I love high energy crowds and feed off of that energy.
Yep, there's nothing like being surrounded by people who are into the music as much as you are. Great vibe. My colleagues laugh at me for wanting to be on the first or second row when standing at a gig. They haven't experienced the rush of seeing your favourite music being performed right there in front of you while around and behind you masses of people are having the best time of their lives
Like a cloud dropping rain
I'm discarding all thought
I'll dry up, leaving puddles on the ground
I'm like an opening band for the sun
It's unfortunate, really. I am sure that everyone on this board, in some way or another, goes crazy when the band is on stage. I just get bummed when I am in a crowd that doesn't give it its' all. Of course, I've seen many shows in Atlanta, and most of the crowds in Atlanta...well, excuse me for saying, suck, and while I was upset that they didn't come to the South in 06, it did give me the opportunity to travel to another place where the crowd was into it all night long. This is the reason why I am travelling from here on out. I love high energy crowds and feed off of that energy.
dont get me wrong i do also
but in the grand scheme of things iam not paying attention to many others
Are we talking about the same band here? Sitting down during a PJ show? It's not possible. And once you stand, you can't stand still, you want to jump around till your legs hurt...When the show is over, you should feel like youve run a marthon....thats the way i wanna se a a PJ show, and the only way i know to see a PJ show.
PJ
2000 Roskilde, 2006 Barcelona, 2007 London, Copenhagen, 2008 New York 1, New York 2, 2009 Berlin, 2010 Dublin, Belfast, 2012 Amsterdam 1, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, 2013 Brooklyn 1, Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014 Milan, Trieste, Berlin, Stockholm, Milton Keynes
I know that when they played SF three times, you could tell the band was really really feeling it. In fact, Ed said this multiple times during each show. These shows were of course GA.
I also think the culture of Europe is very much different then here, where people take a HUGE amount of pride when something big happens in their city/country.
I want to see what Lolla is going to be like, I have a feeling it going to be raucous.
EV Bridgeschool - October 24, 2004
San Francisco - July 15/16/18, 2006 Bridgeschool - October 21/22, 2006
Lollapalooza - August 5,2007
EV Berkley - April 7/8, 2008 The Who Rock Honors - July 12, 2008
Outside Lands - August 28, 2009 Seattle - September 21/22, 2009 San Diego - October 9, 2009
Currently on holiday in California. (Yeh big mistake as PJ tour Europe - did see Madrid show before we left)
Last night saw Steve Winwood in San Diego and at least half the audience talked all the way through the show - I personally told four people around me to shut the f*** up - this was loud embarrasing Southern California talking.
Fans who paid a lot of cash just do not seem to be into the music - idiots.
BTW, concert was otherwise brilliant. SW made that pact with the devil you know. He still looks about 20 sings plays keyboards and guitar as good as anybody playing today.
'06 Milan
'07 Madrid
'08 Virginia Beach / Washington DC
'09 Shepherds Bush / Berlin / Manchester / London
Perth / Sydney / Brisbane
'10 London / Berlin / Lisbon
'11 Rio de Janeiro / Buenos Aires / Lima
'12 Manchester I / Manchester II / Berlin I / Berlin II
'13 Baltimore / Charlottesville / Charlotte
'14 Perth / San Siro / Berlin / "Live at Leeds" / MK
Just got back from London and Im still hurting from rockin so hard at Wembley.....To help with my post show blues I watched Touring Band last night with my wife, who attended the show with me for the first time, she was rather impressed. Anyway, as we were watching, she kept asking why does Pearl Jam even tours the US anymore, "the crowd doesnt even look into it" and that was 7 years ago! I couldnt agree more.....next time the boys are in the states lets show em some love and treat them the way they deserve to be treated. Thanks to everyone that was at the Wembley show, you made me feel young again!!!
totally agree i was listening to the MSG03 BOOTS and for ED TO ASK US TO SING ALONG ON DAUGHTER is pathetic i mean all the other countries they tour he never has to ask the crowds to sing they just do it automatically so yeah we AMERICAN CROWDS SUCK compared to the rest of the world .....
I was having this discussion last night with a few people about how I am a bit disappointed in the crowds at some of the shows I've seen. With the exception of maybe one show (Cincinnati 06), most of the shows I've attended the crowds just suck. I actually had beer thrown on me in Atlanta in 2000 b/c I was standing up.
Now that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Thats really really pathetic. It's a rock concert for crying out loud, its Pearl Jam. Not freakin' Shirly Bassy or something.
