Great show, especially given the circumstances. You can't control the weather and they were looking out for the fans to be safe. Highlight for me was them playing Come Back for the guy on this board's wife. I happened to read the post right before going to the show and hoped they played it for him. It's the type of thing that will make me a fan for life. What a classy band.
I'm not sure what everyone is raving about. I was at the show last nite, on the field in fan club GA. Everyone knew that a storm was coming at some point in the nite. For the band to take the stage almost an hour later knowing this is completely ridiculous. It is disrespectful to any paying customer to do this but when a known storm is on the horizon, this is unacceptable. We left the stadium once the field was evacuated. After being at a game there last year in which a rain delay occurred, we knew that the one hour delay told by EV was a lie. We went to friend's condo two blocks away and listened from rooftop. Also, who wants to spend the additional time having to pay Wrigley prices for beer/soda/water/food? Plus, the stadium is so old that anyone there last nite can attest to just how awful it is to be stuck in the stadium in that muggy weather w/ so many people.
The setlist was lame. How do you open with such slow songs, have a 2.5 hour rain delay and then return w/ more slow drab? Ridiculous. I will be canceling my membership after I send an email to the Ten Club explaining all my dissatisfaction w/ the organization of the merchandise vendors (waited in line from 9:30 to 2:30 to be told that all the posters had sold out to then walk by same merchandise booth one hour later to pick up my tickets at will call to see that the booth was completely restocked. Only had one register to take transactions and only 3 employees that didn't know what they were doing. What a joke) to the disrespect displayed by the band to play an hour late. No excuse for that.
To be honest, I was hearing reports of electrical difficulties...that, I can understand. Some things, you just can't control.
As for the "all the way" song, I wonder if they wanted to get Ernie home at a decent time...does anyone know if he stuck around until 2??
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The evening started perfect although the band did come out much later than I thought.
Wrigleyville was jumping, the beer was flowing, everyone was ready. Release was perfect. The first few songs were great.
Then they left the stage. Security kicks us off the field. We wait 45 mins. Then the rain and lightning comes. Hard. For almost two hours. I never thought they would pull off this show. I was certain Ed was going to come out and pull the plug once it got past 11. Water was cascading off the top of the sound and light towers at times during the storm.
Hung out with cool folks in the halls. Security was very cool, letting people smoke and basically do what they wanted. But it was a major drag. Agree with others that said an hour would have been ok but 2.5 was just too long.
By the time they let us back in I was excited, but exhausted. Ed and the band were trying their heart out to get the fans back into it, but the energy never really came back IMHO. Made it through until two am, only to have to wait an hour to get on the train back downtown. It was a freaking zoo. Not a lot of hooting and hollering that you typically hear after a show. Just 30,000 trying to catch a cab or get on the train.
Glad I went. Been going to outdoor shows for years and never had an issue with rain. C'est la vie. It was a fun day, albeit a long one.
I loved every minute of last night...rain delay and all. We had seats in sec 236 and a decent view of the stage even for a shorty :oops: Thank you to the guy in front of me for checking that i could see. Opening with Release was perfect. My heart just swelled for Eddie. Hearing Chloe Dancer/Crown was just a beautiful, beautiful moment. I wanted to freeze that moment in time. It was awesome to hear Mother and Hold On (!) Hearing Ed dedicate Comeback to Hoosiers and Sarah was amazing. And of course I love the song! I felt energized the whole night, despite the fans around us being a bit lackluster. Every time I see PJ it's a spiritual experience for me...a reminder of where I've been and how/why I got to where I am now and hope for the future. Corny I know, but exactly the reason I could give a shit where my seats are, if there is a rain delay, a lottery or anything else. I will forever love this band and Eddie for his words for what they've done for me. So glad i had the chance to thank Ed for that once.
The pre-party at the Full Shilling was a blast! So great to see you guys you make me happy! Finishing up with French Toast at The Edge at 4am was the perfect ending. Finally crawled into bed at 5:45am. Loved every single minute of it. This is living
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Many criticisms and just as many plaudits. As in most cases, the truth is somewhere in between.
I thought the first group of songs before the rain delay were solid. Release, an early Nothingman, Hold On and Low Light. No complaints here. That being said, given that the last few songs before the break were slower (Come Back and Elderly Woman), I was expecting them to come out swinging after the rain delay, perhaps with Alive or Why Go to get the crowd right back into it. When Ed decided to talk for a few minutes and start back up with All the Way, I think it took the last of the wind from many peoples sails. Hindsight's 20/20, but it probably was not the best choice. Still, we all knew that he was going to play it at some point, so better to just get it out of the way. Once they launched into DTE, it was pretty smooth sailing the rest of the way.
Besides that, I've got nothing else negative to say, and I'm genuinely curious to hear what the naysayers would have had liked to have seen/heard. They played 2 brand new songs that no one has ever heard (which got me really excited for this new album). They played Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns. They played Mother. They played hits and they played deep cuts.
Most importantly, they played until past 2am on a night where several other high profile concerts around the city were cancelled. The delay sucked, and it's a shame we got shorted 6 or 7 songs, but they made good on their word of giving us a full show. I think the band, and the entire staff at Wrigley deserve a lot of praise for mostly salvaging what could have been a massive letdown.
Setlist wise, it's far from an instant classic. But it's a night that I'll always remember and I'm damn glad I was there.
Just my 2 cents.
To the people during the rain delay complaining that it was ridiculous and PJ should never have another concert in a similar venue, as well as the people who just said fuck it and left, I ask this -- why the hell did you buy a ticket?
