My brother and I travelled from FL and RI last September for both nights in Austin 2023 and was absolutely worth it to see 50 songs over the course of two nights with only Alive being repeated.
Without stating the obvious too much, the shorter sets and the regular DM songs, have naturally taken away from the intrigue of following the setlists from afar. There's just less space for the rarities to be heard and for many of us, it's taken something away from the anticipation of the shows whether you are there or not.
That said, having just come back from two amazing nights in Barcelona, the shows are still brilliant. Not knowing how many times we'll get to do this again, especially in Europe, makes me want to make the most of every moment. It also helps that I've not seen 50+ shows, so I've haven't become jaded by the live experience, and I love DM, so happy to see them play as much of that as possible.
I'll still see them as much as I can but I do miss following the setlists with interest, we had a great run whilst it lasted.
I always told my friends that they were a band that didn’t do the crappy platinum ticket scam, they didn’t rely on visual screens and sat 360, they played 30 + songs every show, and they completely mixed up set lists every show.
Still really enjoy the music, but the live experience has diminished a bit since 2018.
Its something about the setlists that is not the same, IDK what it is. Its not the length for me, I'm fine with how long they are, its maybe too formulaic?
I've seen every Pearl Jam song at this point, I'm more looking for something they never do, so I guess I'm also hard to please. But in Chicago last year we got Street fighting man, just wow, it seems there's always a get, but I cant find one in Europe this year.
My brother and I travelled from FL and RI last September for both nights in Austin 2023 and was absolutely worth it to see 50 songs over the course of two nights with only Alive being repeated.
This. If they play the two night stands this fall the way they did last year, there’s gonna be a bunch of fomo
2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Across eight shows in August/September 2023, they played 102 different songs. Across ten shows in May 2024, they played 98 different songs-- and that's despite a commitment to Dark Matter tracks being a third of the songs played. It's not "wildly different." The premise of your post is dead wrong.
FOMO, no. Never had that, though. I do want to see as many shows as possible for someone that has to travel to every show. Hit Van 1 & 2 with my fan club tickets. After which I had to add the Vegas shows because they were fire! Decided on Ohana with the beach and free stay but have added Wrigley 2 as well. Dark Matter is the best album this century. My passion for the band has ebbed and flowed with living life. An actual death experience has made me realize what really matters to me. I appreciate every day I am awake, but a Pearl Jam show is my happy place. When I close my eyes and want to be happy, I am in the pit at Austin or Vegas or Denver. I can still visualize where I was and the whole stage set up at Soldier Field. Wow! Tears of joy!
Soldier Field 7-11-95, Alpine Valley 6-26-98, United Center 6-29-98, Riverport Amphitheater (St. Louis)7-2-98, MGM Grand Arena 10-22-00, Sprint Center (Kansas City)5-3-10, Adams Event Center (Missoula)9-30-12, Wrigley Field 7-19-13, Jobing.com Arena (Phoenix)11-19-13, Moda Center (Portland)11-29-13, Spokane Arena 11-30-13, Pepsi Center (Denver)10-22-14, Gila River Arena (Phoenix)5-9-22, Moody Center (Austin)9-18-23, Moody Center 9-19-23, Rogers Arena (Vancouver)5-4-24, Rogers Arena 5-6-24, MGM Grand 5-16-24, MGM Grand 5-18-24, Wrigley Field 8-29-24, Wrigley Field 8-31-24
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Across eight shows in August/September 2023, they played 102 different songs. Across ten shows in May 2024, they played 98 different songs-- and that's despite a commitment to Dark Matter tracks being a third of the songs played. It's not "wildly different." The premise of your post is dead wrong.
Is this your first tour? No way the sets are diverse as in the past. Your statistics are cute but you are dead wrong.
Due to the ticket price increase I only planned on doing Van 1&2 this tour. Had such an amazing time that I added Sea 2. That still left me wanting more but decided I’d only add another show if I could get GA. Tried for weeks to get into the pit in Missoula, but no luck. Switched my efforts to Wrigley 1 and got it. Setlists aren’t what they were 5-10 yrs ago but the boys were in top form on leg 1 and I can’t get enough. It’s been as exciting to see them now as it ever was.
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Across eight shows in August/September 2023, they played 102 different songs. Across ten shows in May 2024, they played 98 different songs-- and that's despite a commitment to Dark Matter tracks being a third of the songs played. It's not "wildly different." The premise of your post is dead wrong.
Is this your first tour? No way the sets are diverse as in the past. Your statistics are cute but you are dead wrong.
You know damned well that it's nowhere near my first tour. The comparison was not to some generic time "in the past." The comparison was to "what they did last year." My statistics are not "cute"; they are true.
Thanks for your insight. Reading through 100+ posts, I don't think I'm the outlier, but if I am, I'll live. Enjoy the shows. To each their own.
A fact is a fact, regardless of how many people choose to deny it. You were the one who said things are wildly different than last year. They just aren't. The diversity of songs in the set lists at the start of the tour in 2024 is almost identical to the diversity of songs in the set lists at the end of 2023, especially when taking into account that the 2024 shows set aside 30 percent of the slots on the set list for songs from Dark Matter, and they still managed to play almost as many distinct songs at the 2024 shows as the 2023 shows.
This is not a question of enjoyment. If you are not enjoying the 2024 shows, I can't tell you you're wrong. It's a personal experience and entirely subjective. The question of how varied the set lists are is objective, and it can be demonstrated objectively that they are not "wildly different." That's all I'm saying.
