The elephant in the room....Covid and these Pearl Jam shows

GlowGirl

biz999 said:

lmckenney24 said:

They were thorough when checking proof of vax and ID's for folks going in before me that I could see. It was not rushed, but I can't speak for every single person.

I was packed in a sea of people relatively close as I could be to the stage like I was pre-covid. I've also been to several GA shows in the last few months, so my comfort level was fine (was before my first show back as well though).

Personally, I did just say fuck it and have been that way since I've been vaxed. Don't feel any regret about it. The vax works, and I think that is pretty well proven at this point with all the shows that have taken place, and 100,000+ in college football stadium's. All this is happening without significant issues that would put a stop to all this.

Not everyone will feel the same level of comfort, and that is perfectly OK. 

How was mask usage? I'm thinking I'm comfortable enough, but would still wear a mask in crowds.

At SHN, I only saw a few people wearing masks. Most were not. I did not wear a mask and did not stress at all during the show. After the show, I had a few "what have I done moments" after I got back to the hotel, but it passed. I had already been to both Foo Fighters shows (at MSG, and Coney Island) and got those concert jitters out of the way then. Luckily, so far I am feeling great.

static111

elwayvedder said:

Great question/post OP.
i'm fully vaccinated and still got the variant last month.  Scares me that we may not have live music in the future as the variant seems to dominate even those that are vaccinated eventually.  i hope they encourage the booster shots to everyone.  It was great watching social media this weekend and seeing everyone have fun being together again up in North Jersey with our band. I just fear that many will still get sick. Fortunately for me and my family, after 3-4 days of severe flu like symptoms, the next week were more or less of an inconvenience and a light flu or a big cold.  I also saved a ton of $ as my wife hasn't been able to taste now for a month meaning 7 bottles of wine she's not making me buy her each week LOL.
I think in the end we just have to accept that being vaccinated can still mean getting sick but hopefully not hospitalized and we have to start living again understanding we are probably going to get sick

The bold is pretty much where I am at these days.  Would love to see a PJ show again and would not be thinking of the delta variant at all.

cutz

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Well,30,000 of you folks showed up in Jersey and rocked out to Pearl Jam. Pretty sure that's the 1st time any of you have gathered in a setting like that in quite some time.

For the folks who were a the show, did you feel safe? Did you even attempt to somewhat distance? Did you say fuck it, and get as close to the stage as possible? Were the folks checking vaccine cards doing there jobs, thoroughly checking cards and matching ID'S? Or were they just glancing and letting you in? I would be willing to guess that only 1% of you folks were wearing a mask.

I realize everyone there was vaccinated, or had a negative covid test, but personally I am not quite sure I am ready to put myself in that situation.

For those who were there. Did you just say fuck the delta variant, I'm vaccinated, covid wont kill me, I am going on with my life. 4 days later are you still ok with your decision to go to the show? Did any of you wake up the next day and maybe feel a little, I don't know, maybe regret?, for putting yourself in a mass crowd of 30,000 people?

I felt safe as I could be as I hung WAY in the back of the crowd and didn't have anyone closer then 20 feet or so. So yeah, I attempted to distance. I didn't walk in until about 7:50.

Even during Normal times I wouldn't get up close to the stage, since I was in my early 20's. And since then I haven't gone to where a BIG crowd of over 30,000 in decades. I had enough of that shit by then>HA

I walked in when it was dark and the guy had NO flashlight so he could not see the details of my Vax card or ID, and just waved me in and I never broke stride, and he was waving in the person in behind me. It seemed to me if he could kind of see it he was just waving people in. So, just glancing. That made me wear my mask walking through the crowd to get to a comfortable spot on the beach. Same when I left and I was able to get out fast because I wasn't in the clusterfuck>HA

I didn't see a lot of mask AT ALL. 

Yes, I'm OK with my decision I went and have no regret. After all of the shit, that we've all been through, I really wanted to be there to see/mostly hear Pearl Jam. 

Johnny Abruzzo

Vaccine cards were checked well when I went in.

I have 2 kids under 12 so I wore a mask even while I was packed in. A few people around me had them on too. I had a couple sniffles and some sneezing this morning; fortunately those aren't COVID symptoms.

When the kids get their vaxxes I'm ready to just say f-it. Obviously not going would be the absolute safest thing to have done but I don't regret it and 4 days later feeling just fine. We do have to get back to our lives at some point.