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Anyone else have an absolutely miserable time during the rain delay?
I was in the GA pit, and was told to go into the tunnel where most of the VIP's were. They yelled at us, threatened to kick us out or remove your VIP sticker if you had one, for not moving fast enough, even though it was so packed we couldn't take a step in any direction. Finally after 2 hours it cleared up enough in the tunnel to where we would walk around.
When I asked to use the restroom, they pointed to one around the corner. When I tried to return they would not let me return in that direction. I pleaded for 15 minutes, informing them that my wife is over in that direction, they said too bad, meet her at the show. When I told them we have GA tickets and it was going to be tough to find her during the show, so they said to meet her after the show then.
I don't see the point in yelling and threatening fans who were trying to comply, we can only move as fast as the mob in front of us. Then to tell me I need to ditch my wife? Unacceptable. I hope Wrigley finds another source for security.
I agree with you. People that attended this show that are the die-hard fans will say this was an "epic" show or whatever b/c they had built it to be so in their minds and can't admit or realize that it was very far from it. Probably one of those things where you imagine it happened how you thought it would but wasn't the case. That, or feel the need to say it was "epic" so others that missed out due to crap lottery system feel that they just had to be there. Trust me guys, I was there, I've been to dozens of PJ shows and this was far, far from it. The band played well, of course. They always do. But as far as overall experience, I would have gladly sold my GA fan club tickets to people on the street offering $1,000/ticket in hindsight had I known the band was to take the stage an hour late, there would be a nearly 3 hour rain delay and that the show would not start until after midnite. Plus, the flow of the setlist wasn't happening. So much build up and hype for this show that just didn't happen. The crowd wanted to rock, especially after the delay. Not be bored by the slow tunes and new crap.
Many criticisms and just as many plaudits. As in most cases, the truth is somewhere in between.
I thought the first group of songs before the rain delay were solid. Release, an early Nothingman, Hold On and Low Light. No complaints here. That being said, given that the last few songs before the break were slower (Come Back and Elderly Woman), I was expecting them to come out swinging after the rain delay, perhaps with Alive or Why Go to get the crowd right back into it. When Ed decided to talk for a few minutes and start back up with All the Way, I think it took the last of the wind from many peoples sails. Hindsight's 20/20, but it probably was not the best choice. Still, we all knew that he was going to play it at some point, so better to just get it out of the way. Once they launched into DTE, it was pretty smooth sailing the rest of the way.
Besides that, I've got nothing else negative to say, and I'm genuinely curious to hear what the naysayers would have had liked to have seen/heard. They played 2 brand new songs that no one has ever heard (which got me really excited for this new album). They played Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns. They played Mother. They played hits and they played deep cuts.
Most importantly, they played until past 2am on a night where several other high profile concerts around the city were cancelled. The delay sucked, and it's a shame we got shorted 6 or 7 songs, but they made good on their word of giving us a full show. I think the band, and the entire staff at Wrigley deserve a lot of praise for mostly salvaging what could have been a massive letdown.
Setlist wise, it's far from an instant classic. But it's a night that I'll always remember and I'm damn glad I was there.
Just my 2 cents.
To the people during the rain delay complaining that it was ridiculous and PJ should never have another concert in a similar venue, as well as the people who just said fuck it and left, I ask this -- why the hell did you buy a ticket?
Here's my reply to your question...to have genuine criticism of this show is perfectly fine. I agree and acknowledge that weather happens. I agree the band tried and did a great job. But, to start an hour late when you know a storm is coming is BS. To play so much slow crap after a 3 hour delay is stupid. To have poorly run merch booths was ludicrous and unexpected from a band that's been around so long. One would expect the tour manager and his/her crew to have this stuff down pat by now. I could easily name 5 other shows I have attended in the Chicagoland area that beat this one.
Anyone else have an absolutely miserable time during the rain delay?
I was in the GA pit, and was told to go into the tunnel where most of the VIP's were. They yelled at us, threatened to kick us out or remove your VIP sticker if you had one, for not moving fast enough, even though it was so packed we couldn't take a step in any direction. Finally after 2 hours it cleared up enough in the tunnel to where we would walk around.
When I asked to use the restroom, they pointed to one around the corner. When I tried to return they would not let me return in that direction. I pleaded for 15 minutes, informing them that my wife is over in that direction, they said too bad, meet her at the show. When I told them we have GA tickets and it was going to be tough to find her during the show, so they said to meet her after the show then.
I don't see the point in yelling and threatening fans who were trying to comply, we can only move as fast as the mob in front of us. Then to tell me I need to ditch my wife? Unacceptable. I hope Wrigley finds another source for security.
I agree with you. People that attended this show that are the die-hard fans will say this was an "epic" show or whatever b/c they had built it to be so in their minds and can't admit or realize that it was very far from it. Probably one of those things where you imagine it happened how you thought it would but wasn't the case. That, or feel the need to say it was "epic" so others that missed out due to crap lottery system feel that they just had to be there. Trust me guys, I was there, I've been to dozens of PJ shows and this was far, far from it. The band played well, of course. They always do. But as far as overall experience, I would have gladly sold my GA fan club tickets to people on the street offering $1,000/ticket in hindsight had I known the band was to take the stage an hour late, there would be a nearly 3 hour rain delay and that the show would not start until after midnite. Plus, the flow of the setlist wasn't happening. So much build up and hype for this show that just didn't happen. The crowd wanted to rock, especially after the delay. Not be bored by the slow tunes and new crap.
