Converting a DMB fanatic to Pearl Jam

djmikeyz28

I have a new boss at work, and he is a DMB fanatic. It's pretty much all he listens to. He's been to 59 shows, and has over 300 posters. He's curious about the similarities between Dave fans and PJ fans, as the fanaticism is similar. So we've agreed to a challenge (as I have never been a Dave fan AT ALL): we each pick two live shows and one custom cd of studio work to present to one another. Then we each give three listens to each other's music.

For my two bootlegs, I'm thinking Benny (acoustic nature, and level of fame) and Noblesville 6/22/03 (a current favorite based on the setlist and the band's sound).

What I'm looking for is suggestions to put on the studio album that will appeal to a Dave fan. Not necessarily favorites, or even PJ's best songs, so much as songs that will appeal to a Dave fan and get him interested and wanting more.

Help!

jmdavino

Hartford 2008, any song really but what sticks out in my head 5 years later is the song Smile.

81

benny is a great choice, i would consider using bonnaroo as the other.

for songs.

of he goes

LloydXmas

Why convert? He can do both.

JTH

Benny's a great choice, but it's not really what a PJ show is normally about.

And I definitely wouldn't go with two shows from the same year.

so stick with Noblesville '03 if that's one of your faves and I'd go with the Vic Theatre show for the other one if I were you.

facepollution

Speaking as a casual DMB fan I would include songs like:

Long Road - maybe even a live version - the version they played at Wembley in 07 is pretty stunning, not sure if they ever released a bootleg of this, but the way Ed sang it was incredible.

Small Town
Given To Fly
Unthought Known
Corduroy
Betterman
Daughter
Release
Black
Present Tense
Immortality
Off He Goes

Basically any of their mid-paced/mellow stuff! You probably don't wanna batter him over the head with Blood or Spin The Black Circle....

facepollution

P.S to give you a preview of DMB at their best here's their song Bartender live from Rio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOyRzoAG694

I know people have all sorts of opinions on DMB, but this song to me is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Pearl Jam - and Dave's voice around the 8:40 mark is incredible, he really does push it to its limit

JTH

studio songs:

Almost anything from Yield or No Code
Sad
Black
Long Road
Can't Keep
Love Boat Captain
I Am Mine
All or None
Rats
WMA
Indifference
Immortality
Fatal
Parachutes
Army Reserve
Come Back
Just Breathe
Unthought Known
Hard to Imagine
Man of the Hour

mca47

I really like both bands. There are def some similarities between bands and fans.

As far as what you should give him...that's hard to say. Certainly some of their slower acoustic stuff. Benny is a good choice.
Do you have to give him a full concert? If so, I'd avoid anything after 2003. Sorry, but the live shows since then have been on the weak side (Ed's voice is not that great either). If not a full concert, make a CD of some acoustic stuff, and songs where PJ actually jams out to (extended Porch, Rearviewmirror, Immortality and even Of the Earth.

I have friends who are hardcore Dave fans, and almost all of them appreciate PJ.

peacefrompaul

paging Mr. Larson

Mamasan23

LloydXmas wrote:

Why convert? He can do both.

This.

facepollution

Mamasan23 wrote:

LloydXmas wrote:

Why convert? He can do both.

This.

I don't think OP means from one to the other, more from a non PJ fan to a fan.

djmikeyz28

Thanks guys and gals, lots of good suggestions here. I'll post the tracklist I wind up going with.

Definitely not going to try to convert him away from Dave. Just trying to get him into PJ.

Our agreed swap is 2 full concerts (he's really into concert flow) and one disc of studio. Noblesville just happens to kick off with Long Road (my favorite opener) :-)

LloydXmas

djmikeyz28 wrote:

Thanks guys and gals, lots of good suggestions here. I'll post the tracklist I wind up going with.

Definitely not going to try to convert him away from Dave. Just trying to get him into PJ.