On tuesday night the crowd were fantastic. They clapped along to Ed's opening chords of Long Road. They kept Black going for an extra minute or so, the last few bars the crowd did the ohh ohh oh ah oohs and clapped for a few bars after the band had stopped. Also, we were all rocking out!
I think the US shows should go back to Gen admission standing on the floors, even if it is limited to a small area on front of the stage. Check out this video of the crowd during Alive last night. Every person in the audience is punching the air for the heys!
Just got back from London and Im still hurting from rockin so hard at Wembley.....To help with my post show blues I watched Touring Band last night with my wife, who attended the show with me for the first time, she was rather impressed. Anyway, as we were watching, she kept asking why does Pearl Jam even tours the US anymore, "the crowd doesnt even look into it" and that was 7 years ago! I couldnt agree more.....next time the boys are in the states lets show em some love and treat them the way they deserve to be treated. Thanks to everyone that was at the Wembley show, you made me feel young again!!!
i don't believe i sat down at all throughout the entire 6/1/07 show.
i've been to the boston shows yeah the crowds are great and i also have been to shows in SOUTH AMERICA and believe me we don't compare even if ED SAID SO at the last BOSTON shows AGAIN for american crowds yeah boston is up there but when you compare it to the rest of the world we are last ........
American audiences are for sure more chilled out but I do think that GA is a big factor. My friends that went to San Francisco last year were on the rail and said it was complete madness in behind them. Personally if I pay $50+ to go to a show I want to be able to see the band play and not worry about moshing and having douche bags kicking me in the head.
I do also agree that some of the long-time 10C members at the front look really bored and about 20 rows back you'll see people super into the shows which is really unfortunate.
2003 - June 15 Fargo 2005 - Sept 1 George, Sept 8 Winnipeg 2006 - May 9/10 Toronto, June 26/27 St. Paul, July 22/23 George, Oct 21/22 Mountain View 2007 - Aug 2/5 Chicago 2008 - June 22 Washington, June 24/25 New York 2009 - Aug 21 Toronto, Aug 23/24 Chicago, Sept 21/22 Seattle, Oct 27/28/30/31 Philadelphia 2010 - May 15 Hartford, May 17 Boston, Oct 23/24 Mountain View 2011 - Sept 3/4 Alpine Valley, Sept 11/12 Toronto, Sept 17 Winnipeg, Sept 19 Saskatoon 2012 - Sept 30 Missoula 2013 - July 16 London, July 19 Chicago, Oct 12 Buffalo, Dec 2 Calgary, Dec 4 Vancouver, Dec 6 Seattle 2014 - Oct 16 Detroit, Oct 19 St. Paul, Oct 20 Milwaukee 2015 - Sept 23 (Colbert)/Sept 26, New York 2016 - Apr 28/29 Philadelphia, May 10/12 Toronto, Aug 20/22 Chicago
Just got back from London and Im still hurting from rockin so hard at Wembley.....To help with my post show blues I watched Touring Band last night with my wife, who attended the show with me for the first time, she was rather impressed. Anyway, as we were watching, she kept asking why does Pearl Jam even tours the US anymore, "the crowd doesnt even look into it" and that was 7 years ago! I couldnt agree more.....next time the boys are in the states lets show em some love and treat them the way they deserve to be treated. Thanks to everyone that was at the Wembley show, you made me feel young again!!!
i've said it before and i'll say it again....it's all about being GA! seriously, THAT is the HUGE difference! ANYone who was at irving plaza, the atlantic city shows, the san fran shows...can tell you the same. i was at irving, i was at all 5 italian shows last year...london, dusseldorf and nijmegen thus year...and GA is why. none of the european shows wewre any more off the hook than irving, it IS simply the nature of a GA show vs. assigned seating. also factor in the fact how often we in the US get to see pj as opposed to europe, and i am sure that comes into play as well.
that said, i really have no desire to have to queue up for a spot EVERY time i see pj, i quiote like how it is in the states, even with my shite 10c #...it's nice to not always have to spend forever waiting, just6 go and pre-party, whatever...and go with the flow. i have been to plenty of US shows, 3 canadian, 8 european, and i won't say any one crowd/country is *better*....depends on the actual show, so many factors, etc.....but yes, GA definitely comes into it more than anything. being packed together like that makes anyone get going!
i've said it before and i'll say it again....it's all about being GA! seriously, THAT is the HUGE difference! ANYone who was at irving plaza, the atlantic city shows, the san fran shows...can tell you the same. i was at irving, i was at all 5 italian shows last year...london, dusseldorf and nijmegen thus year...and GA is why. none of the european shows wewre any more off the hook than irving, it IS simply the nature of a GA show vs. assigned seating. also factor in the fact how often we in the US get to see pj as opposed to europe, and i am sure that comes into play as well.
