2020 Tour Rumor Thread

Zod

rummy said:

If they keep going for ball park shows, places like Portland and Vancouver are in trouble. Bummer.

Maybe.  It depends on the size of the tour.  If the tours small then yah, I think we're in trouble.  They'd most likely continue to focus on bigger markets with bigger venues they can sell out.

If they do a bigger tour to support a new album, I could see it be a mix of Stadiums and Arenas.    I think PJ's popularity is hard to judge because of how few shows they play.  So many people travel just to see them. The more dates they play, the less people have to travel, and the less demand there could be for some markets. 

It makes sense to play Stadiums in the big markets and maybe the home shows.   If they're going to play more than the mega big cities then they'll have to mix in Arenas.

PJ rarely ignores Vancouver anyways, as it's so close to Seattle.  '98,'00,'03,'05,'09,'11,'13, and Pemberton in '16. 

JimmyV

The thing about the ballparks - particularly Fenway and Wrigley - is that they are in demand. A lot of bands want those paydays and there are only so many slots in the MLB calendar for concerts. Pearl Jam can't just decide to play these places every year or every other year. The venues need to want them over whoever else.

CW55354

At least at the ballparks, virtually every 10club member that wanted a ticket got one, excluding the few that wanted GA only. Opting not to go to a stadium is still your option. Putting in for multiple shows and getting shutout sucks.  In a lot of smaller venues, it seems Pearl Jam is losing the fight to guarantee us the best seats. With the ballparks, they can offer a ton more to us. 

Father Hubbard

CW55354 said:

At least at the ballparks, virtually every 10club member that wanted a ticket got one, excluding the few that wanted GA only. Opting not to go to a stadium is still your option. Putting in for multiple shows and getting shutout sucks.  In a lot of smaller venues, it seems Pearl Jam is losing the fight to guarantee us the best seats. With the ballparks, they can offer a ton more to us. 

Good point

mcgruff10

CW55354 said:

At least at the ballparks, virtually every 10club member that wanted a ticket got one, excluding the few that wanted GA only. Opting not to go to a stadium is still your option. Putting in for multiple shows and getting shutout sucks.  In a lot of smaller venues, it seems Pearl Jam is losing the fight to guarantee us the best seats. With the ballparks, they can offer a ton more to us. 

True but some of the 10c seats were really really far away from the stage.  Bring back arenas and amphitheaters.

CantKeepmedown

The thing about the ballpark is you have to resign yourself that unless you're in the front middle section, you're going to be looking at screens all night (or an obstructed view, lol). There's just not a lot of good views.  I've never had issue with the sound in the 4 that I've been to, but I've also been on the field 3 times and the RF roof deck the other.  And as CW55354 said, chances of getting a ticket are very good. With arenas, not as much. 

Arenas, though, you can be in the balcony and still feel like it's rather intimate, in a way.  I'd like to go back to that this time around.   

PB11041

mcgruff10 said:

CW55354 said:

At least at the ballparks, virtually every 10club member that wanted a ticket got one, excluding the few that wanted GA only. Opting not to go to a stadium is still your option. Putting in for multiple shows and getting shutout sucks.  In a lot of smaller venues, it seems Pearl Jam is losing the fight to guarantee us the best seats. With the ballparks, they can offer a ton more to us. 

True but some of the 10c seats were really really far away from the stage.  Bring back arenas and amphitheaters.

Agreed.  Just do a real tour like most bands do.   Don't necessarily need to play 60-70 shows like 1998, 2000 and 2003, but even you know, 20-25 summer dates at sheds would be a nice change of pace.

JimmyV

Sheds in the sticks are a pain in the ass, but a few dozen summer dates no matter where they are would be the best case scenario for 2020. IMO. 

bbiggs

JimmyV said:

The thing about the ballparks - particularly Fenway and Wrigley - is that they are in demand. A lot of bands want those paydays and there are only so many slots in the MLB calendar for concerts. Pearl Jam can't just decide to play these places every year or every other year. The venues need to want them over whoever else.

