Happy that dude who kept loosing his footing/collapsing/flirting with unconsciousness before getting carried out is fine. We were right behind him and his buddies. Here's to the folks in our area. Everyone reacted with the guys best interest in mind, forming a circle around him and trying to get Eddie's attention so he could get security, which proved way more difficult than one would think.
Glad his buddies were fine, too. We were afraid that the joint they were sharing was laced with some bad s*@t! Literally, less than five minutes after two massive hits, he couldn't stand. Scary stuff.
Can anyone give me some advice? I have GA seats finally for the upcoming Oregon show and am wondering how early I should get there, in order to be within the first 3-5 rows? Thanks!
Anyone who is saying that Ed wasn't having some major problems last night likely just didn't have the same vantage point I had. Yes, there were times when he was having fun, but there was also times where he was supremely pissed off and angry, gesturing angrily and running off stage. This was my 17th show and I've never seen him do anything like that.
He was erratic last night.
I don't know. I was right behind the stage and had a good view the whole time. He only really seemed "angry" for the Sirens thing. The rest of the time it really just more seemed like he was making sure everyone else knew what song they were playing next and/or when they were done with the set.
I was on the rail. Only visible anger from Ed was during sirens when his acoustic guitar was severely out of tune. The rest of the show there was frustration and it didn't seem like the band got into a groove. Not sure why, but I'm sure it being second night after a pretty epic night might have had something to do with it.
I was still so happy to be there and it was still a good show. Each show holds different memories for me and they are all special for different reasons. Last night was special because even though the band didn't start off tight, they did everything they could to carry on. If they didn't put on a good performance last night it wasn't for lack of commitment and passion, and I love them so much for that. Sometimes you just have off nights but I'll take PJ on an off night any day. Can't have epic shows all the time anyway.
Lou Reed cover was very sweet, I cried a little.
Lol, like Veddernarian said, were you at the right address? L.A. 2 was just as enthralling to hear and watch as San Diego and L.A. 1. In fact, it's kind of hard for me to pick a favorite because they were all so stellar. I think these Cali shows will be the ones people remember. They were THAT great...especially the unique moments that happened at those shows. Thank you, Pearl Jam, you blew me away and the rooves off those arenas!
I died. I died and you just stood there. I died and you watched. I died and you walked by and said no. I'm dead.
Lol, like Veddernarian said, were you at the right address? L.A. 2 was just as enthralling to hear and watch as San Diego and L.A. 1. In fact, it's kind of hard for me to pick a favorite because they were all so stellar. I think these Cali shows will be the ones people remember. They were THAT great...especially the unique moments that happened at those shows. Thank you, Pearl Jam, you blew me away and the rooves off those arenas!
Must just be personal opinion as I share the thought that LAII was far inferior to LAI, S.D., AZ and Hartford.
I would rank the shows I saw in 2013 as follows (The top 5 really are close and I might reorder them....
Hartford
LA1
SD
Wrigley
AZ
London
LA2
But having seen them in 95, 98, 03, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, and now 13, I think this might be the best tour they have ever done, and I know that is saying something.
So LA2 was brilliant and amazing, just not as epic as the other 6 shows I saw.
Can anyone give me some advice? I have GA seats finally for the upcoming Oregon show and am wondering how early I should get there, in order to be within the first 3-5 rows? Thanks!
In LA people were lining up as early as 3:30am. But in SD I got there around 4pm and was about number 80ish. But I had to wait on my ticket to arrive so I didn't actually enter the venue until about 7:10 and I ended up 6/7 deep on Stone's side. LA was crazy because there were so many people but I'm guessing in Portland it won't be as bad. Good luck man and have a blast, it's so awesome being on the floor!
Great trip South to LA for this one. The vibe for the show has certainly been defined in the previous posts...a bit strange. :shock: Amazing really. Great seats 5 up in reserved on Mike's side. Anticipation for the show shifted to hilarity when Gene Simmons came in behind us. Cool to talk to him and meet and others we were sitting around. Also saw McLovin and Judd Apatow over there.
The new songs totally ripped. Ed was Ed. Loved watching Mike and Jeff observe what was going on to their left throughout the night. Mike bit it trying to climb up in our section just before he changed plans and went crowd surfing...looked like it hurt. Solid set list in my opinion. We never know what we are going to hear but we always win. Looking forward to more fun in Portland/Seattle. Thanks 10C!