The dude with the wife who stopped drinking wine - that's hilarious. I like her style - only on days that end in y! If I couldn't smell/taste guess I'd just drink vodka or whatever. That would suck.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

cutz said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Well,30,000 of you folks showed up in Jersey and rocked out to Pearl Jam. Pretty sure that's the 1st time any of you have gathered in a setting like that in quite some time.

For the folks who were a the show, did you feel safe? Did you even attempt to somewhat distance? Did you say fuck it, and get as close to the stage as possible? Were the folks checking vaccine cards doing there jobs, thoroughly checking cards and matching ID'S? Or were they just glancing and letting you in? I would be willing to guess that only 1% of you folks were wearing a mask.

I realize everyone there was vaccinated, or had a negative covid test, but personally I am not quite sure I am ready to put myself in that situation.

For those who were there. Did you just say fuck the delta variant, I'm vaccinated, covid wont kill me, I am going on with my life. 4 days later are you still ok with your decision to go to the show? Did any of you wake up the next day and maybe feel a little, I don't know, maybe regret?, for putting yourself in a mass crowd of 30,000 people?

I felt safe as I could be as I hung WAY in the back of the crowd and didn't have anyone closer then 20 feet or so. So yeah, I attempted to distance. I didn't walk in until about 7:50.

Even during Normal times I wouldn't get up close to the stage, since I was in my early 20's. And since then I haven't gone to where a BIG crowd of over 30,000 in decades. I had enough of that shit by then>HA

I walked in when it was dark and the guy had NO flashlight so he could not see the details of my Vax card or ID, and just waved me in and I never broke stride, and he was waving in the person in behind me. It seemed to me if he could kind of see it he was just waving people in. So, just glancing. That made me wear my mask walking through the crowd to get to a comfortable spot on the beach. Same when I left and I was able to get out fast because I wasn't in the clusterfuck>HA

I didn't see a lot of mask AT ALL. 

Yes, I'm OK with my decision I went and have no regret. After all of the shit, that we've all been through, I really wanted to be there to see/mostly hear Pearl Jam. 

The drone picture I saw of the venue, right up against the ocean, was pretty damned amazing.

cincybearcat

Did you have to have a vaccination card or could you use a picture of your card on your cell phone?  Just wondering how they are doing it.

lmckenney24

cincybearcat said:

Did you have to have a vaccination card or could you use a picture of your card on your cell phone?  Just wondering how they are doing it.

I had a printed copy 

jerparker20

I went to Guns N Roses last night. Indoor arena. No proof of vax/negative test required. No mask requirement. The majority of the crowd did not appear to be folks that made getting a jab a priority. The only people wearing a face covering were venue staff. Got to admit it was a little strange.

I’ve had COVID and the vax, so I wasn’t very worried about getting the bug. But being in that setting with a bunch of people packed together and screaming for the first time in almost two years, I had the thought that it may not have been the wisest thing. 

Anyways, I had a good time. Will probably do an at home test in a couple of days to make sure.

F Me In The Brain

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Vaccine cards were checked well when I went in.

I have 2 kids under 12 so I wore a mask even while I was packed in. A few people around me had them on too. I had a couple sniffles and some sneezing this morning; fortunately those aren't COVID symptoms.

When the kids get their vaxxes I'm ready to just say f-it. Obviously not going would be the absolute safest thing to have done but I don't regret it and 4 days later feeling just fine. We do have to get back to our lives at some point.

The dude with the wife who stopped drinking wine - that's hilarious. I like her style - only on days that end in y! If I couldn't smell/taste guess I'd just drink vodka or whatever. That would suck.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Please take that back.

https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/263305/vodka-how-do-i-love-thee#latest

tschav

Vaccinated and doing both Ohana weekends. Got a rapid test lined up on Monday (even though symptoms probably wouldn’t show that fast), will be carrying a fresh mask each day if I feel the urge to wear it, and packed a few travel cleaning wipes if I come across something nasty (it’s a fest after all).

Got my methods to ease my anxiety *if* I hit that point, but been to Cubs games and the GA section of a GnR concert and felt generally at ease. If the crowds are intimidating, fall back a bit and grab your personal space.

Ledbetterman10

jimjam1982 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Well,30,000 of you folks showed up in Jersey and rocked out to Pearl Jam. Pretty sure that's the 1st time any of you have gathered in a setting like that in quite some time.