In Wrigley’s case, they do want them over anyone else. Ed is tight with the whole organization. I suspect he gets first dibs. 

bbiggs

mcgruff10 said:

CW55354 said:

At least at the ballparks, virtually every 10club member that wanted a ticket got one, excluding the few that wanted GA only. Opting not to go to a stadium is still your option. Putting in for multiple shows and getting shutout sucks.  In a lot of smaller venues, it seems Pearl Jam is losing the fight to guarantee us the best seats. With the ballparks, they can offer a ton more to us. 

True but some of the 10c seats were really really far away from the stage.  Bring back arenas and amphitheaters.

Yep. Maybe if we say it enough times it will come true. 

JimmyV

bbiggs said:

JimmyV said:

The thing about the ballparks - particularly Fenway and Wrigley - is that they are in demand. A lot of bands want those paydays and there are only so many slots in the MLB calendar for concerts. Pearl Jam can't just decide to play these places every year or every other year. The venues need to want them over whoever else.

In Wrigley’s case, they do want them over anyone else. Ed is tight with the whole organization. I suspect he gets first dibs. 

That those DJ's were so certain did make me wonder if the band and Wrigley signed a multiyear agreement. 2016, 2018, 2020...something like that. Big paydays that are already planned for next year might add a little more sense to the decision not to play at all this year. 

kaw753

I went to one of the Fenway shows in 2016. It was fun. Anymore baseball stadium shows at this point are the band milking fans for money by playing places with terrible sight lines and sound so they can cram in another 20000. These amphitheaters were built for a reason. 

wbutler29

JimmyV said:

The thing about the ballparks - particularly Fenway and Wrigley - is that they are in demand. A lot of bands want those paydays and there are only so many slots in the MLB calendar for concerts. Pearl Jam can't just decide to play these places every year or every other year. The venues need to want them over whoever else.

Fair points, but few factors to coinsider: Theo, Existing Red Sox relationship, and 5 of the top 10 fastest sellouts in Wrigley history.  I think PJ has 1st right of refusal every year for Chicago and Boston

JimmyV

wbutler29 said:

JimmyV said:

The thing about the ballparks - particularly Fenway and Wrigley - is that they are in demand. A lot of bands want those paydays and there are only so many slots in the MLB calendar for concerts. Pearl Jam can't just decide to play these places every year or every other year. The venues need to want them over whoever else.

Fair points, but few factors to coinsider: Theo, Existing Red Sox relationship, and 5 of the top 10 fastest sellouts in Wrigley history.  I think PJ has 1st right of refusal every year for Chicago and Boston

Certainly possible.

pjsteelerfan

Just be nice if they did ball parks in other areas of the country. Do something different. Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore, Atlanta.  

JimmyV

pjsteelerfan said:

Just be nice if they did ball parks in other areas of the country. Do something different. Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore, Atlanta.  

Camden Yards might be nice but random ballparks around the country is when the ballpark thing would jump the shark for me. 

JojoRice

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters, etc.....Doesn't matter to me.  Just bring on the tour!  and album

PB11041

kaw753 said:

I went to one of the Fenway shows in 2016. It was fun. Anymore baseball stadium shows at this point are the band milking fans for money by playing places with terrible sight lines and sound so they can cram in another 20000. These amphitheaters were built for a reason. 

Sitelines can definitely be an issue.  I was at Fenway night 2 in 2016, it was as good as I have heard pearl jams sound, night 2 in 2018 did sound a little wonky and washed out, 2016 I was A5(?) and 2018 was B7(?) further off to the left on the infield.  Sound can bounce funny in spots. Some venues sound great, others acoustics are just awful.  Fenway's to me were really good, but I can see where it can be a struggle.

KN219077

Get rid of the ballpark shows and play Gorge, Red Rocks, Alpine instead.

HughFreakingDillon

all the people wanting no more ballpark shows are forgetting how hard it can be to get tickets for this band in smaller venues. believe me, I don't want ballpark shows either, but if it's the only way I get to see them, so be it.