PJ after 25 years ... AMAZING

derbydave

helplessdancer said:

this year, i will have been following this band for 20 years
lately it occurs to me, what a long strange trip it's been

I attended my first Pearl Jam show 20 years ago...
Seattle - Key Arena - September 16, 1996
First show on the No Code tour!!
My life has never been the same.
While I'll agree with EVERYTHING the OP said...
the music and the fact that they've stayed relevant all these years is so very important.
Who would have ever thought they could sell out 2 shows at Fenway and Wrigley in minutes??
BUT...to me personally,
Pearl Jam has done something even better!!
This band has created a thriving community of loving and caring people,
and through their music and live performances,
they have given us an environment where people from all over the world,
can come together and celebrate our love for all things Pearl Jam.
I've met so many incredible people...
both here on the boards, and by traveling to the shows.
The relationships I've made because of Pearl Jam have made a HUGE difference in my life,
and I'm so fortunate to be able to call MANY of the people I've met family!!
So...to answer one of the questions Ed mentions in "Present Tense"
I am indeed...
getting something out of this ALL ENCOMPASSING TRIP!!
:rock_on:

Blredyellow

Joseevolution: Cool. Back in 1990, right?

Abe Froman

derbydave said:

helplessdancer said:

this year, i will have been following this band for 20 years
lately it occurs to me, what a long strange trip it's been

I attended my first Pearl Jam show 20 years ago...
Seattle - Key Arena - September 16, 1996
First show on the No Code tour!!
My life has never been the same.
While I'll agree with EVERYTHING the OP said...
the music and the fact that they've stayed relevant all these years is so very important.
Who would have ever thought they could sell out 2 shows at Fenway and Wrigley in minutes??
BUT...to me personally,
Pearl Jam has done something even better!!
This band has created a thriving community of loving and caring people,
and through their music and live performances,
they have given us an environment where people from all over the world,
can come together and celebrate our love for all things Pearl Jam.
I've met so many incredible people...
both here on the boards, and by traveling to the shows.
The relationships I've made because of Pearl Jam have made a HUGE difference in my life,
and I'm so fortunate to be able to call MANY of the people I've met family!!
So...to answer one of the questions Ed mentions in "Present Tense"
I am indeed...
getting something out of this ALL ENCOMPASSING TRIP!!
:rock_on:

Great post! I have met and are still meeting some awesome people through this community.

lolobugg

great thread!!!

mcgruff10

one of the best posts I ever read. spot on op.

iwasatpj20

Absolutely, and its amazing to think that the band put on the best concert of my life in my previous hometown, Moline, IL (used to live in Davenport, IA across the river). That was a great show and they still play arenas and stadiums big and small and still have plenty of fans with minimal radio play. I've had a great time seeing the band at every show I could attend.

josevolution

Blredyellow said:

Joseevolution: Cool. Back in 1990, right?

Yep it felt like that till 2000 after that to me at least it started to feel different from then on it was really tough to get tickets ....

Blredyellow

Hardest tickets ever were in 93-94. Shows sold out in seconds. Only time it was "easy" was 00-06 or so. Even then, some sold out instantly. They haven't been an easy ticket since mid 92

my2hands

derbydave said:

helplessdancer said:

this year, i will have been following this band for 20 years
lately it occurs to me, what a long strange trip it's been

I attended my first Pearl Jam show 20 years ago...
Seattle - Key Arena - September 16, 1996
First show on the No Code tour!!
My life has never been the same.
While I'll agree with EVERYTHING the OP said...
the music and the fact that they've stayed relevant all these years is so very important.
Who would have ever thought they could sell out 2 shows at Fenway and Wrigley in minutes??
BUT...to me personally,
Pearl Jam has done something even better!!
This band has created a thriving community of loving and caring people,
and through their music and live performances,
they have given us an environment where people from all over the world,
can come together and celebrate our love for all things Pearl Jam.
I've met so many incredible people...
both here on the boards, and by traveling to the shows.
The relationships I've made because of Pearl Jam have made a HUGE difference in my life,
and I'm so fortunate to be able to call MANY of the people I've met family!!
So...to answer one of the questions Ed mentions in "Present Tense"
I am indeed...
getting something out of this ALL ENCOMPASSING TRIP!!
:rock_on:

I'm loving this thread...

TJ25487

Blredyellow said:

Thanks, everyone. Was feeling it and wrote it. "PJ historian" and writer in real life, so the colors blend.

Fuckin A your a PJ historian and a writer!

You just told it like it is!!!

Great post! I too have been following the band for 23 years and I keep wondering what the fuck do they got that has such a hold over me??? I think its soul.