Your seriously going to knock the band for premiering their new songs ? And label it crap ?
definitely the most unique show experience i have had, for a variety of reasons.
this show will be memorable, and in a good way, though the weather factors and how it affected the scene in general played an important role in preventing it from being what it could have been. as others have mentioned, the band put up as good an effort as they could, but the energy level was just never able to rise to the level everyone was capable of. had the weather not been an issue, i think we're talking "epic" show, but the long delay really did kill any chance of this show reaching or sustaining significant highs. and that's too bad. you could definitely see eddie wanted this to be much more than what it was, and i feel for him. but he shouldn't be too disappointed- i think we'll all feel lucky to have been there.
my rain delay story is a bit different than most- the ladyfriend fainted during the middle of release, and we spent the remainder of the first set of songs as well as most of the rain delay in the first aid room so she could recover. the heat had taken its toll on her, and because we got into town late and rushed to the show we didn't do a good job of fueling up beforehand- she was dehydrated and we hadn't eaten since lunchtime. thank you to the folks around us in the back of GA who showed concern and helped out- it was scary (i'd never seen someone so devoid of normal color- even her lips were blue) and i appreciated the support. once she got an icepack, water and some food, she recovered and we were back in the crowd for the restart of the show. suffice it to say, we both were not disappointed the show was stopped- if one was going to pass out during the first song, this was the show to do it at.
i thought the band sounded as practiced and tight as i have seen them in some time. songs like even flow and corduroy were not rushed as they have been for the last few years. i've seen crown of thorns a few times and to me it was the best performance of that song i have seen and one of the definitive highlights of the show. eddie had a couple nice speeches, especially the one about the fans during faithfull. the new songs sounded like they had some creative spark that was not present on backspacer, though i thought the opening lyrics to both lightning bolt and future days were cringeworthy. future days will probably not be a favorite of mine, but i did like the music for lightning bolt and were glad both songs were not 2-3 minute throwaway tracks. mind your manners was a great performance and made me like the song more than i did going in.
as a pink floyd fan, i was very excited they played mother, and i thought they nailed it. it's a personal highlight of my entire pearl jam concert going experience. i was a floyd fan first, and pj's another brick... tag on daughter was what got me to pay attention to them back in the day, so it was definitely a "full circle" experience for me. despite not being from chicago or much of a cubs fan, seeing ernie banks in person was really cool and the video that played during all the way was a nice enhancement. i'd never been to wrigley before so getting to stand in centerfield and soak in the stadium was pretty special. the new stage lighting was well done, though they're definitely getting used to using it. the bird thing was kind of cheesy when they had the wings "flapping" during some songs, but it is a neat addition to the setup- it does look really cool, especially with the lighting in it. i'm not at all disappointed by the cut songs from the setlist- the fact that the show actually happened after the delay is enough for me to understand the whys.
i will say the crowd activity in the GA section was very disappointing. we were toward the back and could see a lot of people just standing around. not everyone, but a lot more than i thought there would be. maybe it was all the room we had- seriously, they could have put hundreds of more people in there and we'd still have plenty of space to move around- combined with the delay but there definitely wasn't the excitement or energy emanating from that space. i am fairly certain eddie looked over us several times with a bit of incredulity, and both he and mike took different opportunities to try and liven the crowd up with their movements. the crowd was far more lively at the end than the first few songs after the restart, so the band was at least successful in bringing out some excitement. and to the 10c members who brought the "rare shit" and "play bugs" signs that were held up when the band first took the stage- :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
i love this band, i love their shows, and i am really glad i got to be a part of this one, warts and all. it's one i'll be talking about for a long time.
definitely the most unique show experience i have had, for a variety of reasons.
i will say the crowd activity in the GA section was very disappointing. we were toward the back and could see a lot of people just standing around.
....
I wasn't there, but I'm guessing waiting in steamy corridors (as I read them described) would dampen one's physical enthusiasm. Esp. considering that it sounds like many, many people were there early trying to get merch.
I hope that those who stuck it out enjoyed themselves.
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The band sounded incredible. The venue, vibe, storm delay...the whole thing was awesome. And the setlist was flawless = Three tunes off the new record, chloe, bugs! It was a real "BIG" rock show and Pearl Jam made you feel close to the action no matter where you were.
Tickets were really tough, and up until a few hours before the show I wasn't sure if I we would be in. A ten club member who I was supposed to get tickets from let me know at 3PM the day of the show that he wasn't going to make the trip in! But tickets opened up at the box office and all was well.
The Merch lines were long because "we" are all overly crazy about merch. Not sure that Pearl Jam could do much to help out there. Maybe when you win the lottery for tickets, you select the option to pre-purchase a poster and have it mailed to you? I'd sign up.
It sucks that many people struggled with the heat, transport etc. I feel for you... It wasn't an issue for me.
We all owe Pearl Jam a massive thank you for deciding to play until 2AM last night and making sure that it was an incredible night of music.
We flew in from Boston on Thursday morning and had a great two days around Wrigley meeting some good people (like at all PJ shows). The unbearable heat and long waiting in the GA line was all worth it when we ended up being in the second row! We were surrounded by an amazing group and atmosphere near the stage. This all changed after the intermission.