I don't understand at all people saying the band wasn't tight or that any of the three Southern California shows were lacking. All three shows were epic in their own ways. Whatever problems Ed was having at LA1 and LA2, he did NOT let it hurt his performance.
This is a hardworking, fantastic live band. The reasons we are all 10 Club members and will remain so were all on display from Thursday night to Sunday night. I will never forget those shows as long as I live.
When I first saw them play at Lollapalooza '92 I thought "I will never see a performance that passionate again". Every few years, PJ comes around to prove me wrong.
Can anyone give me some advice? I have GA seats finally for the upcoming Oregon show and am wondering how early I should get there, in order to be within the first 3-5 rows? Thanks!
While it would be kind of cool to be hugging the front center rail, I walked in shortly after the doors opened for SD and LA2 and was just fine with my floor spots.
If you really need front rail, go right to Stone's side, as you may be able to get it, even if you don't line up before they start letting people in...but if you want more energy, interaction from the band, and chances at guitar picks, then go left to Mike's side.
For LA2 we had left 'side rail' about 10-15 heads back from Mike, which was cool as we got to see the celebrities and I still was able to snag a heaven flicked pick from McCready!
19 Pearl Jam shows and still searching for Deep! 1998 (2) - East Lansing & Auburn Hills; 2000 (2) - Tampa & Noblesville; 2003 (2) - Lexington & Noblesville; 2006 (1) - Cincinnati; 2007 (1) - Chicago (Lollapalooza); 2008 (Ed in Milwaukee); 2009 (1) - Chicago; 2010 (1) - Noblesville; 2013 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2016 (Temple of the Dog in Los Angeles); 2017 (Ed at Ohana in Dana Point); 2021 (3) - Dana Point I, II & III; 2022 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2025 - Southern U.S. Tour Please!
The show was beyond amazing. It was my first time seeing them in the GA section, and it was everything that i could hope for.
Highlights were: "Low Light", "No Way", "Breath"...and all of the LB songs!
I have to admit, i don't usually get in to "Alive", but considering that the dude directly in front of me was holding up Ed when Ed came in to the crowd, i was very happy. I thought that Ed was just shaking peoples hands in the front and then suddenly he was hoisted up and was literally right on top of me. that was RAD.
The community around me was great - there were a lot of good people. I did have one chick completely snake me 10 minutes before the show started, she was practically standing on my feet, but i just let it slide. I was still so damn lucky to just BE THERE, i just put myself in a Zen place and let it go. Plus i scream pretty loud and dance pretty crazy, so it was no surprise that she wound up next to me rather than in front of me. My husband and i got a bit separated - but it was ok. he was doing a good deed. He is 6'7", so he was letting a few people in front of him so that they could see. That provided good Karma.
Future Days was stressful, I had just met the guy (sean) that fainted...we hungout in line outside for 3 hours. I was super-sad for a few songs, but felt slightly better when Ed came out with the report that he was gonna be ok.
It was a night that i will never forget. Bring on Portland! I have 10c reserved and it will be RAD.
This Thanksgiving I am extremely thankful for being such a blessed Pearl Jam fan. I have a wonderful husband, family, friends, a great job, a great dog, good health and the privilege to see my favorite band multiple times this year.
What more can a girl ask for?
Cheers to all of my pit peeps from that night! Cheers to Sean and Cristian - you are both so awesome and i am glad that you are ok, Sean!
And Cheers to ALL of you on this site! To the US fans: Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
p.s. Cristian - can you PM me?
Can anyone give me some advice? I have GA seats finally for the upcoming Oregon show and am wondering how early I should get there, in order to be within the first 3-5 rows? Thanks!
I got to LA2 at about 10 minutes to 3 in the afternoon, picked up the tickets from will call, and hopped in line. Ended up about 8ish heads back, dead center of the stage. So if you want to be 3-5 rows back, maybe like 1 o'clock? Just a guess, but I was more than satisfied with where I ended up.
This was my only show for the tour, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I really had a great time on Sunday night. On the whole, it really was a great show with moments of true brilliance.
