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

Merkin Baller · June 3

pjl44 said:

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.

He makes a great point here though.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/josh-homme-says-bands-who-dont-play-their-hits-are-a-little-cty-3477465

Merkin Baller · June 3

JimmyV said:

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.

This... StP in 2023 were the 1st shows i saw since Fenway '18, and as great as it was to see them, they weren't the greatest shows IMO.

The last year however, they've played the best shows I've seen since 2016.

pjl44 · June 3

Merkin Baller said:

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.

Yeah that's probably a big factor. I saw 23 shows from 2003-2008 so that's burned in my brain.

Ledbetterman10 · June 3

They're still awesome. Frankly, I think they're better now than they were in say 2014ish.

Merkin Baller · June 3

.pjl44 said:

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.

I missed this post, and I agree completely... IMO QOTSA is the best band of the last 25 years, and their shows are 🔥 (the ones where JH is in good form at least... I have seen a couple stinkers over the years)

ten-vs-vitalogy · June 3

Dublin is the perfect example of 'hard core' fans moaning about a setlist when in reality 95% of people there absolutely loved the show. I've seen them plenty and I was just grateful to see them in my home town for the first time in 15 years regardless of the fairly 'standard' setlist. We've been spoilt and the reality is, most people going want to see the hits which is fair enough. They still pull out surprises, they just don't do it as much anymore.

(Also - speaking of dublin - murder capital are trash humans)

Merkin Baller · June 3

ten-vs-vitalogy said:

Dublin is the perfect example of 'hard core' fans moaning about a setlist when in reality 95% of people there absolutely loved the show. I've seen them plenty and I was just grateful to see them in my home town for the first time in 15 years regardless of the fairly 'standard' setlist. We've been spoilt and the reality is, most people going want to see the hits which is fair enough. They still pull out surprises, they just don't do it as much anymore.
(Also - speaking of dublin - murder capital are trash humans)

Yeah, Dublin was electric... people will sleep on that show due to the setlist, but the energy was off the charts. That was a special night.

I told my wife I was done traveling for them after StP in 2023, but we planned our Ireland / UK vacation around the tour regardless, as seeing them in Dublin was a bucket list item for me... the Dublin and Manchester shows sucked me back in. I've traveled for 5 shows since then. The DM material really energized them and added a spark to the live shows.

Ryan · June 3

I agree with the comments that the new record energized the band. For people chasing songs and rarities this probably wasn’t a great tour, but if you wanted to see the band playing tight and sounding good, you would enjoy these shows. The Dark Matter tour felt like a production, or a show that they were giving us rather than just a concert.

I also agree the shows in 2022 were pretty rough. 23 songs or less most nights and constant worry about cancellations. 2023 the band seemed a bit looser and by Austin had really seemed to figure it out. 2024 felt like an athlete late in their career who after a couple of down years, managed to find the old magic again and reinvent their game.

For what the ticket prices are these days I’m glad we’re getting 24-25 songs most nights. The 2022 shows were just too short for what they’re charging. I’d add as well, less talking from Ed isn’t going to get you more songs. These are built in breaks for he and the band. Same reason they stretch out Even Flow and Porch.

Finally, I’d say the band sounds really good and is playing really well. I found a lot of shows during Backspacer and Lightning Bolt to be super sloppy and just racing through songs. I’d rather tight, concise performances of what the band is excited to play rather than rarities just for the sake of crossing something off a list.

100 Pacer · June 3

I splurged on parking far closer to the venues during the Dark Matter legs as compared to previous tours. That sums it up for me.

YOLO

BSully · June 4

It's funny how reading through these and how vast the answers are.

1. It obviously comes down to ones personal preference.

2. The word variety also comes into play here. I attended 5 Dark Matter shows over the last 2 years and heard quite a bit of the same songs at each show. Dark Matter tunes plus the regular constants (DTE, Even Flow, Alive, etc.). But I also saw at least 2 or 3 new songs at each show. So the more shows you saw, the more variety you got overall.

3. I heard a lot of people say they were better when they were playing 35 songs a night. But, I will take 26 high quality songs anytime over 35 songs that they play just to play. (Not that they were bad, but just saying).

4. Finally, if your one of the lucky ones who have seen them upwards of 50 or more times, I'm betting the Dark Matter shows were just ok because you've probably already seen most songs live and it would take more to impress you. But maybe I'm wrong.

These are just the thoughts of a guy who has only seen them 15 times and I thought they were great over the last 2 years. Those 2 Pitt shows were amazing and 2 of the best I've seen. (Maybe only St. Louis in '22 was better?)

pjl44 · June 4

BSully said:

It's funny how reading through these and how vast the answers are.

1. It obviously comes down to ones personal preference.

2. The word variety also comes into play here. I attended 5 Dark Matter shows over the last 2 years and heard quite a bit of the same songs at each show. Dark Matter tunes plus the regular constants (DTE, Even Flow, Alive, etc.). But I also saw at least 2 or 3 new songs at each show. So the more shows you saw, the more variety you got overall.

