Pearl Jam: Dark Matter in the Dark

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  • wnh1977wnh1977 Posts: 634
    edited April 17
    I wasn't blown away by the sound quality at the theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I thought it was ok... Would have liked it a little louder. Was better having the lyrics the second time through to figure out what Ed was singing.

    During Jeff's introduction, was his voice supposed to sound a little weird / robotic? I thought there were going to be problems with the playing of the album after his introduction because his voice sounded so weird.. but I didn't know if that was an intended effect?
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  • I thought it was a pretty cool experience. Kind of did it on a whim today. No regrets. Theater was about half full. Some people were really into it. Can't wait to listen to it on my own.
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,779
    wnh1977 said:
    I wasn't blown away by the sound quality at the theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I thought it was ok... Would have liked it a little louder. Was better having the lyrics the second time through to figure out what Ed was singing.

    During Jeff's introduction, was his voice supposed to sound a little weird / robotic? I thought there were going to be problems with the playing of the album after his introduction because his voice sounded so weird.. but I didn't know if that was an intended effect?
    Yeah, the Jeff part was really echoed and hard to listen to.

    I feel like the first few songs the theater had to get the audio honed in. By the 2nd time through, it sounded fantastic. Atmos really brought it to life.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • primussucksprimussucks Posts: 2,357
    Just attended this at a theater in waukesha Wisconsin.  I thought the sound system sucked!  After already knowing Dark Matter and Running it was noticeable that there were guitar parts that were completely missing from the audio.  Bass seemed non existent!  Speakers were all around in the theater but most of the sound was all coming from the front.
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  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,592
    wnh1977 said:
    I wasn't blown away by the sound quality at the theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I thought it was ok... Would have liked it a little louder. Was better having the lyrics the second time through to figure out what Ed was singing.

    During Jeff's introduction, was his voice supposed to sound a little weird / robotic? I thought there were going to be problems with the playing of the album after his introduction because his voice sounded so weird.. but I didn't know if that was an intended effect?
    Agreed on Jeff.  Sounded echoey.

    Also, did anyone else notice that the lyrics for Got to Give didnt display until the 2nd half of the song or later? They didn't display at all and then suddenly popped up. Wasnt sure if that was on purpose. 
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  • aisleseatsaisleseats Posts: 1,403
    Vedd Hedd said:
    wnh1977 said:
    I wasn't blown away by the sound quality at the theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I thought it was ok... Would have liked it a little louder. Was better having the lyrics the second time through to figure out what Ed was singing.

    During Jeff's introduction, was his voice supposed to sound a little weird / robotic? I thought there were going to be problems with the playing of the album after his introduction because his voice sounded so weird.. but I didn't know if that was an intended effect?
    Agreed on Jeff.  Sounded echoey.

    Also, did anyone else notice that the lyrics for Got to Give didnt display until the 2nd half of the song or later? They didn't display at all and then suddenly popped up. Wasnt sure if that was on purpose. 
    Apparently it was intentional, because we didn't get them either. 
    I guess they're like Colonel Sanders' secret recipe.
  • primussucksprimussucks Posts: 2,357
    Vedd Hedd said:
    wnh1977 said:
    I wasn't blown away by the sound quality at the theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I thought it was ok... Would have liked it a little louder. Was better having the lyrics the second time through to figure out what Ed was singing.

    During Jeff's introduction, was his voice supposed to sound a little weird / robotic? I thought there were going to be problems with the playing of the album after his introduction because his voice sounded so weird.. but I didn't know if that was an intended effect?
    Agreed on Jeff.  Sounded echoey.

    Also, did anyone else notice that the lyrics for Got to Give didnt display until the 2nd half of the song or later? They didn't display at all and then suddenly popped up. Wasnt sure if that was on purpose. 
    Same experience here.
    Summerfest 7/8/95
    Missoula 6/20/98
    Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98
    Alpine Valley 10/8/00 
    Champaign 4/23/03
    Alpine Valley 6/21/03
    Missoula 8/29/05
    Chicago 5/16 & 17/06
    Grand Rapids 5/19/06
    Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
    Tampa 6/12/08
    Chicago 8/23/09
    Indy 5/7/10
    Alpine Valley x2 2011
    Wrigley 2013
    Milwaukee 14
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  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,592
    Ok cool, glad it wasnt just me. I guess they need to leave a little something for the actual drop of the album too haha. 
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  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,779
    Really loved the whole album after not liking the snippets. Something Special is actually quite good. I like the melody and the lyrics are sweet, especially as a fellow parent.

