So I was at the show and when EV began talking to the crowd about Bu$hleaguer, all I heard was people chanting and cheering for them to play it. Then when EV asked the audience who would boo - if they did play it, everyone boo'ed. Did the audience get confused and boo cause they wanted them to play it? I felt like they got it mixed up and really wanted to hear it.
For those of you who were at the show as well, is this what you thought as well or did you think the audience boo'ed cause they didn't want to hear it?
CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
Eddie's shirt was a Plasmatics (indie band?) shirt and on the back was a swastica with a red line through it. The words said something to the effect of stamp out gestapo tactics. I was at the Uniondale show and it was an amazing show until bushleager was played. While I love the song and its message, nassau county is too close to the World Trade Center and it was not far enough removed from 9-11. Yes a good deal of Long Island leans right and many people in the region felt the effects of 9-11 more so than most of the country. It was harder to deal with because many people knew someone that was affected by the attacks. The shows energy turned so quickly it was amazing. I have never seen anything like it at a rock concert and I have been to many. It was one of the better shows I have been to and this kind of killed the good vibe and energy it had built up. I am fairly sure ed got hit by something (quarter?). After bushleager, they played a blistering version of know your rights which seemed to me like ed was giving the crowd the big fuck you. Unfortunately, they cut a few songs out of the set and finished with rockin in the free world which was also amazing. It was a great show, but could have been better if not for the assholes that threw shit. I am fairly sure ed would not have cared about being booed but once shit gets thrown at them, it crossed the line. I do not think they will ever play nassau county again. This is too bad because I live about 5 min from both the nassau col and Jones beach. That being said, they should never play anywhere but MSG when they come to this area. It is the most amazing place to see a show. The crowd energy is amazing.
Yea that show did turn sour after Bushleaguer,, and it is a damn shame if that is true about PJ not coming back to Nassau because of that reaction from the crowd, it seems odd he brought it up last nite considering it happened over 3 years ago and NJ is still a bit of a trip from Nassau, I wouldnt be surprised if you are right and Ed is holding a grudge,, f--k those republicans,, dirty Nazi sympathizers....
For those of you who were at the show as well, is this what you thought as well or did you think the audience boo'ed cause they didn't want to hear it?
I thought they were confused as well. I do not think it was boo'ed because people did not wanna hear it (for the most part). I think most of the crowd wanted it. I know I would have liked to have seen it again. I have seen it 4 times and it is a lot better live than it is on the album.
At the NJ show tonight, Ed commented on the last time they were in the area that there was some unhappiness in the crowd when they played Bushleaguer (referencing the Uniondale '03 show). He then said they were not going to play that song tonight, but asked how many people would boo if they did. To my surprise, there were a very large number of boos. I don't understand how, after everything that has gone on in this country, people still feel a need to boo a song critical of GWB.
I was a little disgusted and uncomfortable at the crowd's reaction. I would have loved to tell the band that I'm sure plenty of people would welcome Bushleaguer and any other songs critical of this administration. The funny thing is that at the Nashville '03 show, people had no problem at all with the song and TN is a much more conservative state than NJ or NY. Anyway, I'm just a little stunned at the crowd's reaction tonight and confused.
People the song BLOWS!!!! WWS is critical, but its rocking, well written and well performed, THAT"s the difference!!!!!
I thought they were confused as well. I do not think it was boo'ed because people did not wanna hear it (for the most part). I think most of the crowd wanted it. I know I would have liked to have seen it again. I have seen it 4 times and it is a lot better live than it is on the album.
Really? I don't like it live at all. I don't think it gets the same crunch as it does on the album. Maybe its because Stone uses an acoustic live.
