ISO - Apollo 1 Ticket

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Too early? Too crazy? I figure why not. I'll be a good ticket partner. I live nowhere near NYC (do I drive in? Fly in? Come by carrier pigeon - I'm small). I have nothing to offer other than kindness and I'll spring for drinks. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one desperate to make this happen. I'm obviously one in a million and the only die hard fan on the forum. If you need me to seal the deal my preferred songs are Even Flow, Jeremy, Daughter, and Alive (on repeat please). I've been a fan since I heard Creed and needed a fix when they broke up and I found the band in an old Abercrombie Ad for grunge fashion trends. Maybe I'll bump my own post on daily basis with the rest of my story - after all, people need to know how my love of the band came to be that I named my daughter - Boom McCready. 

As fan for three months I endorse this ISO.....

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By starting the first ISO, I'm thinking I've greatly increased my chances. I'm also banking on all the karma I've built volunteering at soup kitchens, animal shelters, and electioneering for big oil....the last one is a clincher I'm sure. If it matters, my cat Gremmie thinks I deserve a chance to see the band play a four song set of James Taylor covers. 

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I'm not even sure you can be a plus one to this thing but if you can my wife thinks I'm a great plus one. You know, in the life kind of way. I vacuum daily, unload the dishwasher and do the laundry (although I'm not allowed to put the laundry away, I don't get it in the kids' right drawers). I mean it's hard to figure out where dresses, leggings and pants go. She has a system, so I give way to said system - some may call this a fault in my inability to adapt; I say I know where my strengths end and begin. How does this translate into a great concert buddy? No clue. But I like people. I don't smell. I'm pretty open to conversations of all ilks and I'm not one to argue when I don't dig said conversation (it's a lot of energy I'd just rather put towards life in general - kind of my life philosophy). Have a great day all. 

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Congrats to the day 1 winners! You are GOing (I'm awesome at puns, by awesome - I rock out dad jokes without shame). And no, I'm not trying to pry a ticket (yes the ISO still stands) but you've got to be stoked. The question is what kind of show does this venue get: hits and Gigaton? It'd still be awesome if that's it. But I do have a couple wishes for the tour: I love Alive but I'd love it even more if it were in random places in the set - the old war horses are better when they're not expected. There's something about the energy of a surprise song (like when they busted out black super early in 14) or Better Man at Wrigley in 16. It's fun. Then you wonder what's coming. I've gotta say my favorite part of the live show is the anticipation (I think that's universal) and when there's a loop like that you wonder where could it be next. Same Wrigley show in 16, Even Flow came out in the encore, when it's not slot 11 you're like okay, no Even Flow and then you get it and you love it more. There's the element I'll never give up. My biggest lesson as a fan is to quick worrying about the next song and enjoy the current song like say Lukin or Jeremy.

Good luck today, I'm here all February and March and crying in April until I get to St. L. 

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I've been lucky when it comes to seeing bands but I always pose this question in my head and to myself: What shows do you wish you could've attended but just wasn't meant to be? 
Pink Floyd "Animals" tour - they played a first set of "Animals" and a second set of "Wish You Were Here." They were well broken up before I was old enough to see them.
Led Zeppelin - 1977, "Achilles Last Stand" followed by "Stairway"! I can't imagine what this band was like at their peak. 
U2's Zoo TV tour, I saw them every tour afterwards until I called it quits after the Songs of Innocence Tour (and yeah, I'm an unabashed supporter of Pop) but Zoo TV just seemed so amazing, in every regard. Five just a few years too early for me. 
David Bowie - "A Reality Tour." Was this his best? Probably not. From everything I've read that goes to Ziggy Stardust tour and from what I've heard on live recordings it's Station to Station, but I came to the Bowie party late and constantly regret that this tour rolled into Chicago when I lived there and I didn't even blink at not going. I hold Bowie right there with Dylan as the greatest solo artist of all time. But in many ways Bowie seems a more accessible person. 
The Grateful Dead - 1977. Another band I was way way too late to game in and just love now. I love that it took 20 years to become a Dead Head. I think I thought of them as a gimmick and not the exceptionally talented musicians they were/are. 
Neil Young - Live Rust, 1978. It's the best of his soft and rocking and Crazy Horse. I need say nothing else. I have still yet to catch Crazy Horse and wonder if I'll ever get the chance.
Elton John and Billy Joel - two guys I'm a big fan of but alone not worth the price of admission but together I'd pay just about anything. I still kick myself for not going to Wrigley to see them a decade ago. 
I'm sure there's more and while Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town your always had a spot, I've seen The Boss so many times I can't complain about when I was born. The bands above I've missed entirely or only seen parts of, except for U2; they're an all time favorite but I've never had a moment at their show. It's always been "cool" but I was missing something. 

