**** 09/15 FENWAY PARK, BOSTON N1 SETLUST THREAD **** Crowd-Sourced

Abe Froman

Set list looks underwhelming for a huge Fenway show although I’m pumped to see Blood made an appearance!  Best scratch in PJ history 

Blood>Never Destination 

BF25394

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Weston1283 said:

For the 5 shows I went to, it seemed that Wreckage has over taken Even Flow as the song that had most people leaving their seats for the bathrooms 

I don't listen to the radio but I'm glad they scored a hit. But come on. Did somebody actually say Wreckage is the best song on the album? #FFS  Stevie is better in every way, especially in sounding like a quintessential Pearl Jam song. For my taste I'd probably take another half dozen songs over Wreckage, at least.

Maybe I'm dense but personally I don't see people bolting to the bathroom during Even Flow.

Re: FOMO - Glorified G would've completed Vs. for me if I were there but I'm sure I'll run into it at some point. Certainly doesn't compare to seeing Alone & Rats (and the full arena sing-along Red Mosquito!) last Saturday. It seemed like a setlist designed to keep the whole stadium engaged, including the upper levels that contain a lot of casual fans (based on my past Fenway experiences).

Anyway, happy for those who attended and enjoy the show tomorrow!

There was a poll on this board in which thirteen percent of people who voted chose "Wreckage" as the best song on the album. Only "Upper Hand" and "Waiting for Stevie" got more votes. You don't love it, but it's not some kind of outlier opinion that it's good. The fans here and the response at radio demonstrate the song's appeal. I'm the one who said it *might* be the best song on the album. I voted for "Got to Give" in that poll, and probably had "Wreckage" third at the time that I voted, but it's probably second now and there are days when it's first.

For what it's worth-- and I'm only pointing this out to demonstrate that tastes vary-- "Waiting for Stevie" might be the least interesting song on the album. I'm not going to pick it apart in detail because, unlike some other posters, I don't come here to tell people they're wrong about which songs they like. (And they're not "wrong"-- to each their own.)

By the way, what is a "quintessential Pearl Jam song"? Does that mean it sounds like it could have been on Ten? That album was released 33 years ago. They moved on from its sound. They even had it remixed because they didn't like how it sounded. Ten doesn't sound like Vs., which doesn't sound like Vitalogy, which doesn't sound like No Code, which doesn't sound like Binaural. Seriously, what is quintessential for a band with a wide, varied catalogue with songs from "Who You Are" to "Sleight of Hand" to "Mind Your Manners" to "Sleeping By Myself" to "Oceans" to "Wreckage" to "Waiting for Stevie"?

curmudgeoness

"Got to Give" is my favorite, too. I wish they played it more!

I think there's a distinction between "X is/is not a good song" and "X doesn't need to be played every night." I think Wreckage is a very good song. It's not a barn-burner, but it's very catchy and it tends to get stuck in my head for days. I like it.

That said, I do not need to hear it at every show. Now, granted, I've been to ten shows thus far this year, and people who are just going to one show will really want to hear Porch or Wreckage, while I'd prefer to trade out Wreckage for Yellow Moon or Parting Ways or something on occasion. I can't -- and don't -- expect Ed to be sitting backstage catering exclusively to the weirdos like me at the expense of the more casual fan or the person who doesn't have the time/ money to go to a lot of shows. And as the parent of a musician, I also can respect the notion that the guys can't realistically be expected to have their entire catalogue fresh and ready to go each night.

So I can see both sides of the argument.

nicknyr15

HailHailVitalogy said:

Best scratch of all time 

It’s a tie between this and scratching Dance for LBC at msg. 

Johnny Abruzzo

BF25394 said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Weston1283 said:

For the 5 shows I went to, it seemed that Wreckage has over taken Even Flow as the song that had most people leaving their seats for the bathrooms 

I don't listen to the radio but I'm glad they scored a hit. But come on. Did somebody actually say Wreckage is the best song on the album? #FFS  Stevie is better in every way, especially in sounding like a quintessential Pearl Jam song. For my taste I'd probably take another half dozen songs over Wreckage, at least.

Maybe I'm dense but personally I don't see people bolting to the bathroom during Even Flow.

Re: FOMO - Glorified G would've completed Vs. for me if I were there but I'm sure I'll run into it at some point. Certainly doesn't compare to seeing Alone & Rats (and the full arena sing-along Red Mosquito!) last Saturday. It seemed like a setlist designed to keep the whole stadium engaged, including the upper levels that contain a lot of casual fans (based on my past Fenway experiences).