Absolutely no question about it. If you were to have GA shows in the States, you'd have much more lively crowds. It's just the way it is. There's something about being packed in, and just going nuts when you hear the music. And the band, for reasons very well known to us, will not do it. It doesn't bother me at all. I enjoy standing and pogoing (is that a word?) at shows, but some people just like to stand there and watch. To each his/her own.
Europe has a population of ~ 730 million people, while North America has a population of ~ 330 million. There were 23 shows in Europe last summer, and 13 this summer. There were 42 shows in the USA and Canada in 2006 alone. Adjusting for population, A 92 show European tour would be required to normalize the number of PJ shows per person vs.
Thank you for the importance that you give to my continent, but we are less than the half of 730...
I really think it has to do with fans not seeing the band in years. It happens with a lot of show. A band will come to Toronto who hasn't been here in years and the fans are nuts.
Seeing PJ in Toronto 03' was insanely loud, then fast forward to the 05 and 06 shows - not as loud as I remember.
Hard to say, but since it's been a while for a lot of us in NA the Lolla should be pretty loud up front I would imagine.
sure GA is a big factor and I would not trade them for the world, despite the bruises, lack of sleep to queue all day and thurst/bladder inconveniences.
but even so, we're not blasé, we take every show as a gift, a celebration, of PJ and each other.
We'll be coming over next year and show you guys how it's done..GA or not
Borgata were a great crowd both nights.. They were GA.. I think it's time to trust us nasty americans with a few general admission shows now and again...
I'm gone ..Long gone..This time I'm letting go of it all...So long...Cause this time I'm gone
America - Just look at the pathetic response from the Lolla message board fans to Pearl Jam. I think it definitely plays a part. I'm sure they would prefer Maroon 5 or something similar. There's a reason The White Stripes second "home" is England.
In Europe it is a celebration, in the US it is a show to go to.
Fuck that...in europe its a celebration...in north america its religion...like church on sundays...
o'doyle rules
Columbus 00 -- Toronto 00 -- Toronto 03 -- Hershey 03 -- Boston I 04 -- Boston II 04 -- Toledo 04 -- Kitchener 05 -- London 05 -- Hamilton 05 -- Ottawa 05 -- Toronto 05 -- Toronto I 06 -- Toronto II 06 -- Cleveland 06 -- Detroit 06 -- Gorge I 06 -- Gorge II 06 -- Chicago Lolla 07 -- Toronto 09 -- Buffalo 10 -- Hamilton 11 -- Toronto I 11 -- Toronto II 11 -- Buffalo 13 -- London 13 -- Toronto I 16 -- Toronto II 16 -- Ottawa 16 -- Chicago I 18 -- Chicago II 18 -- Hamilton 22 -- Toronto 22
I was having this discussion last night with a few people about how I am a bit disappointed in the crowds at some of the shows I've seen. With the exception of maybe one show (Cincinnati 06), most of the shows I've attended the crowds just suck. I actually had beer thrown on me in Atlanta in 2000 b/c I was standing up.
thats just sad .... why are people like that ?? you paid good money to do what you do with your seat whether it be sit or stand rock the fuck out ...
also i think its cuz of the 10 club seniority and how the same fuckers get he first 5 rows time and time again ...
{if (work != 0) {
work = work + 1;
sleep = sleep - work * 10;}
else if (work >= 0) {
reality.equals(false);
work = work +1;
}system("pause");
return 0;}
also i think its cuz of the 10 club seniority and how the same fuckers get he first 5 rows time and time again ...
I agree it's horseshit. Try being in my TC section. I went to Tor 2 last year, and peple sat down during part of one show. I was actually thinking "am I even in the fan club section?"
I agree it's horseshit. Try being in my TC section. I went to Tor 2 last year, and peple sat down during part of one show. I was actually thinking "am I even in the fan club section?"
No fucking shit.........Put my 208xxx ass up front and I'll show you how to rock out! I was next to people sitting down at the United Center BOTH nights last summer. I still rocked out, fuck 'em!
And oh yeah.....people need to stop bitching about Lollapalooza not getting a full set. I'm American, but I'm tired of the whiners over here. If I could afford to go to European shows I'd go to all of them.