No Way was my highlight and Mind Your Manners really came across well (they seemed to put more heart into it than the DTE they had just finished playing). The main set featured long runs of new songs where the band almost seemed to be challenging the fans, saying "we are who we are and we are going to play the songs that we feel best represent who we are right now." I've always liked that the band seems to be playing for themselves, their honest expression is part of what makes them so awesome. They seemed like they were trying harder for the new songs too, meaning them a bit more honestly, whereas some of the "classics" seemed like they were mailing it in a bit. Testament to their mastery of their performances, though, PJ as postman is still freaking awesome.
I agree with a lot of the posters who observed Eddie seemed a bit cranky, but that guitar sounded like absolute shite during Sirens and there was nothing to do with it but toss it to the ground. The tech guys did seem a bit off, but Eddie seemed to be mixing up the setlist all over the place. Mike also seemed a bit tired. I thought I heard them mention they went out surfing that day and I know these guys are superheroes, but six hours on stage and a serious surf session during a 30 hour window will take it out of anyone. And as superheroes go, Jeff was truly awesome on Sunday. He was high in the mix to start the set and I really dug hearing him groove out. Probably the best I've heard Jeff, whose really developed his melodic jamming. Stone was his usual quiet brilliance in the background.
But we are growing up! It's truly inspiring to see the band change, the music change, the crowd change, but the it...the it stays it. I am so glad to have had an opportunity to experience this band, their music, and these shows. This is a band for life.
Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I’m
delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.
But we are growing up! It's truly inspiring to see the band change, the music change, the crowd change, but the it...the it stays it. I am so glad to have had an opportunity to experience this band, their music, and these shows. This is a band for life.
What a brilliant sentence to describe 'it'!
For me, in 20 - something shows over 18 years and 'it' is really a living thing, growing, expanding, deepening, getting wiser and staying young.
Having seen PJ 20+ times between now and 1994, I must say that the energy level of the band is the best it has been in nearly 20 years. The angst of the early days (Versus tour in 94, most notably) has been absent for years. Sure, the shows have been great over the years, but that je ne se quois has been missing (for me, anyway) since the mid-90s. I attributed it to the band getting older, wiser, getting "settled down," becoming "family men." Not last night. They were en fuego and seeing Ed ticked off was a flashback to the early to mid 90s. I loved it! LA2 was my only show for the tour and I agree that each show is unique and that there is a big difference between reading a set list online and actually being at the show. This was by no means the best set list I have seen over nearly 20 years (Randall's island show #2 in 1996 would take the cake - or perhaps the epic four night run outside of Boston in the mid-2000s when they did not play any repeats) and I am not a big fan of the new album (I liken it to running through mud - it's sluggish at best). In any case, LA2 was one of the most memorable shows of my PJ concert career because the band seemed re-invigorated. Eddie was mixing up the set list throughout the night, but I have always liked the spontaneity of a PJ concert. The band did not seem to miss a beat as this is not their first concert rodeo. Having been on the floor, the energy of the crowd on the floor was fantastic. I did not care to notice the crowd in the stands surrounding us because I was so engrossed with what was happening on stage. Highlights for me were Oceans, No Way, and Breath. I was lucky enough to see State and Breath back to back at St. Louis in 1994. Betterman was particularly good on this evening. And Mother was phenomenal for those who appreciate both PJ and Floyd. Interestingly, I was recently at an EV performance at a mansion in Malibu; he had technical issues with his mandolin that night and he had a diva response similar to Sirens. Spinal Tap was spot-on in so many ways. If you have not seen the Tap, then do yourself a favor and see it. You will see many idiosyncracies of your favorite rock band(s) on full display. As for parking at the LA sports arena, I parked at a meter on Vermont. 15 minute walk to the arena. It was free and I was on the 10 in no time after the show. Thank you PJ for a very memorable night, and thanks for still bringing it to every song and every show!
Both LA shows fantastic. The new PJ fits perfect with the old PJ. Never get tired of walking into a venue to watch the best band ever play live. Lights go down and the hair stands on end.....every time. 9.5 hours of pearl jam live last week with one more show to go. Calgary for a 4th time in 8 years and they never disappoint. Anyway folks, if you were at the LA1 show check this out. :twisted: :nono: ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mq6VKY1dSU Look familiar? Eddie with a bad attitude is just good for everybody.