Our agreed swap is 2 full concerts (he's really into concert flow) and one disc of studio. Noblesville just happens to kick off with Long Road (my favorite opener) :-)

If your getting DMB, you can't go wrong with Red Rocks and the first Dave and Tim live album. Both were major releases

samjam

As a huge DMB fan, 1 past PJ show and 1 more present PJ show to demonstrate that like DMB, PJ kicks ass in every era! A classic like Atlanta 2 '94, Soldier Field '95, Red Rocks '95 may be grittier, but they sure are impressive. There are some choice '08 and '10 shows that'd work, also. But really can't go wrong with Benny!

I hope you enjoy what DMB shows your friend chooses for you. PJ is my #1 but DMB is my #2!

facepollution wrote:

P.S to give you a preview of DMB at their best here's their song Bartender live from Rio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOyRzoAG694

I know people have all sorts of opinions on DMB, but this song to me is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Pearl Jam - and Dave's voice around the 8:40 mark is incredible, he really does push it to its limit

I hadn't listened to that before, I don't think, THANK YOU! Incredible version of one of DMB's best live songs. One of my favorite examples of Dave pushing it to the limit is this So Damn Lucky from Citi Field 1 2010. I was lucky enough to be there and was in a trance when this was played! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHrewb_8rKg

Jason P

Soldier Field 95 is a solid choice.

facepollution

samjam wrote:

I hadn't listened to that before, I don't think, THANK YOU! Incredible version of one of DMB's best live songs. One of my favorite examples of Dave pushing it to the limit is this So Damn Lucky from Citi Field 1 2010. I was lucky enough to be there and was in a trance when this was played! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHrewb_8rKg

Awesome video, cheers for the link. I've only seen DMB live once, supporting Bruce Springsteen a couple of years back, I thought they were excellent.

PJ_Soul

Okay, I don't really like DMB, and I REALLY don't understand how anyone can draw any kind of parallel between them and PJ. To me, DMB sounds like adult contemporary, so how is it that some think they are in any way, shape, or form similar to PJ? And I have really given them a chance, and tried to listen to many of their songs. I just don't see it at all. I understand that some people really love them, and that's cool, to each their own. But I don't get why so many people seem to think these two bands are relateable.

Also, I have tried to find some DMB songs that I actually like and that don't sound like they belong on the adult contemporary or soft rock stations, but so far haven't found any. Can anyone recommend any DMB songs that are different from that?

mca47

PJ_Soul wrote:

Okay, I don't really like DMB, and I REALLY don't understand how anyone can draw any kind of parallel between them and PJ. To me, DMB sounds like adult contemporary to me, so how is it that some think they are in any way, shape, or form similar to PJ? And I have really given them a chance, and tried to listen to many of their songs. I just don't see it at all. I understand that some people really love them, and that's cool, to each their own. But I don't get why so many people seem to think these two bands are relateable.

Also, I have tried to find some DMB songs that I actually like and that don't sound like they belong on the adult contemporary or soft rock stations, but so far haven't found any. Can anyone recommend any DMB songs that are different from that?

I wasn't a huge fan until I saw them live.
Amazing live band!

PJ_Soul

mca47 wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Okay, I don't really like DMB, and I REALLY don't understand how anyone can draw any kind of parallel between them and PJ. To me, DMB sounds like adult contemporary to me, so how is it that some think they are in any way, shape, or form similar to PJ? And I have really given them a chance, and tried to listen to many of their songs. I just don't see it at all. I understand that some people really love them, and that's cool, to each their own. But I don't get why so many people seem to think these two bands are relateable.

Also, I have tried to find some DMB songs that I actually like and that don't sound like they belong on the adult contemporary or soft rock stations, but so far haven't found any. Can anyone recommend any DMB songs that are different from that?

I wasn't a huge fan until I saw them live.
Amazing live band!