2000 - Indianapolis(8/18)
2003 - Champaign(4/23), Indianapolis(6/22),
Columbus(6/24), Hershey(7/12)
2006 - Chicago (5/16), Chicago (5/17), Cincinnati (6/24)
2007 - Vic -Chicago (8/2), Lollapalooza - Chicago (8/5)
Guys, the American crowds suck now because of security. You cannot smoke a butt, let alone some good nug without hiding under a chair. Don't know how many of you were around in the early-mid 90's going to PJ or Crowes shows, but it was not like that before. Back then, I was not afraid to light up a bowl of the kind or whatever I was fancy-ing at the time.
I think there are several factors the shows are more wild outside of North America.
1) A lot of older fuckers (hell I am 32) that have a lot of seniority take their kick ass ten club seats for granted and stand around. Also, most of the folks are bringing their wives who may not be that big fans of the band.
2)The band last NA tour cut off beer sales 30 minutes into the show. I have seen Pearl Jam cold sober and enjoyed the hell out of it. However, alcohol gets people more lively.
3)European and South America fans are much more intense regardless of what band is playing. You often hear artists talk about it.
I caught the Paris and the Marseille show last year and the Paris show in particular was nuts. It was a totally different experience. That being said queueing up in the hot sun and standing around for hours is not something I would want to do on a regular basis. I would rather hang out at the bar and drink. Many of the folks who hit multiple shows in the US would not be able to handle traveling and a bunch of general admission shows in a row. Each Europe show I was up front, got knocked around, was dehydrated as hell. I thought I was going to pass out at the Paris show when it felt like was caught in a ebb and was getting moved and could barely breathe. It was great, but it would be taxing every night.
Someone mentioned Irving Plaza and the Borgata rivaling the shows they caught in Europe. The only difference is those shows were tiny and people had to pay a lot or wait in line for many hours to get tickets. So you had a bunch of hardcore fans like us there, amping the environment. I will be at Lolla and I think it will more intense than your usual NA show, it likely wouldn't be like a club show or Europe.
But I will admit, theres only a select couple of crowds that can compare to Europe...but NO CROWD can compare to South America
Edit: Plus, Europe fans (as well as SA fans) are not used to the band coming around all the time like we are here in the states...if Pearl Jam didn't tour the states until 2012, we would make the Europe fans look like shit..end of story
2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2
Comments
Yep, there's nothing like being surrounded by people who are into the music as much as you are. Great vibe. My colleagues laugh at me for wanting to be on the first or second row when standing at a gig. They haven't experienced the rush of seeing your favourite music being performed right there in front of you while around and behind you masses of people are having the best time of their lives
I'm discarding all thought
I'll dry up, leaving puddles on the ground
I'm like an opening band for the sun
dont get me wrong i do also
but in the grand scheme of things iam not paying attention to many others
as long as im rocking life is good
2000 Roskilde, 2006 Barcelona, 2007 London, Copenhagen, 2008 New York 1, New York 2, 2009 Berlin, 2010 Dublin, Belfast, 2012 Amsterdam 1, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, 2013 Brooklyn 1, Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014 Milan, Trieste, Berlin, Stockholm, Milton Keynes
EV
2012 Manchester, London 1, London 2
I know that when they played SF three times, you could tell the band was really really feeling it. In fact, Ed said this multiple times during each show. These shows were of course GA.
I also think the culture of Europe is very much different then here, where people take a HUGE amount of pride when something big happens in their city/country.
I want to see what Lolla is going to be like, I have a feeling it going to be raucous.
San Francisco - July 15/16/18, 2006 Bridgeschool - October 21/22, 2006
Lollapalooza - August 5,2007
EV Berkley - April 7/8, 2008 The Who Rock Honors - July 12, 2008
Outside Lands - August 28, 2009 Seattle - September 21/22, 2009 San Diego - October 9, 2009
Last night saw Steve Winwood in San Diego and at least half the audience talked all the way through the show - I personally told four people around me to shut the f*** up - this was loud embarrasing Southern California talking.
Fans who paid a lot of cash just do not seem to be into the music - idiots.
BTW, concert was otherwise brilliant. SW made that pact with the devil you know. He still looks about 20 sings plays keyboards and guitar as good as anybody playing today.