Oh yeah, ISO 1 for the Apollo.

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Yesterday, was the woe is me I couldn't see so and so....today are the shows I was lucky enough to get into. Apollo lucky? Not sure, you decide. But they are shows to hang my hat on.
During The Rolling Stones 40 Licks tour they did a club, arena and stadium - I somehow got a 50 dollar ticket to the club show in Chicago. I waited in line outside the Aragon for 8 hours and got 25 feet away. The show was fire. Rarities and blues standards with a random appearance by Bono. They didn't play any of their stalwarts but I did hear Tumbling Dice, Jumpin Jack Flash , Rocks Off, Rip this Joint, Honkey Tonk Woman and crazy versions of Bitch and Can't You Hear Me Knocking. 

A few years later Tom Petty decided to do a four night stand at the Vic, a venue in Chicago (aka where PJ played their 07 club show) and Petty deviated from his usual greatest hits and dug deep. Until I saw Petty doing the hits years later again, I didn't realize just how special this was. Being close was cool but watching the band play it off the cuff was a treat beyond words.

Radiohead gets two - I saw them in Hutchinson Field (Chicago) essentially where Lolla is but years before there was Lolla. I submitted for ticks and got shut out and somehow, tickets showed up at my house. I heard True Love Waits. I loved this show. But I then got to see them in an intimate setting some years later at the Auditorium Theater. Amazing shows. The first was my first show when living in Chicago - I remember that night so well. 

Soundgarden in the Vic was the last time I had my head bashed against the wall. The music was so aggressive, so good and I realized the power of Matt Cameron and just how good this band was. I liked Soundgarden before but I think love grew in that concert. I didn't think it would be the only time I could see them. I saw Chris at PJ20 but the raw power of Soundgarden was something to behold. 

I hope to see PJ in Apollo and have one more lucky show to talk about. But if I don't so it goes. 

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Something I've always wanted to know: What song does each band member love playing the most? Does Mike still really really really love that Even Flow solo as much as the band plays it up every show? Or is that just to sell the audience. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing solo but is it fun? Would Stone and Jeff play Smile every night, just to switch instruments? Would Eddie prefer a song he loves to sing or loves to play? Is there a song that never gets old because the crowd makes it awesome? As I've gotten older and had the same job for quite sometime it's hard to get up and do it every day. Sure they play to adoring fans but even that has to be hard some days (it's why I never care about covers, I bet it makes everything seem more entertaining). I know Eddie makes the setlists but how much of that is due to personal tastes of the moment like "You Are" getting unretired during the Euro 18 run (and reretired for the US 18 run), or "Low Light" going from never getting to played to one of the most often from Yield? Whenever I read interviews they never have insight into this artistic drive and to me it's what makes a band tick and continue to the thrive. Just my thought of the day. 

Good luck to Apollo seekers and if there's an extra.....

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I have to say, I can't remember a Pearl Jam single since "Given to Fly" that I've rolled more than "Dance of the Clairvoyants." I'm not saying that it beats "Nothing as it Seems" (St. Louis please), "I Am Mine," "World Wide Suicide," "The Fixer" or "Mind Your Manners" but there's something about this song and my anticipation for the album I can't quite place. It's not just new music coming, I've had a rabid anticipation for ever PJ album from Vitalogy on (fun fact, I learned music singles were released months ahead of the actual album because I went to look for this one a month early) - I remember knowing the exact date No Code was coming out and then trying to make sense of it. I stood in line for Binaural at my first midnight release (do these exist anymore? Too bad if they don't, such a cool experience). All that said, I'm ready to unpack Gigaton like I did those other albums. Not to knock Riot Act, Avocado Backspacer, or Lightning Bolt but there wasn't a sense of wonder in those albums that I'm vibing from this new one - it seems like it could have the kind of perplexing beauty of albums 3-5. If not, it doesn't matter. I just love listening and looking forward. 

I heard an extra ticket to the Apollo gets someone like 1,000 points towards a space in the Good Place. Just sayin.

