Philadelphia Halloween 2009 - Spectrum Closing Show

Ryan

Night 3 and night 1 were the best shows of this run.

annabellaqueen

Went to the show on the 27th, Eddie said they were going to try to play all their songs at the four-show run so I splurged and bought Halloween ebay tix for $150 apiece (bargain!) the next day. We went in costume and tailgated while a Sixers or Flyers game was going on at the Wells Fargo Center. In the parking lot drinking beers with people we just met, my wife -- dressed up as Elmo -- gets physically lifted up and hugged by two dudes wearing Bert and Ernie costumes. Think we still have the photo of her laughing with a soft pretzel in her hand and being held up by Bert and Ernie. Walking down Pattison Ave. to pick up the tix at the Holiday Inn the security guard at Citizen Bank Park shouts out to me and anyone in the vicinity. ("GET YOUR MIDDLE FINGERS READY, HERE THEY COME, HERE COME THE YANKEES, GET YOUR MIDDLE FINGERS READY!!!")

It was so freaking hot inside the building, packed to the rafters, we ditched our costumes like three songs in. They bring out one of the Spectrum's oldest employees and he gets a rousing ovation. It was a really sweet moment. (Eddie would bring this man out again when he played a solo show at Tower Theatre in Upper Darby a year or two later.) The Spectrum is where I saw my first rock show as a 15-year-old, so it was cool to see the final show there. That said, you were taking your life in your hands going to the bathroom. You actually had to walk down stairs off the concourse to reach the bathrooms and the steps seemed to be smeared with Crisco (or worse). As far as concerts, though, great venue, right on top of the stage. Wells Fargo is nowhere near that intimate. If you're in the upper deck at WF, it feels miles away from the stage. They've torn down a lot of these cool old arenas, but to me the XL Center in Hartford (built in '75) almost has that type of closer, intimate feel. Would love to know how much confetti they shot off that night, it just went on forever. We walk outside the Spectrum to fireworks after Chooch Ruiz hits a ninth-inning home run for the Phillies, but it wasn't enough. So the concert and WS game let out at roughly the same time. Sat in our car in the parking lot unable to move for like 90 minutes. We should have brought more beers. Amazing, amazing show and experience. 

RS65573

Awesome write up. Spot on about the XL Center.

Sobelberg8

Yeah the XL Center is definitely one of the last of a dying breed type arenas, I've been going there for years and besides them widening the concourse the actual arena feels unchanged. Just a simple 3 tier set up where if you were sitting in the 200s for an MSG it would feel like the 100s section at XL. The Buffalo arena (they change the name every damn year, I know it as First Niagra or HBSC) has a similar feel to it. 

That was indeed a good write up and I'd love to use that in our episode. Those are the kind of stories we're looking for - something that really paints the picture of the entire experience. The Yankee bus story had me cracking up and your wife running into Bert and Ernie was great too.

RS65573

Yeah go dig up that picture!

dankind

SJD3232 said:

why not check out the fanviews:  http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/116752/philadelphia-4-fanviews-here-10-31-09/p1

I think that thread goes into pages of Internet tough guys offering to beat up some dickhead who stole an Eddie Vedder wine bottle souvenir from a woman after the show. But if you're looking for all angles for your podcast, even the crappy stuff that happens at shows, then that might be a good story, too.

2-feign-reluctance

BAAAAAAAAARFFFFF!! Had tickets to the 31st, refunded them almost immediately due to terrible, temporary phobia of flying.

a5pj

I never heard about everyone getting sick at these shows, my group didn't get it.
Great shows, exhausting run

demetrios

a5pj said:

I never heard about everyone getting sick at these shows, my group didn't get it.
Great shows, exhausting run

I was at all 4 shows. I got the sickness when I got home November 1st. 

jjflash

annabellaqueen said:

