Wait, do people really hate on Even Flow?

biz999

I've seen a couple of posts here and I thought they were joking. Then last night I listened to a 1998 show, which was an audience recording so you could hear fan banter. After Even Flow, you can hear someone say 'man, I hate that song'

I thought it was universally loved, but now I am wondering.

HailHailVitalogy

I’d rather keep even flow in the set than small town, betterman, or alive

AlaG

It’s not the song’s fault I don’t like it. It’s that every single person that doesn’t know shit about Pearl Jam seems to solely associate them - and their entire sound - with that particular song. And I find that a bit frustrating as a fan because they are a lot more than that.

ceska

It's not my piss break song, since I don't drink at shows, but it is my "take out my phone and check my emails" song. Gigaton didn't halt the momentum at MSG for me at all, but Evenflow did. It just doesn't resonate with me. I don't mind the studio take but, live I can go without.

biz999

AlaG said:

It’s not the song’s fault I don’t like it. It’s that every single person that doesn’t know shit about Pearl Jam seems to solely associate them - and their entire sound - with that particular song. And I find that a bit frustrating as a fan because they are a lot more than that.

That makes sense

Tim Simmons

Some 30+ year old song had to earn the fan bases ire. So it’s probably gonna be the one they play the most. 

Songs great. I’ll always be happy to hear any song. 

droptheleash9

I love the song but would probably prefer a shorter version of it at shows. Get the song back to closer to the studio length and it would be a much better live experience for the folks that have heard it 50+ times.

I realize this will never happen as part of the novelty of the live even flow version is that folks that have never seen Pearl Jam live get to experience the craziness of Mike's solo (although, admittedly, it's probably my least favorite of the epic guitar solos that Mike plays across a variety of tracks).

Gern Blansten

Casual fan song....in my opinion 

Abe Froman

I like Even Flow I just don’t want to hear it at every single show. I do love me some Alive every time though. 

Betterman and Jeremy are the one I flat out never need to hear again. 

tschav

Even Flow is always great for a McCready solo, especially if you got a great spot near up front.
But the tradeoff for many is that they'd prefer that slot be used for a song they haven't heard in a long time/ever.

tdawe

If you’ve seen them more than a couple of times it’s hard to get psyched about it in the moment, but (1) as noted above there are plenty of people at every show who are at their first Pearl Jam show and (2) whom amongst us hasn’t found themselves rocking along to a good Even Flow in the car while listening to a boot?

Sure the solos can be over-long, but there ain’t much better than a good sing-along on the final chorus. 

Gern Blansten

Abe Froman said:

I like Even Flow I just don’t want to hear it at every single show. I do love me some Alive every time though. 

Betterman and Jeremy are the one I flat out never need to hear again. 

Interesting....I'm good with Bman, Jeremy always grabbed me more than EF and Alive

I just checked my stats from my 25 shows

EF...played 24 times
Alive...23
Jeremy...12
Daughter 15
Betterman 16
Corduroy 20....I never get tired of this one. This is the song that made me buy Vitalogy which was my first PJ purchase
DTE 21
Cropduster 1
I got Shit 3

The latter two being my top favs

mcgruff10

I ve heard evenflow 54 out of 60 shows lol.  

Gern Blansten

mcgruff10 said:

I ve heard evenflow 54 out of 60 shows lol.  

you must pee a lot

Tim Simmons

I would posit, its the most online and the fervent followers of the band that tire of it. Those who see more than 2 shows a year. Most of the fans at any given show (where its probably the only show they are seeing all year from PJ) go wild for that song. So while it may seem like EVERYONE here is tired of it, its really just a vocal minority. 

Gern Blansten

Tim Simmons said:

I would posit, its the most online and the fervent followers of the band that tire of it. Those who see more than 2 shows shows a year. Most of the fans at any given show (where its probably the only show they are seeing all year from PJ) go wild for that song. So while it may seem like EVERYONE here is tired of it, its really just a vocal minority. 

Same for RITFW.  Can't stand it but the crowd goes nuts.

