For those who have seen Pearl Jam over the years, how did this recent tour match up to the past?

truckin24

pjhawks said:

GlowGirl said:

I think they are still amazing. What I think is funny is that I have seen some of my favorite songs like I Am Mine maybe 5-6 times. But I have now seen Wreckage 17 times 😁

I’m surprised at all the dislike of Wreckage. I think Wreckage is great and as good live as on record.  Wreckage will be a staple moving forward.  

I also think wreckage was awesome, crowd def enjoyed it more at the 2025 shows.

truckin24

Zod said:

PJNB said:

Abe Froman said:

All you have to do is go back and look at some of those sets from previous years. Those saying the shorter sets are somehow even better now….im sorry but thats gotta be some recency bias because its not even close 

I think some people argue they prefer quality over quantity. I also think they are exaggerating how bad the quality was when we had the quantity. 

Yah, with those 2013 to 2018 3 hour+ barn burners, I felt we had quality and quantity at the same time.

I'm still struggling to come down from those shows, and it's hard not to compare.

My first show was Philly 1 in 2024. It makes me sad because I missed that era, but almost caught it. My cousins went to the Ten show without me in 16, and I missed the Rome show in 2018, we flew in that day and couldn't make it. I think about it every day.....

reedrothchild

This year and last year (24 + 25) is the best the band has sounded in the post Covid era and that’s pretty good. Shows are still fun, albeit repetitive with 2/3 of the show being DM songs and DM songs. 

Of I’m relistening to old shows 94-2006 is the sweet spot for me. The 90’s shows are tight with the band firing on all cylinders and the shows from 1998-2006 are the best modern version of the band with Matt where the setlists were unpredictable and the band still taking chances and extending songs a bit. 

I do think there was another brief peak in 2013-2014 as the new format re-energized the band. Show length doesn’t matter to me as much as quality of playing does and in this era they bailed both.

From 2016 to present shows are fun to be with my biggest memories coming from hanging out with old friends rather than memories of the shows themselves. This is when shows stopped having a lot of replay value for me, but of course are still fun in the moment. 

pjl44

Spiritual_Chaos said:

I have never felt that the quality in any way suffered. That argument sounds made up.

I do miss having a My Morning Jacket open those shows though.

Completely agree on all counts. The longer shows were just more of a great thing. I can totally understand why they wouldn't want to commit to 3 hours per night as the baseline going forward, though.

bb4packers

I was hoping they'd look at the recent tour's 2 night stands in the same town as an opportunity to rethink the every night songs.  For me, Alive is really the only every night song. I listen to almost every show on Nugs and find myself skipping Even Flow, Porch, Do the Evolution and Spin the Black Circle more and more. Looking at a 2 night stand as a "no repeat" opportunity would have been really interesting.  

Robbert

Said it in the past. More rockin less talking please.
I know the 3 hour shows and 30+ song setlist are the past.
Will still always go to shows, but wont be doing multiple shows a tour anymore. Guess the unexpacted aspect is a bit gone

Robbert

bb4packers said:

I was hoping they'd look at the recent tour's 2 night stands in the same town as an opportunity to rethink the every night songs.  For me, Alive is really the only every night song. I listen to almost every show on Nugs and find myself skipping Even Flow, Porch, Do the Evolution and Spin the Black Circle more and more. Looking at a 2 night stand as a "no repeat" opportunity would have been really interesting.  

Yeah im with you about the skipping part. Straight to the 'deep cuts'

Get_Right

Robbert said:

Said it in the past. More rockin less talking please.
I know the 3 hour shows and 30+ song setlist are the past.
Will still always go to shows, but wont be doing multiple shows a tour anymore. Guess the unexpacted aspect is a bit gone

Unfortunately you are right. I do not mind the shorter shows, it's the lack of setlist mix. Please retire the Ten songs and give us more Yield, Binaural, Riot Act, and heck even Backspacer. I do not need to hear Alive, Porch or Even Flow live ever again. Signed a spoiled old PJ tour veteran.

Robbert

Yeah im not realy the veteran ( ), but i know what you saying.
I jumped on the PJ train in 2006. Damn those shows.