Still am unsure how they do it. They are all damn near 50 years old and i am a ways behind that, yet i am still feeling the 3 rock shows in 4 days in my legs and back and its been 3 days. Still blown away by their performance. As much as i love to hear the rarities at the shows like Oceans and Tremor Christ and so on....can anyone tell me if there are two songs that can get the energy going like Alive and RVM? These are the best two live songs any band could ever play. Both usually come in one of the encores and will continue to blow me away at the energy they create that late in a show. Unreal.
All I have to say is: I still don't have my voice back! I rocked out in the pit all night. Got to hear some great music, songs I never thought I would hear live and the fans were amazing. Maybe it was being in GA, but the times I turned around to look at the whole crowd, everyone was rocking! Sure, there were a few issues, but why focus on that? Overall, great show. The only one I will see on this tour, and I am surely not disappointed!
Charlotte and LA 2 were my two shows for this tour. Both shows were fantastic, but it just makes me want more. After Sunday night's show I just wanted to grab my bag and travel up the coast and enjoy the rest of the tour.
LA2 was fantastic - loved my seats (thanks Ten Club).... GA would have been a cool experience - watching the crowd brought a smile to my face. The energy on the floor looked electric. Maybe next time I'll get down there
My second ticket was for a good friend who had never been to a PJ show. He kind of lost his mind - in the best possible way. Lots of cool energy in the surrounding rows in my section.
It was kind of cool to be in this older venue - without a single digital billboard in sight. Kind of transported me back to the shows I saw in the 80s and early 90s - speaking of which, I loved Ed's PiL shirt.
I flew from Florida to LA to see this band that I've loved for what seems like forever. It's now days later and I'm still a little buzzed from the adrenaline.
I went to both L.A. shows and loved them both. Can't really compare them, it's like apples and oranges. Saturday, we were in seats way in the back, on Sunday in the GA floor, so that's going to totally change how one experiences the show. Both nights were amazing! Just happy to have been there.
I was at both LA1 and LA2 - I'd post in the LA1 thread, but it's under review, ha...
I've been to nearly all of the LA shows since 98, as well as MSG1 in '10, and I have to say LA1 is my favorite PJ show I've ever been to. Is it easy to call the most recent one your favorite? Yes. Could it also be because I was close up in GA for the first time? Possibly... But most of it is the fact that I've never seen this kind of energy and engagement from the band, and I've never heard Eddie's voice sound so consistently spot-on. Just phenomenal. And you know what I noticed both nights? I certainly saw a lot of wine consumed, but I didn't see one cigarette smoked. Now I don't know what he did during the encore breakes, or during Evenflow in LA2, but I was stoked not to see any smoking during the show, and I can't help but think his voice is showing the positive effects.
On Saturday, I knew from the moment he ranted on the girl up front, kicking her out, that we were going to get some ferocity from EV. And by the way, the girl shoved me and my wife on her way up to the front, dragging a kid and a guy with her. She was super aggressive and inconsiderate to everyone on her way up, I can only imagine how lame she was once she got there. Kudos to Ed for booting her and preserving the concert experience for those brave souls who'd spent all day in line to get on the rail...
And LA2 had its own moments of drama, with the whole Sirens/guitar thing - maybe Ed could have handled his tech with a bit more grace, but I don't think any of us knows the adrenaline frenzy of performing in front of 16-17,000 paying customers who may or may not get to see you for 4-5 years. Any artist who puts THAT much thought into changing setlists has to be pretty serious about providing a good show. And when the breakdown of one of your most emotionally powerful, vocally challenging songs turns into a clanging, tuning nightmare, I'd imagine you get a litte pissed. And I'd say the guitar tech was every bit as pissed at himself as Ed was...
All that to say - what a crazy, bad-ass, awesome couple of shows. I felt incredibly proud to call PJ my favorite band, and I found proud to call LA my hometown. We get a bad reputation for our crowds, but we brought it this past weekend, and so did the band.