I have seen them live. It didn't help my feelings about their music, but they did put on a pretty entertaining show (far from among the best I've seen, but I had a good time). But the music is #1, and the show is #2, so I'm still not sold.

mca47

PJ_Soul wrote:

I have seen them live. It didn't help my feelings about their music, but they did put on a pretty entertaining show (far from among the best I've seen, but I had a good time). But the music is #1, and the show is #2, so I'm still not sold.

Welp, I don't know what to tell ya'. Music doesn't hit people's ears the same way.

PJ_Soul

mca47 wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

I have seen them live. It didn't help my feelings about their music, but they did put on a pretty entertaining show (far from among the best I've seen, but I had a good time). But the music is #1, and the show is #2, so I'm still not sold.

Welp, I don't know what to tell ya'. Music doesn't hit people's ears the same way.

That is true, and that's a good thing.... I'm just confused about the DMB/PJ comparison. It really doesn't make sense to me. Do people do that ONLY because they think they both put on a good live show?? If so, we could compare so many bands to one another the point would be totally lost.

DewieCox

Skip Benny. I think it's a bit overrated and it's not really representative of PJ live.

Since Noblesville it such an energetic show, I'd say go for something a little more moody or something more balls out where they throw away all the rules for the other. Maybe Boston 3, so you do get the acoustic preset, then a pretty ridiculous show to follow.

mca47

PJ_Soul wrote:

mca47 wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

I have seen them live. It didn't help my feelings about their music, but they did put on a pretty entertaining show (far from among the best I've seen, but I had a good time). But the music is #1, and the show is #2, so I'm still not sold.

Welp, I don't know what to tell ya'. Music doesn't hit people's ears the same way.

That is true, and that's a good thing.... I'm just confused about the DMB/PJ comparison. It really doesn't make sense to me. Do people do that ONLY because they think they both put on a good live show?? If so, we could compare so many bands to one another the point would be totally lost.

Some similarities I've noticed:

Great live bands.
Diehard fans that go to many shows, and in some cases tour with the band.
Similar fans (some annoying assholes, and some really cool people). The DMB fanbase has really grown up- they used to annoy the shit out of me.
Similar fan clubs.
The bands run themselves and are managed in similar ways.
Both bands represent themselves similarly and are made up of good guys.
Both bands have great musicians. While I like PJ's music a lot better, DMB has better musicians IMO.

So yeah, their music can't really be compared as they have their own sounds/influences...

PJ_Soul

Oh, right, back to the topic at hand. I think Benny is a good one (and not overrated ). I also think the Vic Theatre, 2006 is a really good. And Santa Barbara 2003. And Philly 3 or Philly 4. And I think the Missoula 2012 boot is great (of course, I was there, so might be biased, but it does sound good!).

mca47

New York #2 2010 was a good show. It does have some weird "rarities" that PJ fans like, but probably nobody else.

LloydXmas

Boston 2003 series might be good. A great concept and all songs from that tour. Just leave out the Sleater Kenny stuff

mca47

LloydXmas wrote:

Just leave out the Sleater Kenny stuff

Yeah, no shit!
God, they are awful. I stepped on my cat's tail once and it sounded better than Sleater Kinney!

jamminpearls

Philly 3 2009

PJ_Soul

jamminpearls wrote:

Philly 3 2009

It is a good one.

YLed2

The choice of two boots to give him - I would choose between Gorge 2005, Mansfield 3 2003, and The Vic. I really can't come up with a better selection than any two of those three choices. But it awful difficult to leave out a lot of those epic 2000 and 2003 boots, especially Benny. But as others have said, Benny probably isn't the best representation with what you guys are trying to accomplish - but it does show their diversity and magic of their acoustic work. But all three of the aforementioned boots capture that, just on a smaller scale.

In terms of studio work - stay away from most of the more well known stuff and go at it with some deep work from Yield, No Code, Binaural, and Riot Act and sprinkle in some stuff from the other albums as you see fit.