Favorite Openers

papa_pearls_jam.pj20papa_pearls_jam.pj20 Chicago USA Posts: 2,142
edited September 2012 in The Porch
There's often been discussion about which song makes the best live opener. Here's my top five, when I pick a random bootleg, that I look for.

1. Release (first song I ever heard live, but easy choice anyways)
2. Wash (same as number 1, only other and second concert opener)
3. Hard To Imagine
4. Long Road
5. Of The Girl

Limiting to five, so to keep it short and may result in more diverse lists.

What are yours?
Posimists. Fuck the pessimists...fuck'em.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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    ZosoZoso Posts: 6,425
    Long Road
    Of The Girl
    Love Boat Captain
    Porch (yes it happened lol)
    Hard to Imagine
    I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you

    Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl

    I love you forever and forever :)

    Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
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    SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 NYC Posts: 25,844
    1. Of the Girl
    2. Release/Oceans
    3. Wash
    4. Hard to Imagine (love this song even more than the others but I'd rather hear it in an encore)
    5. Go (my favorite fast one)

    Edit: damn I forgot Oceans even though I kept bumping a thread about it for months :x :lol:
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17

    LOOKING FOR A SINGLE TICKET TO MSG NIGHT 2

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    kasedougkasedoug The Golden State Posts: 2,890
    Release
    Wash
    Last Exit
    Interstellar Overdrive->Corduroy
    Why Go
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    YLed2YLed2 Des Moines, IA Posts: 5,534
    1.) Release
    2.) Wash
    3.) Hard To Imagine (my favorite PJ song but like it better later in the set/encore than as an opener)
    4.) Of The Girl
    5.) Long Road
    Bristow, VA - 5.13.10
    East Troy, WI - 9.3.11
    East Troy, WI - 9.4.11
    Atlanta, GA - 9.22.12
    Las Vegas, NV - 10.31.12 (EV)
    Las Vegas, NV - 11.1.12 (EV)
    Chicago, IL - 7.19.13
    Dallas, TX - 11.15.13
    Oklahoma City, OK - 11.16.13
    Seattle, WA - 12.6.13
    Lincoln, NE - 10.9.14
    Moline, IL - 10.17.14
    St. Paul, MN - 10.19.14
    Milwaukee, WI - 10.20.14
    New York, NY - 5.1.16
    New York, NY - 5.2.16
    Boston, MA - 8.5.16
    Boston, MA - 8.7.16
    Chicago, IL - 8.20.16

  • Options
    YoullseeDragonsYoullseeDragons Posts: 2,118
    Wash
    Release
    Of the Girl
    Hard to Imagine
    Oceans (still waiting for this one)
  • Options
    papa_pearls_jam.pj20papa_pearls_jam.pj20 Chicago USA Posts: 2,142
    YLed2 wrote:
    1.) Release
    2.) Wash
    3.) Hard To Imagine (my favorite PJ song but like it better later in the set/encore than as an opener)
    4.) Of The Girl
    5.) Long Road

    Just in case you weren't paying attention, you didn't have to pick from the ones I listed, Led.
    ;)
    Posimists. Fuck the pessimists...fuck'em.
  • Options
    mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,385
    1. Release
    2. Last Exit
    3. Go
    4. Sometimes
    5. Of The Girl
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
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    YLed2YLed2 Des Moines, IA Posts: 5,534
    papa_pearls_jam.pj20 wrote:
    YLed2 wrote:
    1.) Release
    2.) Wash
    3.) Hard To Imagine (my favorite PJ song but like it better later in the set/encore than as an opener)
    4.) Of The Girl
    5.) Long Road

    Just in case you weren't paying attention, you didn't have to pick from the ones I listed, Led.
    ;)

    :lol:

    What can I say - just like with boots, you have good taste. Great minds think alike my friend. :D
    Bristow, VA - 5.13.10
    East Troy, WI - 9.3.11
    East Troy, WI - 9.4.11
    Atlanta, GA - 9.22.12
    Las Vegas, NV - 10.31.12 (EV)
    Las Vegas, NV - 11.1.12 (EV)
    Chicago, IL - 7.19.13
    Dallas, TX - 11.15.13
    Oklahoma City, OK - 11.16.13
    Seattle, WA - 12.6.13
    Lincoln, NE - 10.9.14
    Moline, IL - 10.17.14
    St. Paul, MN - 10.19.14
    Milwaukee, WI - 10.20.14
    New York, NY - 5.1.16
    New York, NY - 5.2.16
    Boston, MA - 8.5.16
    Boston, MA - 8.7.16
    Chicago, IL - 8.20.16