3. I heard a lot of people say they were better when they were playing 35 songs a night. But, I will take 26 high quality songs anytime over 35 songs that they play just to play. (Not that they were bad, but just saying).

4. Finally, if your one of the lucky ones who have seen them upwards of 50 or more times, I'm betting the Dark Matter shows were just ok because you've probably already seen most songs live and it would take more to impress you. But maybe I'm wrong.

These are just the thoughts of a guy who has only seen them 15 times and I thought they were great over the last 2 years. Those 2 Pitt shows were amazing and 2 of the best I've seen. (Maybe only St. Louis in '22 was better?)

3. The quality was every bit as good for the "evening with" shows, just more of it. If someone wants to say the quality took a hit hey #1 is #1 but I would disagree completely.

4. This is me but I don't think it's about needing more to be impressed. Just missing the vibe of the old days (when these set lengths were very much the norm by the way). Two nighters meant 1 or 2 repeats max and any song in the catalog was in play. Didn't get better than that.

CantKeepmedown · June 4

BSully said:

It's funny how reading through these and how vast the answers are.

1. It obviously comes down to ones personal preference.

3. I heard a lot of people say they were better when they were playing 35 songs a night. But, I will take 26 high quality songs anytime over 35 songs that they play just to play. (Not that they were bad, but just saying).

4. Finally, if your one of the lucky ones who have seen them upwards of 50 or more times, I'm betting the Dark Matter shows were just ok because you've probably already seen most songs live and it would take more to impress you. But maybe I'm wrong.

Yeah, I don't think those 35 songs a night gigs were low quality. A few mess ups here and there but they were doing that back in the late 90's/early 2000's when they were playing similar length shows as they are now. There a definitely less mess ups now though, as they playing a lot of the same songs throughout a tour.

And I'm at the 50 show mark and if you take out new albums songs (Gigaton and DM), I'd have to go back 7 shows to the last time I heard an original song I hadn't heard yet (Out of My Mind at Fenway in 2018). Doesn't mean I haven't been impressed. The shows have still been great. They probably just don't stack up to how things used to be. And that's OK. Different band now and I'm just happy to be able to keep seeing them live.

BSully · June 4

Sorry, I didn't mean the shows with 35 songs were bad... although I re-read my post and it does sound that way.

I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.

Hope that makes sense.

Merkin Baller · June 4

BSully said:

Sorry, I didn't mean the shows with 35 songs were bad... although I re-read my post and it does sound that way.

I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.

Hope that makes sense.

I feel like if they were putting more care into the shows, at least as compared to the pre-covid, 30+ song sets, there would be a lot fewer repeats in any given two night stand. I would think they would be making up for the shorter sets by giving us more variety... the element of surprise simply isn't what it was in years past.

I'm not complaining about the current sets, I'll take any live PJ I can get. & I'm not suggesting they're mailing it in, and yes, Philly 1 was one of the best shows I've ever seen... but I would still take the "Evening w/ PJ" Era shows > anything post covid 10 out of 10 times.

pjl44 · June 4

BSully said:

Sorry, I didn't mean the shows with 35 songs were bad... although I re-read my post and it does sound that way.

I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.

Hope that makes sense.

All personal preference but "care" chips away at what I love most about them. I will take a couple flubs for all the perks of a looser approach to the set. I don’t need the songs refined like a steel blade. I don’t think giant screens or bigger production suits them. I love seeing them in an arena where the backdrop is fans.

Gern Blansten · June 4

Love the screens...makes a bad seat a good seat

Merkin Baller · June 4

I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.

tschav · June 4

If I didn't love the latest album as much as I had, I'd feel very different about the setlist and format. I do wish the setlist was more of a half split of hits & DM, with the other half more varied, as the ~25 song setlist means cutting out more of the random songs or covers I'm hoping to see. I kinda wish they toured Gigaton like this (they had the visualizers) because I loved the last 2 albums a lot more than I expected.

The visuals were a nice touch and appreciated for the shows I was further back. It's a great collaboration between Rob Sheridan and the band, and I hope if they continue this route the build off of it and not let it get stale. I do slightly regret not buying a ticket behind the stage from past tours to get that perspective of the crowd though...

I'm hopeful that this new format is only for touring new albums, but during those gap years we are able to get some of the larger stadium shows and longer setlists. It's funny how fast a 2 hour show feels - it's tight and with little interruption, but I can almost sense how quickly we're getting to Yellow Ledbetter. I do pine for the days where we could have a show with 1/3 more songs, encore breaks and time for the occasional EV story, so fingers crossed we'll get opportunities for bigger/longer shows again.

pjl44 · June 4

Merkin Baller said:

I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.

I didn’t really dig them at Fenway. There were some nice moments (Setting Sun), but mostly I felt the visuals were fine but whatever (the DM stuff) or the band would get lost in whatever was on the large screen directly behind them (crowd shots, band shots, the DTE video).

MKSNYC · June 4

While the new DM material is certainly a driver for the current set-list rotation, I wonder if the decision to use a background screen and song specific video also factors in to a higher number of repetitive songs. While a nice visual change, I’m fine with more fans behind the stage and ditch the screen for more set-list flexibility - if a factor.

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

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