Happy 20th Anniversary 06.24.95 San Francisco

cropdustdair

Happy 20th to the infamous Golden Gate Park show in San Francisco. Eddie leaving sick just after 7 songs into their set.
I believe that Eddie got food poisoning in Sacramento in the days prior to Golden Gate Park. Look at the below picture of Eddie. You can see the band aid on the inside of his left arm from the I.V. that he was given at the hospital before the show.
I'm really anxious to read what members say about this show. From what I've read and heard, most fans were pretty pissed off by Eddie leaving. But when you're that sick, I wouldn't blame him at all.
There's several different silver pressed boots of this show, but none are complete. The closest boots I have to being complete are called "Golden Gate" and "Listen To This Eddie". But I do have a great sounding complete audio of this show.



06/24/95 - Golden Gate Park: Polo Fields: San Francisco, CA [140m]
attendance: 53,440
support act: Crash and Brittany and Bad Religion
set: Last Exit, Spin the Black Circle, Go, Animal, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Not for You
"NeilJam" set: Big Green Country, Act of Love, Throw Your Hatred Down, Powderfinger, Truth Be Known, Rockin' in the Free World, The Needle and the Damage Done, Hey Hey My My, I'm the Ocean, Down By the River, Downtown, Cortez the Killer
enc: Peace and Love, Rockin' in the Free World
notes: Ed leaves the stage ill after seven songs. Neil takes the stage and the audience gets an impressive Mirrorball premier. The crowd behaves poorly.

badbrains

I remember Neil spilling his beer on the set list while he was scrambling around trying to get ready. Why i remember that? No clue, I just do. And it was also fucken HOT AS HELL! Like REALLY FUCKEN HOT.

darthvedder

I wasn't at the show, but I remember the media coverage saying that this was the end for the band. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. And the bad tuna sandwich incident led to Red Mosquito being written, so it wasn't all bad.

badbrains

And there was some bad acid going around

mcgruff10

Damn canned tuna. At least they went back and played San jose that year.

mcgruff10

Neil played rockin twice?! Never knew that.

cropdustdair

mcgruff10 said:

Neil played rockin twice?! Never knew that.

Yeah, Neil did that at a few shows I believe.

mcgruff10

cropdustdair said:

mcgruff10 said:

Neil played rockin twice?! Never knew that.

Yeah, Neil did that at a few shows I believe.

Isn't that like pj playing yellow led twice in a show?

mcgruff10

badbrains said:

And there was some bad acid going around

How were the first seven songs with Ed? Were they really good or could you tell something was wrong? Or were you seeing Ed float over the crowd since you had some bad acid?

Crazy Larry

This show was incredible for me, once Eddie left so did most of the fans, I walked right up to the rail and hung out there for the entire show. I always liked Neil so it was perfect for me. Having seen them a couple nights before in Sacramento (great show) I wasn't so pissed that it was Neil and PJ playing Mirrorball. I remember people being pissed as they were walking out, but it was a huge show, and not a whole lot of what you would call true fans at this one.

From the previous post, I remember the first 7 songs being really fast. there was no break/talking in between them. From what I recall, Ed seemed ok, I couldn't tell, others can chime in.

cropdustdair

Alright Crazy Larry! The first positive thing I've read about this show yet! I loved reading that you had such a positive experience at this show despite Eddie leaving sick. You are a true fan in my book!
I've listened to the show numerous times and you are right. The first 7 songs did go by fast. And without any Eddie/crowd interaction. I did notice that several of the songs had flubbed lyrics, so I'm sure Eddie's mind was elsewhere and that he just wasn't feeling up to it. Even when he tells the crowd that he was up all night and in the ER the morning of the show, he made it quick and to the point.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and story from that day Crazy Larry. This is what these anniversary posts are all about! Cheers!

PJammer4life

Looking back on this show it was more a lost opportunity to say fuck you to Ticketmaster we can do it without you. They almost pulled off a 50,000 person show without the traditional ticketing system. My 2 best friends from high school and I fought our way to the rail during a brutal Bad Religion set full of mosh pits.17 years old and on the rail for Pearl Jam in front of 50,000 fans. They exploded out if the gate with a blistering version of Last Exit, Spin the Black Circle, Go,Animal, Corduroy. I think Eddie threw up more than once on stage. It was over 100 degrees, I had blisters on my scalp from the sun. The floor area was crushing, one guy we helped over the railing was turning blue. It could have home down as one if the greatest shows ever, with Neil Young joining them for a Mirrorball set, but it wasn't meant to be.

breath123

It was my 1st "plugged in" Pearl Jam show. I'll just say this, I have seen them 56 times since. They have more than made up for that day.

cropdustdair

Great addition and story to go with the show PJammer4life! Thanks for sharing!

badbrains

Crazy Larry said:

This show was incredible for me, once Eddie left so did most of the fans, I walked right up to the rail and hung out there for the entire show. I always liked Neil so it was perfect for me. Having seen them a couple nights before in Sacramento (great show) I wasn't so pissed that it was Neil and PJ playing Mirrorball. I remember people being pissed as they were walking out, but it was a huge show, and not a whole lot of what you would call true fans at this one.

