Sorry, I've seen PJ at Bridge many times (94, 96, 99, 01, 03, 06, 10) and this was by far the most disappointing. Most years (except 99 and 03) they play a few deep cuts, but this year was just the PJ jukebox (Small Town, Daughter, Black, Better Man) of hits and some painfully obvious, worn-out covers (Last Kiss, Kids Are Alright, Fuckin Up). As the supposed "headliner" (i.e. the last band before Neil) I expected them to play at least 45 minutes and done nine or 10 songs as they have in the past, but instead it was just seven or eight in half an hour. Nothing from Lightning Bolt except the overwrought "Sirens" on Sunday. But, at least it was for a good cause...as deluded old fart Brian Wilson called them, the "retards"!
For those of you curious about other band's setlists I tried my best to tweet them out between set breaks ... https://twitter.com/knewnez I'm sure I got a few titles wrong and others I had no clue.
While I thought Cornell did some weird tempo slurring at the beginning of Hunger Strike, otherwise it was a good performance of that song, which equated to nirvana for most of the people that were there. I was there with a bunch of family who were feeling increasingly uncomfortable from the hill and the cold, and I resigned myself to leaving mid-Pearl Jam set, missing Neil Young as well but making my family happy. We left after Fuckin' Up and were almost out of the concert area when we heard them introduce Chris Cornell. I lost my shit. We stayed for that song, and thus the entire PJ set.
Aside from the TOTD song/event, I was really, really impressed by the performance of "Rain". The harmonies were well beyond what I would have expected, thanks in part no doubt to Matt Fucking Cameron.
The acoustic rendition of "Fuckin' Up" was very rockin', evoking classic Rolling Stones groove sessions as it ran out its jam at the end.
Otherwise, it was a pretty blase set by PJ standards, in my opinion. The Sunday set (which I wasn't there for) seemed to be more of a mini-Pearl Jam concert, with the added bonus of a Mirror Ball song in addition to the TOTD song.
Ed's voice was suffering, but only when he tried to hit the difficult parts. It would get raspy and hollow for a moment. It really took me out of it a couple times.
I should mention that Soundgarden was great but definitely a bit hemmed in by the format, which was new to them. Florence + The Machine essentially stole the show with their incredible set. She is an insanely talented vocalist. I regrettably missed Band of Horses, in addition to Neil.
10/31/93 Berkeley (Baba!) • 10/1/94 Bridge School • 9/16/96 Seattle (In My Tree!) • 10/19/96 & 10/20/96 B. School (Alt Corduroy & Alt Porch!) • 10/25/03 B. School • 6/1/03 Mtnview (Crazy Mary! You Are!) • 11/29/13 Portland (All Those Yesterdays! Even Flow!) • 10/25/14 Bridge School (Rain! Fuckin Up! TOTD!) • 5/13/22 Oakland (had to leave early, but W.M.A.! Immortality!) • 5/13/24 Sacramento (Light Years! Picture in a Frame!) • 5/25/24 Bottle Rock (Last Kiss! Maybe It’s Time w/Bradley Cooper!)
Did anyone stay for Neil? I was a part of the mass exodus after the boys finished. Did they come out with Neil? Rockin' In the Free World sing-along with everyone? What'd I miss?
There was a time when I would never, ever want to miss Neil. Now with kids in tow and Neil just beginning to feel a little over the hill, I too left before his set. I feel bad for him, as that must have been pretty visible from the stage.
10/31/93 Berkeley (Baba!) • 10/1/94 Bridge School • 9/16/96 Seattle (In My Tree!) • 10/19/96 & 10/20/96 B. School (Alt Corduroy & Alt Porch!) • 10/25/03 B. School • 6/1/03 Mtnview (Crazy Mary! You Are!) • 11/29/13 Portland (All Those Yesterdays! Even Flow!) • 10/25/14 Bridge School (Rain! Fuckin Up! TOTD!) • 5/13/22 Oakland (had to leave early, but W.M.A.! Immortality!) • 5/13/24 Sacramento (Light Years! Picture in a Frame!) • 5/25/24 Bottle Rock (Last Kiss! Maybe It’s Time w/Bradley Cooper!)
Did anyone stay for Neil? I was a part of the mass exodus after the boys finished. Did they come out with Neil? Rockin' In the Free World sing-along with everyone? What'd I miss?
I stayed for Neil. As pictured above, Eddie came out and sang (I suppose, couldn't hear him in the mix) along with the choruses on "Who's Gonna Stand Up." No real all-star jam at the end this year.
Comments
But, at least it was for a good cause...as deluded old fart Brian Wilson called them, the "retards"!
I'm sure I got a few titles wrong and others I had no clue.
Aside from the TOTD song/event, I was really, really impressed by the performance of "Rain". The harmonies were well beyond what I would have expected, thanks in part no doubt to Matt Fucking Cameron.
The acoustic rendition of "Fuckin' Up" was very rockin', evoking classic Rolling Stones groove sessions as it ran out its jam at the end.
Otherwise, it was a pretty blase set by PJ standards, in my opinion. The Sunday set (which I wasn't there for) seemed to be more of a mini-Pearl Jam concert, with the added bonus of a Mirror Ball song in addition to the TOTD song.
Ed's voice was suffering, but only when he tried to hit the difficult parts. It would get raspy and hollow for a moment. It really took me out of it a couple times.
I should mention that Soundgarden was great but definitely a bit hemmed in by the format, which was new to them. Florence + The Machine essentially stole the show with their incredible set. She is an insanely talented vocalist. I regrettably missed Band of Horses, in addition to Neil.
11-26-91 / 8-2-92 / 3-15-94 / 7-9-95 / 7-11-95 / 8-29-98 / 9-1-00 / 10-25-03
10-23-04 / 10-22-06 / 10-9-09 / 10-23-10 / 10-3-12 / 7-9-13 / 10-21-13
11-24-13 / 11-26-13 / 10-17-14 / 10-20-14 / 10-25-14 / 4-8-16 / 4-9-16
4-28-16 / 4-29-16 / 8-20-16 / 8-22-16 / 8-10-18 / 8-18-18 / 8-20-18
Hyde Park 250610
Bridge School Benefit 23/241010
Manchester MEN 210612
Amsterdam Ziggodome 270612
Berlin '02' 040712