I hate to complain about something the band and venue had no realistic control over, but it sucks. Post-storm, half the people in the GA area were drunk, rowdy losers who didn't belong there (they had no wristbands). They rushed the area and pushed themselves up front with us now stuck in the back. The whole atmosphere changed and it was awful. It was my girlfriend's first show and now probably her last. I feel bad, because the the boys really did everything possible to make this show, but they could have done and played anything and it didn't matter. Hanging out around Wrigley in the days leading up to show was amazing and we met some really great people from Pennsylvania, Memphis, LA, and even a couple from Alaska. It's just too bad, but the show itself was a huge disappointment for us.
We flew in from Boston on Thursday morning and had a great two days around Wrigley meeting some good people (like at all PJ shows). The unbearable heat and long waiting in the GA line was all worth it when we ended up being in the second row! We were surrounded by an amazing group and atmosphere near the stage. This all changed after the intermission.
I hate to complain about something the band and venue had no realistic control over, but it sucks. Post-storm, half the people in the GA area were drunk, rowdy losers who didn't belong there (they had no wristbands). They rushed the area and pushed themselves up front with us now stuck in the back. The whole atmosphere changed and it was awful. It was my girlfriend's first show and now probably her last. I feel bad, because the the boys really did everything possible to make this show, but they could have done and played anything and it didn't matter. Hanging out around Wrigley in the days leading up to show was amazing and we met some really great people from Pennsylvania, Memphis, LA, and even a couple from Alaska. It's just too bad, but the show itself was a huge disappointment for us.
We were watching as the GA people were let back on the field. There was an initial mad rush and then once the line got backed up a little at the wristband checkpoint people were just jumping the wall. Security had no control at all and I'm not sure why they would not have expected that.
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
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This was a great show. Thank you to the Band and all the fellow 10c members I met in Wrigleyville.
I went to Chicago with Wife on Thursday with no tickets. Spent Thursday night in Wrigleyville and met some great people and listened to the soundcheck.
We got down to Wrigley at 9am Friday hoping to score tickets. I knew it was going to take patience when you see that the street scalpers didn't have tickets. We waited all day, go sunburned, talked with people and watched.
Yes it was very hot but when they released more tix and we got 2 floor seats for face it was magic.
Many things can be said about the setlist but for a fan like me it was almost perfect.
I love Wrigley field and this Band and again Thank you.
This was a show for us the fan club members. The heat during the delay sucked for us but we all made it and saw one hell of a show.
Nothing is perfect and this was sure an adventure for us.
I never thought I would see Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns and Bugs!!!!
Come Back was special in so many ways.
Kick ass Release...
Eddie Crowd surfing!!
3 new songs...Awesome.
I give the guys a ton of credit..... Pulling off the show after the rain and playing til 2 is amazing. That said, I was very disappointed with the set and the entire weekend. For those of us who stood on line, it was a train wreck. Once they came back after the rain I expected fireworks. I did not get it. The people leaving were deflated.
having to sit through All The Way AND All The Way Reprise after the hellish rain delay must have been a nightmare.
En La Clandestinidad
Telford, PA by way of Kansas City, MO and Milwaukee, WI, Phoenix, AZ and East Greenbush, NY Posts: 3,625
Well, I think now is a perfect time to reminisce about last night and this morning's show and surroundings!
I was able to get a great ticket on the floor section R last row on an aisle, which was really awesome! Also, wanna start off by thanking the ushers and staff at the stadium for doing a great job, when they obviously had to sit around and wait a heck of a lot longer than most wanted too! Our usher Jan was so awesome! She had such a great attitude the entire evening and you could tell that she loves her job!
I arrived into town fully hydrated and ready for the heat around 1 o'clock. Met a couple of fellow members (kasedoug and David Brooks) and grabbed some lunch not far from Wrigley. My main focus was getting David a ticket for the show! He had a few leads over a couple of days of hanging out in the heat, but kept coming up empty. Long story short there, he was able to get one after the drop, persistance paid off many times over!
The concert experience ranks right up there with Philly 4 and Alpine for me.
The first 6 songs were really, really incredible. It ranks up there as some of the best opening of any of my 12 shows. The band sounded literally perfect and the video work on those screens looked film professional. I was incredibly impressed. Come Back was the highlight of the entire evening and honestly might be the best portion of any concert I've been to. You could tell Eddie really felt for the guy and it was great to hear it played. It definitely brought a tear or four to my eyes! Just awesome.
Obviously the rain delay was incredibly disappointing, but I felt like the staff did the best they could considering the crazy circumstances. I ended up going up into the seating bowl and found my self a seat, to wait out the storms and rain. Met some good people up there too which was super cool. After all that waiting, I gotta be honest I was losing hope that the show was going to get restarted, especially once 11:15 hit and according to the radar I thought another band of rain was on its way.
Obviously, it was an amazing feeling when I saw the roadies hurrying up and uncovering all of the equipment!
I loved the fact that they came back with a slow song especially that one to ease into the night. The song was perfect of course and seeing Ernie come out at 11:30 was awesome too!
Thought it was odd that when I saw the setlist later that those exact songs were going to be next in line anyway.
The fact that they came out and finished the show right up to the new curfew time. Most bands definitely wouldn't have done that thats for sure. There was definitely a lot riding on getting the show in with all the travelers.
I ended up losing the battery life on my cell, so I found one of my friends and made sure that we met up just in case my train wasn't heading back to Linden. The purple had ended before the show did, so it was a good thing I found him or I'd have been stranded until the purple line started again. Many thanks to derbdave forletting me crash at his hotel for the rest of the morning. This concert showed again that the Pearl Jam fans are some of the best!
Between the band and the music and the venue it was just a memorable evening! Hope we can do that again soon!