There are other bands that rock. I just saw the Foo Fighters for the first time and was blown away at how well they rocked and sounded but I don't think that I could see them 28 more times like I have with PJ. PJ's music strikes such a deep chord with me that it's got to be down deep in my soul. That's it! They are "Soul Piercing". Hahaha!

rssesq

It's been 18 years of shows. #100 is coming up in Miami. and when it comes to this band I'm still like a kid in the candy store when tours come around. because of this band I've gone places I'd have never seen but for PJ and met so many good people along the way. I got great seats yesterday only to lose them and get shut out today. But other cool pj fans have already come thru in the clutch for me. what could be better. PJ ROCKS TEN CLUB ROCKS

tickets.com not so much (lol)

have a good weekend all

judyblueyes

"And away we go"
Looking forward to the new tour and meeting new friends.
Great thread, Thanks all!

foodboy

their music is timeless. they could have fit in any decade of modern rock music. they are bigger today because they still have the original fans and all the ones born when they first started. just like what happened with the grateful dead in the late eighties and early nineties. its been 23 years for me seeing this band. the first show was 60,000 people and absolute electricity when pj hit the stage. this is real music.

Defragger

Fantastic post.

I didn't make it to my first show until 2003 when one of my buddies called me up and asked me if I wanted to go see Pearl Jam with him for free. I said sure and asked him where they were playing. When he replied with the United Center in my head I laughed and wondered how empty it would be. Boy was I wrong! My life was changed that night! I've been to 8 shows at this point (yeah I know small number compared to some of you) It somehow took me 7 shows to hear Jeremy live which I feel like just speaks to how different each show can be even with their bigger hits. This year I'm finally jumping on the road and following them around I have tickets to 5 shows this tour and cannot wait to see them rock out each night!

FoxyRedLa

Blredyellow said:

Joseevolution: Cool. Back in 1990, right?

my thoughts

josevolution said:

Blredyellow said:

Joseevolution: Cool. Back in 1990, right?

Yep it felt like that till 2000 after that to me at least it started to feel different from then on it was really tough to get tickets ....

Again, can't be neutral on a moving train.

FoxyRedLa

Defragger said:

Fantastic post.

I didn't make it to my first show until 2003 when one of my buddies called me up and asked me if I wanted to go see Pearl Jam with him for free. I said sure and asked him where they were playing. When he replied with the United Center in my head I laughed and wondered how empty it would be. Boy was I wrong! My life was changed that night! I've been to 8 shows at this point (yeah I know small number compared to some of you) It somehow took me 7 shows to hear Jeremy live which I feel like just speaks to how different each show can be even with their bigger hits. This year I'm finally jumping on the road and following them around I have tickets to 5 shows this tour and cannot wait to see them rock out each night!

Party time!!

There are only few here that will "count" your attendance.

Safe travels!

GummiBeer

This band is still as powerful today as 25 years ago due to the passion. Ed, Stone, Jeff , Mike, Matt and Boom fill us with it, we embrace it and pass it along. No better felling than that first show, and the tears of joy, anger, loss flow and the person next to you and high fives you and says "let it flow...we all been there that first night". this truly is a family, and one damn proud loving family.
Can't wait myself to share a couple more shows and actually meet some of you at the pre parties

SD48277

Abe Froman said:

derbydave said:

helplessdancer said:

this year, i will have been following this band for 20 years
lately it occurs to me, what a long strange trip it's been

I attended my first Pearl Jam show 20 years ago...
Seattle - Key Arena - September 16, 1996
First show on the No Code tour!!
My life has never been the same.
While I'll agree with EVERYTHING the OP said...
the music and the fact that they've stayed relevant all these years is so very important.
Who would have ever thought they could sell out 2 shows at Fenway and Wrigley in minutes??
BUT...to me personally,
Pearl Jam has done something even better!!
This band has created a thriving community of loving and caring people,
and through their music and live performances,
they have given us an environment where people from all over the world,
can come together and celebrate our love for all things Pearl Jam.
I've met so many incredible people...
both here on the boards, and by traveling to the shows.
The relationships I've made because of Pearl Jam have made a HUGE difference in my life,
and I'm so fortunate to be able to call MANY of the people I've met family!!
So...to answer one of the questions Ed mentions in "Present Tense"
I am indeed...
getting something out of this ALL ENCOMPASSING TRIP!!
:rock_on:

Great post! I have met and are still meeting some awesome people through this community.

^^This, right here.

No one's rival

Great post. This is how I feel too.

myoung321

Wow...100! Congrats.... see ya in Miami!