bonnaroo: official revviews and articles

aneutronbombaneutronbomb Posts: 787
edited June 2008 in Given To Fly (live)
MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP) — Pearl Jam wowed the Bonnaroo crowd with a three-hour performance late Saturday, returning the band to the grand stage of a music festival.

In the midst of their concert — which went almost an hour longer than scheduled — lead singer Eddie Vedder acknowledged that the band thought they might never again play such a show — and "with good reason." In the summer of 2000, nine fans were trampled during Pearl Jam's performance at Denmark's Roskilde Festival — an experience that shook the band.

There were no mishaps at Bonnaroo, though, and Vedder's faith in festivals appeared to be restored.

"After seeing B.B. King and Jack Johnson and Cat Power, it makes you realize how it can work and be really ... great," Vedder said, referring to acts that played earlier Saturday. Pearl Jam also played Lollapalooza last year.

If he wasn't already, Vedder appeared completely converted to the joys of mega festivals when the band played "Better Man." The audience sang along and lifted lighters in the air, and only then did Vedder realize how large the crowd was. He muttered "That's ... beautiful."

Pearl Jam was the main stage headliner Saturday at the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which is held on a giant 700-acre site south of Nashville.

The Friday night bill was led by comedian Chris Rock, who was followed by Metallica. Though the heavy metal band played a generally admired set, the Pearl Jam audience seemed larger and arguably more enthusiastic.

Vedder spoke frequently on politics and the need for change.

"It is proven that this many people can change world," Vedder said to the tens of thousands. "This has to be the time. It can't get any worse."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i-dC7oLZHdhEMlW9L8wqgezJz5aAD91AHT7 80

and...

June 15, 2008, 11:00 AM ET
Wes Orshoski, Manchester, Tenn.
Pearl Jam capped its headlining slot Saturday at Bonnaroo with an impassioned rendering of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," with frontman Eddie Vedder urging the sprawling thong to vote for change this coming November.

"There's a time and place for this kind of talk, right?," he said late in the show, noting that music alone can't change the world, only people like those in front of him can. "It is welded into the Constitution that people have not only the right, but the responsibility to make change. It can't get any worse. We're right here in the middle of America. We can change the whole world. Do you agree that this is the time and place for this kind of talk?" The crowd roared its approval.

Not long after reaching its scheduled finish time of 12:15 a.m., without hesitation Vedder and company pressed on with the Victoria Williams-penned fan fave "Crazy Mary," and others, before eventually forking over the mega-hit "Alive."

If the previous night saw fellow headliners Metallica sticking to its vintage, pre-1992 material, Pearl Jam toured its catalog and then some. The band wowed fans with a fiery take on the Who's "Love, Reign o'er Me," and during "Daughter" Vedder even threw in a portion of the English Beat's "Save It for Later." The outtake "All Night" was played for the first time ever, while "W.M.A." made its first complete live appearance in 13 years.

Pearl Jam's appearance at Bonnaroo marked just its second U.S. festival date since nine fans were crushed to death during its 2000 set at Denmark's Roskilde Festival. Without specifically mentioning the event, Vedder referred to the tragedy when expressing his awe at how so many people could come together peacefully. "There was a time when we thought we'd never play a show like this again -- and for good reason," he said. "[Bonnaroo] makes you realize how it could actually work. And on top of that it's a great f*ckin' night."

With Pearl Jam having just begun a short U.S. tour that was built around Bonnaroo, Vedder expressed shock at picking up the daily newspapers in each city and finding little to no media coverage of the war in Iraq.

He later dedicated the song "No More" to friend Tomas Young, the paralyzed Iraq War vet featured in the new film "Body of War." Amid the war continuing, Young's health has taken a turn for the worse in the past couple of weeks, and Vedder admitted that has made it "a lot harder to be happy" these days.

