Did you see Vintage Pearl Jam? Pre-1995?

prince119

The date was 12/7/1993. I was 18 years old. PJ had played Spokane as a "surprise" show at the MET about 6 months before and of course I didn't get any tickets. I was a fan from the start and getting the chance to drive to Seattle with a couple friends was a given to see this band.

We got tickets to the first of 3 shows in the Seattle Center Arena. We were new to the Pearl Jam experience so stupidly we didn't get tickets to the other 2 shows (stupid, stupid, stupid).

We got to town and shacked up in a dive motel downtown Seattle about 5 blocks from the Seattle Center and got ready for something we had no idea how it would affect us.

We marched downtown with people milling about waiting to see the show. The show was GA and so we intended to get there early and get up close to the stage. I had just seen AIC in Spokane and loved the experience of seeing a show from a few "rows" away.

We went through about 4 metal detectors (hadn't done that before) to get in and upon entry went directly to the front to stake out a spot. We were about 12 feet from the stage when 6 in the clip came out. They were a "local" hip hop group and were pretty much booed off stage if I recall correctly. Next up was Urge Overkill (pre-Pulp Fiction). They were pretty good........wonder what happened to them..........I digress.

Pearl Jam came on. It was the first time I had seen a band come on stage without a curtain and I remember thinking how cool it was that they just walked on stage and started playing. No theater, no frills, just rock and roll.

They kicked into the "Go" intro and the crowd surged.........I never moved my feet and my body was transported by the moving bodies. Go wrapped up with me about 20 feet farther from the stage than when I started. "Animal" was next. PURE AGGRESSION..........suddenly I was more than 50 feet from the stage with not a step taken. If you fell, you were picked up, but falling was a scary thought nonetheless.

The pure fury with which the band played was something I had never seen and have yet to see again. At some point in the show they pulled some kid on stage that was passed over the rail and Ed dressed him in the White Sox cap and flannel shirt that he came out in. They asked him some questions that he seemed to not have an answers to and Stone came over and started cackling into the mic something about "the governments fault......its all the government" They pretty much shoved him into the crowd where he was raped of all the clothes that Eddie put on him.....poor bastard.

At another point in the show, someone ran across stage from stage left (they had risers set up on the sides of the stage and people were standing on the side of the stage watching) So as this guy comes running across (during RVM) The band stops the show and Jeff jumps into the crowd to pull the guy out. They re-started the show and finished without any other interruption.

So during "Black" I decide to give the 'ol crowd surf a go and get up very easily and surf about 20 feet forward before falling to the ground. It was singly the dumbest experience of my concert "career". I don't recall a note as I was up there and never tried it again.

Indifference closed the show (haven't been present when played since) and we were back to the hotel. 2 of us were totally blown away by the experience and the other 2 were fairly unmoved.....poor bastards again.

I went on to see them more times than I can count and have yet to be disappointed. That first time was a very moving experience, really. It has shaped the way that I listen to music and the way I listen and watch live performances.

I am so thankful that I have been able to be on this ride. I am forever changed by this bands music and forever changed by this one day and one concert experience.

Damn this band rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rhinomagic

March 25, 1994
Memphis, TN

It was the first of many great nights for me spent at PJ shows.

I only wish I hadn't mailed the Spring Tour poster to a friend in Germany. I shoulda kept that sucker.

.

hoopinman

Delivered_Wings wrote:

Indio - 1993

The 'shoe the shoeless' show.

was that the one where Eddie claimed he was gonna wait out front for the shoeless guy to walk out and he and Dave were gonna kick his ass???

hoopinman

I had been in college at North Texas in Denton in 1990(just outside of Dallas) and was in the music program, and while there met a man named Dave Abbruzzese, who was my drum instructor. Dave was in a band that I use to see all the time...but sadly they broke up suddenly.....well come to find out his favorite drummer was leaving this band and offered to hook Dave up with a job.....That drummer was Matt Chamberlain. I knew Matt from the Dallas scene also cause he had played with Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, and he also played in Ten Hands.(another fave band from the area)

anyways...forward a year or so.....and Pearl Jam are playing with the Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins in Dallas. So I get home from school, and there is a message from Dave. He put me on the guestlist for the show at Trees that night. I was confused....the show wasnt at Trees...it was at the Bronco Bowl, so I headed over to Trees.....and find out they booked a last minute gig. AWESOME!!!! So we headed over to the Bronco Bowl, saw PJ open and left early.(we had seen the previous show in Houston a few days earlier) then hauled ass to Trees and saw one of the sicketst shows Ive ever seen in that dingy little bar. It was one of the few times I wqitnessed Eddie's crazy stage antics with him climbing to the top of the speaker stack and diving off. I was in front of Mike all night and just marveled at his fingers on the neck of his guitar....sublime show....and one of my fondest memories.

