I promise this will be an SHN Positivity post by the end:
So last Saturday I saw My Morning Jacket at Forest Hills. Let’s please not litigate how people feel about that band - for me, if you had asked me a year ago which bands I wanted to see after COVID, they would have been second on the list behind you know who. On Saturday, they were great: set list was better than I expected, and the band was objectively on fire.
But it just didn’t feel like I wanted it to. The vibes were all wrong. The venue was not full - the GA out seemed to be pretty much full though it’s hard to tell, and to say the stands were half full would be generous. And while I have no specific complaints about how the fans behaved - in fact, all of the folks in my immediate vicinity were great - it just somehow didn’t feel right.
There’s a very good chance that this was all in my own head, but that’s kind of my point. I bought those tickets back in May, two days before my second COVID shot. At the time, I was imagining what it would be like to rock out at a show with this pandemic firmly behind us. But it’s not, and that fact (plus the fact that it’s the fault of a specific group of my fellow Americans who are fucking assholes, though that is also a topic for a different thread) really prevented me from connecting with the show in the way I wanted to. It’s not that I’m personally afraid of getting sick - I’ve had my shots, the show was outside, and while I’m not naive I do believe that the vast majority of the NYC MMJ crowd has also had their shots - but I spent most of the show thinking about how disappointing the whole thing was.
Which naturally also made me think about the Main Event, the one I’ve been looking forward to above all others, one week later. Was I also set for disappointment in Asbury? Should I lower my expectations, or even maybe think about skipping it and waiting until I could really enjoy my first post-pandemic PJ show?
But, as much as I love the Jacket, for me Pearl Jam shows are in a different category. This show is not going to be a triumphant return after a pandemic. It’s going to be a show that happens in the shadow of a pandemic that’s still very much ongoing. But unlike any other band I know, PJ (and their fan base) has the ability to transcend that and deliver a show and an experience that will be an affirmation of life, joy and our common humanity despite the fact that we continue to live in a country and a whole that seems to be hopelessly fucked.
Last weekend I was not disappointed by a rock show - I was disappointed by the entire concept of seeing a rock show right now. But I believe that Pearl Jam is bigger than that, and I find that my anticipation for this weekend is not diminished at all.
Can't wait for Ohana. I'm meeting my friend from high school way back and who was also central to me getting into Pearl Jam (and all those other awesome albums from 1991) because he worked in a record store, along with a few other friends, and would pop in whatever CD had "buzz" around it. 5 disc changer that semester of college was: Nevermind, badmotorfinger, Gish, 10, and TOTD.
I've never been to Southern California, so just that alone adds a lot to the trip, and we have surfing lesson scheduled. I'm not sure how this will work for original Hoosiers, but we will see.
I understand people's trepidation regarding being in large groups with the Covids happening, but from a science standpoint, outdoor transmission is extremely low, and vaccinated people are less likely to spread it even if they do have it. Try to keep that in mind if you're having difficulty enjoying the moment. I've been to 3 outdoor live concerts recently (Primus, Modest Mouse, and DMB) and everyone was very much into it and it was like pre-Covid concert energy.
I promise this will be an SHN Positivity post by the end:
So last Saturday I saw My Morning Jacket at Forest Hills. Let’s please not litigate how people feel about that band - for me, if you had asked me a year ago which bands I wanted to see after COVID, they would have been second on the list behind you know who. On Saturday, they were great: set list was better than I expected, and the band was objectively on fire.
But it just didn’t feel like I wanted it to. The vibes were all wrong. The venue was not full - the GA out seemed to be pretty much full though it’s hard to tell, and to say the stands were half full would be generous. And while I have no specific complaints about how the fans behaved - in fact, all of the folks in my immediate vicinity were great - it just somehow didn’t feel right.
There’s a very good chance that this was all in my own head, but that’s kind of my point. I bought those tickets back in May, two days before my second COVID shot. At the time, I was imagining what it would be like to rock out at a show with this pandemic firmly behind us. But it’s not, and that fact (plus the fact that it’s the fault of a specific group of my fellow Americans who are fucking assholes, though that is also a topic for a different thread) really prevented me from connecting with the show in the way I wanted to. It’s not that I’m personally afraid of getting sick - I’ve had my shots, the show was outside, and while I’m not naive I do believe that the vast majority of the NYC MMJ crowd has also had their shots - but I spent most of the show thinking about how disappointing the whole thing was.
Which naturally also made me think about the Main Event, the one I’ve been looking forward to above all others, one week later. Was I also set for disappointment in Asbury? Should I lower my expectations, or even maybe think about skipping it and waiting until I could really enjoy my first post-pandemic PJ show?
But, as much as I love the Jacket, for me Pearl Jam shows are in a different category. This show is not going to be a triumphant return after a pandemic. It’s going to be a show that happens in the shadow of a pandemic that’s still very much ongoing. But unlike any other band I know, PJ (and their fan base) has the ability to transcend that and deliver a show and an experience that will be an affirmation of life, joy and our common humanity despite the fact that we continue to live in a country and a whole that seems to be hopelessly fucked.
Last weekend I was not disappointed by a rock show - I was disappointed by the entire concept of seeing a rock show right now. But I believe that Pearl Jam is bigger than that, and I find that my anticipation for this weekend is not diminished at all.
