Boston Shows

LastExitBJP

Anyone know why the band doesn't play the Boston area as much anymore? Last time they came through was Fenway 2018. I think 6 years (it's safe to assume they won't be here in 2023) is the longest they've gone between MA shows (I also think it's safe to assume we'll never get an Eddie solo show again, unfortunately). I guess covid if I had to think of a reason. As far as I can tell, Boston's always been an important stop on the tour, and we never got a Gigaton show. I also wonder why they haven't played the Garden since 2010, and have since mostly chosen Fenway as the venue (a place not built for sound). The 2006 and 2010 Garden shows are mythic (I encourage everyone to check out the 2006 Boston night 2 bootleg... when they drop the Leash the crowd goes crazy). I remember reading some real positive posts on the Fenway shows (2016 and 2018), but from where I was in the crowd the sound was shit. I'd much rather see them in a venue built for sound than spend a ton of money to experience them with the novelty of a sports arena. 

Gern Blansten

It's been 13 years since they visited Indiana...Boston is fine

Douglas12373

13 years for the DC area, 15 for DC proper. Boston has been far more blessed than most

Merkin Baller

LastExitBJP said:

Anyone know why the band doesn't play the Boston area as much anymore? Last time they came through was Fenway 2018. I think 6 years (it's safe to assume they won't be here in 2023) is the longest they've gone between MA shows (I also think it's safe to assume we'll never get an Eddie solo show again, unfortunately). I guess covid if I had to think of a reason. As far as I can tell, Boston's always been an important stop on the tour, and we never got a Gigaton show. I also wonder why they haven't played the Garden since 2010, and have since mostly chosen Fenway as the venue (a place not built for sound). The 2006 and 2010 Garden shows are mythic (I encourage everyone to check out the 2006 Boston night 2 bootleg... when they drop the Leash the crowd goes crazy). I remember reading some real positive posts on the Fenway shows (2016 and 2018), but from where I was in the crowd the sound was shit. I'd much rather see them in a venue built for sound than spend a ton of money to experience them with the novelty of a sports arena. 

The choice to play Fenway is a no brainer... 35k / night as opposed to 17k? One stage setup & tear down and approximately 70K tickets over 2 nights? They would be foolish NOT to play Fenway from that perspective (I'm with you BTW, I would prefer the Garden)

I also don't think they're so much as neglecting Boston as this is just how the chips have fallen since COVID. Yeah, 2 shows in 7 years (technically 4 for the city since 2010) feels like neglect based on how good we had it over the years, but they'll be back. I'll be surprised if they don't have some shows up here next year. (not to mention Worcester had 2 shows in '13... like Germ pointed out, there are entire STATES way more neglected than Boston - over the history of this band, we have it as good if not better than most markets) 

I also don't think there's any reason to think Eddie won't be back... again, I think it's just how the chips have fallen since Covid. 

JimmyV

Longest stretch of no New England shows in the band's history. Has been five years since they last played Fenway and a decade since they played anywhere else. A reflection of their reduced touring schedule. 

mwplum

It’s been the same since Seattle and 10 years since Vancouver. Growing up in Vancouver (first show 1992), we could almost certainly count on a fall show in one of those cities. Guess it’s just a part of getting old…


(and man, the Australians have it much worse, 2009 since a proper headlining tour!

lotsalemon

Bring back the Mansfield (or even the Garden) shows - Fenway shows

Merkin Baller

lotsalemon said:

Bring back the Mansfield (or even the Garden) shows - Fenway shows

I would take Fenway over Mansfield... f that parking lot. 

I'm with those suggesting it's age / the reduced touring schedule as well... which again, are 2 more reasons to play one show to 2X the amount of people at Fenway than they would the Garden. 

JimmyV

New England Tour 2024

Gern Blansten

Merkin Baller said:

lotsalemon said:

Bring back the Mansfield (or even the Garden) shows - Fenway shows

I would take Fenway over Mansfield... f that parking lot. 

I'm with those suggesting it's age / the reduced touring schedule as well... which again, are 2 more reasons to play one show to 2X the amount of people at Fenway than they would the Garden. 

yeah I think we've hit the new norm....they are older, they don't want to be away from home as much, they are set financially so why push the envelope?

Small tours probably keep it exciting, allows creativity, keeps the coffers full, etc. 

RS65573

Plus BOY do we all travel. That doesn't help.

JimmyV

RS65573 said:

Plus BOY do we all travel. That doesn't help.

And even worse, the merch still sells out. The money spent on travel, which you might think would cut into their bottom line, does not. Everything still sells. 

RS65573

My first show was in Boston 1994. I would LOVE a 30th anniversary trip there.

