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Individual song performances you will never forget

walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,613
edited June 2008 in The Porch
Kind of an odd topic, I know, but thinking back on all the PJ shows I have been to, most of the songs are just a blur in my mind at this point. Not to say I haven't enjoyed EVERY single song I have seen them perform...but the memory of most fades away over time so that I can't pinpoint the moment when I experienced it anymore.

That being said, there have been a handful of songs that were so brilliant/moving/unique etc. that I can recall them vividly in my mind as if it was just yesterday when I saw them.

If you're understanding what I'm saying, I'm curious to know what performances have stayed with you the most through the months/years/decades etc.

Here's mine:

1. In Hiding - Missoula '98 (this was my first PJ show; most of it is a blur now, but I recall being blown away by this song...the surge of emotion as Ed burst into the chorus...the swaying of the crowd as they were uplifted by Ed's voice...my first realization of how amazing this song is)

2. Masters of War - Bridge School 2003 (my first time hearing MOW live, and honestly, my first time hearing PJ doing the song, period. Wow. The song is so powerful that I was stunned.)

3. Release - Los Angeles I, 2006 (my favorite PJ song of all-time...my first time hearing it live...the goosebumps and tears welling up...from the moment the first chord struck and I recognized that they were about to pay Release, I was an emotional mess)

4. Arc - Eddie Solo, Los Angeles II, 2008 (fucking beautiful...not much more I can say...I can still picture Eddie in his lab coat as the song hit its climax)
Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
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Comments

  • TransplantedNewfTransplantedNewf Posts: 805
    Can't Keep (St. John's 05) - first song i ever heard live. I cried all the way through it.

    It's Okay tag (Gorge 06) - again, cried alllll the way though it. The heat, the camping, the place i was in my own life...all combined like that, it was prefect. I still tear up every time i hear it.
    <a href="http://www.last.fm/user/Krisdababe/?chartstyle=Krisdababe"><img src="http://imagegen.last.fm/Krisdababe/recenttracks/Krisdababe.gif&quot; border="0" /></a>

    "To is a preposition.
    Come is a verb"

  • Daniel QuinnDaniel Quinn Posts: 7
    I am pretty sure it was 9/11/98 - "Alive" at MSG...Ed climbed up the mic cord.
    With man gone, will there be hope for Gorilla?
  • zootownzootown Posts: 666
    I have to admit- Black still does it for me every time I hear it- that line "In somebody else sky, but why, why, WhYYY cant it be, why cant it be mine....." gives me chill and brings tears to my eyes....
    I hold the pain, release me!
  • firecrotch23firecrotch23 Posts: 586
    in hiding at the vic- hearing the boot still gives me goosebumps
    Small my table, seats just 3, its not crowded, its just lucky me
  • san pedrosan pedro Posts: 169
    "YOU ARE" from las vegas 2003. i hadn't gotten riot act yet so i hadn't heard the song yet. the groove and the light show was perfect. i had a nice buzz and was digging it. i remember a cute girl behind me said "your feelin' it". ; )
    "DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE THE GAME"
  • upina2001upina2001 Indiana Posts: 764
    red mosquito-Alpine 98---god, it whaled!!

    Gimme Some Truth-Deer Creek 03--insanely intense!!

    Sometimes-Toledo 96-First PJ ever heard live

    Toledo, Ohio (September 22, 1996), East Troy, Wisconsin (June 26, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 17, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 18, 2000), Cincinnati, Ohio (August 20, 2000), Columbus, Ohio (August 21, 2000), Nashville, Tennessee (April 18, 2003), Champaign, Illinois (April 23, 2003), Noblesville, Indiana (June 22, 2003), Chicago, Illinois (May 16, 2006), Chicago, Illinois (August 05, 2007), West Palm Beach, Florida (June 11, 2008), Tampa, Florida (June 12, 2008), Columbus, OH (May 06, 2010), Noblesville, Indiana (May 07, 2010), Wrigley Field (July 19, 2013), US Bank Arena (October 01, 2014), Lexington (April 26, 2016), Chicago Night 2 (August 20, 2018), Boston Night 1 (September 02, 2018), Nashville (September 16, 2022), St. Louis (September 18, 2022)