For the folks who were a the show, did you feel safe? Did you even attempt to somewhat distance? Did you say fuck it, and get as close to the stage as possible? Were the folks checking vaccine cards doing there jobs, thoroughly checking cards and matching ID'S? Or were they just glancing and letting you in? I would be willing to guess that only 1% of you folks were wearing a mask.

I realize everyone there was vaccinated, or had a negative covid test, but personally I am not quite sure I am ready to put myself in that situation.

For those who were there. Did you just say fuck the delta variant, I'm vaccinated, covid wont kill me, I am going on with my life. 4 days later are you still ok with your decision to go to the show? Did any of you wake up the next day and maybe feel a little, I don't know, maybe regret?, for putting yourself in a mass crowd of 30,000 people?

100% fuck it. Im vaxxed. No distancing, up front, no mask, dancing, talking, jamming, all of it.  Didn't think about covid for even 2 seconds.

Saw maybe 10 people out of 30k with a mask. Thus proving the pointlessness of a mask (but that's another discussion).

Everyone I know who has had a breakthrough case said its annoying and not fun (is being sick ever fun?) but it was never a serious threat to their health.  Studies on breakthrough cases show an incredibly small amount of severe illness.  

Depression, despair, anxiety, and mental struggles after a year of no social life are 100% real.  Severe covid breakthrough case?  Not so real to me. 

4 days later all I can think is that it has been 4 days since my last PJ show and it feels like too long ago.

Also, took an at home test just to be sure today that I would be safe for Ohana and it was negative so all systems are a go.

Same here. Other than showing a vaccine card upon entry, this was no different than any other concert I’ve attended. Covid never crossed my mind once. 

SVRDhand13

I was one of the few wearing a mask and I stayed very far in the back. Still didn’t feel great about it. One show was more than enough for me this time around. I’ve decided to sell my tix to an indoor show I have in November. 

vedpunk

Ledbetterman10 said:

jimjam1982 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Well,30,000 of you folks showed up in Jersey and rocked out to Pearl Jam. Pretty sure that's the 1st time any of you have gathered in a setting like that in quite some time.

For the folks who were a the show, did you feel safe? Did you even attempt to somewhat distance? Did you say fuck it, and get as close to the stage as possible? Were the folks checking vaccine cards doing there jobs, thoroughly checking cards and matching ID'S? Or were they just glancing and letting you in? I would be willing to guess that only 1% of you folks were wearing a mask.

I realize everyone there was vaccinated, or had a negative covid test, but personally I am not quite sure I am ready to put myself in that situation.

For those who were there. Did you just say fuck the delta variant, I'm vaccinated, covid wont kill me, I am going on with my life. 4 days later are you still ok with your decision to go to the show? Did any of you wake up the next day and maybe feel a little, I don't know, maybe regret?, for putting yourself in a mass crowd of 30,000 people?

100% fuck it. Im vaxxed. No distancing, up front, no mask, dancing, talking, jamming, all of it.  Didn't think about covid for even 2 seconds.

Saw maybe 10 people out of 30k with a mask. Thus proving the pointlessness of a mask (but that's another discussion).

Everyone I know who has had a breakthrough case said its annoying and not fun (is being sick ever fun?) but it was never a serious threat to their health.  Studies on breakthrough cases show an incredibly small amount of severe illness.  

Depression, despair, anxiety, and mental struggles after a year of no social life are 100% real.  Severe covid breakthrough case?  Not so real to me. 

4 days later all I can think is that it has been 4 days since my last PJ show and it feels like too long ago.

Also, took an at home test just to be sure today that I would be safe for Ohana and it was negative so all systems are a go.

Same here. Other than showing a vaccine card upon entry, this was no different than any other concert I’ve attended. Covid never crossed my mind once. 

^ Exactly. Vaxxed and moved forward. It's a personal choice though.

JeBurkhardt

I went to a show at a small venue this past Saturday. We wore masks and kept our distance from people. When I go to Ohana I plan on keeping as much away from people as I can and not try to get to the front. 

pjhawks

I felt safe with everyone having to be vaxxed or negative test. No reservations at all.  Went in around 3:30 and they checked vaccinated cards vs ids.  Would have had more trepidation if those requirements weren’t in place.  I 100% get if people have concerns about concerts or other large events though.  No judgment against those that do especially those with kids or people with underlying conditions. 