Gern Blansten

RS65573 said:

My first show was in Boston 1994. I would LOVE a 30th anniversary trip there.

we went to the two Fenway shows in 2018....I remember being really annoyed at the beer lines

JojoRice

That's nothing.  Try living in Atlanta. 

RS65573

Gern Blansten said:

RS65573 said:

My first show was in Boston 1994. I would LOVE a 30th anniversary trip there.

we went to the two Fenway shows in 2018....I remember being really annoyed at the beer lines

Try getting served in a Yankee hat...lol, not a great plan for me in 2016 and 18, but definitely memorable.

One of the vendors just goes "come on man really?" I'm like dude its a concert, I just love baseball! Me and Shawn still talk over email lol.

Kwieneke

Boston definitely isn't suffering in terms of PJ. More fortunate than most places with the exception of Chicago and LA or Seattle probably. And excluding 2 1/2 years or so for covid, it isn't bad. I think they'll make their way up next year for sure 

RatherStarved

I heard it’s because of the entitlement mentality.  

I kid, I kid.  

CarryTheZero

JojoRice said:

That's nothing.  Try living in Atlanta. 

Yes, Atlanta. 20 years since a non festival show. 11 years since any show at all.

Jadler

I have heard from a friend who is close with some hire up Livenation folks that ‘24 will be a big year for them, and New England will be part of that. 

Halifax2TheMax

Maybe Howard Zinn’s passing, Theo moving on to the cubs, a banning from Mansfield, perhaps? and only Fenway and the garden being available re:scheduling issues all contribute?

But yea, I’d take Mansfield and the garden over Fenway. Maybe a New England small venue tour in 2024, Portland, NH has an outdoor venue now, the garden or woosta, or both, Mansfield, providence civic centre, Hartford, msg, Albany or Buffalo, etc. East to West or west to east, doesn’t matter, just tour more dammit.

mcgruff10

They were banned from Mansfield?

PJINFLA

The band doesn't play anywhere as much anymore as shown by their massive 9 date world tour in 2023.

pjhawks

they still owe Philly 40 shows to catch up with Bruce

Halifax2TheMax

mcgruff10 said:

They were banned from Mansfield?

There’s a strict curfew because of the trailer park next door and I believe, I might be wrong, that the 2003 “experiment” shows resulted in a warning and in 2006 they went over and were “banned.” I’d have to check their tour history to see when the last time they played there. I used to work with someone who’s second job was working shows and they said the town was really strict with the curfew. 

JimmyV

2008 was the last time they played there. They were the only act that summer to sell out two nights. I have never heard anything about a ban. 

BF25394

This is a really strange "complaint." Pearl Jam played in Boston in 2018. Instead of playing any number of cities or areas they hadn't played in year (e.g., they hadn't played California in five years at that point), they opted to do a Fenway 2016 rerun. They didn't play anywhere in 2019 or 2020, with the latter year's inactivity for reasons beyond their control. In 2021, they played four shows, again restricted for the same reason they didn't play at all in 2020. In 2022, they played mostly rescheduled shows from 2020. They're only playing a handful of shows in 2023, in parts of the country where they mostly haven't played in an even longer span than they haven't played Boston. They will almost certainly play Boston in 2024 in support of their forthcoming album.

There's no there here. Boston got shows in 2016 and 2018 and, counting scheduled 2023 shows, the band will have played a total of 45 shows between 2019 and 2023. Boston is not being overlooked any more than a dozen other cities that didn't host the band in 2016 and 2018 are being overlooked.

JimmyV

First post reads more like a question and conversation starter than a complaint. 

Halifax2TheMax

JimmyV said:

2008 was the last time they played there. They were the only act that summer to sell out two nights. I have never heard anything about a ban. 

I think Eddie mentioned a potential ban on one of the boots as in, “we don’t want to get banned” because of the trailer park next door, then toasts them or says something about making peace with them next door or something to that effect. Can’t remember if it’s on the 2003 boots or 2008 but the town and whatever the Twetter Center is called now are dicks when it comes to that place and the curfew. Ah well, maybe it’s just a pain in the ass to get out of after a show?

JimmyV

Halifax2TheMax said:

JimmyV said:

2008 was the last time they played there. They were the only act that summer to sell out two nights. I have never heard anything about a ban. 

I think Eddie mentioned a potential ban on one of the boots as in, “we don’t want to get banned” because of the trailer park next door, then toasts them or says something about making peace with them next door or something to that effect. Can’t remember if it’s on the 2003 boots or 2008 but the town and whatever the Twetter Center is called now are dicks when it comes to that place and the curfew. Ah well, maybe it’s just a pain in the ass to get out of after a show?

It does suck as a venue. Totally in the sticks. 

JimmyV

Every January/February, like clockwork, DMB announces their summer tour. And every year, like clockwork, I get a twinge of jealousy. Just one summer before it's all over, I hope we get a real PJ US tour.