Fellow fan encounters. . . Got a story?

PureandEasy

I know there are threads out there about this, but I didn't see anything recent.

I was at work at the American Red Cross in Philly today. Outside taking a smoke break, an SUV passes me and goes directly in front of the entrance.

I was about 60 feet away. The young man gets out with a food delivery and my ears perked up . . . Is that Pearl Jam I hear, I thought to myself. I moved closer to the vehicle and heard Footsteps in the hall . . And I thought damn I'm good.

So as I walk back to go inside I hear the beginning of Come Back and realize this dude's a real fan. As I was entering building, he was exiting I commented how much I loved the music coming from his vehicle. He got excited, smiled big and said thanks.

Love that the fans are getting younger and younger.

PJfanwillneverleave1

Good thread.
Interesting enough about 3mos ago I crossed paths with a guy wearing the 10c ten of clubs hoodie. I said "nice hoodie", he stopped and said "awesome", I pulled out my car keys and showed him the PJ20 keychain, he laughed and pulled out his. We talked for a minute or so about shows and we went our way.
That was cool.

elwayvedder

One time some crazy pearl jam fan was stalking me in a ShopRite grocery store!

PureandEasy

elwayvedder said:

One time some crazy pearl jam fan was stalking me in a ShopRite grocery store!

You're an ass. . Too funny. When it comes to fellow PJ fans, they don't get better than you Dave.

mfc2006

was driving around downtown Portland last summer blasting Marker In The Sand while at a light. I glance over to my right & the driver in the next lane was singing along with it. haha

red mos

mfc2006 said:

was driving around downtown Portland last summer blasting Marker In The Sand while at a light. I glance over to my right & the driver in the next lane was singing along with it. haha

Nice! I've met a few die hard fans down here in Houston, but there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot. When you meet them though, the conversations are always cool. When I lived in Denton, and was in college at North Texas, I met a few as well. One thing, I love about being at PJ shows, and in the 10c sections specifically, is that I am surrounded by die hard fans. What a great time, it's fun. Pearl Jam fans just simply understand it, I love it.

2-feign-reluctance

I met this guy named @mfc2006 and we wrote 4 LPs together. All my other stories involve scary stalkery types at shows. Particularly during the 03' tour.

Lost In Ohio

I was in Dogfishhead Brewery (makers of Faithfull Ale) back in September or so, wearing my Raleigh 2016 shirt. Someone else was in there wearing the black shirt with the mountains on it. We made contact, made a joke about how they probably had kegs and kegs of the stuff in the basement, then went about our ways.

100 Pacer

I think I've shared this story here before: my brother and I were about to cross back into Canada having spent the week in the States for the '08 NYC, Hartford, and Mansfield shows. When we pulled up for inspection the Canada Customs agent asked the usual questions and after explaining what we were up to the agent lit up, her face literally beamed as she began telling us how much she loved the band, that she was a fellow 10C member, even how she requested to work the airport shift when she knew the band was flying in for the '05 tour so she could be the agent to board their private plane and greet them. We literally sat there in the car for 10 minutes as we traded stories. I literally could have had a trunk full of contraband and it wouldn't have mattered to her.

PureandEasy

red mos said:

mfc2006 said:

was driving around downtown Portland last summer blasting Marker In The Sand while at a light. I glance over to my right & the driver in the next lane was singing along with it. haha

Nice! I've met a few die hard fans down here in Houston, but there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot. When you meet them though, the conversations are always cool. When I lived in Denton, and was in college at North Texas, I met a few as well. One thing, I love about being at PJ shows, and in the 10c sections specifically, is that I am surrounded by die hard fans. What a great time, it's fun. Pearl Jam fans just simply understand it, I love it.