Formerly Brew Crew Tix “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
I just watched a video of "Lightning Bolt" from last night. I know it's a new song, but the crowd is so low key that they look bored. :shock: http://www.nme.com/news/pearl-jam/71561
I escaped it...a life wasted...I'm never going back again
Great performance by the band, but difficult night overall.
My personal favorites were Release, Come Back and Mother. All three songs gave me full body chills. Mike's first note of the solo on Mother was incredible... So powerful.
I was frustrated that PJ did not come out to start the show at 7:30 considering the weather issues ahead. But it made me wonder if there was an issue with refunds/insurance. If they played for 60 minutes and then had to cancel the show, perhaps we wouldn't have received refunds? Since they only played for 30 minutes, maybe refunds would have happened? I don't know... I'm just speculating. Perhaps that factored into it.
A memorable night to be in Chicago for sure. Thanks Pearl Jam!!!
I just watched a video of "Lightning Bolt" from last night. I know it's a new song, but the crowd is so low key that they look bored. :shock: http://www.nme.com/news/pearl-jam/71561
I was thinking the same thing when I was there.
I think a lot of the fans wanted to hear the hits...Jeremy, Alive etc.
They didn't appreciate what they were witnessing
Great show lots of highlights. Also some low lights like a lot people sitting most of the show in my section.I think many were to drunk or stoned to rock out. The same group had loud drunk'n conversations over the music all night.. :evil:
For me... Overall the Wrigley experience was awesome, but I had more fun with the London crowd.
One of my memorable concert experiences. When I went to bed Thursday night, I still did not have a ticket, but I was still planning on heading down. Woke up Friday morning, and overnight I had gotten a PM from a member offering me a floor seat for face! (Thanks again!) Drove down, waited in line for merch with some awesome people. It was exhausting getting back to the hotel, but worth each blister and drop of sweat. Highlights: Present Tense, Come Back, MYM, Mother, Chloe Dancer/ Crown of Thorns, and Porch
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I just watched a video of "Lightning Bolt" from last night. I know it's a new song, but the crowd is so low key that they look bored. :shock: http://www.nme.com/news/pearl-jam/71561
I was thinking the same thing when I was there.
I think a lot of the fans wanted to hear the hits...Jeremy, Alive etc.
They didn't appreciate what they were witnessing
I was amazed at the lack of movement/excitement in my section. Maybe it was the heat, or because people were tired after the delay or too drunk/stoned, but it seemed like a lot of people were just sitting there, either texting or talking to each other like they were at a bar. It was a little distracting.
And I noticed quite a few menacing drunks at this show - my friend had a single ticket, and she was forced out of her section by a group of drunk men who were trying to feel her up. Not cool.
But then I think a lot of the people who bought tickets to this show were casual fans who were Cubs season ticket holders, so I'm not all that surprised.
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
I think i have finally calmed down from yesterday as without a doubt that was the best gig i have ever been to and had the rain not delayed i dont think any future gig could have lived up to this EVER! That being said during the delay I got to meet some awesome people and hang out and the time went quickly, and having seats in 114 i got a little wet but after that crazy heat it was a bonus!
So many highlights so many plus points and even the queues did not discourage me.
Having flown all the way from New Zealand for this i was so NOT disappointed. There is a reason why PJ are the best band in the world and it radiates from them at all times whether its the frantic playing of corduroy or porch, to Mikes insane Eruption, or the humble way The guys are to us fans by worrying about our safety and ensuring we have a great time. So even though i queued for hours only for the baseball Chicago 22 jersey to have sold out when i was so close #gutted or that songs were cut from the original setlist it was still an epic night and only these guys could and will continue to demand and deserve my upmost respect.
The dedication to Hoosiers and Sarah made me cry, I got to hear Bugs, Leatherman, Chloe dance/Cot and hold on for the first time ever and Eds voice was so freaking on point and Mike as usual was insane. I am loving all the new songs and i have a feeling this album will easily go into my top 5.
So many great moments, so many great photos and some awesome new friends thank you PJ! I will continue to follow you around the world as much as I can. EPIC!
2000 Cardiff/ 2006 Paris/ 2011 Toronto/ 2013 Chicago/ 2014 Amsterdam 1 & Milton Keynes, 2016 MSG 1 & 2/ 2017 London Ed solo/ 2018 London 1, Padua, Rome, Prague & London 2 2019 Dusseldorf & Dublin Ed Solo 2022 Copenhagen, London 1&2, Budapest, Krakow, Vienna, Prague, Ams 1 & Ams 2 2024 Manchester, London, Auckland & Sydney
Comments
To be honest, I was hearing reports of electrical difficulties...that, I can understand. Some things, you just can't control.
As for the "all the way" song, I wonder if they wanted to get Ernie home at a decent time...does anyone know if he stuck around until 2??
Wrigleyville was jumping, the beer was flowing, everyone was ready. Release was perfect. The first few songs were great.
Then they left the stage. Security kicks us off the field. We wait 45 mins. Then the rain and lightning comes. Hard. For almost two hours. I never thought they would pull off this show. I was certain Ed was going to come out and pull the plug once it got past 11. Water was cascading off the top of the sound and light towers at times during the storm.
Hung out with cool folks in the halls. Security was very cool, letting people smoke and basically do what they wanted. But it was a major drag. Agree with others that said an hour would have been ok but 2.5 was just too long.