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    JTHJTH Chicago Posts: 3,238
    I've actually only seen five unique openers at the shows I've been to, so here are my default 5

    1) Release
    2) Hard to Imagine
    3) Long Road
    4) Wash
    5) Sometimes*

    * was an EV solo show
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    papa_pearls_jam.pj20papa_pearls_jam.pj20 Chicago USA Posts: 2,142
    JTH wrote:
    I've actually only seen five unique openers at the shows I've been to, so here are my default 5

    1) Release
    2) Hard to Imagine
    3) Long Road
    4) Wash
    5) Sometimes*

    * was an EV solo show

    Yeah, I could only wish that I'd been to more than two, so the rest of mine are those openers that say, "Oh yeah!"
    Posimists. Fuck the pessimists...fuck'em.
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    pumpz81pumpz81 Posts: 214
    Release
    Oceans
    Interstellar Overdrive/Corduroy
    Why Go
    Corduroy
    05-03-2010 Kansas City, Missouri 05-04-2010 St Louis, Missouri 09-22-2012 Atlanta, GA (Music Midtown Festival) EV 11-09-2012 Austin 1 11-11-12 Austin 2 11-16-12 San Antonio
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    Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    Release
    Long Road
    Sometimes
    Hard to Imagine (Haven't heard as an opener, but great song)
    Last Exit (Good call, Matt)
    2003: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Seattle; 2005: Monterrey; 2006: Chicago 1 & 2, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Detroit; 2008: West Palm Beach, Tampa; 2009: Austin, LA 3 & 4, San Diego; 2010: Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Indianapolis; 2011: PJ20 1 & 2; 2012: Missoula; 2013: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Seattle; 2014: Tulsa; 2016: Columbia, New York City 1 & 2; 2018: London, Seattle 1 & 2; 2021: Ohana; 2022: Oklahoma City
  • Options
    NoWayNoWay St. Louis Posts: 347
    Loved Present Tense as an opener at St. Louis '03.
    St. Louis - 7/27/92, 4/22/03, 10/5/04, 5/4/10, 7/1/11 (EV), 10/3/14
    Chicago - 5/17/06, 8/21/08 (EV), 8/23/09, 7/19/13, 8/20/16
    Champaign - 4/23/03
    East Troy - 9/3/11, 9/4/11
    Kansas City - 5/3/10
    Las Vegas - 6/6/03
    Memphis - 6/20/09 (EV)
    Moline - 10/17/14
    Oklahoma City - 11/16/13
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    bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,538
    My top 5:

    1) Release
    2) Sometimes
    3) Long Road
    4) Wash
    5) Do the Evolution (2003 Champaign show, awesome)
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    bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,538
    mfc2006 wrote:
    1. Release
    2. Last Exit
    3. Go
    4. Sometimes
    5. Of The Girl

    Shoot, I missed Go. Good call! Go - > Animal.
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    dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam NINUNINOPRO Posts: 139,158
    Nothing as it Seems(Best opener ever,Cardiff 00)
    Wash
    Release(even after Amsterdam 2 i prefer it in the set not as opener)
    Go,with Animal next
    Garden (my dream opener if i made the setlist.)
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
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    mtolan514mtolan514 Posts: 84
    1. Of the Girl
    2. Release
    3. Sometimes
    4. Long Road
    5. Interstellar Overdrive/Corduroy

    I do not have the same feelings for "Wash" as everyone else... :|
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    redsfanredsfan Posts: 34
    Alive - the night they opened with this in Newcastle was fantastic. Shocked everyone in the place, I think we were all expecting Long Road or Release.

    I have seen the band 9 times so the other 5 openers I have seen are
    Release
    Long Road
    Thumbing My Way
    Do the Evolution
    Last Exit
  • Options
    dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam NINUNINOPRO Posts: 139,158
    redsfan wrote:
    Alive - the night they opened with this in Newcastle was fantastic. Shocked everyone in the place, I think we were all expecting Long Road or Release.