That's kind of my point, this young man seemed really excited that someone acknowledged his PJ fandom. Once again, the music brought a smile to both of us. That's one thing all of us here share, if you encounter it, acknowledge it. Make someone SMILE.

mfc2006

2-feign-reluctance said:

I met this guy named @mfc2006 and we wrote 4 LPs together. All my other stories involve scary stalkery types at shows. Particularly during the 03' tour.

that guy's a jerk! haha!

KC138045

In 2010 I was flying to Phoenix and I was wearing the hoodie I got at the Columbus show. A guy across the isle noticed it and we got talking. Turned out he was at the same concert. If I remember right he was a ten club member as well.

SomethingCreative

My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary with Neil Young and My Morning Jacket shows in Seattle 2015. Walking back to our hotel from the Neil show, a guy stopped me because of my Crash Hammer Polo, he then handed me a sticker (the ramones style one). That was it, we never saw him again. I don't remember if I ever said thank you but.. THANKS! didn't have that one lol.

DM282158

Was taking a walk between clients at work. Saw a gentleman having a smoke break with the Celtics style PJ shirt from Fenway. Went over, apologized for the bother, but said "nice fucking shirt. ". We shared a laugh, and remarked how awesome the shows were. I was relieved I wasn't the only die hard fan in the area

Lowlight

In line at a bagel shop and the guy in front of me has the stickman tattoo. This was right after the general on-sale for Fenway, so I asked if he got tickets and he lit up like a kid at Christmas.
I remember thinking it was good to know there were other people out there counting down the 6 months until August.

dankind

2-feign-reluctance said:

I met this guy named @mfc2006 and we wrote 4 LPs together. All my other stories involve scary stalkery types at shows. Particularly during the 03' tour.

I still have that lock of your hair, Chris. I sleep with it under my pillow.

mfc2006

dankind said:

2-feign-reluctance said:

I met this guy named @mfc2006 and we wrote 4 LPs together. All my other stories involve scary stalkery types at shows. Particularly during the 03' tour.

I still have that lock of your hair, Chris. I sleep with it under my pillow.

Hahaha!

crookedcross

At the 1st MSG show this spring, my girl and I met a guy while waiting in line to get in. Once we got in, we went separate ways and never saw each other again, didn't even get his name... Until TOTD at MSG when the same dude tapped me on the shoulder while we were in line to get in. He was wearing the same outfit when I met him at MSG1 and everything.

Poncier

crookedcross said:

At the 1st MSG show this spring, my girl and I met a guy while waiting in line to get in. Once we got in, we went separate ways and never saw each other again, didn't even get his name... Until TOTD at MSG when the same dude tapped me on the shoulder while we were in line to get in. He was wearing the same outfit when I met him at MSG1 and everything.

A similar story,

Worcester 1 2013, we're in line for GA just before doors open, a couple behind us has just run and got a pizza. The doors open. Realizing they can't take the pizza in, they offer me and my buddy Jack a slice, which we appreciate and partake in.
10 days later in Hartford, we have reserve seats, I am with Jack again. We arrive at our seats and I get tapped on the shoulder, same couple has seats right behind us.

PureandEasy

Poncier said:

crookedcross said:

At the 1st MSG show this spring, my girl and I met a guy while waiting in line to get in. Once we got in, we went separate ways and never saw each other again, didn't even get his name... Until TOTD at MSG when the same dude tapped me on the shoulder while we were in line to get in. He was wearing the same outfit when I met him at MSG1 and everything.

A similar story,

Worcester 1 2013, we're in line for GA just before doors open, a couple behind us has just run and got a pizza. The doors open. Realizing they can't take the pizza in, they offer me and my buddy Jack a slice, which we appreciate and partake in.
10 days later in Hartford, we have reserve seats, I am with Jack again. We arrive at our seats and I get tapped on the shoulder, same couple has seats right behind us.

My brother and I used to be seated next to same couple of guys in Camden/Philly shows over multiple years Apparently one of them had close 10club # to mine. That has changed with new lottery system. Hope those dudes are doing well, I can still picture them in my mind.