Anyway, happy for those who attended and enjoy the show tomorrow!

There was a poll on this board in which thirteen percent of people who voted chose "Wreckage" as the best song on the album. Only "Upper Hand" and "Waiting for Stevie" got more votes. You don't love it, but it's not some kind of outlier opinion that it's good. The fans here and the response at radio demonstrate the song's appeal. I'm the one who said it *might* be the best song on the album. I voted for "Got to Give" in that poll, and probably had "Wreckage" third at the time that I voted, but it's probably second now and there are days when it's first.

For what it's worth-- and I'm only pointing this out to demonstrate that tastes vary-- "Waiting for Stevie" might be the least interesting song on the album. I'm not going to pick it apart in detail because, unlike some other posters, I don't come here to tell people they're wrong about which songs they like. (And they're not "wrong"-- to each their own.)

By the way, what is a "quintessential Pearl Jam song"? Does that mean it sounds like it could have been on Ten? That album was released 33 years ago. They moved on from its sound. They even had it remixed because they didn't like how it sounded. Ten doesn't sound like Vs., which doesn't sound like Vitalogy, which doesn't sound like No Code, which doesn't sound like Binaural. Seriously, what is quintessential for a band with a wide, varied catalogue with songs from "Who You Are" to "Sleight of Hand" to "Mind Your Manners" to "Sleeping By Myself" to "Oceans" to "Wreckage" to "Waiting for Stevie"?

If I wanted show an alien (or a teenager - lol) what Pearl Jam sounds like I'd play:

• Rearviewmirror
• Corduroy
• Given to Fly
• In Hiding
• Waiting for Stevie

My point is Stevie captured that sound.

I love Pearl Jam's variety and eclecticism - in fact two of my 3 favorite albums do not have any of the songs I list below (Ten & Avocado). 

Maybe you'd play for the aliens Daughter, Small Town, Wishlist and Wreckage - that works but I think it doesn't demonstrate the vitality of the band as well. I think Wreckage is a good song and I'm happy people are gravitating towards it, like I said. Has to be played every show? Nah.

PJNB

Krakow 18 they scratched Black for Whipping. 

That was the best pit I have ever been in 

bootleg

Wreckage isn’t my favorite style of PJ, but I do acknowledge that it is a well crafted song aside from maybe cutting 20 sec or so from the outtro.  Also feel it has a place in setlists as you do have to slow things down sometimes.  Now as far as being played in every setlist.  I would like to see no song be played in every setlist and that includes Evenflow and Alive but I understand why they do it.  It may seem like the whole arena is filled with us die hards but there’s probably an equal amount where it’s their first show.  I would like to see what kind of setlists PJ would come up with for a run of fan club only shows.  I would probably try to go to every one.

BF25394

To be clear, I'm not generally in favor of any song being played at every show (although I had no problem with Dark Matter tracks being played a lot on this tour because the songs are great, I had never seen them performed before this spring, obviously, and it would be impossible for me to get tired of hearing them even if they had been played at all ten shows I attended-- and also because I know I'd better enjoy these songs while I can because they will disappear on the next tour so that we can keep hearing the same stuff from the first five albums). The closest thing I have to an every-show song is "Even Flow"-- in 80 shows, I've seen it 68 times (if I recall correctly)-- and I'd be happy never to see it live again.

I'm just saying that it doesn't surprise me that this particular song-- i.e., "Wreckage"-- has been played at every show given that: A) this is the Dark Matter tour; B ) it was the current single from Dark Matter for the entire length of the tour until last week; C) it is a song that caught on with the wider rock audience to a degree that no Pearl Jam song had in over a decade; and D) they need midtempo songs to vary the set list and pace themselves, and this one fits and also has a set of robust visuals that they're keen on featuring on this tour (unlike "Wishlist" or "Daughter," for example).

Whether or not the song is "good" is subjective. I'm just pointing out to people who assert that it isn't good-- or even claim this as a "fact"-- that their opinion may not be reflective of the wider audience, or of the fans of the band who post here. Like I said before, "Waiting for Stevie" doesn't do a whole lot for me, but I've never tried to argue that it's not "good" or that Pearl Jam fans don't like it. I don't think I ever expressed anything about it here until my prior post. I don't see the point in coming into the setlist thread to put down Pearl Jam songs that people love.