I know the acoustic is on the album to, but there is also a heavy, distorted guitar that's missing live.
i booed, who wants to hear a song when love and postive energy is happening, the american president doesent deserve the attention. move on bring the song back in 08.
i didnt boo the song...but geez enough is enough with it. i dont know i just dont think its a cool song. i guess i just hate people who base their politics on a band. i am not a george fan but i have reasons, and i dont let pop culture (pj) effect those desicions and reasoning
Just because people like a song about an issue, doesn't mean they agree with that particular stance which is represented in the song. Secondly, just because people want to hear a song at a concert, doesn't mean something bad. Did people want to hear Leash because of what it stands for (youth and fighting back) or because it's a rockin song?
i didnt boo the song...but geez enough is enough with it. i dont know i just dont think its a cool song. i guess i just hate people who base their politics on a band. i am not a george fan but i have reasons, and i dont let pop culture (pj) effect those desicions and reasoning
CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
At the NJ show tonight, Ed commented on the last time they were in the area that there was some unhappiness in the crowd when they played Bushleaguer (referencing the Uniondale '03 show). He then said they were not going to play that song tonight, but asked how many people would boo if they did. To my surprise, there were a very large number of boos. I don't understand how, after everything that has gone on in this country, people still feel a need to boo a song critical of GWB.
I was a little disgusted and uncomfortable at the crowd's reaction. I would have loved to tell the band that I'm sure plenty of people would welcome Bushleaguer and any other songs critical of this administration. The funny thing is that at the Nashville '03 show, people had no problem at all with the song and TN is a much more conservative state than NJ or NY. Anyway, I'm just a little stunned at the crowd's reaction tonight and confused.
i booed Bushleager last night. even though i hate George Bush (possibly more than the band does), it's not a very entertaining song. the spoken word vocals don't do it for me. i didn't want to hear it at all. i do, however, enjoy watching Ed dance around with the Bush mask on the Showbox and Live at the Garden DVDs
It always makes me laugh when people get pissed about Pearl Jam's politics and how it sometimes (ok, most always) spills over into their shows. ITS FUCKING PEARL JAM, PEOPLE!! They have alway been political and always will. I may not always agree with 100% of what they say (I think Nader is a douche), but I know thats what to expect when I go to a PJ show. Anybody that has been a fan for years know that PJ is political and Ed will probably bring something up at the show. If this bothers you, stay home. Its part of Pearl Jam's soul. Its for this reason that I almost choked and my beer at boston 2 when Ed sort of apologized for being political. I wanted be be like "What the fuck Ed, you don't need to apologize." Fucking Ed :rolleyes:
If Ed asked the crowd if we wanted to hear him fart the hokey pokey, I wouldn't boo it because I didn't want to hear it. If he did it and it sucked, I still might not boo. Why would you boo? I guess to show disapproval, but is it worth all the agonizing?
7/9/03, MSG II
5/4/06, Letterman Aftershow
6/1/06, East Rutherford
6/3/06, East Rutherford
6/25/08, MSG II
yeah i was there that night at nassau and the look on ed 's face was dissapointed he was very mad at the reaction that's why i don't think long island will get another pearl jam show again ,long island sucks for the pearl jam fans.
i was there last night and i booed because of all the songs they could choose to play at that moment, bushleaguer was the last song i wanted to hear, and everyone near me semed to feel that same - they just wanted to hear them tear it up.
they have so many better songs they could play - i think the song is a total buzz kill, especially in an encore.
do they have the right to play whatever they want - yes. obviously they know, by the way eddie approached it, that some people like it and some people don't.
I was at the show at Nassau and believe me when I say that it was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life...people who were singing all night were suddenly giving Eddie the finger and getting so pissed it was scary. Some folks up and left. The rationale that I gave it then was that it was too close to 9/11 and that the crowd was too affected and equated Bush bashing with America bashing. Now..3 years later, to hear that people booed again when Eddie mentioned Bushleaguer is just stunning to me. I was under the impression that most Pearl Jam fans were pretty liberal and 3 years later could identify and understand Eddie's point and would applaud him for taking a stand. It is kind of like being at a Dead show and having Jerry Garcia talk about smoking weed and taking LSD and having the crowd boo...I mean, WTF!
Thank God that you all feel the same way...I was getting nervous!