Thanks Dave!

JOEJOEJOE

My first show was 12/30/91, when they were on a RHCP/Nirvana/PJ bill at the L.A. Sports arena. Who would have thought that those 3 bands would define the 90s? Very difficult to believe it was over 16 years ago!

The RHCPs went to my high school, so it was cool to see them in their biggest-ever hometown show. I went with a friend who was a great gig buddy back then. It was a sorta rainy Friday night in Los Angeles.

I wasn't familiar with PJ, 'cept for "Alive". I most remember Eddie and Jeff's stage movements.

I had seen the Pixies the week before, so I ended the year with 2 great shows!

whitepants

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

My first show was 12/30/91, when they were on a RHCP/Nirvana/PJ bill at the L.A. Sports arena.

Jesus tap dancing Christ. I bow to you too! I regret being "too busy studying for mid-terms" and passed on driving to Detroit to see one of Nirvana's fateful final shows at the State Fair Grounds. :(

These are all awesome stories guys! Keep them coming!

JoWesley

Crisler was my 2nd show. My first show was in 93 in Toronto with Niel Young..but the entire story sounds made up. It was a crazy day. I was just so excited to get to see an ENTIRE PJ show that I didn't care where we sat. We got nosebleed seats through TM and I was just so excited to go to the show. We got there 4 or 5 hours early..for what i have no idea. We were listening to a local radio station and they said they were going to be releasing some more seats to students the day of the show in the union. We decided to go and try our luck and got 2 better seats in an "obstructed" area on the side. The seats were great..nothing obstructed at all. We gave our other seats to a couple we met in the parking lot. They were THRILLED, we were happy..it was just great. It was just us all being in the right place at the right time. After the show we were hanging around and some guy came out and called us all Rats. It ticked me off..and I still remember it to this day. He looked just like Glenn from the Wedding Singer..and said..Pearl Jam wrote a song about all of you...It's called RATS and you are all scum. So that was a nice way to end the night.

edpearson

Blind3 wrote:

Two in 92. I saw PJ at the Trocadero ( Philly , with Oceans, Garden, Solat, Deep, and Leash ) and at Montage Mountain( for Lollapalooza , near Scranton, PA. , with Breath ) .

Those were my first two shows, too! There's a good chance we moshed into each other because that was the style at the time for their shows. We actually came in about 2 songs late ("Why Go" and I can't recall the other tune we missed, but we heard them) for the Montage Mtn. gig. We were outside trying to get in and there were far too many people at the gates that the ticket folks couldn't handle us. We were irate because PJ had taken the stage and we couldn't get in...yet! When we did, we ran as fast as we could to that field/hill in front of the stage. I think we parked a few miles away, then the festival organizers bussed everyone in school busses to the concert venue. Dreary weather, but at least it didn't rain!

billythesmith

Chicago July 1991 when they OPENED for Soul Asylum & Ned's Atomic Dustbin. I was one of the 15 or so people there! Dave Krusen on drums! Talked to Eddie after the show in the lobby. He wrote to me weeks later!!

Chicago, November 1991 with RHCP and Smashing Pumpkins.

Chicago March 1992 at Cabaret Metro, when the Pumpkins jammed with them.

Lollapalooza 1992 at Alpine Valley, WI and Chicago, IL.

....and then...............