I prefer Fuckin Up

lexicondevil

Tim Simmons said:

I would posit, its the most online and the fervent followers of the band that tire of it. Those who see more than 2 shows shows a year. Most of the fans at any given show (where its probably the only show they are seeing all year from PJ) go wild for that song. So while it may seem like EVERYONE here is tired of it, its really just a vocal minority. 

Funny. For me, this brings up the practice of seeing a band multiple times in a short time period. Saw PJ twice at Fenway and that was great. Would I do it again? Probably not. I really can't think of any band that I would need to see multiple times in a year. That's just me. I do buy multiple variant copies of the same record, so I do understand obsession... That said, I do really enjoy hearing Even Flow live.

lastexitlondon

I would take even flow every show.  I've  learned a lot over the years. Every  song has a place  and my love of these  songs  is why i love pearl jam.

mcgruff10

Gern Blansten said:

mcgruff10 said:

I ve heard evenflow 54 out of 60 shows lol.  

you must pee a lot

ha ha.  I really enjoyed it last night.

JimmyV

Mike McCready's greatness is wasted on some. He crushes that song. See Ottawa 2022 for an example but prepare to have your face melted. 

Abe Froman

For me it’s not even seeing it live too much. I don’t get to see PJ often enough to tire of it live (although I would prefer 100 other songs). It’s that I’ve heard it a million times on the radio or at a gathering or a bar. 

This same thing has absolutely ruined certain songs for me especially ones that I didn’t love from the beginning like Bman and Jeremy. Again I literally never need to hear either of these two songs again in any form

droptheleash9

JimmyV said:

Mike McCready's greatness is wasted on some. He crushes that song. See Ottawa 2022 for an example but prepare to have your face melted. 

He is an all time great. That said, I find the live even flow guitar solo to be completely uninteresting. It's just him playing a scale as fast as he can for most of it. Black on the other hand, I could listen to that solo for 20 minutes straight and it would still feel too short to me. But that's the beauty of it all...music/art is subjective.

BF25394

I've seen it more than 60 times.  It's not that it's a bad song or that I hate it.  It's a good song and I like it.  I just don't need to see it again.

Merkin Baller

JimmyV said:

Mike McCready's greatness is wasted on some. He crushes that song. See Ottawa 2022 for an example but prepare to have your face melted. 

This.

I was sick of it for a while, but came back around on it for the solos... same with Black. 

AlaG

I'd never tire of hearing Corduroy, DTE, and Porch live every show. I don't feel that way about Even Flow. It's bottom half of their catalog whereas you can make an argument that the others are their 3 best songs.

parintachin73

I love Mike’s behind the head solo but I’d also be good if I never heard it live again. It’s their most played song, it’s a big radio hit, and the even bros dont make it any easier to enjoy. 

OceansJenny

ceska said:

It's not my piss break song, since I don't drink at shows, but it is my "take out my phone and check my emails" song. Gigaton didn't halt the momentum at MSG for me at all, but Evenflow did. It just doesn't resonate with me. I don't mind the studio take but, live I can go without.

I can’t imagine the need to check emails during a concert. Makes me sad when live music can’t even pull people away from their phones.

danny

i can take it or leave 

biz999

OceansJenny said:

ceska said:

It's not my piss break song, since I don't drink at shows, but it is my "take out my phone and check my emails" song. Gigaton didn't halt the momentum at MSG for me at all, but Evenflow did. It just doesn't resonate with me. I don't mind the studio take but, live I can go without.

I can’t imagine the need to check emails during a concert. Makes me sad when live music can’t even pull people away from their phones.

I mean, I've done it if I'm on-call or I am expecting something important. I've even had to take a call once at a show (I went to the concourse)

GlowGirl

JimmyV said:

Mike McCready's greatness is wasted on some. He crushes that song. See Ottawa 2022 for an example but prepare to have your face melted. 

Yes. Ottawa was crazy. I think Mike went extra long since Ed hurt his leg - but what a performance!!!

En La Clandestinidad

I don't really need to hear it again either, but I honestly am more bored of Alive and DTE at this point. That said, the place seems to still come alive during those songs so I can't complain  when I've seen the band 27 times and some are prob seeing their first show.

That said, I could really use an album show for Riot Act lol