Although i agree with Bushleaguer as a personal statement, it's not a good performance song. To be honest, I usually skip it. It's not a song known for musical quality. The majority of its lyrics aren't even sung, they're just spoken. It's not even like you can sing along with it. I would never in my life boo Pearl Jam because i can name about 200 great reasons not to, but I'd probably leave to take a piss if "Bu$hleaguer" came on and i had to go.
Yep, you read my mind
Paris 11-07-1996
E. Rutherford 09-08-1998
New York City 09-10-1998
Hershey 07-12-2003
E. Rutherford 06-03-2006
jeez, thats so crap, thats just so depressing. How there could be people in States supporting WAR for gods sake. Thats pathetic. Shame on you right wings Americans.
crap, I'm frustrated.
11/25/05 - Buenos Aires
11/26/05 - Buenos Aires
11/28/05 - Porto Alegre, BR
06/01/07 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/16/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/17/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/19/08 - Buenos Aires
I was at the show at Nassau and believe me when I say that it was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life...people who were singing all night were suddenly giving Eddie the finger and getting so pissed it was scary. Some folks up and left. The rationale that I gave it then was that it was too close to 9/11 and that the crowd was too affected and equated Bush bashing with America bashing. Now..3 years later, to hear that people booed again when Eddie mentioned Bushleaguer is just stunning to me. I was under the impression that most Pearl Jam fans were pretty liberal and 3 years later could identify and understand Eddie's point and would applaud him for taking a stand. It is kind of like being at a Dead show and having Jerry Garcia talk about smoking weed and taking LSD and having the crowd boo...I mean, WTF!
Thank God that you all feel the same way...I was getting nervous!
SO WOULDN'T YOU THINK AFTER THAT SHOW ED PROBABLY SAID NO MORE LONG ISLAND SHOWS ? THAT'S THE WAY I READ HIS EXPRESSIONS AT THE END SLAMING THE MIKE STAND .I SAT 6TH ROW DEAD CENTER BY THE WAY THE SET LIST FROM THAT NIGHT ROCKED UNTILL BUSHLEAGUER.
I totally agree that it's dumb people booed "Bushleaguer"! It's not the best PJ song in the world, but people need to understand that Bush has totally screwed our country over. That's just my opinion right there...
agreed, and I am a Republican and I booed last night and if asked again Saturday I will boo again.
YEAH THANKS FOR THE BUSHSHIT WE HAVE REPRESENTING US TO THE WHOLE WORLD.I'D RATHER SEE PEARL JAM IN RUSSIA THAN TO SIT AT NASSAU WITH A BUNCH OF REPUBLICAN ASSHOLES.
I was at the show at Nassau and believe me when I say that it was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life...people who were singing all night were suddenly giving Eddie the finger and getting so pissed it was scary. Some folks up and left. The rationale that I gave it then was that it was too close to 9/11 and that the crowd was too affected and equated Bush bashing with America bashing. Now..3 years later, to hear that people booed again when Eddie mentioned Bushleaguer is just stunning to me. I was under the impression that most Pearl Jam fans were pretty liberal and 3 years later could identify and understand Eddie's point and would applaud him for taking a stand. It is kind of like being at a Dead show and having Jerry Garcia talk about smoking weed and taking LSD and having the crowd boo...I mean, WTF!
Thank God that you all feel the same way...I was getting nervous!
Taking a stand? Are you kidding me? So should I applaud Tim Robbins, George Clooney, Sean Penn, etc. for "taking a stand" every time they accept an award on stage and turn it into a political forum.
For me, personally, I don't want to hear the song because there are so many other songs that I like better that they never play live. I also feel like it insults my intelligence when Ed or anyone else tries to push their political beliefs on me because I happen to be a fan of their craft. I can make my own decisions about politics...what I cannot do is make awesome music with poetic lyrics. Pearl Jam is my outlet for that. Yes, they have every right to play any song they want. However, if Ed is going to go out of his way to ask the crowd if they want it, then he's going to meet some dissent. If he can't handle it, then he truly doesn't practice what he preaches about being accepting of other's views and the positives of healthy debate etc.