  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,158
    In Hiding - Vic

    Alive - SD 03 (1st time live)

    The entire Santa Barbara 03 concert
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • mensanemensane Posts: 912
    Daughter/It's O.K.- Virginia Beach 2000

    Alive- Seattle 2000

    memorable bookends for that tour.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    first song ever heard live - long road uniondale 2003

    first pre-set song every heard - dead man walking holmdel 2003

    first time hearing man of the hour live - boston I 2004 - magical!

    hearing oceans live - for the first/only time thus far - calgary 2005

    dedicated to my dad - man of the hour - milan 2006 - probably *the* most special song moment for me ever, live.....beautiful!
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • EddiesMuseEddiesMuse Posts: 389
    "Nothingman" Tampa 06/08 - I had been waiting FOREVER to hear that song. That was my "#1 PLEASE PLAY - HAVE TO HEAR BEFORE I DIE" song, and just about given up hope on hearing it live since they rarely play it. During the encore Ed says they are going to play two requests and Im thinking I know what my request would be - Nothingman. The song starts and I was thinking - THATS IT - NO IT CANT BE - ITS IT - NO ITS NOT then I realize its really NOTHINGMAN and I just cried my eyes out. It was so beautiful and I was directly in front of Ed on the 15th row - PURE HEAVEN!!
    Sometimes "Majority" just means all of the Fools are in Agreement.
  • release30release30 Posts: 2,051
    Faithfull at the WPB 08 show was just perfect.....
    Conversations getting dull
    There's a constant ringing in my ears
    Sense of humor's void and numb
    And I'm bored to tears.......
  • PJ_LukinPJ_Lukin Posts: 2,055
    mensane wrote:
    Daughter/It's O.K.- Virginia Beach 2000
    You saw that? Wow.

    Who could forget that. Amazing, 1st show after Denmark. I remember wondering if they were going to continue with the 2nd leg of the tour. I would have been a mess.
    ~!~ Peace ~!~ Love ~!~ Pearl Jam ~!~
  • markymark550markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,174
    Present Tense, Porch, and Yellow Ledbetter from the 2000 Charlotte show.

    In Hiding from the 2003 Charlotte show.

    Alive from the 2008 Columbia show.
  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    'Garden' - Lisbon II, 2006 - i will never, ever forget being in the crowd for this one. Hearing the whole crowd sing the first chorus in the higher tone as Ed sang in a lower tone was the most powerful thing i've ever heard. It comes through really nice on the bootleg, but it was so loud when i was there.

    'Release' - Verona, 2006 - There couldn't have been a more perfect way to open this show in a coliseum while it was pouring down with rain. We were feeling a bit fed up because we were wet and waiting for PJ to take the show, but everything felt perfect when i heard the opening notes. While not the best version in terms of Ed's vocals, it was still a powerful, wet performance!

    'Nothingman' - Nijmegen, 2007 - my joint-favourie song and how fitting that i finally heard it at my last show! The sun was going down, the crowd was very vocal and it was one of those moments where everything was in sync. I really wanted to cry after this one!

    'No More' - Nijmegen, 2007 - This is still the best version of this new-ish song, hands down. Ed's voice is so powerful, and the crowd response is ridiculously loud. Clapping along, singing so loud....this is THE definitive version of the song.
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • pjsteelerfanpjsteelerfan Maryland Posts: 9,903
    Sad in Reading 04- first time live
    Patriot- Voters For Choice show in DC 1998
    Begin the Begin- Ed with REM 2004- VFC in DC
    Long Road/Porch- AC night 1 in 2005
    Rocking in the Free World with Ace - AC night 2 2005
    ...got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul...
  • jeremyjeremy Posts: 409
    athens 2006-the whole show..i mean it..the whole f#$% show...

    katowice 2007-nothingman..AWESOME!
    ''walk the bridges before you burn them down...''
    and always remember ''it's no crime to escape!!!"
  • bernmodibernmodi Posts: 631
    Come Back - Berlin 2006
  • eyecanwalkeyecanwalk Posts: 711
    the last day of lollapolooza after p.j. set chris & matt walked by me & i stood on stage & watched temple of the dog do
    hunger strike &reach down just bad ass is all i can say
  • MarkerInTheSandMarkerInTheSand Posts: 191
    1. Release - Pittsburgh '06
    This was my second time seeing the band, but the first time in a headlining position. I was with two very close friends, one who was seeing Pearl Jam for the first time. I remember looking around the crowd and seeing everyone standing, singing, staring in awe. It was beautiful.

