Now better than ever live?

MKSNYC

I have been listening to loads of the bootlegs over the course of the past 25 years of PJ taking many folks suggestions for great shows, and my impression is that the band sounds better than ever right now. There may be shows that have unique levels of intensity in the performances, but as a band, to my ears they sound fantastic right now!

I am curious how others who have seen many more live shows than me feel about it too.

adamg5

1998, 2009, 2013 for some reason really left an impact on me. Those tours were perfection.
They still sound incredible but those years something about them.

CP218430

It's hard; every show I walk away thinking they were at their best. So yeah 16 was their best. But I'm always biased in the moment and always wanting more. When people talk about Ed's voice in previous years I don't see it (hear it really). I loved 16, 98, & 09 the most. But yeah - tomato, tomato.......

JimmyV

This "Evening With Pearl Jam" era we are in has been something special. Started in 2013 when they stopped touring with an opener. Three hour shows almost every night. Crazy rarities. GA energy down front. No one knows what the future will bring or if it will continue to be this good. I'm so thankful for the experiences these last few years.

pjfaninindiana

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

EdsonNascimento

They are 10x's better musicians now which makes a better concert. Years of working at their craft have made the shows much better.

mcrok

Evolved. It is better for that simple reason. Better for the times...for their ages and ours. But you can't really compare to the past...as the best band in the world they should be better musically after 25 years as they have evolved the best a group of musicians can (except for really getting dedicated to making that one album for ages---which will require them locking themselves into a mansion for a a month or two). But the raw emotion of being younger and dumber can't be compared to either (i.e., like watching ed hang from 80 ft rafters)...can you compare today's show to a 90's show where ed literally risked his life???

All that matters is that these guys are honest with themselves and express that with their music and performance. They did that as much back then as they do now. That is all that matters---this is why we all love them so much...they have been honest and sincere with their music, lyrics, and performances. Simply put, they are real...they are not fakes. This is why they have been successful and have such a loyal following...it is also why they are not "popular".

So I would say in that way----they sound the same:)

whoanelly15

We're definitely still in the heart of their prime, and there have been some incredible runs of amazing shows strung together during the past 3 years especially. The polish, consistency, improvisation, interplay and creativity of the live sets are at a level that so few bands ever get to. Eddie's voice is deeper than it was 10 years ago - you can even hear it when he talks - but his lower and mid tones are much fuller as a result, and this suits their sound and so much of the material really well... even much of the old stuff, that a younger Ed wrote without a thought for 2016 Ed. I'll take the occasional voice crack and miss when he stretches for high notes - it's live music after all, and his baritone is still so so rich, his "technique" is more refined, and his voice is naturally so strong. Simply put, they will ride this wave as long as his voice holds up to the touring and catalog. We've got a ways to go. That said, if you see a cigarette in his hand, slap him.

slightofjeff

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

I literally disagree with every single sentence. Well done! Lol.

slightofjeff

JimmyV said:

This "Evening With Pearl Jam" era we are in has been something special. Started in 2013 when they stopped touring with an opener. Three hour shows almost every night. Crazy rarities. GA energy down front. No one knows what the future will bring or if it will continue to be this good. I'm so thankful for the experiences these last few years.

There's a lot to this. The format + their evolution as musicians makes for better shows, probably

Abe Froman

pjfaninindiana said:

Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it.

Got Some, Amongst The Waves, Unthought Known, Pendulum, Getaway, MYM, Lightning Bolt...yup they're all shit.

DM282158

Abe Froman said:

pjfaninindiana said:

Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it.

Got Some, Amongst The Waves, Unthought Known, Pendulum, Getaway, MYM, Lightning Bolt...yup they're all shit.

Gonna See My Friend is one of my top 10 PJ songs. What an awesome punch in the face to start an album!

But hey, to each their own!

SVRDhand13

For me, 2013 started a new era for Pearl Jam shows, where any night could become a classic.

Abe Froman

DM282158 said:

Abe Froman said:

pjfaninindiana said:

Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it.

Got Some, Amongst The Waves, Unthought Known, Pendulum, Getaway, MYM, Lightning Bolt...yup they're all shit.

Gonna See My Friend is one of my top 10 PJ songs. What an awesome punch in the face to start an album!

But hey, to each their own!

I love it too. I was being sarcastic. I think both Backspacer and LB are both good records and fit very nicely in the PJ catalogue! I also agree with the OP. I think PJ shows are better than ever right now.

DM282158

Abe Froman said:

DM282158 said:

Abe Froman said:

pjfaninindiana said:

Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it.

