Completely addicted to the bootlegs, can't decide which year/tour I like most

Take-Exit-3

I've been listening to the bootlegs obsessively for the past three months now (mostly from 2000 on) and I can't seem to decide on a favorite year as far as sound quality, energy, setlists, etc. But I'm currently running through the 2006 ones and I find that they are hard to beat in terms of bands sound and positive energy. They seemed to have been on the top of their game after releasing their self titled album. I love the heavy jams of Porch. The "Woo" after the last verse of Go that Eddie belts out.  As far as favorites though, for me, it's hard to beat 2000 and 2003 (I love riot act). And a least favorite might be 2008. I thought I would be burnt out on listening to nothing but live pearl jam by now but it hasn't happened yet. Just wanted to share my enthusiasm for this amazing band. There are new albums out by other bands that I want to hear but I'm like "nope, can't mess up my PJ groove." Does anyone else do this? Anyway, I'd love to hear if you guys have a favorite or least favorite year/tour and why.

CP218430

I'm probably in the minority here but I love the 13-16 years. This is when things got really interesting. Sprawling sets. Slow burn openings. Random songs buried for years. Sure, lots of sloppy shows but Euro 2000 was sloppy. I need to give 05 more love. 

SPEEDY MCCREADY

1994

Pearl Jam was young

I was young

Life was easier

And THEY ROCKED!!!!!

PJWGIII

2003 wins as far as boots. Not even close IMO. They were my first PJ Official Bootleg experience so I’m kinda biased, but still....

Zod

I really like '05.   Starting with the Gorge and never letting up.   Great shows in Canada and South America that year. 

If I can count pre-bootleg era's, probably the '98 tour.  We got Lo2L, plus the melbourne boot, the seattle II boot, and I think 1 or two others leaked (mansfield, st. louis)?  That tour had so much magic because it was their first proper big tour since they pulled back.   Alot of peoples 1st shows were that tour, and the energy was off the charts.

Big Bank Hank

My favorites are 2003-2005 they were really in their sweet spot, Ed's voice sounded awesome & they played a lot of awesome cities.

HesCalledDyer

Have to go with the '03 & '05 tours as well.  Something about the sound quality on those boots puts them above all the others, plus the band was on freakin point!

IlliniOne82

I've been collecting these at a rapid pace since earlier this year when we bought tickets for Wrigley, my first show.  I think I'm up to 55 or so and have listened to all but a few of them.  Most of them are more recent shows but it sounds like I need to go back and get more from the early 2000's.  I have most of the "classic" shows like State College, the 03 Boston shows, and the 09 Spectrum shows.  I have my free download code to use from Ten Club so any suggestions?

Brisk.

Band at their peak was 2000 or possible 2003.

HesCalledDyer

IlliniOne82 said:

I've been collecting these at a rapid pace since earlier this year when we bought tickets for Wrigley, my first show.  I think I'm up to 55 or so and have listened to all but a few of them.  Most of them are more recent shows but it sounds like I need to go back and get more from the early 2000's.  I have most of the "classic" shows like State College, the 03 Boston shows, and the 09 Spectrum shows.  I have my free download code to use from Ten Club so any suggestions?

If you don't already have Katowice 6-16-00, grab it!

Ledbetterman10

1998

IlliniOne82

HesCalledDyer said:

IlliniOne82 said:

I've been collecting these at a rapid pace since earlier this year when we bought tickets for Wrigley, my first show.  I think I'm up to 55 or so and have listened to all but a few of them.  Most of them are more recent shows but it sounds like I need to go back and get more from the early 2000's.  I have most of the "classic" shows like State College, the 03 Boston shows, and the 09 Spectrum shows.  I have my free download code to use from Ten Club so any suggestions?

If you don't already have Katowice 6-16-00, grab it!

This one it is then.  Thanks!

Big Bank Hank

HesCalledDyer said:

Have to go with the '03 & '05 tours as well.  Something about the sound quality on those boots puts them above all the others, plus the band was on freakin point!

even the 2004 VFC unofficial boots sound awesome, hope the band releases them someday!

Kearn5y

Any south american tour along with canada 05 are the best. Currently going through the 2016 usa tour.

rafo

Big Bank Hank said:

HesCalledDyer said:

Have to go with the '03 & '05 tours as well.  Something about the sound quality on those boots puts them above all the others, plus the band was on freakin point!

even the 2004 VFC unofficial boots sound awesome, hope the band releases them someday!

which is the best in terms of sound??...

