Pittsburgh 18.5.25 - Trip of a lifetime for an Aussie fan

Craig102

I have travelled 16,186 km from Melbourne to Pittsburgh for this.

My heart is beating faster than the day the Tax Office audited me.

I have spent two weeks’ pay on merchandise and despite approaching fifty years of age, I am dressed like a sixteen-year-old about to start a shift at the supermarket pushing trolleys in 1993.

This is absurd. Music can do this to people. Pearl Jam has done this to me.

The curtain drops and I would not want to be anywhere else in the world.

At a certain age in life, I stop dreaming. I am not exactly sure when. Perhaps, it was when I conceded defeat and stop going to the Hairdresser?

Practicality as an adult I have had my head down for years just getting things done. Married. Kids. Mortgage. Work. Do not get me wrong I love my life and my family, but for the last fifteen years I’ve sort of parked myself to concentrate on others. It was the right thing to do in my mind.

Approaching Christmas last year I had the lightbulb moment. I am approaching fifty and I SHOULD do something to mark the occasion, just for me. Then the next day I see Pearl Jam are touring again in 2025 in the US. I had 24 hours to make a decision and register for tickets. No time to think and convince myself it was not possible.

I then entered a delicate negotiation process with Mrs D for approval of the trip. I am not exactly sure what I committed to get this over the line, but I think I have entered into a binding verbal contract whereby I will not get any birthday or Christmas presents until 2043 in lieu of the financial commitment to get me to Pittsburgh. That being said, Mrs D did seem disturbingly keen to get me out the door!

I am not COOL. Not even remotely. I sat in the front row of class at School. I was allocated either the triangle or recorder at school music lessons. Yet, standing here in a crowd of 16,000 like-minded Pearl Jam fans at PPG Paints Arena I am the COOL kid. It feels weird. It feels good.

Pearl Jam got me in 1997. As a young University Student, I heard this music coming from the common room. I was drawn to it. I walked towards it. I immediately got the cassette off my mate and taped it onto a blank cassette (I hope the statute of limitations for copyright breach has now passed!). Close to 30 years later and I still get drawn to Pearl Jam whenever I hear their music. They have been the band that has provided the soundtrack of my life. I am indebted to them.

Standing here tonight is surreal for me. I am emotional. I am proud. Most of all I am just happy. Listening to the guys pump out ‘Why Go’ I am singing off-key with passion and feeling like I belong. I am with my people. I am with my Band.

My feet are weary. I took on (yet conceded defeat) in the pre-show merchandise line. I could not stand the six-hour test of time for that special commemorative number plate. I will no doubt pay the 400% mark up when sellers get them on ebay.

For a group of guys approaching or past sixty the two- and three-quarter hour set-list featuring 27 songs is an impressive physical effort if nothing else. Shifting between timeless classics, songs from the new record and impactful covers, in my opinion they have never sounded better. There is a genuine love of what they are doing and respect for each other which cannot be faked.

Old mate next to me seems to be in an almost trance like state. He is solo. He is big. He is swaying. I’ve got one eye on Eddie Vedder on Stage and the other eye out for a stray elbow.

I am an anxious guy. It is just the way I am wired. I genuinely did not think I would be here tonight. We had about 0.0001 mills of rain in Pittsburgh today yet that 2% chance the weather guy said of a thunderstorm had me sidetracked for hours thinking that the power would go out and there would be no concert! Life can be hard at times when you think like that. Tonight, there is no anxiety, just a balding (ok bald) man, who whilst struggling to digest the thirteen hamburgers he has consumed in the US this week, is as happy as he has ever been. My mind is still.

To add to the experience, I am standing next to a best and old Uni mate Todd from Australia who has travelled down from Canada where he now resides to share the experience. Great friends. Great music. Great night.

Yesterday I found myself at a bar, sinking a few and talking to some newly made US friends who were following the tour. We bumped into each other again at the show. Fine spokespeople for their Country and I hope I did the Australian Tourism Board proud too in my ‘sell’ to get them to come to the land down under.

Tonight is the final show of the Dark Matter World Tour. Eddie chats a lot but assures us the “meter is running” and we will still get all the songs. At times he is nostalgic. At times he is political. At all times he is thinking about the crowd and our safety. Eddie, Mike, Stone, Jeff and Matt float between I think being proud and happy to come to the end of this two-year tour and equally sad that it has to end. There is a connection and warmth for Pittsburgh and its choice as last stop.

The stage lights come on and I get my goosebump moment. After Eddie delivered some well-considered thoughts on the state of the US at the moment and the band pounded out an emotive version of ‘Rockin In The Free World’.

As the guys sipped champaign and took the plaudits of the crowd it was time to say goodbye. Perhaps this might be a final goodbye for me. Will Pearl Jam ever get to Australia again? I do not know?

I am exhausted. Six months of effort and planning. Six months of stressing. Six months of Expectation. Everything had been building to tonight. It did not disappoint. I did it! I took a chance and have lived a dream almost 30 years in the making. I Dreamt big again. I am proud of myself.

Pear Jam all I can say is THANK YOU.

 

Fredrick Goldberg

Pm me if you need a plate. I love your post.

Craig102

Fredrick Goldberg said:

Pm me if you need a plate. I love your post.

Thanks mate, appreciate it. I ended up grabbing one on ebay a few weeks back, but appreciate the offer.

lastexitlondon

We speak the same language my friend. You did the right thing. 

Craig102

lastexitlondon said:

We speak the same language my friend. You did the right thing. 

Appreciate it mate.