Got Some, Amongst The Waves, Unthought Known, Pendulum, Getaway, MYM, Lightning Bolt...yup they're all shit.

Gonna See My Friend is one of my top 10 PJ songs. What an awesome punch in the face to start an album!

But hey, to each their own!

I love it too. I was being sarcastic. I think both Backspacer and LB are both good records and fit very nicely in the PJ catalogue! I also agree with the OP. I think PJ shows are better than ever right now.

All good, everyone has their favorites!

Me personally, I think Binaural is meh.

(Ducks from thrown tomatoes...)

pjhawks

i believe they are but i guess it depends on how you define better. To me collectively it is better today than in the past. I've seen shows in most years since 1998. I think there are a few things that make it better today. 1st i think Mike is just much better today than in the past. I attribute that to his health. he himself admittedly wasn't always healthy or living a healthy lifestyle in some of the earlier tours. today he seems in a much better place and is just killing it live. I also think as a group they clearly are enjoying themselves and appreciating the shows much more. to me it looks like they are treating each show as a gift, something to be thankful for. especially some of the older longer tours there were shows where the enthusiasm waned, they were tired or just seemed like they were going through the motions for whatever reasons. with these shorter tours they don't get tired or worn out so it makes for a higher energy show. I think the shorter tours are definitely making for better quality and more consistent shows than in the past. As someone said above I do think Ed is a better singer today. not necessarily that his voice is better but how he performs the songs is better. Also Ed doesn't seem to drink or smoke as much on stage at least. There seems to be much less lyric screw ups on this tour than in that past. i think collectively when you add all those factors in yes i think they are better overall today than in the past.

mcgruff10

92, 94-98 is still their best live period imo. Different time different feeling.
I would say 2013 to the present is their best live show since 98.

fumasan

one improvement is a basic professionalism. from 98-09, I noticed a lot of time was burned in between songs. I didn't mind; I'd always enjoyed reading Five Horizons for banter report, but some people complained. It was never Bob Dylan bad, but whatever...It seems the setlists are streamlined for more efficiency and less guitar changes. as in, the Drop D tunings are blocked together, or the 12 string bass songs, etc. to reduce instrument changes. the time between adds up, and the songs flow much faster. the encore breaks seem shorter. probably adds another two songs to the show. While I miss the randomness of Ed's wino ramblings and the romance of the smoke break during Even Flow (I quit), but I understand giving the fans more value for their money.

Wma31394

mcgruff10 said:

92, 94-98 is still their best live period imo. Different time different feeling.
I would say 2013 to the present is their best live show since 98.

I would say 94-03..98 tour being the climax...

Zod

My favourite tour is still the Yield tour. That was the exact point where they still have some of their youthful piss and vinegar, but had started to acquire age old wisdom. They were touring for their 5th album which gave them alot of discretion in the sets. They hadn't done a proper tour in years, so many off the attendees were seeing the band for the first time. It was magic.

The setlists now are amazing, but I don't think it all rests on the length of the setlist. I've seen every album toured since Yield, and a few of the non-album tours in between. My favorite tours so far are:

1) 1998 Yield Tour
2) 2005 Gorge + Canada Tour
3) 2013 Tour
4) 2016 Tour

The tours now are amazing, but the band has been different kinds of amazing over the past 25 years. I didn't see much pre-yield (all I saw was a lolla '92 set), so I can't really vouch for the really old tours, but from what I've been too, Yield tour is still king

camsjam

pjhawks said:

i believe they are but i guess it depends on how you define better. To me collectively it is better today than in the past. I've seen shows in most years since 1998. I think there are a few things that make it better today. 1st i think Mike is just much better today than in the past. I attribute that to his health. he himself admittedly wasn't always healthy or living a healthy lifestyle in some of the earlier tours. today he seems in a much better place and is just killing it live. I also think as a group they clearly are enjoying themselves and appreciating the shows much more. to me it looks like they are treating each show as a gift, something to be thankful for. especially some of the older longer tours there were shows where the enthusiasm waned, they were tired or just seemed like they were going through the motions for whatever reasons. with these shorter tours they don't get tired or worn out so it makes for a higher energy show. I think the shorter tours are definitely making for better quality and more consistent shows than in the past. As someone said above I do think Ed is a better singer today. not necessarily that his voice is better but how he performs the songs is better. Also Ed doesn't seem to drink or smoke as much on stage at least. There seems to be much less lyric screw ups on this tour than in that past. i think collectively when you add all those factors in yes i think they are better overall today than in the past.

I agree with the above especially if you are just listening to the boots. The sound, musicianship, and flow have really grown over the years. However being at a show back in the day was great. Possibly a little messy or sloppy but the energy and groove seemed higher.

jdopj

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

I don't necessarily agree that the last 2 albums are shit, but the rest of it is spot on.