San Diego 10/25/00 Irvine 6/03/03 Los Angeles 7/9/06 Los Angeles 7/10/06 Los Angeles 7/12/08 (VH1 Rock Honors the Who) Los Angeles 10/01/09 Los Angeles 4/12/08 (EV solo) Los Angeles 10/06/09 MSG 5/20/10 San Diego 7/5/11 (EV solo) Los Angeles 11/23/13 Los Angeles 11/24/13 Sao Paulo, Brazil 11/14/15 Ohana Encore 10/01/21 San Diego 5/03/22 Los Angeles 5/21/24 Los Angeles 5/22/24
Both nights were awesome and unique! A bit more 'rock star" vibe from Eddie on night 2 but hey, it's gotta be tough mixing it up night to night. Hope he and the tech made amends. Cheers
I was at both, LA1 with ticketmaster in Loge 20. Had 10C tix Sunday- got Floor C, 6 rows back. Although they weren't great, I was looking forward to the energy in the fan club seats, which, in my mind, is a big part of the show and would make up for the less than stellar view. Wrong. At least where we were, the crowd around us seemed asleep. Sitting, texting, standing still. I get that not everyone goes nuts for 3 hours, but it was kind of a bummer. Crowd around us in loge 20 Saturday night was more into the show.. Each show had it's own vibe, for sure, and each had special moments. These were my 8th and 9th shows. Night 1 seemed more like a PJ show to me.
I was in the same section, row 4. Couldn't agree more. The section killed the vibe altogether. I felt like i was robbed of what could've a been a truly amazing show.
I was at both, LA1 with ticketmaster in Loge 20. Had 10C tix Sunday- got Floor C, 6 rows back. Although they weren't great, I was looking forward to the energy in the fan club seats, which, in my mind, is a big part of the show and would make up for the less than stellar view. Wrong. At least where we were, the crowd around us seemed asleep. Sitting, texting, standing still. I get that not everyone goes nuts for 3 hours, but it was kind of a bummer. Crowd around us in loge 20 Saturday night was more into the show.. Each show had it's own vibe, for sure, and each had special moments. These were my 8th and 9th shows. Night 1 seemed more like a PJ show to me.
I was in the same section, row 4. Couldn't agree more. The section killed the vibe altogether. I felt like i was robbed of what could've a been a truly amazing show.
That's a good way to put it- robbed. I've been so conflicted about this show. It was almost depressing in our section.
Posting here several days later because of a question my Mom asked me on the phone earlier today. I had to explain to her that I don't really have a favorite show because something special happens at each one for me. I either see the band with a dear friend, or have a revelation hearing a particular song, or hear a song live for the first time. But when my Mom asked me today what's been my favorite show on this tour so far, this image flashed into my mind so I'm sharing it.
LA2 - I spent the whole day in the GA line and met some really nice people. I was on Stone's side 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) from the rail. When the concert started I noticed this group was different from other folks I've been around at concerts because when each song would start we'd all look over at each other as if to check in, sing a few words together and then keep rocking. When "No Way" started, after we all realized what song it was, rather than screaming the lyrics out towards the band everyone around me just turned to each other and started singing to one another, a couple of verses it seems, as if Pearl Jam was our backup band all of sudden.
Eddie Vedder also happened to visit this group on the rail during Porch. Holding him up, getting a finger wrapped into a hand hold, and singing our guts out was incredible. After Eddie left everyone around me again turned back to one another to jump up and down and share their excitement with each other. High fives abounded and I heard several "Holy Shits". It was amazing.
This music can be deeply personal to many of us, but in a live setting when you're able to share that love with complete strangers who totally get it, it's one of the most incredible feelings.
Yay us! We're a good group. I'm glad to have met more of you on this tour.
LA2 - I spent the whole day in the GA line and met some really nice people. I was on Stone's side 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) from the rail. When the concert started I noticed this group was different from other folks I've been around at concerts because when each song would start we'd all look over at each other as if to check in, sing a few words together and then keep rocking. When "No Way" started, after we all realized what song it was, rather than screaming the lyrics out towards the band everyone around me just turned to each other and started singing to one another, a couple of verses it seems, as if Pearl Jam was our backup band all of sudden.
Eddie Vedder also happened to visit this group on the rail during Porch. Holding him up, getting a finger wrapped into a hand hold, and singing our guts out was incredible. After Eddie left everyone around me again turned back to one another to jump up and down and share their excitement with each other. High fives abounded and I heard several "Holy Shits". It was amazing.
This music can be deeply personal to many of us, but in a live setting when you're able to share that love with complete strangers who totally get it, it's one of the most incredible feelings.
Yay us! We're a good group. I'm glad to have met more of you on this tour.
Hey PJ212 - i was right behind you when you were holding Ed up during "Porch". That was the most incredible thing ever! And i loved it when you turned around and we were all SO excited and happy for you! TOTALLY RAD. We had a good group around us, and when you blend the a good pit community with an amazing band, you get an experience of a lifetime!