BF25394

Johnny Abruzzo said:

BF25394 said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Weston1283 said:

For the 5 shows I went to, it seemed that Wreckage has over taken Even Flow as the song that had most people leaving their seats for the bathrooms 

I don't listen to the radio but I'm glad they scored a hit. But come on. Did somebody actually say Wreckage is the best song on the album? #FFS  Stevie is better in every way, especially in sounding like a quintessential Pearl Jam song. For my taste I'd probably take another half dozen songs over Wreckage, at least.

Maybe I'm dense but personally I don't see people bolting to the bathroom during Even Flow.

Re: FOMO - Glorified G would've completed Vs. for me if I were there but I'm sure I'll run into it at some point. Certainly doesn't compare to seeing Alone & Rats (and the full arena sing-along Red Mosquito!) last Saturday. It seemed like a setlist designed to keep the whole stadium engaged, including the upper levels that contain a lot of casual fans (based on my past Fenway experiences).

Anyway, happy for those who attended and enjoy the show tomorrow!

There was a poll on this board in which thirteen percent of people who voted chose "Wreckage" as the best song on the album. Only "Upper Hand" and "Waiting for Stevie" got more votes. You don't love it, but it's not some kind of outlier opinion that it's good. The fans here and the response at radio demonstrate the song's appeal. I'm the one who said it *might* be the best song on the album. I voted for "Got to Give" in that poll, and probably had "Wreckage" third at the time that I voted, but it's probably second now and there are days when it's first.

For what it's worth-- and I'm only pointing this out to demonstrate that tastes vary-- "Waiting for Stevie" might be the least interesting song on the album. I'm not going to pick it apart in detail because, unlike some other posters, I don't come here to tell people they're wrong about which songs they like. (And they're not "wrong"-- to each their own.)

By the way, what is a "quintessential Pearl Jam song"? Does that mean it sounds like it could have been on Ten? That album was released 33 years ago. They moved on from its sound. They even had it remixed because they didn't like how it sounded. Ten doesn't sound like Vs., which doesn't sound like Vitalogy, which doesn't sound like No Code, which doesn't sound like Binaural. Seriously, what is quintessential for a band with a wide, varied catalogue with songs from "Who You Are" to "Sleight of Hand" to "Mind Your Manners" to "Sleeping By Myself" to "Oceans" to "Wreckage" to "Waiting for Stevie"?

If I wanted show an alien (or a teenager - lol) what Pearl Jam sounds like I'd play:

• Rearviewmirror
• Corduroy
• Given to Fly
• In Hiding
• Waiting for Stevie

My point is Stevie captured that sound.

I love Pearl Jam's variety and eclecticism - in fact two of my 3 favorite albums do not have any of the songs I list below (Ten & Avocado). 

Maybe you'd play for the aliens Daughter, Small Town, Wishlist and Wreckage - that works but I think it doesn't demonstrate the vitality of the band as well. I think Wreckage is a good song and I'm happy people are gravitating towards it, like I said. Has to be played every show? Nah.

I guess what I would play for people who were unfamiliar with Pearl Jam would depend on who they are, and whether they have an ear for  hard rock music or not. I know that most music listeners respond better to ballads than to heavy rock songs. There is a reason why Guns N' Roses hit number one with "Sweet Child O' Mine," number three with "November Rain" and number four with "Patience" but only number seven with "Welcome to the Jungle" and number 93 with "Nightrain." There is a reason why Warrant, Poison, Def Leppard and a bunch of other rock bands hit number one only with ballads. (Sorry, I have to reference the '80s and early '90s because that was when rock bands were still a central component of the pop-radio landscape.) Heck, there is a reason why "Last Kiss" is by far the biggest hit Pearl Jam has ever had. So if I were playing Pearl Jam songs for the median music listener, I might play the quieter songs you listed-- although I personally don't particularly care or need to see any of those songs (or "Last Kiss"). When random people who know I love Pearl Jam have independently come across Pearl Jam songs in recent years and felt the need to tell me about it, those songs have either been "Just Breathe" or, in one instance, "Sirens." Incidentally, all of those random people are women.

But if I were trying to convey "this is what Pearl Jam sounds like," it's too all over the place. It would have to be a mix of a classic from Ten, something aggressive from Vs. or Vitalogy, something weird from No Code or Binaural, something pretty like "Just Breathe," something angry from Pearl Jam, something political, and something from Dark Matter, because that's where they are now.