But the band still drew and sustained one of the biggest main-stage crowds ever seen at Bonnaroo, the masses stretching well beyond those who showed up to see Metallica the night before. Even Vedder was a bit awed by the size. In between songs, when he glimpsed just how far back the crowd extended, he thanked the audience a second time for listening.
and fuck me if I say somethin you dont wanna hear, fuck me!
and fuck me if you only hear what you wanna hear
fuck me...if I care...but im not leavin here
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • HogsrulHogsrul Posts: 36
    That second story gives me chills when they talk about the size of the crowd. I just wish I could have been there to be counted in attendance.
    Memphis '00/ OKC '03/ Dallas '03/ Little Rock '03/ VFC St. Louis '04/ Gorge '06 (2 nights)

    Obama or McCain = No Bush YAY!
  • acoustic guyacoustic guy Posts: 3,770
    They are both a great read.
    Get em a Body Bag Yeeeeeaaaaa!
    Sweep the Leg Johnny.
  • LONGRDLONGRD Posts: 6,036
    oops :o i made a thread of the first article as well in The Porch.

    I wish I was there!
    PJ- 04/29/2003.06/24,25,27,28,30/2008.10/27,28,30,31/2009
    EV- 08/09,10/2008.06/08,09/2009
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    Whitney Pastorek's take over at http://www.ew.com is worth a look, too. I'd post it myself but I'm too lazy. You can probably find it in the Pop Watch section.
  • obiwon76obiwon76 Posts: 568
    What about Leeds & Reading in 2006? Not sure what the crowd size was, but arent these considered "Festivals"? Both articles state the Bonnaroo was the 2nd Festival since the trajedy, Lolla being the 1st. But I think both shows in 06 are considered festivals.
    San Fran 92, San Fran 93, Berkeley 93, Indio 93, Fairfax 94, DC 95, San Fran 95, DC 95, Va Beach 98, Columbia 98, Dc 98, Va Beach 00, Columbia 00, Philly 03, Bristow 03, Chicago 06, Chicago 06, Dc 06, DC 08
  • grooveamaticgrooveamatic Posts: 1,374
    obiwon76 wrote:
    What about Leeds & Reading in 2006? Not sure what the crowd size was, but arent these considered "Festivals"? Both articles state the Bonnaroo was the 2nd Festival since the trajedy, Lolla being the 1st. But I think both shows in 06 are considered festivals.

    It says the second AMERICAN festival.
    .........................................................................
  • hoopinmanhoopinman Posts: 294
    SOLAT319 wrote:
    What? Save It For Later has always been a Betterman tag...what's this guy talking about? (I mean the writer of this article, not the person who started this thread).


    yes maybe thats easy for you to know...but maybe the author wasnt as familiar with that snippet. Mind you hes only a journalist writing a review of a show...not a fanatic fan like you who has posted over 2,000 times on Pearl Jam's message board
  • Niko80Niko80 Posts: 1,601
    SOLAT319 wrote:
    What? Save It For Later has always been a Betterman tag...what's this guy talking about? (I mean the writer of this article, not the person who started this thread).

    I dont think its fair of us to expect a music journalists to be familiar with the tags pearl jam throws into betterman.
    I will swallow poison
  • hoopinmanhoopinman Posts: 294
    SOLAT319 wrote:
    Also, no matter how small the familiarity of this journalist's to the band is, is it really that hard to keep up with what song was played with which tag? Especially if he's passing himself as a MUSIC journalist writing a full article on a band. Doesn't he have a blackberry or some other cool technology to keep notes on?

    no maybe he diodnt have a blackberry.....do you use YOUR blackberry everytime you need some info?

    The point being, maybe he wasnt a fan, so how on Earth was he supposed to know that tag gets thrown into Betterman like you know that. Hell Ive been a fan for years but only recently heard that tagline,cause I dont buy bootlegs. I only go to shows, and rarely have I heard Betterman like that. Mind you the last show I saw was back in 2003...did they do it then?? NO
  • grooveamaticgrooveamatic Posts: 1,374
    hoopinman wrote:
    no maybe he diodnt have a blackberry.....do you use YOUR blackberry everytime you need some info?