JH6056

Ledbetterman10 said:

1998

That's my vote too, that was just a favorite tour year for so many reasons. But I actually have no idea of how the boots from that year sound, so I don't know about sound quality and all.  I just know they were fantastic shows!

23scidoo

1998
2013 - 2018

leep75

I'm partial to the 2000 and 2003 official boots, however the 95-98 audience taped shows are spectacular.  A lot of great DVDs in there as well!

RoleModelsinBlood31

OP here’s a link to another thread from with an old poll:

http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/268578/the-not-so-official-bootleg-poll-your-favorite-pj-bootleg-year/p1

As as far as I’m concerned and I have them all now in one form or another, my issue with 2003 is Ed’s voice is fcking shot.  At least in the beginning.  Dude sounds pretty bad I’m a lot of the shows.

2005/2006 are probably my favorite these days, more 2006, but I’m also partial to 2013-2016... those years are straight phenomenal as far as sound and performance goes. 

Take-Exit-3

RoleModelsinBlood31 said:

OP here’s a link to another thread from with an old poll:

http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/268578/the-not-so-official-bootleg-poll-your-favorite-pj-bootleg-year/p1

As as far as I’m concerned and I have them all now in one form or another, my issue with 2003 is Ed’s voice is fcking shot.  At least in the beginning.  Dude sounds pretty bad I’m a lot of the shows.

2005/2006 are probably my favorite these days, more 2006, but I’m also partial to 2013-2016... those years are straight phenomenal as far as sound and performance goes. 

I am partial to 2013-2016 as well. In my opinion, Hartford 2013 and Leeds 2014 are two of the all-time greatest! McCready's guitar solo in Immortality (from the Hartford show) gives me goosebumps every time.  

Big Bank Hank

rafo said:

Big Bank Hank said:

HesCalledDyer said:

Have to go with the '03 & '05 tours as well.  Something about the sound quality on those boots puts them above all the others, plus the band was on freakin point!

even the 2004 VFC unofficial boots sound awesome, hope the band releases them someday!

which is the best in terms of sound??...

I really like them all, here you go, you can check out all of the 2004 shows for yourself
https://www.pearljambootlegs.org/modules/jinzora2/index.php?nuCU0sannA===ZpZllg==&ext.html

PB11041

Tours in order of magnitude of awesomeness of show performances
2003
2005
1992 (particularly Europe)
1995
2000
1996 (particularly Europe)
1993-94
2009
2006
1998
2013
2014
2016

2-feign-reluctance

2005 and 2016 are my favorites lately.

ForceofNature101

2006 is a great year for Eddie's voice, I have been listening to that year often lately between the shows at the Gorge, Santa Barbara, and the Imagine in Cornice DVD

And honestly the shows the last few years have been amazing.  They have done so many cool things between all the full albums they played in sequence live and the sheer variety of the performances.  2013 onwards is a great time for the band and it is awesome that we are still in that era of live amazingness

In terms of raw power I am a big fan of the 1994 and 1998 tours as well. 

rummy

Oddly enough, my two favourite years are PB11041 said:

Tours in order of magnitude of awesomeness of show performances
2003
2005
1992 (particularly Europe)
1995
2000
1996 (particularly Europe)
1993-94
2009
2006
1998
2013
2014
2016

Oddly enough, my two favourite years are two you didn't include - 2011 and 2012. Not a ton of them from those two years but there are many great performances. I might be a bit bias too as it was these two years when I really started to get into the band.

rummy

I appreciate/agree with the 1995, '96, and '98 choices but there are too few ((compared to 2000 and beyond) high quality ones for me to put those years in the running.

cp3iverson

98-03 peak live PJ

RoleModelsinBlood31

2005 & 2006 homemade bootleg porn:

mcgruff10

95-98 are my favorite bootlegs. 

Wobbie

HesCalledDyer said:

IlliniOne82 said:

I've been collecting these at a rapid pace since earlier this year when we bought tickets for Wrigley, my first show.  I think I'm up to 55 or so and have listened to all but a few of them.  Most of them are more recent shows but it sounds like I need to go back and get more from the early 2000's.  I have most of the "classic" shows like State College, the 03 Boston shows, and the 09 Spectrum shows.  I have my free download code to use from Ten Club so any suggestions?

If you don't already have Katowice 6-16-00, grab it!

if that’s the one with the sparse crowd, we agree!

probably my favorite boot of all time.

HesCalledDyer

RoleModelsinBlood31 said:

2005 & 2006 homemade bootleg porn:

B-E-A-Utiful!