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Lately I've been loving "Last Exit." I was pretty indifferent to the song forever but the lyrics just hit me the other day. I think the most fascinating aspect of the band is I rarely get sick of a song I loved. Sure I'll retire songs for a bit but I won't flat out loathe anything. "Hard to Imagine" is one that was fine and one day it popped, could be seeing it live in 09 but it's in the top ten at this point. Hell, it even inspired me to write a book (not a very good one and still very unpublished). I think that's the fun of being a huge fan of any band. I think of the Dylan and Springsteen songs that one day just jumped out of the speaker in a new way - I think part of it is living. You grow up and a Springsteen song like "Bobby Jean" means more once you've lived long enough to really understand nostalgia and regret. For that reason I think Vitalogy is one the band's most resonant records; it came out when I was 15 and I couldn't grapple with everything in those songs, I still can't but they make more sense. And I'm sure they will continue to do so. It's for this reason I'm glad I didn't love No Code for years - it didn't add up. It's also why I'm excited for Gigaton. 

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And week 2 for tickets begins....good luck all. What else makes this week easier to stomach? Well Last Week Tonight is back, so laughter is good again. I mean I love Trevor Noah, he's a teddy bear bed but John Oliver is that warm blanket on a cold night...laughter cures all - except pre-existing conditions or airborne influenza, well it cures mild depression for a few minutes and that's better than nothing. When the decade passed I looked at all the movies that came out in the past ten years and realized the comedy died this decade. Even the best just didn't do much for me, and I'm no comedy snob. I love Joe Dirt - bad comedy is great comedy. When Fist Fight made my top ten comedies of the decade I knew it was bad. I have a deep respect for excellent filmmaking, don't make a drama unless you're going to do it right. I love films. Boyhood, Hell or High Water, Inside Llewyn Davis, Tree of Life and Us (yeah, I'm the guy that liked it more than Get Out)....but comedies were awful. 

Enjoy the week folks. 

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I think the band should remove "Alive" as their song of the week and just toss in the Bee Gee's "Stayin Alive." Really mess with people. Nothing says Pearl Jam like disco! 
I know so many people have a favorite era of PJ; I'm that weird guy that says my favorite iteration is the current one. But I look back and see things that I wish the band would give another shot at. A few times in 2000, they closed the main set with "Parting Ways," or sometimes preceded it with "Black." Amazing. It's such a beautiful song and such a cool way to ebb us out of the main set. I usually see a consensus that 2000 are people's most favorite era and I can't argue with it, I just don't dig it as much but that is the tour that saw "Untitled" almost every third show. It's also the first tour (I've been to them all from Yield on) that I didn't hear the lead single - will I ever get "Nothing as it Seems?" 

I do love those shows from 2016, they got Lightning Bolt out of their system (which is a highly underrated album - seriously, I was thinking of that this morning but I digress) and they were doing sprawling and random setlists. Nothing was off limits. That tour spoiled us. This experimentation at an unprecedented rate started in 13 at Wrigley and carried on through until 2016 where they really just went off the map. I still stand by the setlist for Wrigley 2 is one of the most impressive shows I've ever seen put together. There's something exciting about hearing songs like "Footsteps," "Off He Goes," "Better Man" and "State of Love and Trust" so early, "Even Flow" so late. This isn't just cause I was there but more due to the fact that shows where you get stalwarts out of place is so cool - like when "Black" was showing up early in those Europe sets in 15. It really sets the tempo for a show that anything is fair game. I'm excited for 6-7 songs of Gigaton a show, that'll restructure things in an interesting way. And what will this tour's "Of the Girl," "Can't Keep," "Severed Hand," "Pendulum" be?

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Just saw a person on the board having to give up their ticks due to chemo - makes my daily post for an extra tick to a small show feeble. I think we all get hyped about a tour, a show, an album and we can forget the rest of the world at large unless it hits us in the face. Ironically, music is supposed to hit us with that; I think this band hits us with that...whether you like it or not we fell in love with this band for the music and the passion behind it. I can backtrack to Ten and reach the isolation I felt as a young man and all the sudden "Release," "Black" and "Oceans" showed me I wasn't alone. That kind of excavation has persisted to "Dance of the Clairvoyants," now I'm a father looking at my journey as well as what it might look like for my children. Pearl Jam is unique in that they're not a jam band, there's a message still burgeoning in our collective consciousness almost 30 years later. Think of how rare that is for any artist to sustain that momentum....
When I'm in Pearl Jam mode, I think of lucky I am to have hitched my wagon to this band, to be part of this community and continue to look forward to albums, shows, discussions....
Back to the real world and all those real world problems and all those people struggling with the unimaginable. Here's some good karma and good hope. 