What I am most shocked by is no one is mentioning the 2000 tour. It is their best. The guitar tones, the setlists. Ed's voice. He really started controlling his singing around this time. Combined with his still powerful screams, he was nailing all the songs.
They were dragging around a boat load of emotion (divorce, Rokslide) and you felt it.

mcgruff10

jdopj said:

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

I don't necessarily agree that the last 2 albums are shit, but the rest of it is spot on.

What I am most shocked by is no one is mentioning the 2000 tour. It is their best. The guitar tones, the setlists. Ed's voice. He really started controlling his singing around this time. Combined with his still powerful screams, he was nailing all the songs.
They were dragging around a boat load of emotion (divorce, Rokslide) and you felt it.

I saw them 8 times during the us 2000 tour and I got to tell you, compared to other tours it was pretty damn boring.. maybe it's because of the high coming off the 98 tour or the fact that binaural was the first pj album that I didn't like but I always thought they sounded pretty damn flat after europe that year.

23scidoo

The '13-'14 tour was the ideal for me..

pearldavidson

Did 2013 setlists seem more predictable than any other tour?

jkalman

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

Tell us how you really feel... Lol

Karts

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

Agreed totally. But more than the length or the hits, it's the lack of passion - you just don't feel it anymore, it's all about a feel good clap your hands lots of smiling happy event. It doesn't work with their older music and isn't why I want to see this band live. It's gotten progressively worse, I actually think they peaked live in 2003. Eddie is too embarrassed these days to even mention Trump by name. Sorry but when you have that anger and hurt in you, whether it's politics or personal, it reflects immediately. The best vocal performance I've heard from him since Bush left office is War right after his Israel rant in the UK a few years ago. And even then he never mentioned by name and cut out his growl within 5 seconds. It's also just stupid doing woah woah woah in Do The Evolution. Sure it sounds cool in the bootleg and it's fun fist bopping and bouncing about, but that is not what that song is for. From what I can tell all the others are similar to Eddie these days except maybe Jeff. He still believes music is the most healing of art forms. I don't fault them, wife, kids, etc., but I'm not going to say they're "better than ever" now. No. They're not.

whoanelly15

...

jdopj

mcgruff10 said:

jdopj said:

pjfaninindiana said:

No. They're not. Just my opinion, and i'm sure i'm in the minority, but, for me, the longer the shows, the less the rarities become rarities. The hits are all pretty much played every night. And, just too much fan back and forth for my taste. I hate the new Corduroy. Betterman just seems to get worse and worse over the years with that save it for later tag. Not to mention their last two albums are shit, so that adds to it. Again, just my opinion, I hope that i'm not gonna get pissed on too much for this lol. I like shows where they play and kick ass and not cater to the crowd so much, and where not every one of the huge hits are played.

I don't necessarily agree that the last 2 albums are shit, but the rest of it is spot on.

What I am most shocked by is no one is mentioning the 2000 tour. It is their best. The guitar tones, the setlists. Ed's voice. He really started controlling his singing around this time. Combined with his still powerful screams, he was nailing all the songs.
They were dragging around a boat load of emotion (divorce, Rokslide) and you felt it.

I saw them 8 times during the us 2000 tour and I got to tell you, compared to other tours it was pretty damn boring.. maybe it's because of the high coming off the 98 tour or the fact that binaural was the first pj album that I didn't like but I always thought they sounded pretty damn flat after europe that year.

I feel differently obviously. Binaural is my favorite, so I loved that tour.
They may have been a little calmer, but I dont need swinging balls and Mike running around the stage for their to be emotion being poured from the stage. The 96-00 tours felt like an experience, the shows now are more of an event.

EB218946

I feel differently obviously. Binaural is my favorite, so I loved that tour.
They may have been a little calmer, but I dont need swinging balls and Mike running around the stage for their to be emotion being poured from the stage. The 96-00 tours felt like an experience, the shows now are more of an event.

Amen brother or sister. I agree so much with this statement. When the band is locked in and introverted and a little pissed off I know for me its gonna be a great show. I dont need McCready pointing at me or Ed throwing me a tambourine or picks. Go insane on stage and play the shit out of the songs.

pjalive21

JimmyV said:

This "Evening With Pearl Jam" era we are in has been something special. Started in 2013 when they stopped touring with an opener. Three hour shows almost every night. Crazy rarities. GA energy down front. No one knows what the future will bring or if it will continue to be this good. I'm so thankful for the experiences these last few years.