Play f'n Dirty Frank or Fatal instead. Believe me...you'll get nothing but cheers.
Buffalo '96, Merriweather '98, VFC (D.C.) '98, Jones Beach III '00, Buffalo '03, Camden I '03, MSG I & II '03, Albany '06, East Rutherford II '06, MSG II '08, MSG I '10
might it have just been the crowd playing around with Ed?
'ed asked us to boo, that'll be fun" type thing?
i dunno,... the way he said it makes everything and i haven't heard it.
no, from my perspective the crowd was intentionally booing the song, which i thought was quite shocking. and depressing really, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion...
What's with the notion that if you don't support Bush, you should embrace this song? There's a lot of free-thinkers that don't have LIBERAL or CONSERVATIVE stamped on their forehead. While I don't support Bush, the Bush-bashing is unproductive and infuriatingly moronic.
Unless we choose to be FOR someone in 2008, we're going to wind up with another dope, be it Democrat or Republican. Not all Republicans are evil, not all Democrats are pussies.
come on the problem is too many newbie fans who do not understand the band.. they think it is just hip to see them.. and then they get pissed at their politics during the show... anyone who has been to a lot of shows knows they will hear their side of politics
Up the West Coast in 2006 and Hawaii++Santa Barbara, San Fran x 3, Portland, Gorge x2
Chicago and Down the Coast in 2003
Seattle 2005
SF 2000, 2001, 2003--- oh or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who cannot forgive yourself
I keep reading the words: disgusting, shocking, frustrating when it comes to Booing a crap song? I spent money at the show, I"m in an audience, I've got the right to boo something I don't like, just as PJ has a right to play what they want, but the main reason is:
People, THE SONG SUCKS!!!!!! WWS covers all the angles 1000% better than bushleager, is better written, performed and it fucking rocks. I find it more scathing than "born on third thinks he got a triple, he's a bushleaguer" THe lyrics are AWFUL! They're EMBARRASSING!!!!
I don't like Bush as president, I think he's the worst, I'd even call him 'evil' but I booed last night too, cos I think music should unite the people, not divide them(I'm the DECIDER!). And Ed keeps saying its a discussion, a debate? Then pass the fucking mic to everybody else. I respect PJ's politics, I know I'm gonna hear ramblings but THE SONG BLOWS! Play fucking Who You Are so I can sing and dance with whoever the fuck is next to me, Republican, Democrat, whatever the fuck. Enough with the CRAP song that pisses people off at a fucking CONCERT! not a debate.
Comments
For those of you who were at the show as well, is this what you thought as well or did you think the audience boo'ed cause they didn't want to hear it?
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
Yea that show did turn sour after Bushleaguer,, and it is a damn shame if that is true about PJ not coming back to Nassau because of that reaction from the crowd, it seems odd he brought it up last nite considering it happened over 3 years ago and NJ is still a bit of a trip from Nassau, I wouldnt be surprised if you are right and Ed is holding a grudge,, f--k those republicans,, dirty Nazi sympathizers....
I thought they were confused as well. I do not think it was boo'ed because people did not wanna hear it (for the most part). I think most of the crowd wanted it. I know I would have liked to have seen it again. I have seen it 4 times and it is a lot better live than it is on the album.
People the song BLOWS!!!! WWS is critical, but its rocking, well written and well performed, THAT"s the difference!!!!!
Really? I don't like it live at all. I don't think it gets the same crunch as it does on the album. Maybe its because Stone uses an acoustic live.
I know the acoustic is on the album to, but there is also a heavy, distorted guitar that's missing live.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
MTL-9/15/05, OTT-9/16/05
PHL-5/27/06,5/28/06,10/30/09,10/31/09
CHI-8/2/07,8/5/07,8/23/09,8/24/09
HTFD-6/27/08
ATX-10/4/09, 10/12/14
KC-5/3/2010,STL-5/4/2010
Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
You are dead-on-balls accurate about Uniondale. Ahh what could've been...