So glad you posted this!
ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LA2 - I spent the whole day in the GA line and met some really nice people. I was on Stone's side 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) from the rail. When the concert started I noticed this group was different from other folks I've been around at concerts because when each song would start we'd all look over at each other as if to check in, sing a few words together and then keep rocking. When "No Way" started, after we all realized what song it was, rather than screaming the lyrics out towards the band everyone around me just turned to each other and started singing to one another, a couple of verses it seems, as if Pearl Jam was our backup band all of sudden.
Eddie Vedder also happened to visit this group on the rail during Porch. Holding him up, getting a finger wrapped into a hand hold, and singing our guts out was incredible. After Eddie left everyone around me again turned back to one another to jump up and down and share their excitement with each other. High fives abounded and I heard several "Holy Shits". It was amazing.
This music can be deeply personal to many of us, but in a live setting when you're able to share that love with complete strangers who totally get it, it's one of the most incredible feelings.
Yay us! We're a good group. I'm glad to have met more of you on this tour.
Hey PJ212 - i was right behind you when you were holding Ed up during "Porch". That was the most incredible thing ever! And i loved it when you turned around and we were all SO excited and happy for you! TOTALLY RAD. We had a good group around us, and when you blend the a good pit community with an amazing band, you get an experience of a lifetime!
So glad you posted this!
ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Agree with you guys...Porch was amazing...I was grateful to be a part of it, and the entire night. The Fans were super energized, and I loved hearing Lowlight. Too bad the night had to finally end, as we waved goodbye, Mike took a picture of the crowd, and Jeff bear hugged Stone. What a great night!
I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up
Comments
Glad his buddies were fine, too. We were afraid that the joint they were sharing was laced with some bad s*@t! Literally, less than five minutes after two massive hits, he couldn't stand. Scary stuff.
Lol, like Veddernarian said, were you at the right address? L.A. 2 was just as enthralling to hear and watch as San Diego and L.A. 1. In fact, it's kind of hard for me to pick a favorite because they were all so stellar. I think these Cali shows will be the ones people remember. They were THAT great...especially the unique moments that happened at those shows. Thank you, Pearl Jam, you blew me away and the rooves off those arenas!
Must just be personal opinion as I share the thought that LAII was far inferior to LAI, S.D., AZ and Hartford.
I would rank the shows I saw in 2013 as follows (The top 5 really are close and I might reorder them....
Hartford
LA1
SD
Wrigley
AZ
London
LA2
But having seen them in 95, 98, 03, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, and now 13, I think this might be the best tour they have ever done, and I know that is saying something.
So LA2 was brilliant and amazing, just not as epic as the other 6 shows I saw.
Nate
In LA people were lining up as early as 3:30am. But in SD I got there around 4pm and was about number 80ish. But I had to wait on my ticket to arrive so I didn't actually enter the venue until about 7:10 and I ended up 6/7 deep on Stone's side. LA was crazy because there were so many people but I'm guessing in Portland it won't be as bad. Good luck man and have a blast, it's so awesome being on the floor!
The new songs totally ripped. Ed was Ed. Loved watching Mike and Jeff observe what was going on to their left throughout the night. Mike bit it trying to climb up in our section just before he changed plans and went crowd surfing...looked like it hurt. Solid set list in my opinion. We never know what we are going to hear but we always win. Looking forward to more fun in Portland/Seattle. Thanks 10C!
This is a hardworking, fantastic live band. The reasons we are all 10 Club members and will remain so were all on display from Thursday night to Sunday night. I will never forget those shows as long as I live.
When I first saw them play at Lollapalooza '92 I thought "I will never see a performance that passionate again". Every few years, PJ comes around to prove me wrong.
While it would be kind of cool to be hugging the front center rail, I walked in shortly after the doors opened for SD and LA2 and was just fine with my floor spots.
If you really need front rail, go right to Stone's side, as you may be able to get it, even if you don't line up before they start letting people in...but if you want more energy, interaction from the band, and chances at guitar picks, then go left to Mike's side.
For LA2 we had left 'side rail' about 10-15 heads back from Mike, which was cool as we got to see the celebrities and I still was able to snag a heaven flicked pick from McCready!