    I have seen the band 9 times so the other 5 openers I have seen are
    Release
    Long Road
    Thumbing My Way
    Do the Evolution
    Last Exit
    i always was jealous of newcastle cos of this!!Alive opener..must be a hell of opener!!!
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • Options
    EraserheadEraserhead Stoke-on-Trent Posts: 2,842
    Release
    Interstellar Overdrive/Corduroy
    Wash
    Sometimes
    Long Road
    Manchester 04.06.00, Leeds 25.08.06, Wembley 18.06.07, Dusseldorf 21.06.07, Shepherds Bush 11.08.09, Manchester 17.08.09, Adelaide 17.11.09, Melbourne 20.11.09, Sydney 22.11.09, Brisbane 25.11.09, MSG1 20.05.10, MSG2 21.05.10, Dublin 22.06.10, Belfast 23.06.10, London 25.06.10, Long Beach 06.07.11 (EV), Los Angeles 08.07.11 (EV), Toronto 11.09.11, Toronto 12.09.11, Ottawa 14.09.11, Hamilton 14.09.11, Manchester 20.06.12, Manchester 21.06.12, Amsterdam 26.06.2012, Amsterdam 27.06.2012, Berlin 04.07.12, Berlin 05.07.12, Stockholm 07.07.12, Oslo 09.07.12, Copenhagen 10.07.12, Manchester 28.07.12 (EV), Brooklyn 18.10.13, Brooklyn 19.10.13, Philly 21.10.13, Philly 22.10.13, San Diego 21.11.13, LA 23.11.13, LA 24.11.13, Oakland 26.11.13, Portland 29.11.13, Spokane 30.11.13, Calgary 02.12.13, Vancouver 04.12.13, Seattle 06.12.13, Trieste 22.06.14, Vienna 25.06.14, Berlin 26.06.14, Stockholm 28.06.14, Leeds 08.07.14, Philly 28.04.16, Philly 28.04.16, MSG1 01.05.16, MSG2 02.05.16
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    veddertownveddertown Scotland Posts: 5,260
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    Nothing as it Seems(Best opener ever,Cardiff 00)
    Wash
    Release(even after Amsterdam 2 i prefer it in the set not as opener)
    Go,with Animal next
    Garden (my dream opener if i made the setlist.)

    Garden is my dream opener too and always though Indifference would be pretty cool.

    1. Sometimes (my favourite song/Belfast 10)
    2. Long Road (obsessed about this song since TB2000/Dublin & Berlin 10)
    3. Release (Atlanta 94 made me need to hear it/Manchester 12)
    4. Wash (not yet :( )
    5. Go (best song for a good fast start/Manchester 12)

    Would love Hard To Imagine, Can't Keep or Of The Girl!

    Betterman, Sydney 06 and NAIS Cardiff 00 are two of my top opener ever and not to forget Breakerfall, Columbus 00. :D
    Like a book among the many on a shelf...

    Dublin 02 Arena - 22/6/10. Belfast Odyssey Arena - 23/6/10. London Hyde Park - 25/6/10. Berlin Wuhlheide - 30/6/10.
    Manchester MEN - 20/06/12. Manchester MEN - 21/06/12
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    SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 NYC Posts: 25,844
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    Nothing as it Seems(Best opener ever,Cardiff 00)
    Wash
    Release(even after Amsterdam 2 i prefer it in the set not as opener)
    Go,with Animal next
    Garden (my dream opener if i made the setlist.)

    I absolutely love the Cardiff show. I am a sucker for unusual openers :lol:. Always thought they should give Indifference a try.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17

    LOOKING FOR A SINGLE TICKET TO MSG NIGHT 2

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    kw18kw18 Posts: 3,909
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    My top 5:

    5) Do the Evolution (2003 Champaign show, awesome)

    Absolutely! This was also the opener for '98 Alpine, Night 1, which was my first show. As great and classic as some of these other openers are, nothing -- NOTHING -- beats opening a concert with the big 'ole barrel of howlin' fury that is DTE.
    "Where's KW?"
    "Let's check Idaho."
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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 87,827
    Hard To Imagine
    Long Road
    Release
    Oceans
    Wash
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    JTHJTH Chicago Posts: 3,238
    veddertown wrote:
    Would love Hard To Imagine, Can't Keep or Of The Girl!
    Ooh, good call. I guess if I'm counting "Sometimes" I should include "Can't Keep" since I've seen Ed open with it a couple times.

    Revised list:

    1) Release
    2) Hard to Imagine
    3) Long Road
    4) Sometimes*
    5) Can't Keep*

    * EV solo shows
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    Indifference71Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,742
    Release
    Oceans
    Hard to Imagine
    Wash
    Long Road
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    fortyshadesfortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Release
    Oceans
    Sometimes
    Love Boat Captain (I like this one for some reason)
    Hard to Imagine

    Gonna See My Friend would be interesting
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    barger395barger395 Posts: 855
    1. Release
    2. Last Exit
    3. Interstellar > Corduroy
    4. Sometimes
    5. Long Road
    Seen the Best Rock Band on the Planet a few times here and there.
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    fortyshadesfortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Severed Hand too for some reason - just to throw everyone off guard...
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    JTHJTH Chicago Posts: 3,238
    fortyshades wrote:
    Love Boat Captain (I like this one for some reason)
    Lemme guess that reason. Because it's a fucking great song?
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