By the time they let us back in I was excited, but exhausted. Ed and the band were trying their heart out to get the fans back into it, but the energy never really came back IMHO. Made it through until two am, only to have to wait an hour to get on the train back downtown. It was a freaking zoo. Not a lot of hooting and hollering that you typically hear after a show. Just 30,000 trying to catch a cab or get on the train.
Glad I went. Been going to outdoor shows for years and never had an issue with rain. C'est la vie. It was a fun day, albeit a long one.
The pre-party at the Full Shilling was a blast! So great to see you guys
"I need your strength for me to be strong...I need your love to feel loved"
I thought the first group of songs before the rain delay were solid. Release, an early Nothingman, Hold On and Low Light. No complaints here. That being said, given that the last few songs before the break were slower (Come Back and Elderly Woman), I was expecting them to come out swinging after the rain delay, perhaps with Alive or Why Go to get the crowd right back into it. When Ed decided to talk for a few minutes and start back up with All the Way, I think it took the last of the wind from many peoples sails. Hindsight's 20/20, but it probably was not the best choice. Still, we all knew that he was going to play it at some point, so better to just get it out of the way. Once they launched into DTE, it was pretty smooth sailing the rest of the way.
Besides that, I've got nothing else negative to say, and I'm genuinely curious to hear what the naysayers would have had liked to have seen/heard. They played 2 brand new songs that no one has ever heard (which got me really excited for this new album). They played Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns. They played Mother. They played hits and they played deep cuts.
Most importantly, they played until past 2am on a night where several other high profile concerts around the city were cancelled. The delay sucked, and it's a shame we got shorted 6 or 7 songs, but they made good on their word of giving us a full show. I think the band, and the entire staff at Wrigley deserve a lot of praise for mostly salvaging what could have been a massive letdown.
Setlist wise, it's far from an instant classic. But it's a night that I'll always remember and I'm damn glad I was there.
Just my 2 cents.
To the people during the rain delay complaining that it was ridiculous and PJ should never have another concert in a similar venue, as well as the people who just said fuck it and left, I ask this -- why the hell did you buy a ticket?
2011 -- PJ20 II
2012 -- Midtown Music Fest
2013 -- Wrigley Field, Los Angeles I + III, Seattle
2014 -- Moline, Milwaukee
2016 -- Wrigley Field I + II
Here's my reply to your question...to have genuine criticism of this show is perfectly fine. I agree and acknowledge that weather happens. I agree the band tried and did a great job. But, to start an hour late when you know a storm is coming is BS. To play so much slow crap after a 3 hour delay is stupid. To have poorly run merch booths was ludicrous and unexpected from a band that's been around so long. One would expect the tour manager and his/her crew to have this stuff down pat by now. I could easily name 5 other shows I have attended in the Chicagoland area that beat this one.
I've been thinking the same thing all day. Mike was so fucking awesome last night.
Your seriously going to knock the band for premiering their new songs ? And label it crap ?
this show will be memorable, and in a good way, though the weather factors and how it affected the scene in general played an important role in preventing it from being what it could have been. as others have mentioned, the band put up as good an effort as they could, but the energy level was just never able to rise to the level everyone was capable of. had the weather not been an issue, i think we're talking "epic" show, but the long delay really did kill any chance of this show reaching or sustaining significant highs. and that's too bad. you could definitely see eddie wanted this to be much more than what it was, and i feel for him. but he shouldn't be too disappointed- i think we'll all feel lucky to have been there.
my rain delay story is a bit different than most- the ladyfriend fainted during the middle of release, and we spent the remainder of the first set of songs as well as most of the rain delay in the first aid room so she could recover. the heat had taken its toll on her, and because we got into town late and rushed to the show we didn't do a good job of fueling up beforehand- she was dehydrated and we hadn't eaten since lunchtime. thank you to the folks around us in the back of GA who showed concern and helped out- it was scary (i'd never seen someone so devoid of normal color- even her lips were blue) and i appreciated the support. once she got an icepack, water and some food, she recovered and we were back in the crowd for the restart of the show. suffice it to say, we both were not disappointed the show was stopped- if one was going to pass out during the first song, this was the show to do it at.
i thought the band sounded as practiced and tight as i have seen them in some time. songs like even flow and corduroy were not rushed as they have been for the last few years. i've seen crown of thorns a few times and to me it was the best performance of that song i have seen and one of the definitive highlights of the show. eddie had a couple nice speeches, especially the one about the fans during faithfull. the new songs sounded like they had some creative spark that was not present on backspacer, though i thought the opening lyrics to both lightning bolt and future days were cringeworthy. future days will probably not be a favorite of mine, but i did like the music for lightning bolt and were glad both songs were not 2-3 minute throwaway tracks. mind your manners was a great performance and made me like the song more than i did going in.
as a pink floyd fan, i was very excited they played mother, and i thought they nailed it. it's a personal highlight of my entire pearl jam concert going experience. i was a floyd fan first, and pj's another brick... tag on daughter was what got me to pay attention to them back in the day, so it was definitely a "full circle" experience for me. despite not being from chicago or much of a cubs fan, seeing ernie banks in person was really cool and the video that played during all the way was a nice enhancement. i'd never been to wrigley before so getting to stand in centerfield and soak in the stadium was pretty special. the new stage lighting was well done, though they're definitely getting used to using it. the bird thing was kind of cheesy when they had the wings "flapping" during some songs, but it is a neat addition to the setup- it does look really cool, especially with the lighting in it. i'm not at all disappointed by the cut songs from the setlist- the fact that the show actually happened after the delay is enough for me to understand the whys.
i will say the crowd activity in the GA section was very disappointing. we were toward the back and could see a lot of people just standing around. not everyone, but a lot more than i thought there would be. maybe it was all the room we had- seriously, they could have put hundreds of more people in there and we'd still have plenty of space to move around- combined with the delay but there definitely wasn't the excitement or energy emanating from that space. i am fairly certain eddie looked over us several times with a bit of incredulity, and both he and mike took different opportunities to try and liven the crowd up with their movements. the crowd was far more lively at the end than the first few songs after the restart, so the band was at least successful in bringing out some excitement. and to the 10c members who brought the "rare shit" and "play bugs" signs that were held up when the band first took the stage- :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
i love this band, i love their shows, and i am really glad i got to be a part of this one, warts and all. it's one i'll be talking about for a long time.
