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Disappointed in PJ Fans Today
walkunafraid
Posts: 2,557
in The Porch
Logged on tonight (for the first time in a while) expecting to see PJ fans standing tall in solidarity with the band in its decision to cancel the show in North Carolina. Instead I've spent the last 20 minutes reading posts filled with anger, bitterness, insults, and otherwise (mostly) negative reactions to the decision.
Look, I get it. You had tickets to a concert of a band you love and rarely get to see, and you're upset that you won't get to have that experience now (at least not for the time being). Some of you even traveled from some distance away and spent gobs of money on hotels, car rentals, flights, etc. It sucks. It really does. And I understand the disappointment.
But you know what sucks worse? A bill that is disgustingly discriminatory and that threatens that rights of good people who are being treated like inferior citizens. A state government that feels that protecting basic rights is only important for citizens who it deems are worthy of its protection. A law that opens the door for bigots to get away with bigotry under full protection of a bigoted bill.
Yes, Pearl Jam could have decided to play the show and donated the money to entities fighting against the bill. But how far would that really go? A one-time contribution is empty compared to setting a precedent of staying away from a state that has decided to close its doors to equality and tolerance. This isn't about a single show or a single band or a single night, it's about strength in numbers. What Springsteen (and others) started can only have an impact and momentum if others follow. A boycott is only as effective as the number of entities willing to participate in the boycott. And while playing a show and donating the income may have been a nice gesture, cancelling the show altogether -- knowing full well the negative backlash such a move would receive from many fans the band relies on for its success -- was the courageous and the right thing to do.
Yes, the decision was likely dependent on Springsteen's cancellation, but isn't that the idea of a boycott? One person or group gets the ball rolling, and others follow. If others don't follow, nothing happens, nothing changes, nothing gets accomplished. The hope now is that this is only the beginning, and that as still others follow, the bigoted politicians who created this bill will see that they live in a country where such intolerance isn't just going to be accepted as a sign-of-the-times occurrence. But that's only going to happen if enough groups and organizations stand together. Part of the privilege/price of having fame and power is having the ability to influence change -- or to hide from such responsibility. The fact that the band decided to act on their influence in the way that they feel can best and most powerfully drive home their opposition to HB2 is to be commended, not derided.
Kudos to the band for having the balls to put its beliefs ahead of its fans. That might sound shitty to some of you, but in my mind, it's brave and admirable, and the only correct thing to do given the circumstances. Going on with the show would have been akin to crossing the picket lines, except the stakes here are basic human rights and equality for a group of people who have neither the numbers nor the political presence to fight back on their own.
I don't know about you, but that's worth much more than a Pearl Jam concert and a few hundred (or thousand) dollars to me.
Look, I get it. You had tickets to a concert of a band you love and rarely get to see, and you're upset that you won't get to have that experience now (at least not for the time being). Some of you even traveled from some distance away and spent gobs of money on hotels, car rentals, flights, etc. It sucks. It really does. And I understand the disappointment.
But you know what sucks worse? A bill that is disgustingly discriminatory and that threatens that rights of good people who are being treated like inferior citizens. A state government that feels that protecting basic rights is only important for citizens who it deems are worthy of its protection. A law that opens the door for bigots to get away with bigotry under full protection of a bigoted bill.
Yes, Pearl Jam could have decided to play the show and donated the money to entities fighting against the bill. But how far would that really go? A one-time contribution is empty compared to setting a precedent of staying away from a state that has decided to close its doors to equality and tolerance. This isn't about a single show or a single band or a single night, it's about strength in numbers. What Springsteen (and others) started can only have an impact and momentum if others follow. A boycott is only as effective as the number of entities willing to participate in the boycott. And while playing a show and donating the income may have been a nice gesture, cancelling the show altogether -- knowing full well the negative backlash such a move would receive from many fans the band relies on for its success -- was the courageous and the right thing to do.
Yes, the decision was likely dependent on Springsteen's cancellation, but isn't that the idea of a boycott? One person or group gets the ball rolling, and others follow. If others don't follow, nothing happens, nothing changes, nothing gets accomplished. The hope now is that this is only the beginning, and that as still others follow, the bigoted politicians who created this bill will see that they live in a country where such intolerance isn't just going to be accepted as a sign-of-the-times occurrence. But that's only going to happen if enough groups and organizations stand together. Part of the privilege/price of having fame and power is having the ability to influence change -- or to hide from such responsibility. The fact that the band decided to act on their influence in the way that they feel can best and most powerfully drive home their opposition to HB2 is to be commended, not derided.