Thanks for your insight. Reading through 100+ posts, I don't think I'm the outlier, but if I am, I'll live. Enjoy the shows. To each their own.
A fact is a fact, regardless of how many people choose to deny it. You were the one who said things are wildly different than last year. They just aren't. The diversity of songs in the set lists at the start of the tour in 2024 is almost identical to the diversity of songs in the set lists at the end of 2023, especially when taking into account that the 2024 shows set aside 30 percent of the slots on the set list for songs from Dark Matter, and they still managed to play almost as many distinct songs at the 2024 shows as the 2023 shows.
This is not a question of enjoyment. If you are not enjoying the 2024 shows, I can't tell you you're wrong. It's a personal experience and entirely subjective. The question of how varied the set lists are is objective, and it can be demonstrated objectively that they are not "wildly different." That's all I'm saying.
You are only using one year as your basis. I am not comparing it to 2023. I am comparing it to pre-COVID shows, 20+ years of shows.
Thanks for your insight. Reading through 100+ posts, I don't think I'm the outlier, but if I am, I'll live. Enjoy the shows. To each their own.
A fact is a fact, regardless of how many people choose to deny it. You were the one who said things are wildly different than last year. They just aren't. The diversity of songs in the set lists at the start of the tour in 2024 is almost identical to the diversity of songs in the set lists at the end of 2023, especially when taking into account that the 2024 shows set aside 30 percent of the slots on the set list for songs from Dark Matter, and they still managed to play almost as many distinct songs at the 2024 shows as the 2023 shows.
This is not a question of enjoyment. If you are not enjoying the 2024 shows, I can't tell you you're wrong. It's a personal experience and entirely subjective. The question of how varied the set lists are is objective, and it can be demonstrated objectively that they are not "wildly different." That's all I'm saying.
Over 1/4 of the show is in the exact same spot on the first leg. Its not even close to being the same as 2023.
Alive React Respond Scared of Fear Wreckage Dark Matter DTE Evenflow Running Porch Setting Sun Upper Hand
All played at pretty much the same spot for every show of the first leg. The 6th most played song in 2023 was Betterman and it was only played at half the shows.
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Across eight shows in August/September 2023, they played 102 different songs. Across ten shows in May 2024, they played 98 different songs-- and that's despite a commitment to Dark Matter tracks being a third of the songs played. It's not "wildly different." The premise of your post is dead wrong.
Is this your first tour? No way the sets are diverse as in the past. Your statistics are cute but you are dead wrong.
You know damned well that it's nowhere near my first tour. The comparison was not to some generic time "in the past." The comparison was to "what they did last year." My statistics are not "cute"; they are true.
Unless something changes drastically, they're not playing sets anything close to what they did last year. Each show was wildly different with varied setlists. The element of surprise was alive and well. This year, not the case. And that's okay. It just changes the dynamic of wanting to see more than one show, for me at least.
Across eight shows in August/September 2023, they played 102 different songs. Across ten shows in May 2024, they played 98 different songs-- and that's despite a commitment to Dark Matter tracks being a third of the songs played. It's not "wildly different." The premise of your post is dead wrong.
Is this your first tour? No way the sets are diverse as in the past. Your statistics are cute but you are dead wrong.
You know damned well that it's nowhere near my first tour. The comparison was not to some generic time "in the past." The comparison was to "what they did last year." My statistics are not "cute"; they are true.
Last year was completely different. Come on man.
St Paul shows they repeated 5 songs, Chicago 3, Ft Worth 2, Austin 1. 5 is a lot for them but I don't remember hearing much chirping so people must not have really noticed or cared.
On the spring tour they repeated 8-9 songs on 2 night stands, many in the same spot of the setlist. People have noticed. It's a big change.
Stats over 10 shows are only meaningful for the miniscule number of people hitting all or most. When they do 2 nights in a city many people will attend both. It's gonna feel same-y especially with what we're used to with Pearl Jam.
Comments
It was crazy how close the two sets were though but I do full expect something better for the last show.
That said, having just come back from two amazing nights in Barcelona, the shows are still brilliant. Not knowing how many times we'll get to do this again, especially in Europe, makes me want to make the most of every moment. It also helps that I've not seen 50+ shows, so I've haven't become jaded by the live experience, and I love DM, so happy to see them play as much of that as possible.
I'll still see them as much as I can but I do miss following the setlists with interest, we had a great run whilst it lasted.
Toronto - '96, '00, '03, '05, '06, '16, '20, '22
Ottawa - '16, '20, '22
Hamilton - '20, '22
This is not a question of enjoyment. If you are not enjoying the 2024 shows, I can't tell you you're wrong. It's a personal experience and entirely subjective. The question of how varied the set lists are is objective, and it can be demonstrated objectively that they are not "wildly different." That's all I'm saying.
Yup. If another ticket falls into my lap for Philly I might make the trip but otherwise one night at MSG will suit me just fine.
Alive
React Respond
Scared of Fear
Wreckage
Dark Matter
DTE
Evenflow
Running
Porch
Setting Sun
Upper Hand
All played at pretty much the same spot for every show of the first leg. The 6th most played song in 2023 was Betterman and it was only played at half the shows.
Stop defending this shit it is what it is.
On the spring tour they repeated 8-9 songs on 2 night stands, many in the same spot of the setlist. People have noticed. It's a big change.
Stats over 10 shows are only meaningful for the miniscule number of people hitting all or most. When they do 2 nights in a city many people will attend both. It's gonna feel same-y especially with what we're used to with Pearl Jam.