    2. In Hiding - The Vic '07

    3. Go - Pittsburgh '05
    First Pearl Jam song I ever saw live. The band was opening for the Rolling Stones, so I never expected them to open with such a hard rocker. But they came out and kicked me in the fucking head. The first time hearing Ed's scream and Mike shred in person. I listened to bootlegs and heard stories from friends who had seem them before, but nothing could prepare me for this.

    4. Education - The Vic '07
    After a chilling All or None, Ed dawned the sparkly blue guitar. I didn't know what to expect. Then, a quick drum beat by Matt, and "CHAAA!" Everyone started rockin, groovin and singing. Just awesome to see it live. When I went back to the hotel room, I told my friends "I really hope they play this again at Lolla guys, you gotta see it." And sure enough, the boys played it at Lolla too.

    5. State of Love and Trust - Pittsburgh '06
    Still the best version I've heard on any boot. So fuckin rock. By this point in the set, everyone was rocking. "Nothing! I'll do this one, myyyseeelllf. Ooooooooo oooo ooo myseeelfff. Mike! Help me!" SHREDDDDDDD SESSSSSION. I'm listening to the boot now ahhhhhhhh.

    I'm still recovering from the amazingness of Monday's show and haven't fully reflected on the night yet, so I didn't include any songs from there. I also have to mention Black from Pittsburgh '06, the "We Belong Together" tag gave me chills.
    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)
  • eyesnoeyeseyesnoeyes Posts: 50
    This is cool - brings back lots of great memories...

    Toronto - 93: Baba O'Riley - they were opening for Neil, playing Exhibition Stadium, and the sound of ~70,000 people singing the 'Don't Cry...' part was just earth-shattering

    Toronto - 96: Jeremy - The chanting at the end seemed to be circularly going around the arena, like a wave - it was deafening!

    Barrie 98 - Leatherman - I really dig this tune and I couldn't believe they played it. Me and my gf were the only ones around us that knew it and we just jumped up and down the whole time.

    Seattle II 2000 - Alive - Just the weight of that song after Roskilde and what all involved had endured. That was HEAVY

    Seattle II 2000 - The Kids are Alright - Eddie talking about the Teen Dance Ordinance made the song really relevant. And it was cool to rock out to a 'pop' song near the end of a really emotionally-charged show.

    Montreal 2003 - Alive. The chanting and fist pumping at the end going on around the whole arena was amazing. I had floor seats and I just spun around looking at the whole place and I distinctly remember thinking to myself 'when you look back on why you followed this band around - it was THIS right here'

    Benaroya 2003 - Lowlight - Thought I'd never see this song and it's one of my favorites. When I heard those first notes I knew that night was going to be really special.

    Benaroya 2003 - Black - When Ed handed over the 'I hope some day..' verse to the crowd and EVERYONE sang it back, it felt like a family event.

    Ottawa 2005 - Wash - After the day I'd had and the weather that day, starting the show with 'Oh please, let it rain today...' was so perfect. Also had some to the best seats I've ever had to a PJ show at that one.

    Toronto 2006 - Severed Hand - 'Holy Shit, LASERS?!!' Ha ha.

    Sorry for the long list - hope I can add a couple more at least with the MSGs (Breath perhaps?...)
    'She runs through my veins like a long, black river and rattles my cage like a thunderstorm...' R. Adams.
  • Red BurritoRed Burrito Posts: 479
    Breath & State of Love and Trust - Borgata II 2005 - Played back to back

    Betterman - Chicago 2003 - crowd was intense

    I Am a Patriot - Uniondale 2003 - Vedder's voice was spot on

    Oceans - Buffalo 1996 - Best opener & my first PJ song heard live

    I am sure there is more...
    the sorrow grows bigger, when the sorrow's denied
  • PJBuckeyePJBuckeye Posts: 1,102
    Red Burrito wrote:
    Betterman - Chicago 2003 - crowd was intense

    I second that!

