So... Basically, any sense of consensus on this is ludicrously impossible, and yet you will see certain shows rise to the top, some for the right reasons in my opinion, others just because.
Just rolling through via era's:
There are two shows from the Ten era that stand out head and shoulders above all from 1990-1992. 3.2.92 and 6.18.92 - the latter is without question the archetype for the unexpected at a PJ show that would be why you go as often as you can, because you just never know. These shows have always widely been available as boards and FM broadcast, so it would be easy to dismiss them as just convenient favorites. Wrong. Hottub time machine, these are two.
1993-94: This is not an easy thing to sift through by any stretch, there are no shortage of tremendous shows from the VS. through recording of Vitalogy tour. Sticking to the theme of standouts, 11.5.93 and 4.3.94 - again it could be easily dismissed as the quality of the recordings but these shows are killer. Atlanta orbits into a different peak in the back half of the show. There is one other gem out there, though it is just a very decent to good audience recording, 3.13.94. Yes the Orpheum, yes and yes, but.
1995: This year sits out on its own. There are so many but to really see through the trees, 9.14.1995.
1996: It is the combo of night one and two at Randall's, nothing else to talk about. Case closed. The jury rests.
I'll dig into 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005 later.
1998: This year became a big transition, the promise of a big tour for the first time since 93/94 the release of Yield, but of course Jack Irons has to bow out and the rest of it is history as they say. Personally for me, the tempo and looseness of Jack always laid the most promise for Pearl Jam. They drive a bit of direction, though certainly quite good, with Matt. There are some fun shows on this tour, but for the most part this was a band relearning itself in real time. To me the hidden gem has always been 9.3.98, a good setlist with an absolutely great free flowing Porch. The Garden gets a lot of hype with the return of Breath, it as a good show, I was there, I'd rather have been in Birmingham.
2000: The Binaual tour, obviously unleashes every show on board to the fans. It also has the most significant single moment in band history in Roskilde. To me the most impressive element of this tour is the what I would call the beginning of the more wide open setlist. Things really could get interesting night to night. They were not breaking out super rarities, but they were playing the expanse of the catalog. I am breaking this up into Euro and US. There are two I gravitate too often in the Euro shows, 6.14.00 and 6.29.00. The sets, the playing and flow are just there. There are many good shows on this leg.
In the US there are also a bunch of good choices, the vibe had certainly shifted and understandably for the band. A little nugget of a show early is 8.6.00, night three found the band in great form in a bit of an off the beaten path venue. The mainset is intense and tight and they play Crazy Mary for the first time in the US since 1993. 8.25.00 "The No Code Show" at Jones Beach is remarkable if not for the set list alone, it ended a very awesome three night run. 9.1.00 is quite the show. I regret not making my way to the Camden shows this tour. There are 3 shows on the final leg that I tend to gravitate to, 10.15.00, 10.18.00 and 11.3.00. Overall, this is a whole tour I need to revisit.
2003: For my $ this was the best tour they did in the Matt Cameron years. There are an avalanche of good performances. State College was something, I was there, but the night before the music speaks for itself 5.2.2003 Buffalo. MSG 7.8.2003 and 7.11.2003, and an underappreciated nugget 7.14.2003.
2004: there are some great audience recordings of this tour. I have yet to give it enough time.
Comments
Will we probably have to wait for the actual PJ40 to see the public release of "Best of Kevin Schuss's Best of PJ Live" 26 hour compilation video?
Basically, any sense of consensus on this is ludicrously impossible, and yet you will see certain shows rise to the top, some for the right reasons in my opinion, others just because.
Just rolling through via era's:
There are two shows from the Ten era that stand out head and shoulders above all from 1990-1992. 3.2.92 and 6.18.92 - the latter is without question the archetype for the unexpected at a PJ show that would be why you go as often as you can, because you just never know. These shows have always widely been available as boards and FM broadcast, so it would be easy to dismiss them as just convenient favorites. Wrong. Hottub time machine, these are two.
1993-94: This is not an easy thing to sift through by any stretch, there are no shortage of tremendous shows from the VS. through recording of Vitalogy tour. Sticking to the theme of standouts, 11.5.93 and 4.3.94 - again it could be easily dismissed as the quality of the recordings but these shows are killer. Atlanta orbits into a different peak in the back half of the show. There is one other gem out there, though it is just a very decent to good audience recording, 3.13.94. Yes the Orpheum, yes and yes, but.
1995: This year sits out on its own. There are so many but to really see through the trees, 9.14.1995.
1996: It is the combo of night one and two at Randall's, nothing else to talk about. Case closed. The jury rests.
I'll dig into 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005 later.
1998: This year became a big transition, the promise of a big tour for the first time since 93/94 the release of Yield, but of course Jack Irons has to bow out and the rest of it is history as they say. Personally for me, the tempo and looseness of Jack always laid the most promise for Pearl Jam. They drive a bit of direction, though certainly quite good, with Matt. There are some fun shows on this tour, but for the most part this was a band relearning itself in real time. To me the hidden gem has always been 9.3.98, a good setlist with an absolutely great free flowing Porch. The Garden gets a lot of hype with the return of Breath, it as a good show, I was there, I'd rather have been in Birmingham.
2000: The Binaual tour, obviously unleashes every show on board to the fans. It also has the most significant single moment in band history in Roskilde. To me the most impressive element of this tour is the what I would call the beginning of the more wide open setlist. Things really could get interesting night to night. They were not breaking out super rarities, but they were playing the expanse of the catalog. I am breaking this up into Euro and US. There are two I gravitate too often in the Euro shows, 6.14.00 and 6.29.00. The sets, the playing and flow are just there. There are many good shows on this leg.
In the US there are also a bunch of good choices, the vibe had certainly shifted and understandably for the band. A little nugget of a show early is 8.6.00, night three found the band in great form in a bit of an off the beaten path venue. The mainset is intense and tight and they play Crazy Mary for the first time in the US since 1993. 8.25.00 "The No Code Show" at Jones Beach is remarkable if not for the set list alone, it ended a very awesome three night run. 9.1.00 is quite the show. I regret not making my way to the Camden shows this tour. There are 3 shows on the final leg that I tend to gravitate to, 10.15.00, 10.18.00 and 11.3.00. Overall, this is a whole tour I need to revisit.
2003: For my $ this was the best tour they did in the Matt Cameron years. There are an avalanche of good performances. State College was something, I was there, but the night before the music speaks for itself 5.2.2003 Buffalo. MSG 7.8.2003 and 7.11.2003, and an underappreciated nugget 7.14.2003.
2004: there are some great audience recordings of this tour. I have yet to give it enough time.
2005: Ottawa, 9.15.2005 - end of story.
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652