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Morning Jammers, I've been running through some shows in 2013 and man I love that tour. My top shows to listen to 11 Buenos Aires, 13 Vancouver, 16 Tampa, 08 Bonnaroo, 09 Oerias (Fest show, super short but man it's awesome), 11 Rio, 16 Wrigley 2 (I was at that one), Gorge 05, Gorge 06 (Both nights)....I think these shows are highlights for me because the randomness of the setlists and overall flow of the show. I know people love album shows, and I'm sure they were amazing to attend but my favorite part of PJ is their unpredictability. You're pretty sure "Even Flow" will be the 11th song but when it's not, it's such a loop...that's an amazing thing. That southern loop they did in 16 was astonishing. I love album tours but there is something to be said about off tours where anything goes.That being said, this is the most excited I've been for an album tour since Yield. Again, I have zero evidence to back up that excitement just the feeling I've having. 

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I took a break from PJ yesterday and today for a new band Beach Bunny and their new album Honeymoon. It was fine. Sounds like 2000's indie pop - will I go back? Not sure. Then I dug back into Marin Morris' album -she's solid. I'm not gonna lie I love good country music - my wife turned me onto it. Over the years I've learned to never say never. Just this past year I got into a huge heavy metal phase and ended up listening to every Metallica album in order - so good. I have a profound appreciation for them now. When I started really listening to music as a kid (Pearl Jam and U2 were my gateway drugs), I found out who inspired them and went backwards. The albums available to me at the time weren't enough, so I had to get creative. And when you only have so much money you gotta be selective (Live Rust, Blood on the Tracks, Born to Run) come down the alleyway and you're in brand new territory. I think I found liberation in extending beyond MTV at that time and realizing music that I was kind of ashamed of (Born to Run) because adults listened to it while my friends were listening to Bone Thugs in Harmony, was exactly what I needed. I learned very quickly (thank you Vs.) there was life beyond radio single and greatest hits. 

Happy Friday.

SVRDhand13

I had to add a random comment so you don’t seem completely crazy talking to yourself 

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Very kind. It's kind of like my random music journal/thought of the day.

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It's come to my attention that I might be crazy, a thread all to myself. People are looking though. Not sure if they're reading. Maybe seeing what I can offer for a ticket. I don't believe I can offer anything for a free ticket. It's face value right? I mean I'd offer a poster as well, the line couldn't be that bad, it only holds 1500 people. Right? Right? I think the last time I stood in line for merch was 2011 and got a t shirt at PJ20. I have my two favorite posters St. Louis 98 and 2011 Night 1 Chicago Theater for Eddie. They're framed and the Munk One is signed but there hasn't been a poster I loved enough to frame since. I pretty much got rid of everything for vinyl trades last year. I just assumed I'd always have ticket stubs as my souvenirs...oh well. But yeah, I'd stand in line spring for a shirt and poster (if that's street legal). I'll keep conversation to a maximum or a minimum (depends on the person's preference). I can either act like I'm not there, or I can talk about anything. You could even give me a list of subjects that I'd be happy to brush up on if I'm not in the know. 

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Just saw a guy offering a sealed Benny for an Apollo tick....um take that offer. I'm offering calm, kind, fervent fan loyalty - some drinks and a poster. I don't know why I have such a hankering to get into this show, I've always tempered my expectations and been thankful when I hit the ticket lottery and when I didn't. As I've gotten older, I really just don't expect much about what I can or cannot do. I think that's what happens when you have kids, you pour everything into them and just know that you come second. When my students ask what I do it always sounds bland but I've become family oriented. Having kids at 36 was perfect for me, I got all my idiocy out of my system, now I love the simplicity of nothing. 