    Setting Sun and Waiting for Stevie are the best. Setting Sun is so beautiful and soaring. Great song. Waiting for Stevie kept me grooving. Heard a little undertone of the Cinnamon Girl progression in places, but it's not that noticeable and the song just kicks ass.

    Loved the first 2. I actually thought the lyrics for all the songs were pretty strong. I only cringe at the sewage lines in Running, but that's a minor quibble.

    Overall, I liked this whole album better than I've liked any PJ album on first listen since Yield. Much better flow and balance across it. I felt that Gigaton fell flat halfway through (even though I love it) as did LB. No real slow Eddie songs as in albums past.

    Looking forward to release day so I can crank this up.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • matt770matt770 Posts: 134
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 27,966
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    I miss igotid88
  • tylerjtylerj Posts: 299
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
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    Milwaukee, Oct. 20, 2014
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  • seanwonseanwon Posts: 463
    tylerj said:
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
    Most? Mine sounded great!
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  • tylerjtylerj Posts: 299
    seanwon said:
    tylerj said:
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
    Most? Mine sounded great!
    The vast majority of ppl who have commented have said the sound was crap. What chain of theater did you see it at? Looks like sound was good at Alamo Drafthouse theaters.
    Chicago, Aug 24, 2009 
    Noblesville, May 7, 2010
    PJ20 Night 1, 2011
    Cincinnati, Oct. 1, 2014
    Milwaukee, Oct. 20, 2014
    Wrigley Field, Aug 20, 2016
    Wrigley Field, Aug 22, 2016
    Wrigley Field, Aug 18, 2018
    Wrigley Field, Aug 20, 2018
    St. Louis, Sept. 18, 2022
    Chicago, Sept. 5, 2023
    Chicago, Sept. 7, 2023

  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 27,966
    tylerj said:
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
    I don't know if it was Eddie who sent the audio. I don't know if it was most though 
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  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 27,966
    Did everyone clap after every song at your theater?
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  • seanwonseanwon Posts: 463
    tylerj said:
    seanwon said:
    tylerj said:
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
    Most? Mine sounded great!
    The vast majority of ppl who have commented have said the sound was crap. What chain of theater did you see it at? Looks like sound was good at Alamo Drafthouse theaters.
    Regal. 
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    2003: 4/29 Albany,  5/2 Buffalo,  7/9 MSG 2                   2006: 5/12 Albany,  6/3 East Rutherford 2
    2008: 6/27 Hartford                 2009: 10/27 Philadelphia 1              2010: 5/15 Hartford,   5/21 MSG 2
    2013: 10/15 Worcester 1,  10/25 Hartford                       2014: 10/1 Cincinnati
    2016: 5/2 MSG 2,   8/5 Fenway 1,  11/7 Temple of the Dog MSG
    2018: 9/2 Fenway 1
    2020: 3/30 MSG             2022: 9/11 MSG            2023: 9/10 Noblesville
    2024: 9/3 MSG 1, 9/4 MSG 2 , 9/15 Fenway 1, 9/17 Fenway 2
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,779
    I was at a Marcus Theater and it seemed like it took a few songs for the audio to be mixed right. I think about halfway through the 1st listen I learned over to my buddy and said the sound seemed to be finally corrected. 2nd full listen was amazing. Great sound and fullness with the spatial layers.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,779
    igotid88 said:
    Did everyone clap after every song at your theater?
    Lots of cheers and claps. A few wows! It was fun.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,688
    edited April 17
    10/10
    Post edited by cp3iverson on
  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 9,431
    Loved many aspects of the event but unfortunately yeah sound was pretty bad at mine. Landmark. Everything coming front left. Very excited to hear it on my home setup 
  • aisleseatsaisleseats Posts: 1,403
    tylerj said:
    seanwon said:
    tylerj said:
    igotid88 said:
    matt770 said:
    So reading others’ experiences, it was far from an isolated issue….so WTF Pearl Jam? I think an explanation is due. Are we all getting refunds? I paid $30+tax for my wife and I to hear the album played from a speaker under water. Sure looks like folks around the country experienced the same, from posts here and on Reddit. There was obviously a technical issue with the media provided to the theaters, as theaters everywhere were affected. 
    How is it Pearl Jam's fault? Wouldn't it be the theater's? 
    The fact that most people experienced bad sound quality makes it more likely that the source file is the culprit and not the theater. 
    Most? Mine sounded great!
    The vast majority of ppl who have commented have said the sound was crap. What chain of theater did you see it at? Looks like sound was good at Alamo Drafthouse theaters.
    Yeah, I was at an Alamo, and sound was good.
  • lastexitlondonlastexitlondon Posts: 13,738
    igotid88 said:
    Did everyone clap after every song at your theater?
    Not in England . Like we don't cheer when a plane lands either
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  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,592
    Mine sounded pretty good. It was not Atmos, but I knew that going in. The only thing that sounded weird was Jeff, it sounded echoey. The album sounded great. 2nd time around sounded slightly better, I think. 
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • joseph33joseph33 Posts: 1,247
    Just came back. Absolutely love this album. 
  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 27,966