1998 (2) - East Lansing & Auburn Hills; 2000 (2) - Tampa & Noblesville; 2003 (2) - Lexington & Noblesville; 2006 (1) - Cincinnati; 2007 (1) - Chicago (Lollapalooza); 2008 (Ed in Milwaukee); 2009 (1) - Chicago; 2010 (1) - Noblesville; 2013 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2016 (Temple of the Dog in Los Angeles); 2017 (Ed at Ohana in Dana Point);
2021 (3) - Dana Point I, II & III; 2022 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2025 - Southern U.S. Tour Please!
PJ u ROCK!
Highlights were: "Low Light", "No Way", "Breath"...and all of the LB songs!
I have to admit, i don't usually get in to "Alive", but considering that the dude directly in front of me was holding up Ed when Ed came in to the crowd, i was very happy. I thought that Ed was just shaking peoples hands in the front and then suddenly he was hoisted up and was literally right on top of me. that was RAD.
The community around me was great - there were a lot of good people. I did have one chick completely snake me 10 minutes before the show started, she was practically standing on my feet, but i just let it slide. I was still so damn lucky to just BE THERE, i just put myself in a Zen place and let it go. Plus i scream pretty loud and dance pretty crazy, so it was no surprise that she wound up next to me rather than in front of me. My husband and i got a bit separated - but it was ok. he was doing a good deed. He is 6'7", so he was letting a few people in front of him so that they could see. That provided good Karma.
Future Days was stressful, I had just met the guy (sean) that fainted...we hungout in line outside for 3 hours. I was super-sad for a few songs, but felt slightly better when Ed came out with the report that he was gonna be ok.
It was a night that i will never forget. Bring on Portland! I have 10c reserved and it will be RAD.
This Thanksgiving I am extremely thankful for being such a blessed Pearl Jam fan. I have a wonderful husband, family, friends, a great job, a great dog, good health and the privilege to see my favorite band multiple times this year.
What more can a girl ask for?
Cheers to all of my pit peeps from that night! Cheers to Sean and Cristian - you are both so awesome and i am glad that you are ok, Sean!
And Cheers to ALL of you on this site! To the US fans: Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
p.s. Cristian - can you PM me?
I got to LA2 at about 10 minutes to 3 in the afternoon, picked up the tickets from will call, and hopped in line. Ended up about 8ish heads back, dead center of the stage. So if you want to be 3-5 rows back, maybe like 1 o'clock? Just a guess, but I was more than satisfied with where I ended up.
My Movie/Music Reviews & Sports Blog
No Way was my highlight and Mind Your Manners really came across well (they seemed to put more heart into it than the DTE they had just finished playing). The main set featured long runs of new songs where the band almost seemed to be challenging the fans, saying "we are who we are and we are going to play the songs that we feel best represent who we are right now." I've always liked that the band seems to be playing for themselves, their honest expression is part of what makes them so awesome. They seemed like they were trying harder for the new songs too, meaning them a bit more honestly, whereas some of the "classics" seemed like they were mailing it in a bit. Testament to their mastery of their performances, though, PJ as postman is still freaking awesome.
I agree with a lot of the posters who observed Eddie seemed a bit cranky, but that guitar sounded like absolute shite during Sirens and there was nothing to do with it but toss it to the ground. The tech guys did seem a bit off, but Eddie seemed to be mixing up the setlist all over the place. Mike also seemed a bit tired. I thought I heard them mention they went out surfing that day and I know these guys are superheroes, but six hours on stage and a serious surf session during a 30 hour window will take it out of anyone. And as superheroes go, Jeff was truly awesome on Sunday. He was high in the mix to start the set and I really dug hearing him groove out. Probably the best I've heard Jeff, whose really developed his melodic jamming. Stone was his usual quiet brilliance in the background.
But we are growing up! It's truly inspiring to see the band change, the music change, the crowd change, but the it...the it stays it. I am so glad to have had an opportunity to experience this band, their music, and these shows. This is a band for life.
delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.
What a brilliant sentence to describe 'it'!
For me, in 20 - something shows over 18 years and 'it' is really a living thing, growing, expanding, deepening, getting wiser and staying young.
LA2 was fantastic - loved my seats (thanks Ten Club).... GA would have been a cool experience - watching the crowd brought a smile to my face. The energy on the floor looked electric. Maybe next time I'll get down there
My second ticket was for a good friend who had never been to a PJ show. He kind of lost his mind - in the best possible way. Lots of cool energy in the surrounding rows in my section.