I wasn't there, but I'm guessing waiting in steamy corridors (as I read them described) would dampen one's physical enthusiasm. Esp. considering that it sounds like many, many people were there early trying to get merch.
I hope that those who stuck it out enjoyed themselves.
Tickets were really tough, and up until a few hours before the show I wasn't sure if I we would be in. A ten club member who I was supposed to get tickets from let me know at 3PM the day of the show that he wasn't going to make the trip in! But tickets opened up at the box office and all was well.
The Merch lines were long because "we" are all overly crazy about merch. Not sure that Pearl Jam could do much to help out there. Maybe when you win the lottery for tickets, you select the option to pre-purchase a poster and have it mailed to you? I'd sign up.
It sucks that many people struggled with the heat, transport etc. I feel for you... It wasn't an issue for me.
We all owe Pearl Jam a massive thank you for deciding to play until 2AM last night and making sure that it was an incredible night of music.
See you in October!
I hate to complain about something the band and venue had no realistic control over, but it sucks. Post-storm, half the people in the GA area were drunk, rowdy losers who didn't belong there (they had no wristbands). They rushed the area and pushed themselves up front with us now stuck in the back. The whole atmosphere changed and it was awful. It was my girlfriend's first show and now probably her last. I feel bad, because the the boys really did everything possible to make this show, but they could have done and played anything and it didn't matter. Hanging out around Wrigley in the days leading up to show was amazing and we met some really great people from Pennsylvania, Memphis, LA, and even a couple from Alaska. It's just too bad, but the show itself was a huge disappointment for us.
Odd to see people knock the set list. Looks awesome to me!
Cheers to PJ for knocking out as many songs as possible! I'm sure they would have played until dawn if allowed
I hate to complain about something the band and venue had no realistic control over, but it sucks. Post-storm, half the people in the GA area were drunk, rowdy losers who didn't belong there (they had no wristbands). They rushed the area and pushed themselves up front with us now stuck in the back. The whole atmosphere changed and it was awful. It was my girlfriend's first show and now probably her last. I feel bad, because the the boys really did everything possible to make this show, but they could have done and played anything and it didn't matter. Hanging out around Wrigley in the days leading up to show was amazing and we met some really great people from Pennsylvania, Memphis, LA, and even a couple from Alaska. It's just too bad, but the show itself was a huge disappointment for us.
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
I went to Chicago with Wife on Thursday with no tickets. Spent Thursday night in Wrigleyville and met some great people and listened to the soundcheck.
We got down to Wrigley at 9am Friday hoping to score tickets. I knew it was going to take patience when you see that the street scalpers didn't have tickets. We waited all day, go sunburned, talked with people and watched.
Yes it was very hot but when they released more tix and we got 2 floor seats for face it was magic.
Many things can be said about the setlist but for a fan like me it was almost perfect.
I love Wrigley field and this Band and again Thank you.
This was a show for us the fan club members. The heat during the delay sucked for us but we all made it and saw one hell of a show.
Nothing is perfect and this was sure an adventure for us.
I never thought I would see Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns and Bugs!!!!
Come Back was special in so many ways.
Kick ass Release...
Eddie Crowd surfing!!
3 new songs...Awesome.
THANK YOU PEARL JAM
haha! classic. Earthcam 7/19/13
07.08.03 MSG 07.09.03 MSG 7.12.03 Hershey 7.14.03 Holmdel 6.12.08 Tampa 10.19.13 Brooklyn 4.11.16 Tampa
5.1.16 MSG 5.2.16 MSG 8.7.16 Fenway 9.2.18 Fenway 9.4.18 Fenway 9.11.22 MSG 9.16.22 Nashville 9.18.23 Austin 9.19.23 Austin
having to sit through All The Way AND All The Way Reprise after the hellish rain delay must have been a nightmare.
07.08.03 MSG 07.09.03 MSG 7.12.03 Hershey 7.14.03 Holmdel 6.12.08 Tampa 10.19.13 Brooklyn 4.11.16 Tampa
5.1.16 MSG 5.2.16 MSG 8.7.16 Fenway 9.2.18 Fenway 9.4.18 Fenway 9.11.22 MSG 9.16.22 Nashville 9.18.23 Austin 9.19.23 Austin
I was able to get a great ticket on the floor section R last row on an aisle, which was really awesome! Also, wanna start off by thanking the ushers and staff at the stadium for doing a great job, when they obviously had to sit around and wait a heck of a lot longer than most wanted too! Our usher Jan was so awesome! She had such a great attitude the entire evening and you could tell that she loves her job!