    The point being, maybe he wasnt a fan, so how on Earth was he supposed to know that tag gets thrown into Betterman like you know that. Hell Ive been a fan for years but only recently heard that tagline,cause I dont buy bootlegs. I only go to shows, and rarely have I heard Betterman like that. Mind you the last show I saw was back in 2003...did they do it then?? NO

    He's a JOURNALIST. They're job--and ethical DUTY--is to get the facts straight, even when it comes to music reporting.
    .........................................................................
  • the bloggers over at stereogum dug the show, claiming Eddie's larynx is composed entirely of that stuff they make those airplane black boxes out of. HA

    http://stereogum.com/archives/concert/bonnaroo-pearl-jam-give-good-ed_010435.html
    makes much more sense to live in the present tense

    9/28/05 Pittsburgh
    6/23/06 Pittsburgh
    8/2/07 Vic
    8/5/07 Lolla
    6/16/08 Columbia
    8/17/08 DC (EV Solo)
  • hoopinmanhoopinman Posts: 294
    He's a JOURNALIST. They're job--and ethical DUTY--is to get the facts straight, even when it comes to music reporting.


    if thats the only mistake in an otherwise well written piece that praised a band's performance, then I think some of you guys are just being rude obnoxious fans, and I can see how some people think you are an elitist group
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    Niko80 wrote:
    I dont think its fair of us to expect a music journalists to be familiar with the tags pearl jam throws into betterman.

    Actually ... the reviewer was there. He should know which tag was played with which song. Unless he doesn't know the difference between Betterman and Daughter to begin with, which I'm guessing is not the case.

    Most likely the reviewer just got confused after a long, hot day at Bonnaroo and had a brain fart. It happens. No big deal. No harm, no foul.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    He's a JOURNALIST. They're job--and ethical DUTY--is to get the facts straight, even when it comes to music reporting.

    Ugh. Mistakes happen. Jeez, it's not like this was Watergate or something.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • darthvedder88darthvedder88 Posts: 1,023
    Best show I've ever seen. Period.
    "Darth Vader would say 'Impressive'."

    -Eddie Vedder

    6/24/06 Cincinatti, Ohio
    6/14/08 Manchester, Tennessee
  • drew0drew0 Posts: 943
    He's a JOURNALIST. They're job--and ethical DUTY--is to get the facts straight, even when it comes to music reporting.

    Seriously. I mean...the setlist is on Pearl Jam's website - and a lot of other websites, for that matter. He should probably have been looking up the setlist anyway just to make sure he got everything right...which he didn't.
    Pittsburgh 6/23/06
    Madison Square Garden 6/25/08
  • CameronismCameronism Posts: 12
    Agreed Darth! Best show I've been to as well.
    Mark D. Willis
  • j.roj.ro Posts: 111
    SOLAT319 wrote:
    talking about number of posts? my number is actually pretty small comparing to some of the others.
    Also, no matter how small the familiarity of this journalist's to the band is, is it really that hard to keep up with what song was played with which tag? Especially if he's passing himself as a MUSIC journalist writing a full article on a band. Doesn't he have a blackberry or some other cool technology to keep notes on?

    2,027 posts...kinda is a lot of posts ;)
    Oh half his life, a hand me down, wasted away
    Of he fills it up, with the love, of a girl...
  • hoopinmanhoopinman Posts: 294
    my point in talkin about a number of posts is, maybe the journalist had been there all day in the heat and wasnt all that into PJ(shocker with some of you people isnt it?) he made a silly mistake about a tagline in a song and referenced the wrong song. It was a MISTAKE....typos and errors are abound in magazines and newspapers......do you really have to find one silly mistake and berate the journalist about ETHICS???? Its not the reviewer's fault hes not nearly as big a fan as you with your 2027 posts. maybe he should be fired for reporting the wrong news.

    It was a good review...except for the mistake...which wasnt all THAT bad in the end, now is it?


    its not the end of the world people.
  • why are you people arguing over journalist's knowledge of PJ's tag history? do you have any idea how silly you sound right now?

    we should be talking about the greatest PJ show i ever witnessed. Fucking amazing. I'm completely sold on Bonnaroo, too. definately going next year
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,458
    hoopinman wrote:
    if thats the only mistake in an otherwise well written piece that praised a band's performance, then I think some of you guys are just being rude obnoxious fans, and I can see how some people think you are an elitist group


    No shit...what a weird thing to get upset over.
    hippiemom = goodness
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