'07 Madrid
'08 Virginia Beach / Washington DC
'09 Shepherds Bush / Berlin / Manchester / London
Perth / Sydney / Brisbane
'10 London / Berlin / Lisbon
'11 Rio de Janeiro / Buenos Aires / Lima
'12 Manchester I / Manchester II / Berlin I / Berlin II
'13 Baltimore / Charlottesville / Charlotte
'14 Perth / San Siro / Berlin / "Live at Leeds" / MK
'22 Berlin / London I / London Ii
(37)
totally agree i was listening to the MSG03 BOOTS and for ED TO ASK US TO SING ALONG ON DAUGHTER is pathetic i mean all the other countries they tour he never has to ask the crowds to sing they just do it automatically so yeah we AMERICAN CROWDS SUCK compared to the rest of the world .....
Now that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Thats really really pathetic. It's a rock concert for crying out loud, its Pearl Jam. Not freakin' Shirly Bassy or something.
On tuesday night the crowd were fantastic. They clapped along to Ed's opening chords of Long Road. They kept Black going for an extra minute or so, the last few bars the crowd did the ohh ohh oh ah oohs and clapped for a few bars after the band had stopped. Also, we were all rocking out!
I think the US shows should go back to Gen admission standing on the floors, even if it is limited to a small area on front of the stage. Check out this video of the crowd during Alive last night. Every person in the audience is punching the air for the heys!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be8EqBPDCUc
Crowd doing the clapping during black:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr7AQ1k0J0I&NR=1
-Greg Dulli
Ugh.
You've obviously never been to a show in Boston.
I think i might go to Boston for my next PJ concert, because Jersey blows.
-Greg Dulli
i've been to the boston shows yeah the crowds are great and i also have been to shows in SOUTH AMERICA and believe me we don't compare even if ED SAID SO at the last BOSTON shows AGAIN for american crowds yeah boston is up there but when you compare it to the rest of the world we are last ........
I do also agree that some of the long-time 10C members at the front look really bored and about 20 rows back you'll see people super into the shows which is really unfortunate.
2005 - Sept 1 George, Sept 8 Winnipeg
2006 - May 9/10 Toronto, June 26/27 St. Paul, July 22/23 George, Oct 21/22 Mountain View
2007 - Aug 2/5 Chicago
2008 - June 22 Washington, June 24/25 New York
2009 - Aug 21 Toronto, Aug 23/24 Chicago, Sept 21/22 Seattle, Oct 27/28/30/31 Philadelphia
2010 - May 15 Hartford, May 17 Boston, Oct 23/24 Mountain View
2011 - Sept 3/4 Alpine Valley, Sept 11/12 Toronto, Sept 17 Winnipeg, Sept 19 Saskatoon
2012 - Sept 30 Missoula
2013 - July 16 London, July 19 Chicago, Oct 12 Buffalo, Dec 2 Calgary, Dec 4 Vancouver, Dec 6 Seattle
2014 - Oct 16 Detroit, Oct 19 St. Paul, Oct 20 Milwaukee
2015 - Sept 23 (Colbert)/Sept 26, New York
2016 - Apr 28/29 Philadelphia, May 10/12 Toronto, Aug 20/22 Chicago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJI3vu7Z36Q&mode=related&search=
Alpine Valley '03 was a fantastic crowd.
i've said it before and i'll say it again....it's all about being GA! seriously, THAT is the HUGE difference! ANYone who was at irving plaza, the atlantic city shows, the san fran shows...can tell you the same. i was at irving, i was at all 5 italian shows last year...london, dusseldorf and nijmegen thus year...and GA is why. none of the european shows wewre any more off the hook than irving, it IS simply the nature of a GA show vs. assigned seating. also factor in the fact how often we in the US get to see pj as opposed to europe, and i am sure that comes into play as well.
that said, i really have no desire to have to queue up for a spot EVERY time i see pj, i quiote like how it is in the states, even with my shite 10c #...it's nice to not always have to spend forever waiting, just6 go and pre-party, whatever...and go with the flow. i have been to plenty of US shows, 3 canadian, 8 european, and i won't say any one crowd/country is *better*....depends on the actual show, so many factors, etc.....but yes, GA definitely comes into it more than anything. being packed together like that makes anyone get going!
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
In Europe it is a celebration, in the US it is a show to go to.
TB2K sufers from bad crowds, but there is a chapter there called the fans. Can you see the difference?
Pretty huge!