No harm in saying this at all - I feel the same way in a sense. I'm pumped for this weekend, but it's super disappointing knowing a few months back after the vaccine we'd have a shot at this thing being slowed down quite a bit. It'll be a blast, but with a tiny cloud over it, so to speak.
I was also there last weekend for MMJ but on Friday night - it was also half full at best in the stands and felt like the crowd was a bit "off" at some points - didn't feel like 2019. They rocked tho.
2003 Mansfield III 2004 Boston I 2006 Boston I 2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I 2010 Hartford 2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford 2016 Bonnaroo, Boston I, Boston II 2018 Boston I, Boston II 2021 Sea.Hear.Now 2022 Camden 2024 Boston I, Boston II
I'm going to first weekend alone... I'm a SoCal local... having a really rough time lately and was thinking about why I should go... but then realized it'll probably make me feel better if I do go. Have been too FF and Hella Mega so not worried about crowd, I'm triple vaxxed, but sometimes going alone to a fest is a lonely experience.. but it'll be good for what ails me I hope.
I'm going to first weekend alone... I'm a SoCal local... having a really rough time lately and was thinking about why I should go... but then realized it'll probably make me feel better if I do go. Have been too FF and Hella Mega so not worried about crowd, I'm triple vaxxed, but sometimes going alone to a fest is a lonely experience.. but it'll be good for what ails me I hope.
Music for sure can be the best medicine. I suffer from anxiety/Bipolar II, and know that even in my worst moments, it's been the music that has kept me through it. Couple this with all the isolation time from Covid + them not playing in a few years - I think you'll have a blast at the festival! I will be going solo to Sea....I feel like the emotional intensity of just being there hearing the best will make you feel great (even if it's fleeting lol)
2003 Mansfield III 2004 Boston I 2006 Boston I 2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I 2010 Hartford 2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford 2016 Bonnaroo, Boston I, Boston II 2018 Boston I, Boston II 2021 Sea.Hear.Now 2022 Camden 2024 Boston I, Boston II
I can't believe Ohana is almost here. I feel like we bought these tickets forever ago and finally get to experience this amazing lineup. Every day is stacked. There will be joy, singing, and lots of tears. I can't wait!
I'll be right there with you my friend. Went to see the Foos re-open MSG and surprised how emotional I was being with 18,000 fans after so long. Live music was the thing I missed the most during this fiasco. Can't imagine how I'm going to feel seeing my favorite band ever after a LONG 3 years...
Saw FF at MSG and the energy in the building was out of control. Also saw MMJ last weekend at forest hills (Saturday night) and although the stadium wasn’t filled the crowd in my section was great and the band was amazing. I cannot express in words just how excited I am to finally be seeing my all-time favorite band for the first time in more than 3 years and after everything that’s happened over the past 18 months. I don’t care at all what they play- just super, super excited to see them and to once again feel the amazing energy of a PJ crowd. Can’t wait to see you all there in less than 48 hours!!!
Comments
So last Saturday I saw My Morning Jacket at Forest Hills. Let’s please not litigate how people feel about that band - for me, if you had asked me a year ago which bands I wanted to see after COVID, they would have been second on the list behind you know who. On Saturday, they were great: set list was better than I expected, and the band was objectively on fire.
There’s a very good chance that this was all in my own head, but that’s kind of my point. I bought those tickets back in May, two days before my second COVID shot. At the time, I was imagining what it would be like to rock out at a show with this pandemic firmly behind us. But it’s not, and that fact (plus the fact that it’s the fault of a specific group of my fellow Americans who are fucking assholes, though that is also a topic for a different thread) really prevented me from connecting with the show in the way I wanted to. It’s not that I’m personally afraid of getting sick - I’ve had my shots, the show was outside, and while I’m not naive I do believe that the vast majority of the NYC MMJ crowd has also had their shots - but I spent most of the show thinking about how disappointing the whole thing was.
But, as much as I love the Jacket, for me Pearl Jam shows are in a different category. This show is not going to be a triumphant return after a pandemic. It’s going to be a show that happens in the shadow of a pandemic that’s still very much ongoing. But unlike any other band I know, PJ (and their fan base) has the ability to transcend that and deliver a show and an experience that will be an affirmation of life, joy and our common humanity despite the fact that we continue to live in a country and a whole that seems to be hopelessly fucked.
I was also there last weekend for MMJ but on Friday night - it was also half full at best in the stands and felt like the crowd was a bit "off" at some points - didn't feel like 2019. They rocked tho.
2004 Boston I
2006 Boston I
2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I
2010 Hartford
2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford
2016 Bonnaroo, Boston I, Boston II
2018 Boston I, Boston II
2021 Sea.Hear.Now
2022 Camden
2024 Boston I, Boston II
Enjoy the shows
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
LOOKING FOR A SINGLE TICKET TO MSG NIGHT 2
2004 Boston I
2006 Boston I
2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I
2010 Hartford
2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford
2016 Bonnaroo, Boston I, Boston II
2018 Boston I, Boston II
2021 Sea.Hear.Now
2022 Camden
2024 Boston I, Boston II
I'll be right there with you my friend. Went to see the Foos re-open MSG and surprised how emotional I was being with 18,000 fans after so long. Live music was the thing I missed the most during this fiasco. Can't imagine how I'm going to feel seeing my favorite band ever after a LONG 3 years...
I've already told my friend coming with me tonight that there's a pretty good chance I cry from happiness. I'm not even ashamed.