Just thinking about that makes me realize how long I've been a part of the PJ circle. It's a beautiful thing.

Massara133

Summer 2004 a friend and I were going for a round of Golf and I was wearing my PJ shirt from the 2003 tour. I walk into the clubhouse and the guy behind the desk says "Anyone wearing a PJ shirt golfs for free!" Discovered we were both at the Vancouver show, first show for both of us and we both bought the same shirt. Talked about the show, record shops, Benaroya vinyl (he bought one, I didn't) And then he proceeded to charge me for my green fees, Lying Bastard! haha.

PureandEasy

Massara133 said:

Summer 2004 a friend and I were going for a round of Golf and I was wearing my PJ shirt from the 2003 tour. I walk into the clubhouse and the guy behind the desk says "Anyone wearing a PJ shirt golfs for free!" Discovered we were both at the Vancouver show, first show for both of us and we both bought the same shirt. Talked about the show, record shops, Benaroya vinyl (he bought one, I didn't) And then he proceeded to charge me for my green fees, Lying Bastard! haha.

Reading this, first thing I thought of, this guy got to golf for free, sweet. Not to be. But an acknowledgment just the same.

JMarksCLE

Last year (or maybe longer) I was giving a phone interview for a new job. The guy was telling me all about the company. And then it became clear that he had been looking around on my social media platforms. "So what'd you think of Eddie Vedder on Letterman last night?" he says. "That's an extremely specific, yet somehow right on the money question to ask me." I say.

He says do you like Pearl Jam. I say yes, and I start to launch into my BUT speech, where I justify why they're so awesome (because I have a ton of hipster fans who still dont like pearl jam). He says he's a fan. I ask if he's ever seen the band live. "Yes.... 27 times."

And I was like "Oh! Ok! Well we can really talk about this then!"

Needless to say, I got the job. He's now my boss. And even though we're in Cleveland. We both bought Tampa tickets without knowing the other did too. Small world indeed.

go pre

at the Moline show, I missed out on the posters outside, so I got in line to be one of the first in the doors to hit up the indoor merch booths. there was a guy and his two kids in line right behind me. a few days later in Milwaukee, I showed up early to get in line for the outdoor merch trailer, and the same guy with his kids showed up right behind me again! I don't think I got his name, but he was from Elgin, Ill.

Massara133

Long Story but worth sharing I think

As I said in previous post, Vancouver 2003 was my first show, bought the bootleg of course and I'm sure I've listened to it 100+ times. Before Small Town Ed tells a story about Jeff meeting "a couple guys that drove to the show from Medicine Hat, they broke down on way up but they hitched a ride and they made it so this one's to ah, where are they? The ambitious, well you know, the two guys from Medicine Hat"

Four years later I was trying to complete my 2003 bootleg collection and I ended up buying about 5 of them from a guy who lived an hour north of me. He said he'd be coming through my town in a couple days and he could deliver the boots in person. Perfect!

So he brings the boots and we get to talking, I told him Vancouver 2003 was my first show and he says "Ya know I was driving to Vancouver from Medicine Hat..." I didn't even let him finish, wait, You're one of the guys from Medicine Hat!? That Ed dedicated small town to!?

Yup, that was him, what a small world. He said him and his friend were in the hotel lobby and his friend was holding his guitar. Jeff saw them and came over and chatted, pretty cool.

I owe that guy a huge favour, he was selling his boots to raise money to go see Tool headline Bonnaroo. I had never heard of the festival but I started paying attention to it and low and behold PJ is headlining it next year. (My god, along with Metallica, Jack Johnson, Racontuers, Death Cab for Cutie, Willie Nelson, BB King, Mastadon, Avett Brothers, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, quite possibly my favourite festival lineup I've ever seen)

So a group of 5 of us made the trip to Bonnaroo from western Canada and had an amazing time and saw PJ perform an amazing set. All because I heard about it from the guy from Medicine Hat