Those 10 minutes Even flows can be replaced by a (lets say) Gods Dice - Lukin - Breakerfall run or so.
Or those 25 minute-run Alive - Free World - Yellow Ledbetter by 6 other songs🤣

pjl44

bb4packers said:

I was hoping they'd look at the recent tour's 2 night stands in the same town as an opportunity to rethink the every night songs.  For me, Alive is really the only every night song. I listen to almost every show on Nugs and find myself skipping Even Flow, Porch, Do the Evolution and Spin the Black Circle more and more. Looking at a 2 night stand as a "no repeat" opportunity would have been really interesting.  

I hadn't thought about it but this is a good point on the bootlegs. I went from listening to them with My Morning Jacket frequency (most shows on a tour because each show stands on its own) to Father John Misty frequency (listen occasionally and pick a show with the variable songs I want).

Gern Blansten

Get_Right said:

Robbert said:

Said it in the past. More rockin less talking please.
I know the 3 hour shows and 30+ song setlist are the past.
Will still always go to shows, but wont be doing multiple shows a tour anymore. Guess the unexpacted aspect is a bit gone

Unfortunately you are right. I do not mind the shorter shows, it's the lack of setlist mix. Please retire the Ten songs and give us more Yield, Binaural, Riot Act, and heck even Backspacer. I do not need to hear Alive, Porch or Even Flow live ever again. Signed a spoiled old PJ tour veteran.

If I had my way I would reduce the Ten songs and get rid of the covers. I'm good with the shorter sets.

I think they stick with the standards because they don't require practice. These guys seem to get together and just bang out shows. They might practice some oddities during soundcheck but they aren't practicing 8 hours a day in prep for a tour to be comfortable enough with removing the standards.

Grievance at Pitt was a good example...not perfect but who cares? It was fucking great to hear and that they did it almost all the way through without fuck ups was amazing.

But yeah, as someone said above, we're on the back nine watching them get closer to wrapping up and I'll take whatever I can get. In my opinion they are the best live band out there. I love the live moments when Mike is going into outer space and Matt/Jeff/Stone are just slamming out a groove all huddled together. 

Merkin Baller

The majority of people aren't going to see PJ to hear songs off Riot Act or Avocado, and the band knows this.

pjl44

Merkin Baller said:

The majority of people aren't going to see PJ to hear songs off Riot Act or Avocado, and the band knows this.

There's a word for that phase of your career and I don't want to speak it

Gern Blansten

Merkin Baller said:

The majority of people aren't going to see PJ to hear songs off Riot Act or Avocado, and the band knows this.

I get it...but if they throw in a few of those those people are still going to buy tickets

Merkin Baller

pjl44 said:

Merkin Baller said:

The majority of people aren't going to see PJ to hear songs off Riot Act or Avocado, and the band knows this.

There's a word for that phase of your career and I don't want to speak it

Josh Hommes subscribes to ta similar philosophy about playing one's hits and he's a good 10 years younger than these guys, so it isn't just limited to those who are slowing down. 

pjl44

If the new model is a standard setlist framework being mostly filled in by new album, covers, and 20th century material I will say it's been a great run but I'll be at the Sinclair that night

Merkin Baller

pjl44 said:

If the new model is a standard setlist framework being mostly filled in by new album, covers, and 20th century material I will say it's been a great run but I'll be at the Sinclair that night

I hear you, and more power to you.

Personally, I've seen several shows on the DM tour and not a single one of them has dissuaded me from trying to see as many shows as I can. If I hadn't missed those '03-06 shows, I might feel differently, but such is life.  

pjl44

Merkin Baller said:

pjl44 said:

Merkin Baller said:

The majority of people aren't going to see PJ to hear songs off Riot Act or Avocado, and the band knows this.

There's a word for that phase of your career and I don't want to speak it

Josh Hommes subscribes to ta similar philosophy about playing one's hits and he's a good 10 years younger than these guys, so it isn't just limited to those who are slowing down. 

Philosophy seems different than how it plays out though. This is the last Queens show I saw. It's a nice mix.

pjl44

Queens are a tricky example too because they're one of the few bands I'd put above Pearl Jam from a performance standpoint today. Also I'm seeing them for $70 at MGM which I think subconsciously factors into the discussion. 

JimmyV

It's gotten better every year of this new, post-Evening With era I think. 2022 was a huge adjustment because the shows were nowhere near what had come before. In 2023 the band seemed to find its stride, and 24/25 were fire again.