Dark Matter in Theaters

CarryTheZero

drakeheuer14 said:

Attended an Atlanta showing, very small turnout compared to sold seats. Had a great time! Tons of shining moments. Loving Upper Hand and Setting Sun out of the songs I hadn’t heard going into it.

There was one song where the lyrics didnt display for half the song, that seemed to be the only “flaw.” Visuals were a little silly - would have preferred band photos or space visuals or nature, but it got the job done. My only complaint record wise is the continued use of the echo effect on Eds vocals. 

Can’t wait to hear live versions!!

I wonder if I sat next to you? Was at the AMC in Roswell, Dolby sound was huge.

This album is so good. The lyrics seem very personal, and some real emotional moments in those songs. I feel like everyone of these songs will crush in the live setting.

Scared, React/Respond, Wreckage, Upper Hand, Waiting for Stevie, and Setting Sun were ones I loved. Really liked everything else!

So glad I went out to see it!

vito

Vedd Hedd said:

vito said:

Ok hear goes Ed is the weakest link on the album. It's a damn good album with lots and lots and lots of soaring music. Great guitars, solo's, shredding, bass and MC! And then there's Ed, I can't put my finger on it but, it feels like he's screaming at me almost the whole album? When he's quiter it sounds even worse cause his enunciation is like 3 different words in one. I dunno he's good but, he's the only reason I can't give this 5 stars. Maybe after repeated listens this will change for me? Ok, let me have it Ed can do no wrong fans!😎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ha, everyone has their own opinion and its all good.  

That said, I will disagree.  I think this is some of his best writing.  And he is singing better than ever.  Keeping in his range, these songs wont destroy his voice night after night. But there are so many harmonies and melodies on this album. Its very layered. 

I agree about the rest of the sound though, everyone is killing it. 

I didn't say anything about his writing, it's still top notch but, for me anyways Ed's voice just isn't great anymore. I said he was good and overall it's an amazing album for any stage of a career🎸

drakeheuer14

CarryTheZero said:

drakeheuer14 said:

Attended an Atlanta showing, very small turnout compared to sold seats. Had a great time! Tons of shining moments. Loving Upper Hand and Setting Sun out of the songs I hadn’t heard going into it.

There was one song where the lyrics didnt display for half the song, that seemed to be the only “flaw.” Visuals were a little silly - would have preferred band photos or space visuals or nature, but it got the job done. My only complaint record wise is the continued use of the echo effect on Eds vocals. 

Can’t wait to hear live versions!!

I wonder if I sat next to you? Was at the AMC in Roswell, Dolby sound was huge.

This album is so good. The lyrics seem very personal, and some real emotional moments in those songs. I feel like everyone of these songs will crush in the live setting.

Scared, React/Respond, Wreckage, Upper Hand, Waiting for Stevie, and Setting Sun were ones I loved. Really liked everything else!

So glad I went out to see it!

Nah, went into Regal at Atlantic Station for this one. Mixed feelings about the sound in the theater I was in sadly. 

Glad you enjoyed! 

black tattoo

I went to Greensy Victoria to hear/ see last night and sound was great!  I had my EarFun pods in and set to ambient and it sounded even better!!

Totally agree with  CROJAM95 about the album elements! said:

Fall Guy looks funny, Gosling killing it lately

Amy Winehouse movie looks promising too

Album was great, even thought something special much better than the snippet

the album has elements of VS/Yield/Gigaton/Avocado to my ears, with influences of Petty, Pink Floyd, Bad Religion, Springsteen, Ramones, Who…. It’s really a remarkable effort by anyone, never mind  12th album

bravo guys

heard 1st at record store, this was so much better

waa in a nice Dolby Atmos theater on Long Island 

Bring on November in that golden circle! 

JR8321

I went to Milford Cinemark (eastern Cincy).

Just got home. We had a few young'uns in our audience. Mostly Gen X for sure.  Some lady definitely in her 60s stood up right before it started and said "Is this a Pearl Jam crowd? You're too quiet!".  That got some cheers. We had about 20% full. Decent vibe but wish it was more crowded. The theater botched the sound though. It was way too quiet for the first half of the first playing. People yelling "turn it up!" after the first song. Someone left and complained after 3 songs.  And they finally turned it up after 5-6 songs and it was better, but still muddled. We definitely did not get the Atmos mix.  I knew that was possible but did not expect it to sound quieter than a movie.  All in all, still a positive experience. Still digesting the tunes.  Jeff’s intro was cool. . I thought the visualizers were meh. 

Something Special was not as bad as some have said. Not gonna be a favorite of mine  but not necessarily cringeworthy either. 