00- 8/3, 8/4, 9/1.9/2
03- 4/28. 7/8. 7/9. 7/14
04- 10/1
05- 10/3
06- 5/4!!!!, 5/12. 5/13. 5/27, 5/28, 6/1, 6/3
08- 6/19, 6/20, 6/22, 6/25, 6/27, 8/4
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
i booed Bushleager last night. even though i hate George Bush (possibly more than the band does), it's not a very entertaining song. the spoken word vocals don't do it for me. i didn't want to hear it at all. i do, however, enjoy watching Ed dance around with the Bush mask on the Showbox and Live at the Garden DVDs
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
5/4/06, Letterman Aftershow
6/1/06, East Rutherford
6/3/06, East Rutherford
6/25/08, MSG II
they have so many better songs they could play - i think the song is a total buzz kill, especially in an encore.
do they have the right to play whatever they want - yes. obviously they know, by the way eddie approached it, that some people like it and some people don't.
Thank God that you all feel the same way...I was getting nervous!
Yep, you read my mind
E. Rutherford 09-08-1998
New York City 09-10-1998
Hershey 07-12-2003
E. Rutherford 06-03-2006
agreed, and I am a Republican and I booed last night and if asked again Saturday I will boo again.
crap, I'm frustrated.
11/26/05 - Buenos Aires
11/28/05 - Porto Alegre, BR
06/01/07 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/16/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/17/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/19/08 - Buenos Aires
Taking a stand? Are you kidding me? So should I applaud Tim Robbins, George Clooney, Sean Penn, etc. for "taking a stand" every time they accept an award on stage and turn it into a political forum.
For me, personally, I don't want to hear the song because there are so many other songs that I like better that they never play live. I also feel like it insults my intelligence when Ed or anyone else tries to push their political beliefs on me because I happen to be a fan of their craft. I can make my own decisions about politics...what I cannot do is make awesome music with poetic lyrics. Pearl Jam is my outlet for that. Yes, they have every right to play any song they want. However, if Ed is going to go out of his way to ask the crowd if they want it, then he's going to meet some dissent. If he can't handle it, then he truly doesn't practice what he preaches about being accepting of other's views and the positives of healthy debate etc.
Play f'n Dirty Frank or Fatal instead. Believe me...you'll get nothing but cheers.
I promise I won't boo! Not that I would boo anyway.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
MTL-9/15/05, OTT-9/16/05
PHL-5/27/06,5/28/06,10/30/09,10/31/09
CHI-8/2/07,8/5/07,8/23/09,8/24/09
HTFD-6/27/08
ATX-10/4/09, 10/12/14
KC-5/3/2010,STL-5/4/2010
Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
'ed asked us to boo, that'll be fun" type thing?
i dunno,... the way he said it makes everything and i haven't heard it.
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
no, from my perspective the crowd was intentionally booing the song, which i thought was quite shocking. and depressing really, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion...
Unless we choose to be FOR someone in 2008, we're going to wind up with another dope, be it Democrat or Republican. Not all Republicans are evil, not all Democrats are pussies.
Chicago and Down the Coast in 2003
Seattle 2005
SF 2000, 2001, 2003--- oh or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who cannot forgive yourself
People, THE SONG SUCKS!!!!!! WWS covers all the angles 1000% better than bushleager, is better written, performed and it fucking rocks. I find it more scathing than "born on third thinks he got a triple, he's a bushleaguer" THe lyrics are AWFUL! They're EMBARRASSING!!!!
I don't like Bush as president, I think he's the worst, I'd even call him 'evil' but I booed last night too, cos I think music should unite the people, not divide them(I'm the DECIDER!). And Ed keeps saying its a discussion, a debate? Then pass the fucking mic to everybody else. I respect PJ's politics, I know I'm gonna hear ramblings but THE SONG BLOWS! Play fucking Who You Are so I can sing and dance with whoever the fuck is next to me, Republican, Democrat, whatever the fuck. Enough with the CRAP song that pisses people off at a fucking CONCERT! not a debate.