From the previous post, I remember the first 7 songs being really fast. there was no break/talking in between them. From what I recall, Ed seemed ok, I couldn't tell, others can chime in.

This was spot on but I did notice something was wrong because vedder didn't seem like himself. And then all hell breaks loose. I believe Jeff had to apologize to the fans and they started booing.

Crazy Larry

badbrains said:

Crazy Larry said:

This show was incredible for me, once Eddie left so did most of the fans, I walked right up to the rail and hung out there for the entire show. I always liked Neil so it was perfect for me. Having seen them a couple nights before in Sacramento (great show) I wasn't so pissed that it was Neil and PJ playing Mirrorball. I remember people being pissed as they were walking out, but it was a huge show, and not a whole lot of what you would call true fans at this one.

From the previous post, I remember the first 7 songs being really fast. there was no break/talking in between them. From what I recall, Ed seemed ok, I couldn't tell, others can chime in.

This was spot on but I did notice something was wrong because vedder didn't seem like himself. And then all hell breaks loose. I believe Jeff had to apologize to the fans and they started booing.

EV may have been off, I just don't recall, I have done some things in the last 20 years that may make me forget some things along the way, but it has been a fun ride so far.

I remember that I was hanging out with some friends near the back when the show started, and after a couple songs we tried moving up, there were a ton of people there, we didn't get very far until the break before Neil came out, which i do remember took forever in the heat.

sarnocm

People were not surprisingly upset that PJ wasn't going to play, but Neil coming on for 2 hrs as a fill-in was a pretty amazing save. It was still fun to hang out in the park on a hot afternoon.

cropdustdair

I knew we'd have some good stories that would surface from this show!

Ledbetterman10

http://wegotshit.blogspot.com/2012/03/san-francisco-062495-audience.html

badbrains

Crazy Larry said:

badbrains said:

Crazy Larry said:

This show was incredible for me, once Eddie left so did most of the fans, I walked right up to the rail and hung out there for the entire show. I always liked Neil so it was perfect for me. Having seen them a couple nights before in Sacramento (great show) I wasn't so pissed that it was Neil and PJ playing Mirrorball. I remember people being pissed as they were walking out, but it was a huge show, and not a whole lot of what you would call true fans at this one.

From the previous post, I remember the first 7 songs being really fast. there was no break/talking in between them. From what I recall, Ed seemed ok, I couldn't tell, others can chime in.

This was spot on but I did notice something was wrong because vedder didn't seem like himself. And then all hell breaks loose. I believe Jeff had to apologize to the fans and they started booing.

EV may have been off, I just don't recall, I have done some things in the last 20 years that may make me forget some things along the way, but it has been a fun ride so far.

I remember that I was hanging out with some friends near the back when the show started, and after a couple songs we tried moving up, there were a ton of people there, we didn't get very far until the break before Neil came out, which i do remember took forever in the heat.

They actually had a barrier from the pit, they were "trying" to control the flow of people going in and out. People started to get ancey and then, bang, the barrier goes down during bad religion. Everybody rushes the pit, including myself. What a fucken trip. Haha

Pap

Happy 25th anniversary Mirror Ball!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx4XjaLAPA8

Red Mosqito

Haha, man what a strange show that was! I was in the way back at the start of the show and jamming out to the music when everything seemed to come to an abrupt halt. Being so far back, I wasn't exactly sure what was going on at first and I remember vividly people around me being disappointed that Eddie wasn't coming back to play, as was I, but I still made the best of it and enjoyed myself. Once Neil came on to play with the band, I took refuge under a tree for some shade as it was hot as a MF'er that day in the city. In the end, it all worked out as the make up show that took place in November of that year is still one of my top five all time shows I've ever been to! Eddie and the boys more than made up for it that night. 

RM

Tim Simmons

I get that people who showed up for PJ would be upset, but thats a really killer set. I think a show like that would be perceived way differently post No Code PJ.

edwho

A lot of young teens followed the band back then. The most upset were the kids.

 Hay bail pyramids welcomed early arrivals. My group grabbed a couple and we set up on the back edge of the walkway dividing the field. We stood on the bails once the band took the stage. Immediately 16 year old girls started pleading with us for a spot on our bails. I'll never forget the desperate look in their eyes. The need to see Eddie Eddie Eddie…

 When he left the stage upset isn’t how I would describe the reaction. Complete meltdowns all around. World just crushed reactions, besides themselves.

As elders in this crowd it was a real eye opener.

Matts3221

mcgruff10 said:

Neil played rockin twice?! Never knew that.

Yeah, Neil did that at a few shows I believe.

Isn't that like pj playing yellow led twice in a show?

I know in PJ20 (book)  they said that they basically ran out of songs to play that they all knew so that is why they did Rocking In The Free World twice.

darthvedder

edwho said:

Immediately 16 year old girls started pleading with us for a spot on our bails.

Teehee.