OceansJenny

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

For those who were there. Did you just say fuck the delta variant, I'm vaccinated, covid wont kill me, I am going on with my life. 4 days later are you still ok with your decision to go to the show? Did any of you wake up the next day and maybe feel a little, I don't know, maybe regret?, for putting yourself in a mass crowd of 30,000 people?

Yes this was my sentiment. No regrets. I need to start living. I understand that is not everyone’s sentiment.

Granted I am on the younger side and have no comorbidities or anything and do not have anyone dear me at risk. I was also perfectly fine after a known exposure during a friends weekend where the one unvaccinated person found out after they had covid. Granted that was probably lucky but also testament that vaccines work.

The person at the gate looked at my excelsior pass and let me through. No ID check.

MakeUSmile

My card was checked, cross referenced to my ID, and he checked date of my second shot.   Once I was in, I almost forgot we were in the middle of a global pandemic and it felt good.  Sanitizer stations were throughout the grounds. I used them plenty along with the Purell in my clear stadium bag.   I put my mask on in the transparent art tent and when I wound up in the medic tent checking on a friend post show who over heated/dehydration.  Otherwise it was in my bag all day.  Hung mostly outside for the stone pony after show, I did feel a little anxious the short time I was indoors there. 

I have no regrets going and had little covid anxiety, which has been hugely prevalent in my life over the last 18 months.  Felt so good to have some normalcy and enjoy my favorite band with some of my favorite people I’ve met over the last 25 years of going to shows.  God, I’m old!  

Weston1283

Quite the opposite for me.  My only regret is not getting closer to the stage and even more into the crowd.

Will be right back in the crowds next weekend at Ohana Encore without hesitation

And I also agree with the above comments.  Once I entered the festival, Covid and the pandemic didn't register even the smallest thought in my mind.

But I also don't really think much at all about the pandemic in my daily life at this point.  Even putting on the mask at work has just become habit, dont even think about why I am doing it, I'm just "supposed to."  Theres been a vaccine available for almost a year now.  The unvaccinated have chosen illness for themselves.  The rest of us can move on.

Renfield

They only checked my Excelsior Pass, did not check my photo id.  I had a mask on my ear, that’s how I do it here at home when I’m outside. I got 15 rows back, and I did not wear my mask. I had very little interaction, briefly talking to the woman behind me. I’ve had my booster shot, J&J was the only shot I received, my doctor found out and made get a Moderna booster. I still feel I can get COVID, but I just made a decision to not wear a mask at PJ. I only went to SHN to see PJ, was in the crowd from 7:30 till the end. 

I wore my mask over 50% of the time at Foo Fighters earlier last week at Coney Island.  FF at MSG, no mask, only mask wearers were the kids under 12 which was mandated. 15,000 of us at the 1st show back at The Garden and it felt good not wearing a mask. But Delta was not a big issue on June 20th. 

Leaving for Ohana tomorrow morning. I’ll have my masks with me, and see how comfortable/uncomfortable I feel at Ohana. I’ll be spending more time at the venue than SHN. 

A tad bit of covid concern crept in a couple of times since Saturday night. No regrets. 

JH6056

I took my daughter to SHN, we're both vaxxed, and they checked my i.d. against my vax card, made sure names were same, and my daughter's vax card (she's under 18 so no i.d.).

And even though we've had really good experiences being out and about (sometimes out of necessity early on in pandemic), and we were lucky and stayed healthy, I did NOT just say "f--- it", I was thinking about Covid a lot while we were at the festival.

Our practice ended up being no mask when we were walking with not that many people around us, or standing/eating with no one right next to us.  But masks when walking in busy places, which were all outdoors. Masks when standing in crowds, so for PJ we had our masks on the whole time even though we were up on the boardwalk on the rail, with that gorgeous ocean air blowing on us most of the time.

And we always wore masks in the port-o-potties.

All that said, I felt pretty good at end of weekend, felt like we'd been careful and had a great time without taking too much risk.

We also went to the Stone Pony on Fri night to see Jesse Malin, and I shouldn't have been surprised but I was: NO vax or negative test required, NO masks required, and people were packed in pretty well.  Never took our masks off there and left early because my daughter was really tired, but being in a dense crowd for a couple of hours with no vax requirement & no mask requirement would have made me nuts, even though I"m vaxxed.