2-feign-reluctance

BF25394 said:

To be clear, I'm not generally in favor of any song being played at every show (although I had no problem with Dark Matter tracks being played a lot on this tour because the songs are great, I had never seen them performed before this spring, obviously, and it would be impossible for me to get tired of hearing them even if they had been played at all ten shows I attended-- and also because I know I'd better enjoy these songs while I can because they will disappear on the next tour so that we can keep hearing the same stuff from the first five albums). The closest thing I have to an every-show song is "Even Flow"-- in 80 shows, I've seen it 68 times (if I recall correctly)-- and I'd be happy never to see it live again.

I'm just saying that it doesn't surprise me that this particular song-- i.e., "Wreckage"-- has been played at every show given that: A) this is the Dark Matter tour; B ) it was the current single from Dark Matter for the entire length of the tour until last week; C) it is a song that caught on with the wider rock audience to a degree that no Pearl Jam song had in over a decade; and D) they need midtempo songs to vary the set list and pace themselves, and this one fits and also has a set of robust visuals that they're keen on featuring on this tour (unlike "Wishlist" or "Daughter," for example).

Whether or not the song is "good" is subjective. I'm just pointing out to people who assert that it isn't good-- or even claim this as a "fact"-- that their opinion may not be reflective of the wider audience, or of the fans of the band who post here. Like I said before, "Waiting for Stevie" doesn't do a whole lot for me, but I've never tried to argue that it's not "good" or that Pearl Jam fans don't like it. I don't think I ever expressed anything about it here until my prior post. I don't see the point in coming into the setlist thread to put down Pearl Jam songs that people love.

You must have struggled during the Ten and Vs tours LOL! 

KN219077

It won’t be long before people will be recalling the dark matter songs they got to hear before they disappear from sets, just enjoy the ride and remember this won’t last forever 

BF25394

2-feign-reluctance said:

BF25394 said:

To be clear, I'm not generally in favor of any song being played at every show (although I had no problem with Dark Matter tracks being played a lot on this tour because the songs are great, I had never seen them performed before this spring, obviously, and it would be impossible for me to get tired of hearing them even if they had been played at all ten shows I attended-- and also because I know I'd better enjoy these songs while I can because they will disappear on the next tour so that we can keep hearing the same stuff from the first five albums). The closest thing I have to an every-show song is "Even Flow"-- in 80 shows, I've seen it 68 times (if I recall correctly)-- and I'd be happy never to see it live again.

I'm just saying that it doesn't surprise me that this particular song-- i.e., "Wreckage"-- has been played at every show given that: A) this is the Dark Matter tour; B ) it was the current single from Dark Matter for the entire length of the tour until last week; C) it is a song that caught on with the wider rock audience to a degree that no Pearl Jam song had in over a decade; and D) they need midtempo songs to vary the set list and pace themselves, and this one fits and also has a set of robust visuals that they're keen on featuring on this tour (unlike "Wishlist" or "Daughter," for example).

Whether or not the song is "good" is subjective. I'm just pointing out to people who assert that it isn't good-- or even claim this as a "fact"-- that their opinion may not be reflective of the wider audience, or of the fans of the band who post here. Like I said before, "Waiting for Stevie" doesn't do a whole lot for me, but I've never tried to argue that it's not "good" or that Pearl Jam fans don't like it. I don't think I ever expressed anything about it here until my prior post. I don't see the point in coming into the setlist thread to put down Pearl Jam songs that people love.

You must have struggled during the Ten and Vs tours LOL! 

Ha. I saw zero shows on the Ten tour and one on the Vs. tour. I think my attitude would have been the same as on the Dark Matter tour-- very excited to hear the "new" songs which, as you suggest, would have been the only songs then.

Another point re: everyday "Wreckage" is that most people at a show see only that show. So if there's a song that's a hit, it's going to be played in part out of recognition of this reality. Lots of people see multiple Pearl Jam shows, but most of the audience at any given show are one-and-doners.

I doubt there are many other bands of Pearl Jam's pedigree and history that have played dozens of shows in any year in the 2020s that can say that they only played one song at every show. Most bands at that level probably have at least a half-dozen songs that they play every night, and some probably have a dozen.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

I'm so excited about tonights show that I'm making some homemade matzo ball soup.

Mazol Tov!

curmudgeoness

Do we need a fresh thread?

SPEEDY MCCREADY

curmudgeoness said:

Do we need a fresh thread?

Of course

curmudgeoness

Okay; I made one, only took me three tries to type properly 🤦

Go Animal

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

I'm so excited about tonights show that I'm making some homemade matzo ball soup.

Mazol Tov!

Mazol tov!