Absolutely no question about it. If you were to have GA shows in the States, you'd have much more lively crowds. It's just the way it is. There's something about being packed in, and just going nuts when you hear the music. And the band, for reasons very well known to us, will not do it. It doesn't bother me at all. I enjoy standing and pogoing (is that a word?) at shows, but some people just like to stand there and watch. To each his/her own.
Thank you for the importance that you give to my continent, but we are less than the half of 730...
Seeing PJ in Toronto 03' was insanely loud, then fast forward to the 05 and 06 shows - not as loud as I remember.
Hard to say, but since it's been a while for a lot of us in NA the Lolla should be pretty loud up front I would imagine.
but even so, we're not blasé, we take every show as a gift, a celebration, of PJ and each other.
We'll be coming over next year and show you guys how it's done..GA or not
BTW... I'm American
Fuck that...in europe its a celebration...in north america its religion...like church on sundays...
o'doyle rules
Columbus 00 -- Toronto 00 -- Toronto 03 -- Hershey 03 -- Boston I 04 -- Boston II 04 -- Toledo 04 -- Kitchener 05 -- London 05 -- Hamilton 05 -- Ottawa 05 -- Toronto 05 -- Toronto I 06 -- Toronto II 06 -- Cleveland 06 -- Detroit 06 -- Gorge I 06 -- Gorge II 06 -- Chicago Lolla 07 -- Toronto 09 -- Buffalo 10 -- Hamilton 11 -- Toronto I 11 -- Toronto II 11 -- Buffalo 13 -- London 13 -- Toronto I 16 -- Toronto II 16 -- Ottawa 16 -- Chicago I 18 -- Chicago II 18 -- Hamilton 22 -- Toronto 22
Ed Ved - Toronto I 08--Toronto II 08
thats just sad .... why are people like that ?? you paid good money to do what you do with your seat whether it be sit or stand rock the fuck out ...
also i think its cuz of the 10 club seniority and how the same fuckers get he first 5 rows time and time again ...
work = work + 1;
sleep = sleep - work * 10;}
else if (work >= 0) {
reality.equals(false);
work = work +1;
}system("pause");
return 0;}
I agree it's horseshit. Try being in my TC section. I went to Tor 2 last year, and peple sat down during part of one show. I was actually thinking "am I even in the fan club section?"
No fucking shit.........Put my 208xxx ass up front and I'll show you how to rock out! I was next to people sitting down at the United Center BOTH nights last summer. I still rocked out, fuck 'em!
And oh yeah.....people need to stop bitching about Lollapalooza not getting a full set. I'm American, but I'm tired of the whiners over here. If I could afford to go to European shows I'd go to all of them.
2000 - Indianapolis(8/18)
2003 - Champaign(4/23), Indianapolis(6/22),
Columbus(6/24), Hershey(7/12)
2006 - Chicago (5/16), Chicago (5/17), Cincinnati (6/24)
2007 - Vic -Chicago (8/2), Lollapalooza - Chicago (8/5)
1) A lot of older fuckers (hell I am 32) that have a lot of seniority take their kick ass ten club seats for granted and stand around. Also, most of the folks are bringing their wives who may not be that big fans of the band.
2)The band last NA tour cut off beer sales 30 minutes into the show. I have seen Pearl Jam cold sober and enjoyed the hell out of it. However, alcohol gets people more lively.
3)European and South America fans are much more intense regardless of what band is playing. You often hear artists talk about it.
I caught the Paris and the Marseille show last year and the Paris show in particular was nuts. It was a totally different experience. That being said queueing up in the hot sun and standing around for hours is not something I would want to do on a regular basis. I would rather hang out at the bar and drink. Many of the folks who hit multiple shows in the US would not be able to handle traveling and a bunch of general admission shows in a row. Each Europe show I was up front, got knocked around, was dehydrated as hell. I thought I was going to pass out at the Paris show when it felt like was caught in a ebb and was getting moved and could barely breathe. It was great, but it would be taxing every night.
Someone mentioned Irving Plaza and the Borgata rivaling the shows they caught in Europe. The only difference is those shows were tiny and people had to pay a lot or wait in line for many hours to get tickets. So you had a bunch of hardcore fans like us there, amping the environment. I will be at Lolla and I think it will more intense than your usual NA show, it likely wouldn't be like a club show or Europe.
But I will admit, theres only a select couple of crowds that can compare to Europe...but NO CROWD can compare to South America
Edit: Plus, Europe fans (as well as SA fans) are not used to the band coming around all the time like we are here in the states...if Pearl Jam didn't tour the states until 2012, we would make the Europe fans look like shit..end of story