    Also, Bonnaroo's Release. There is a thread out there that talks about release and people's relationships with their fathers. If you weren't there, listen to the boot, and you'll see what I am getting at.
    Chicago 6/29/98 - Nashville 8/17/00 - Cleveland 4/25/03- Chicago 6/18/03
    Chicago 5/16/06 - Milwaukee 6/30/06 - Bonnaroo 6/14/08 - Milwaukee (EV)8/19/08
    Chicago 8/23/09 - St. Louis 5/4/10 - East Troy 9/3/11 - East Troy 9/4/11
    Minor League Park 7/19/13 - Milwaukee 10-20-14 - Bonnaroo 6/11/16
    Minor League Park 8/20/16 - Minor League Park 8/22/16
    Minor League Park 8/18/18 - Minor League Park 8/20/18 - Los Angeles 4/16/20
  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,899
    Hard To Imagine The Vic, as well as just about every song
    Immortality Soldier Field
    Garden Chicago Stadium
  • satansbedbugssatansbedbugs On Tour Posts: 2,412
    bernmodi wrote:
    Come Back - Berlin 2006


    Hahahah...yeah right
    *Marker in the Sand Fanclub * HNIC

    Philly- 2005, 2013, 2016, 2024
    Camden 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2022, 2023
    Philly Spectrum 2009 x4 - We closed that MFER Down Proper
    Baltimore- 2024
    DC- 2006, 2008
    New York- 2008, 2010
    Boston - Fenway 2016 (night 2) , 2024 (night1)
    East Rutherford, New Jersey- 2006
    Chicago - Lollapalooza 2007
    Seattle- Gorge 2005
    EV Solo- DC x2, Baltimore x2 , Newark NJ x2,  Tower Theater x2 

    - Given To Fly
  • SomethingCreativeSomethingCreative Kazoo, MI Posts: 3,395
    Comatose - NW School Benefit show...first time ever played
    Low Light - Gorge 05
    Daughter/Its Ok - Gorge I '06
    Little Wing (Full Song) Gorge II '06
    Corduroy - Lolla (this version just kicks my ass for some reason)
    Hard to Imagine - Bonnaroo
    "Well, I think this band is incapable of sucking."
    -my dad after hearing Not for You for the first time on SNL .
  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    Baba vancouver 98 my first show. jaw dropping.

    crazy mary edmonton 05


    alive seattle 2000 II


    long road seattle groundwork 2001 - anybody wanna back me up on that. spinetingling, what a moment that was. look it up.


    seeing release in boston 06 night I - perfect.

    off the top of my head
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I+II, Vegas I+II '24
  • tharvey13tharvey13 Posts: 15
    Daughter/It's OK (Virginia Beach 2000)

    The boot does no justice to the emotion or the scenery that was there during that performance.

    Last Exit (Hershey 2003)

    "Let's Go, fuck this fucking chocolate factory" Need I say more.
  • RoeghmannRoeghmann Posts: 969
    Love Boat captain - Copenhagen ´07 the vibe was chillin´ I had goosebumbs all up my back, and it was followed by Love reign o´er me - amazing
    Run away my son. See it all. Oh see the world.
  • Sian-of-the-deadSian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    Probably predictable but meh, wotcha gonna do?! :p

    Reading 06 - Alive (cut me some slack, it was the first time i'd seen 'em!), Do The Evolution, Iron Man/Soon Forget and Better Man - oh how I cried for Better Man! :o

    Wembley 07 - Given To Fly, No More and RITFW :D
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    Go - Portland 93' : My first song, and first song other than Animal I'd heard off of Vs.

    Alive - Seattle 98' : Dude climbed the scaffolding in the middle of memorial stadium. That image is stuck in my head from the show.

    Crown of Thorns - Vegas 00' : Ten year reunion show, nuff said.

    Wash - Gorge 06' : Perfect Opener for a perfect weekend

    Daughter/It's OK - Gorge 06' : Great to finally hear it live
    NERDS!
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