It was kind of cool to be in this older venue - without a single digital billboard in sight. Kind of transported me back to the shows I saw in the 80s and early 90s - speaking of which, I loved Ed's PiL shirt.
I flew from Florida to LA to see this band that I've loved for what seems like forever. It's now days later and I'm still a little buzzed from the adrenaline.
I've been to nearly all of the LA shows since 98, as well as MSG1 in '10, and I have to say LA1 is my favorite PJ show I've ever been to. Is it easy to call the most recent one your favorite? Yes. Could it also be because I was close up in GA for the first time? Possibly... But most of it is the fact that I've never seen this kind of energy and engagement from the band, and I've never heard Eddie's voice sound so consistently spot-on. Just phenomenal. And you know what I noticed both nights? I certainly saw a lot of wine consumed, but I didn't see one cigarette smoked. Now I don't know what he did during the encore breakes, or during Evenflow in LA2, but I was stoked not to see any smoking during the show, and I can't help but think his voice is showing the positive effects.
On Saturday, I knew from the moment he ranted on the girl up front, kicking her out, that we were going to get some ferocity from EV. And by the way, the girl shoved me and my wife on her way up to the front, dragging a kid and a guy with her. She was super aggressive and inconsiderate to everyone on her way up, I can only imagine how lame she was once she got there. Kudos to Ed for booting her and preserving the concert experience for those brave souls who'd spent all day in line to get on the rail...
And LA2 had its own moments of drama, with the whole Sirens/guitar thing - maybe Ed could have handled his tech with a bit more grace, but I don't think any of us knows the adrenaline frenzy of performing in front of 16-17,000 paying customers who may or may not get to see you for 4-5 years. Any artist who puts THAT much thought into changing setlists has to be pretty serious about providing a good show. And when the breakdown of one of your most emotionally powerful, vocally challenging songs turns into a clanging, tuning nightmare, I'd imagine you get a litte pissed. And I'd say the guitar tech was every bit as pissed at himself as Ed was...
All that to say - what a crazy, bad-ass, awesome couple of shows. I felt incredibly proud to call PJ my favorite band, and I found proud to call LA my hometown. We get a bad reputation for our crowds, but we brought it this past weekend, and so did the band.
Irvine 6/03/03
Los Angeles 7/9/06
Los Angeles 7/10/06
Los Angeles 7/12/08 (VH1 Rock Honors the Who)
Los Angeles 10/01/09
Los Angeles 4/12/08 (EV solo)
Los Angeles 10/06/09
MSG 5/20/10
San Diego 7/5/11 (EV solo)
Los Angeles 11/23/13
Los Angeles 11/24/13
Sao Paulo, Brazil 11/14/15
Ohana Encore 10/01/21
San Diego 5/03/22
Los Angeles 5/21/24
Los Angeles 5/22/24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MphzIDargK4
Evolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyArJoDGWVM
No Way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlhN4mly5Kc
Blood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb1_4HLooAY
Mother
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ2ehA_OIEM
Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d3f9AbUnH0
Mike crowd surfing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtZSYuBOxdg
I was in the same section, row 4. Couldn't agree more. The section killed the vibe altogether. I felt like i was robbed of what could've a been a truly amazing show.
That's a good way to put it- robbed. I've been so conflicted about this show. It was almost depressing in our section.
LA2 - I spent the whole day in the GA line and met some really nice people. I was on Stone's side 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) from the rail. When the concert started I noticed this group was different from other folks I've been around at concerts because when each song would start we'd all look over at each other as if to check in, sing a few words together and then keep rocking. When "No Way" started, after we all realized what song it was, rather than screaming the lyrics out towards the band everyone around me just turned to each other and started singing to one another, a couple of verses it seems, as if Pearl Jam was our backup band all of sudden.
Eddie Vedder also happened to visit this group on the rail during Porch. Holding him up, getting a finger wrapped into a hand hold, and singing our guts out was incredible. After Eddie left everyone around me again turned back to one another to jump up and down and share their excitement with each other. High fives abounded and I heard several "Holy Shits". It was amazing.
This music can be deeply personal to many of us, but in a live setting when you're able to share that love with complete strangers who totally get it, it's one of the most incredible feelings.
Yay us! We're a good group. I'm glad to have met more of you on this tour.
So glad you posted this!
ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!