Kudos to the band for having the balls to put its beliefs ahead of its fans. That might sound shitty to some of you, but in my mind, it's brave and admirable, and the only correct thing to do given the circumstances. Going on with the show would have been akin to crossing the picket lines, except the stakes here are basic human rights and equality for a group of people who have neither the numbers nor the political presence to fight back on their own.
I don't know about you, but that's worth much more than a Pearl Jam concert and a few hundred (or thousand) dollars to me.
Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
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livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
When I book concerts I always book for a destination city in case anything happens .
To me this about commitment both to your fans and to yourselves. In the fight against ticketmaster the found ways around it . Give these fans something something , anything ,that won't degrade your stand . Don't just walk away ,it would be like not touring North America to hurt Bush .
Nice post by the OP
arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to
slide in sideways, BBQ sandwich in one hand, cold beer in the other,
body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "Woo Hoo what a
ride"!
Unknown
I thought Ed explained the reasoning very well at the show last night.
You were surprised at the extremely negative reaction of Pearl Jam fans not getting what they want from Pearl Jam??!!
Clearly you haven't been on here in a long time.
Awesome post and I agree with all your points.
PJ - London 25/6/10, Manchester 20/6/12 + 21/6/12, Isle of Wight 23/6/12, Seattle 6/12/13, Leeds 8/7/14, Milton Keynes 11/7/14, Boston 5/8/16 + 7/8/16
Ed - London 31/7/12, Amsterdam 27/5/17 + 30/5/17, London 6/6/17 + 7/6/17
very few people have gotten out of line. Disagreeing with PJ's decision or timing can be, and has been done by many, in a respectful manner.
We shouldn't let the few outliers ruin the voice of others.
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
LOOKING FOR A SINGLE TICKET TO MSG NIGHT 2
2000 - Noblesville * Cincinnati * Columbus
2003 - Lexington * East Troy * Noblesville* Columbus
2006 - Cincinnati
2008 - NYC night 1 * NYC night 2
2009 - EV Solo Nashville
2010 - Columbus * Noblesville * Cleveland
2011 - East Troy night 1 * East Troy night 2
2014 - Cincinnati
2016 - Greenville * Lexington
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
Atlanta 2012
Wrigley 2013
Charlotte 2013
Seattle 2013
Memphis 2014
Greenville (VS.) 2016
Columbia 2016
New Orleans 2016
Fenway I 2016
Fenway II 2016
Wrigley I 2016
Wrigley II 2016
And the poor 10C e-mail team had to send weirdly nuance-y e-mails to me trying to get a refund for Raleigh in advance: "You most certainly have the choice to attend or not. However please know that Ten Club tickets are only refunded in the event of the show being canceled, so the tickets would not be refunded. But again, it is completely your choice if you want to attend or not." Heh. At least they have a definite answer now.
06: Camden, Washington DC, 08: Va Beach, Washington DC
09: Philly 2+3, 10: Bristow, 11: East Troy PJ20 1+2, 13: Baltimore, Charlottesville
Trieste 14, Vienna 14, Gdynia 14, Leeds 14, Milton Keynes 14, Denver 14
Central Park 15
Fort Lauderdale 16, Miami 16, Tampa 16, Jacksonville 16, Greenville 16, Hampton 16, Columbia 16, Lexington 16, Philly1 16, Philly2 16, NYC1 16, NYC2 16, Quebec City 16, Ottawa 16, Toronto1 16, Toronto2 16, Fenway1 16, Fenway2 16, Wrigley1 16, Wrigley2 16
2015: EV Solo (Metro Chicago)
2016: Philadelphia PA 1, Philadelphia PA 2, New York City NY- MSG 1, EV Solo (Metro Chicago), Boston MA Fenway 1, Wrigley 1, Wrigley 2
2017: EV Ohana Fest (Dana Point, CA), EV/Pete Townshend Quadrophenia Rosemont, IL
2018: Seattle WA 1, Seattle WA 2, Missoula MT, Wrigley 1, Wrigley 2, Boston MA Fenway 1, Boston MA Fenway 2
2019: EV Tempe, AZ
2020: PPD
2022: EV & Earthlings Chicago 1 & 2, Phoenix AZ, Camden NJ, Nashville TN, St. Louis MO
2023: EV Tempe, AZ, St Paul, MN 2, Chicago 1 & 2
2024: Noblesville, IN, Wrigley 1, Wrigley 2
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
They choose the path they think is right and it was certainly the more difficult path.