Good luck in the coming week. ISO - 1

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Entering Week 3 of call ins and how long until someone is offering their first born or pulling a Witcher law of surprise? Is this the most coveted ticket for a PJ show ever? I don't know how rabid the following for U2 and Springsteen were for similar shows; and I just don't know about the U2 fan base in general...I know they attend multiple shows but that's about it. Will this show be a regular show? A Gigaton preview with greatest hits? Are we all throwing ourselves on swords that are too dull to do the job? Now granted, just being in the building would be stellar; thus my desire to write every day in hopes of catching the eye of someone not looking for anything much....and they say - yes that. When Soundgarden was at the Vic I lucked into two tickets (no clue why I didn't look for a partner in here, I wasn't in the know) and no one wanted to go (big mistake). So I went to the venue and to look around for someone who wanted a ticket, just surprise someone and I took the first person I saw (I wish I took the second, the guy came from Australia for Lolla and deserved it more than the girl - that's my regret). I offered it for face, we went in together and parted ways. 

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Ever listened to James Brown Live at the Apollo? It's amazing. I thought of it this morning when I was watching Season 3 of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - where they go to the Apollo and it made me wonder: when did it open? 1913. Imagine the performances it's seen, the talent that's come through in that time? Think of the local talent that didn't have a home until the Apollo? And then how it became iconic....so much wonder in one place. I looked up the fact that Radio City Music Hall didn't open until 1932. Which begs the question: is the Apollo the most important and iconic performance venue in the U.S.? Meaning ever? 

andrew68

let's find this man an apollo +1 bump 

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Too kind. Too kind. A drink for you as well. After that Manhattan dinner, you deserve one. 

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So, I'm a writer by nature. I love narratives and putting words to "paper" to encapsulate an experience or an emotion. But as I've gotten older the stories don't come as easily. I find myself trying to write about anything - I tend to veer into music more than anything else. It's a safe place but I miss the narrative, the fiction that's always some kind of reflection of what I'm feeling or seeing. Sometimes it's an internal dare to look backwards, but never with nostalgia - a test of where I can go...can I still write a love story? I find myself writing about kids more now, just seeing my own grow up brings about different stories. I never want to be caught into writing about middle age malaise (which is totally a thing). I want something people want to read (even if it's rejected by lit mags over and over). But I've been in a drought, the stories just aren't coming as they used to. That's the bummer. Sometimes all it takes is an image, other times I have a first line and no idea what's next. And that's the fear and the beauty, a high wire act of no consequence. 

bootlegger10

andrew68 said:

let's find this man an apollo +1 bump 

I feel like he would just talk your ear off during the show.

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I can totally see how you'd say that. But in all honesty I talk all day at work that I'm pretty damn monastic in my habits outside of it - not vow of silence but I'm chill. I think I put this in a previous post....but hey I don't expect people to follow the entire manifesto (maybe not manifesto per se but more so stating my case). Bootlegger's got some nice stuff up on Lost Dogs - get this person some sales. 

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Parenting solo this weekend - never done it with two. The big upside is my wife can't tell me to turn off the music. I finally get to live a vinyl life for two days (in between children asking for things). Enjoy the weekend. Still ISO one tick. Has there ever been a tour harder to get tickets for? I'm not referring to this show but all the shows (except OKC) in general...

bootlegger10

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I can totally see how you'd say that. But in all honesty I talk all day at work that I'm pretty damn monastic in my habits outside of it - not vow of silence but I'm chill. I think I put this in a previous post....but hey I don't expect people to follow the entire manifesto (maybe not manifesto per se but more so stating my case). Bootlegger's got some nice stuff up on Lost Dogs - get this person some sales. 

THanks!  Hopefully you knew I was kidding.

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Of course.

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I saw this article about The Dead and Company and how they crafted a setlist. Pretty good stuff. The best was how Weir described the way him and Garcia did setlists. Check it out:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dead-co-bob-weir-john-mayer-parkland-shooting-958705/
I'm always fascinated with how bands create a live show, especially when it's a dynamic artist. 

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Welcome to Gigaton Month. Damn leap day made us wait one more day but I'm excited. I'm also excited about a little venue called The Apollo - a band has a gig there. I would gladly take an extra ticket off your hand today and pay you on Tuesday. 

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Week 3 of the contest - Good luck. If you're religious pray, if you're for slaughtering some cattle, give it a shot. Or you might rely on the Force, which you definitely need  with you. But just to make it clear we are at the point deep in the Star Wars timeline when Jedi are mostly extinct (Obi-Wan and Yoda are in exile) and like Apollo tickets, Jedi are as rare as hope of attending the show in New York. But in the darkest dark, hope may come.