I'd say DM through Running was my fav stretch. Setting Sun a beautiful closer, sad then hopeful. 

At any given time I heard some elements of Yield, Binaural, Vs., Backspacer. But also Floyd, S Garden, The Who, u2, Petty, Bad Religion.  Again, my sound was a little muddled even when the volume improved. But Cameron definitely shining as reviews have stated. I hear some quirky Stone riffage, and most of Mike's solos hit for me. 

Very eager to listen at home with proper sound. And of course live 🙌🏻.

RG73141

Just got home. That was a fun experience. It was good to hear it twice, the second time around had almost a different feel to me. It’s a solid album too. 

Me and my 17 year old son went. He enjoyed it too. I told him this forces you to really listen to it with zero distractions. He agreed. 

PJammin'

RG73141 said:

Just got home. That was a fun experience. It was good to hear it twice, the second time around had almost a different feel to me. It’s a solid album too. 

Me and my 17 year old son went. He enjoyed it too. I told him this forces you to really listen to it with zero distractions. He agreed. 

That is the best part, listening to the album with no distractions at all. I loved hearing the album this way before the release. 

ceska

I'll get the weak tracks out of the way. I don't like Running, Dark Matter, and React Respond. Running is the Ole' of this album. React Respond is typical modern day Ed Word Salad.

The standouts: Won't Tell/Upper Hand/Waiting For Stevie/Got to Give. There was a mid-song guitar solo somewhere that I really liked. I like those songs a lot but they also all kind of sound the same. I didn't know which one was Waiting for Stevie, LOL. I think that was the one where the lyrics did not come on screen until the song was almost over. Setting Sun is also kind of in this group. It starts off a little odd timing/too fast paced but rocks at the end. I walked out of the theater singing the last line.

Scared of Fear is alright.

Wreckage and Something Special could be radio hits and/or every night concert standards. They are the most immediately accessible songs. They have space and Ed's vocals are clearest on the album here and not buried in the guitars like elsewhere. Wreckage sounds a lot like 1980s John Mellencamp. And I like John Mellencamp, and I like this song, but I don't usually associate John Mellencamp with Pearl Jam.

I nearly fell asleep during the "in the dark" playing. The visualizers were neat but not "something special". Really was wishing they played random footage of the guys in the studio or something, anything better than in the dark..

Good crowd in my theater (Danbury CT) but not more than half-sold - maybe 1/3 sold. Some clapping after a few songs. Which ones, I forget.

cp3iverson

... 

JayBar

Took my 13 year old. She really liked it. It's a solid album and the crowd seemed to love it. A lot of ppl there are also going to Wrigley shows. Great experience, sound was excellent and I can't wait until Friday. These songs are going to be great live! 9/10 IMO There isn't a track I didnt like. 

thomascbullock

Will say more in a bit but : a) Wreckage! b) Upper Hand (if that’s the name) is a bad song and c) it’s amazing overall.

pjl44

Cambridge, MA. This was a lot of fun and man the album is pretty great. I need to live with it for a couple months but I haven't felt this good initially since Riot Act.

The sound at the theater was not good unfortunately. Front left channel was doing a lot of work and the drums were pretty buried through both plays. It was also interesting that the first play had an interlude between Stevie and Running but the second play did not.

pjl44

Also one of my buddies and I said a similar thing after it was over - Is Ed's marriage ok? Some of those lyrics man....

vito

pjl44 said:

Also one of my buddies and I said a similar thing after it was over - Is Ed's marriage ok? Some of those lyrics man....

I said the same thing🤔

Robbert

Something special the best song for me

At this moment i do not hear any song what sounds a bit like a previous song.
Read some words about a song and Breath/State of love and trust, cant really hear a song what sounds a bit like that

aisleseats

pjl44 said:

Also one of my buddies and I said a similar thing after it was over - Is Ed's marriage ok? Some of those lyrics man....

LOL. I thought the same thing. 
For what it's worth, they seemed fine last tour.

BF25394

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.

gotthebottle

Sound at my theater in San Diego was amazing..Matt drives hard!! And Jeff... great to hear rhythm section so prominently. 
I'll agree the weakest link is Ed and some of the lyrics.. too wordy in some places..
95% full at our show

black tattoo

pjl44 said:

Also one of my buddies and I said a similar thing after it was over - Is Ed's marriage ok? Some of those lyrics man....

Yes I thought the same thing! but then wondered if 1. There’s been a rough patch as relationships have and their through it or 2. It was an ode to his daughter going through her teen years? When we tend to disassociate from our parents perhaps? 

lastexitlondon

A friend of mine said the lyrics all have the same theme and the more I listen the more it's true.