    Wasn't this part supposed to be at the beginning of the album? https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLPJ8ULf/
    I miss igotid88
  • BF25394BF25394 Posts: 4,462
    edited April 17
    Just back from the showing in Sherman Oaks, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. There were a lot of sold seats that were empty. I was supposed to be sitting in a full row; instead, the four seats to my right and the five seats to my left were empty (which was all right by me). I counted about 50 people in a theater that seats over 100. That was still a lot more people than when I had an entire 500-seat theater in the same complex entirely to myself for a Thursday matinee of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

    The music was being played only from the center speakers at the front of the theater. The sound quality was not great. This was most apparent on "Dark Matter" and "Running," because I know what those songs sound like in CD-quality audio.

    The interlude before "Running" was not played during the second run-through with the visualizers. And there were no lyrics projected for "Got to Give" until the last few lines.

    The songs themselves, however, were great. There wasn't a single song that didn't grab me on first listen. (I wore an eye mask for the "in the dark" run-through so I could really immerse myself.) "Dark Matter" and "Running" both got very enthusiastic responses on both listens. So did "React, Respond." The guitar part at the end of "Won't Tell" sounds like the guitar at the end of U2's "All I Want Is You." "Something Special" was much better than I was expecting. I even got a little emotional the second time despite the fact that I really don't like children, at least not human ones. (I was thinking about my pets.)

    In general, the album was well-received by this audience. Subpar sound notwithstanding, it was really cool to experience the album for the first time in this way. I was ready for them to cue up Gigaton next and then work backwards through the catalog.

    The visualizers were nothing to write home about, but the lyrics were really welcome. Other than "Scared of Fear," I found the lyrics pretty easy to understand on the first "in the dark" listen.

    I still want them to open in Vancouver in "Dark Matter"-- that song kicks ass-- but I could absolutely see "Upper Hand" as an opener on this tour.

    Also, I'm glad Stevie Wonder was late.

    After this exciting evening that lived up to my expectations for the new music, the only thing tempering my rabid enthusiasm for getting the CD in my hot little hands is the fact that the Ten Club still hasn't shipped it so I'd better pace myself since who the hell knows when I'll actually receive it from them.

    EDIT: One more thing: they really should have showed the song titles before the visualizers. I had an index card that I brought with me to remind myself of the sequence, but I'm sure a lot of people didn't know which songs were which.
    Post edited by BF25394 on
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  • Last minute decision to attend and glad I didn't skip.  Theater had Dolby Atmos and I thought the sound was good overall.  Jeff's echo at the beginning was strange.  Mild clapping at end of songs but more during first run through in dark.  Really enjoyed the first few songs out of the gate and cannot wait to listen to the album more later this week.  Excited for it and this run of upcoming shows.
    Is a Compliment For You.
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  • BH76306BH76306 Posts: 101
    Had an AMC Dolby Atmos theater and was a *blown away* by the sound quality. Truly never had an audio experience that good... was such a trip hearing different parts/sections like that. Bummer others didn't have that experience because it was top notch.
  • SR91748SR91748 Posts: 144
    Glad I went. Great chance to stop what I'm doing and listen to the album and then take it in more the second time. The album sounds great--I have a few faves already. The video reminded me of the old laser shows. 
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