I arrived into town fully hydrated and ready for the heat around 1 o'clock. Met a couple of fellow members (kasedoug and David Brooks) and grabbed some lunch not far from Wrigley. My main focus was getting David a ticket for the show! He had a few leads over a couple of days of hanging out in the heat, but kept coming up empty. Long story short there, he was able to get one after the drop, persistance paid off many times over!
The concert experience ranks right up there with Philly 4 and Alpine for me.
The first 6 songs were really, really incredible. It ranks up there as some of the best opening of any of my 12 shows. The band sounded literally perfect and the video work on those screens looked film professional. I was incredibly impressed. Come Back was the highlight of the entire evening and honestly might be the best portion of any concert I've been to. You could tell Eddie really felt for the guy and it was great to hear it played. It definitely brought a tear or four to my eyes! Just awesome.
Obviously the rain delay was incredibly disappointing, but I felt like the staff did the best they could considering the crazy circumstances. I ended up going up into the seating bowl and found my self a seat, to wait out the storms and rain. Met some good people up there too which was super cool. After all that waiting, I gotta be honest I was losing hope that the show was going to get restarted, especially once 11:15 hit and according to the radar I thought another band of rain was on its way.
Obviously, it was an amazing feeling when I saw the roadies hurrying up and uncovering all of the equipment!
I loved the fact that they came back with a slow song especially that one to ease into the night. The song was perfect of course and seeing Ernie come out at 11:30 was awesome too!
Thought it was odd that when I saw the setlist later that those exact songs were going to be next in line anyway.
The fact that they came out and finished the show right up to the new curfew time. Most bands definitely wouldn't have done that thats for sure. There was definitely a lot riding on getting the show in with all the travelers.
I ended up losing the battery life on my cell, so I found one of my friends and made sure that we met up just in case my train wasn't heading back to Linden. The purple had ended before the show did, so it was a good thing I found him or I'd have been stranded until the purple line started again. Many thanks to derbdave forletting me crash at his hotel for the rest of the morning. This concert showed again that the Pearl Jam fans are some of the best!
Between the band and the music and the venue it was just a memorable evening! Hope we can do that again soon!
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
http://www.nme.com/news/pearl-jam/71561
My personal favorites were Release, Come Back and Mother. All three songs gave me full body chills. Mike's first note of the solo on Mother was incredible... So powerful.
I was frustrated that PJ did not come out to start the show at 7:30 considering the weather issues ahead. But it made me wonder if there was an issue with refunds/insurance. If they played for 60 minutes and then had to cancel the show, perhaps we wouldn't have received refunds? Since they only played for 30 minutes, maybe refunds would have happened? I don't know... I'm just speculating. Perhaps that factored into it.
A memorable night to be in Chicago for sure. Thanks Pearl Jam!!!
I was thinking the same thing when I was there.
I think a lot of the fans wanted to hear the hits...Jeremy, Alive etc.
They didn't appreciate what they were witnessing
Take a minute and realize that. I would've gladly put up with and kind of delay/late start/whatever just to see that.
Philly 2 - 10/28/09 Philly 3 - 10/30/09
Philly 4 - 10/31/09
Boston 1 - 05/17/10
PruCenter - 05/18/10
MSG 1 - 05/20/10
MSG 2 - 05/21/10
Alpine1 - 09/03/11 Alpine2 - 09/04/11
Yeah, it was a great setlist. Would have been epic without the weather.
Hold on, bugs, cd/crown, 3 new songs, lowlight, and mother? How can that not be a great show?
For me... Overall the Wrigley experience was awesome, but I had more fun with the London crowd.
Nashville-03
Chicago-07
E.V. Milwaukee-08
Chicago 1 & 2-09
Alpine Valley 1 & 2-11
Wrigley-13
St. Paul-14
Milwaukee-14
Denver-22
St. Paul 1 & 2 - 23
I was amazed at the lack of movement/excitement in my section. Maybe it was the heat, or because people were tired after the delay or too drunk/stoned, but it seemed like a lot of people were just sitting there, either texting or talking to each other like they were at a bar. It was a little distracting.
And I noticed quite a few menacing drunks at this show - my friend had a single ticket, and she was forced out of her section by a group of drunk men who were trying to feel her up. Not cool.
But then I think a lot of the people who bought tickets to this show were casual fans who were Cubs season ticket holders, so I'm not all that surprised.
So many highlights so many plus points and even the queues did not discourage me.
Having flown all the way from New Zealand for this i was so NOT disappointed. There is a reason why PJ are the best band in the world and it radiates from them at all times whether its the frantic playing of corduroy or porch, to Mikes insane Eruption, or the humble way The guys are to us fans by worrying about our safety and ensuring we have a great time. So even though i queued for hours only for the baseball Chicago 22 jersey to have sold out when i was so close #gutted or that songs were cut from the original setlist it was still an epic night and only these guys could and will continue to demand and deserve my upmost respect.
The dedication to Hoosiers and Sarah made me cry, I got to hear Bugs, Leatherman, Chloe dance/Cot and hold on for the first time ever and Eds voice was so freaking on point and Mike as usual was insane. I am loving all the new songs and i have a feeling this album will easily go into my top 5.
So many great moments, so many great photos and some awesome new friends thank you PJ! I will continue to follow you around the world as much as I can. EPIC!
2016 MSG 1 & 2/ 2017 London Ed solo/ 2018 London 1, Padua, Rome, Prague & London 2
2019 Dusseldorf & Dublin Ed Solo
2022 Copenhagen, London 1&2, Budapest, Krakow, Vienna, Prague, Ams 1 & Ams 2
2024 Manchester, London, Auckland & Sydney