Went to the show on the 27th, Eddie said they were going to try to play all their songs at the four-show run so I splurged and bought Halloween ebay tix for $150 apiece (bargain!) the next day. We went in costume and tailgated while a Sixers or Flyers game was going on at the Wells Fargo Center. In the parking lot drinking beers with people we just met, my wife -- dressed up as Elmo -- gets physically lifted up and hugged by two dudes wearing Bert and Ernie costumes. Think we still have the photo of her laughing with a soft pretzel in her hand and being held up by Bert and Ernie. Walking down Pattison Ave. to pick up the tix at the Holiday Inn the security guard at Citizen Bank Park shouts out to me and anyone in the vicinity. ("GET YOUR MIDDLE FINGERS READY, HERE THEY COME, HERE COME THE YANKEES, GET YOUR MIDDLE FINGERS READY!!!")

It was so freaking hot inside the building, packed to the rafters, we ditched our costumes like three songs in. They bring out one of the Spectrum's oldest employees and he gets a rousing ovation. It was a really sweet moment. (Eddie would bring this man out again when he played a solo show at Tower Theatre in Upper Darby a year or two later.) The Spectrum is where I saw my first rock show as a 15-year-old, so it was cool to see the final show there. That said, you were taking your life in your hands going to the bathroom. You actually had to walk down stairs off the concourse to reach the bathrooms and the steps seemed to be smeared with Crisco (or worse). As far as concerts, though, great venue, right on top of the stage. Wells Fargo is nowhere near that intimate. If you're in the upper deck at WF, it feels miles away from the stage. They've torn down a lot of these cool old arenas, but to me the XL Center in Hartford (built in '75) almost has that type of closer, intimate feel. Would love to know how much confetti they shot off that night, it just went on forever. We walk outside the Spectrum to fireworks after Chooch Ruiz hits a ninth-inning home run for the Phillies, but it wasn't enough. So the concert and WS game let out at roughly the same time. Sat in our car in the parking lot unable to move for like 90 minutes. We should have brought more beers. Amazing, amazing show and experience. 

Good story, thanks for sharing

dankind

a5pj said:

I never heard about everyone getting sick at these shows, my group didn't get it.
Great shows, exhausting run

lolobugg

dankind said:

a5pj said:

I never heard about everyone getting sick at these shows, my group didn't get it.
Great shows, exhausting run

that fucker probably started the swine flu

barkley987

B U G S  ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT!

dankind

barkley987 said:

B U G S  ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT!

It took some encouragement.

RS65573

I just went back and looked at all my pictures from these shows. I cant believe it was 9 years ago. Amazing times.
Mikes pick from the 31st is one of my prized possessions.

Honestly, its been a shit 9 years...both my mother in law and dad died of cancer too young. This is one of those moments in life id give anything in the world to go back to.

mcgruff10

I still think night 3 was better than night 4.  Night three was that fucking good and I was in the rafters. Night four I was 7 or 8 rows in front of stone on the floor. 

RS65573

3>4>1>2 In my opinion. 8-10th row each night.

pjhawks

For the closing show I took my older brother to his 1st PJ show. he had been a Flyers season ticket holder at the Spectrum at one time and had probably seen over 200 concerts at the Spectrum in his day.  I knew he had to be there for the closing night and as soon as I heard PJ was closing it out he was the one who I was going to take with my 10C tickets.  It was a great night to share with him.  Was a really good show but the atmosphere and the moment was almost bigger than the show for us locals. Especially with the World Series next door.   I have been down in the complex for many events and other than Championship parades have never seen so many people down there at one time.   It was and electric evening.   And agree with annabellaqueen above. Wells Fargo lot was insane trying to get out of that night. I think it took over and hour to exit it.  

As for the show highlights of that night of course was the opening with Eddie and the Boxing gloves during Why Go and of course the ending with the confetti and Rocking in the Free World.  Also loved the versions of Amongst the Waves, Inside Job and of course Bugs that night.  

on2legs

Devo!!!!!!!!

JH59748

I had Ten Club tickets but me and my buddy decided not to drive down from boston day of show. We thought because world series was going on next door it would be a mess of traffic to get there.What a bad decision we made still regret it.