VMGACg

i used to jam with ed and the guys way back when. campfire stuff, wed smoke a joint and play for hours into the night. good memories with some good guys

hrd2imgn

3-10-94, soph in college CHICAGO STADIUM

Ed talking about how all the old classic buildings are getting torn down and one day there will be no antiques...how prophetic, seems like MSG is the only one left

I was a PJ fan then but a Metlallica NUT so I landed tix to the West Lafayette show @ Purdue that same week and gave them to my roomate and best freind since I had just seen them in Chicago a few days before...what a fucking idiot I was. they played an amazing show with Wash (my new song I goot here quest) There were bomb threats...oh man what a dumb ass I was

7-11-95 soldier field was unlike no sho ever, so many people, they played forever, Ed made fun of the radio stations in town, the fucks flashing lights in the sky boxes( these are the rich fancy people right? BOOOS no wait seems to me they're the farthest from the stage and behind a fucking window!) best Ed rip of all time

Milwaukee a few days earlier(fucking missed another classic the maggot brain show) but I did get Neil Diamond and I only Play for money with the frogs(the dude with the dragon costume...fucking classic) not to mention OCEANS IN MILWAUKEE That was the day I wreslted a fat chick and her pussy husband for Jack's drumstick -their quote" Lets break it in half and share it" WTF???? My friend jumps in between the tug of war and ass bumps her off it and we take off running like litttle punks who stole something from 7-11 still have the stick from the God of Skins

wolfbear

Our first was San Diego 11/3/93. We were so blown away we quickly got tickets for Las Vegas 12/1/93. I so wish we would have gone to more, but work and finances unfortunately got in the way. We've since made up for it somewhat though.

slightofjeff

bigshasha wrote:

4/8/94 at the Patriot Center Fairfax VA

It was my first PJ show, I was 12 years old. Vs. had just come out. They opened with Release in complete darkness, and closed with RITFW with the house lights on, and they played everything in the middle. They even played brand new songs Corduroy and Not For You. I vividly remember them playing footsteps, you could hear a pin drop in the arena. But the reason I will remember this show forever is because it was the day that the body of KC was found. I did not know. EV talked about the incident and dedicated a song to him. I was confused, and the person next to me told me he died that day. I believe the song that was dedicated was "Go," but I am not 100% sure. If anyone knows which song was dedicated, please let me know.

I'd be willing to bet. They had dedicated that song to Kurt a few days earlier in Atlanta, when Kurt was simply "just missing."

nowayimfaithfull

Yes on the ten tour but i have to be honest.

I was drug there with my girlfriend, and I was not into it, except for oceans.

slightofjeff

7-11-95 soldier field was unlike no sho ever, so many people, they played forever, Ed made fun of the radio stations in town, the fucks flashing lights in the sky boxes( these are the rich fancy people right? BOOOS no wait seems to me they're the farthest from the stage and behind a fucking window!) best Ed rip of all time

I've had this show on TV for about 12 years. It is fuckin' great ... "These are the rich, fancy people, right? It looks to be like they're the farthest from the stage and behind a fuckin' window ... "

cml25

Mine was May 1992 at Mesa Amphitheater. A local radio station 98 KUPD had a listeners choice concert and tickets were $9.98. Got ripped on Boons Farm Strawberry Hill (we were poor high school kids) and have been hooked ever since.

Capstoner

8-20-92
Lolla at Lakewood in ATL

they played Baba O'Riley in honor of The Who, the first band to play at Lakewood when it opened in 1989.

Smellyman2

hoopinman wrote:

was that the one where Eddie claimed he was gonna wait out front for the shoeless guy to walk out and he and Dave were gonna kick his ass???

Yup, but it was Ed and Jeff.

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa8Db8DvTXQ

Kraven

bigshasha wrote:

4/8/94 at the Patriot Center Fairfax VA

It was my first PJ show, I was 12 years old. Vs. had just come out. They opened with Release in complete darkness, and closed with RITFW with the house lights on, and they played everything in the middle. They even played brand new songs Corduroy and Not For You. I vividly remember them playing footsteps, you could hear a pin drop in the arena. But the reason I will remember this show forever is because it was the day that the body of KC was found. I did not know. EV talked about the incident and dedicated a song to him. I was confused, and the person next to me told me he died that day. I believe the song that was dedicated was "Go," but I am not 100% sure. If anyone knows which song was dedicated, please let me know.

No, it was Porch. "What the fuck is this world running to, you didn't leave a message, at least I could have learned your voice one last time"

"I dont think any of us would be in this room tonight if it wasn't for Kurt Cobain" Eddie says that right before Porch. It was in my profile for the longest time.

rrivers

11/93- First of 3 shows in New Orleans. Should have gone to all 3.

Also Labor Day 95 which was rescheduled from 4th of July. Joey Ramone sang "Sonic Reducer" with them and I think this was on a Christmas single.