I feel like the good feelings associated with pearl jam are slowly fading away. It's just not the same anymore.
Yeah, seems like since the 2000 tour, things have been different. Fans have changed or something. I used to love waiting in line with the tenclubbers and talking for hours. Now, I'm mostly annoyed and irritated with other members at the show. Maybe its me, but something is missing nowadays.
I feel like the good feelings associated with pearl jam are slowly fading away. It's just not the same anymore.
Yeah, seems like since the 2000 tour, things have been different. Fans have changed or something. I used to love waiting in line with the tenclubbers and talking for hours. Now, I'm mostly annoyed and irritated with other members at the show. Maybe its me, but something is missing nowadays.
That sounds about right, time-wise. Once they opened the doors to granting seniority to an unlimited number of shows, there seemed to be a huge surge in psycopaths crawling out of the woodwork with their sense of entitlement. Things have been downhill since.
so, it's Boston 1 of EV east coast tour. I have TC tix and I bring my girlfriend. Before the show we go to this bar around the corner and we grab some food and drinks. We got talking to the bartendar about the show as he mentioned having a ticket to the next night... well there's this middle-aged woman sitting next to us the whole time by herself. She made a comment about my drink and then butted in when I mentioned going to the show.
She started to ramble on about always being in the front row and how she was unhappy that the 1st and 5th rows were random for this tour. She was talking about eddies second kid, which I had no idea about. And she looked at me and said something along the lines of "aren't you on the message boards"?
overall I just got a weird vibe from this chick and later discussed with my g-friend about how spoiled some fans are.
I have been to 13 Pj shows, most of them sat in nose bleeds. and these were my closest seats ever (8th row) and here's someone complaining about the random selection, who's been first row for every show she's been to.
kinda got to me...
Meadowlands, MSG 1, MSG 2 - '98 Jones Beach NY 1 + 3 - '00 MSG 1 + 2 - '03 Boston Garden - '04 Montreal - '05 Boston Garden 1, Meadowlands 1 + 2 - '06 Mansfield 1 - '08 (EV solo) Boston 1 - '08 Chicago 1 - '09 MSG -'10 Brooklyn 1+2 - '13 Central Park - '15 MSG - '16 Fenway - '16 Wrigley - '16 (RRHOF) Brooklyn - '17 Fenway - '18 MSG - '22
so, it's Boston 1 of EV east coast tour. I have TC tix and I bring my girlfriend. Before the show we go to this bar around the corner and we grab some food and drinks. We got talking to the bartendar about the show as he mentioned having a ticket to the next night... well there's this middle-aged woman sitting next to us the whole time by herself. She made a comment about my drink and then butted in when I mentioned going to the show.
She started to ramble on about always being in the front row and how she was unhappy that the 1st and 5th rows were random for this tour. She was talking about eddies second kid, which I had no idea about. And she looked at me and said something along the lines of "aren't you on the message boards"?
overall I just got a weird vibe from this chick and later discussed with my g-friend about how spoiled some fans are.
I have been to 13 Pj shows, most of them sat in nose bleeds. and these were my closest seats ever (8th row) and here's someone complaining about the random selection, who's been first row for every show she's been to.
kinda got to me...
I have encountered people like that at shows as well. It's almost like the number of shows you have gone to and how close you were has turned into "cred" for some people. It's not even about the show or the music anymore. Just look at some of the sigs here. Although i am happy that you sat in the 2nd row, I don't need to be reminded of that every time I see one of your posts. No one cares. As I said above, things are going south and I am seeing more and more people around here getting fed up.
This is interesting...this statement you make...I want to say something about it but I am not sure what. We have been shut out for so long here in Texas that the feeling you described has been LONG gone. The value of a membership in the Ten Club is worth 50x more if you live in the Northeast. They have had more shows in a week then we have in almost a decade. I believe it has created a sense of entitlement. It seems that is where most of the fans are based out of now. I remember being in line in San Antonio and thinking it was great--too meet other people who loved the band like I did. I remember tailgating at Alpine Valley in 1998 and thinking it was the greatest thing ever--and it was. People used to help each other trading boots and all that stuff. I guess as people got older they had more to spend their time on. The internet made it easier to get info--just not here. It is more transactional now--I need this or I want that. When people do not get it they come on here and complain about it. Maybe the tour will rekindle some kind of magic. Maybe a great album will help. People always say PJ is so fan friendly but what does that mean? I can see this type of relationship becoming more distant over time. I hope I am wrong.
so, it's Boston 1 of EV east coast tour. I have TC tix and I bring my girlfriend. Before the show we go to this bar around the corner and we grab some food and drinks. We got talking to the bartendar about the show as he mentioned having a ticket to the next night... well there's this middle-aged woman sitting next to us the whole time by herself. She made a comment about my drink and then butted in when I mentioned going to the show.
She started to ramble on about always being in the front row and how she was unhappy that the 1st and 5th rows were random for this tour. She was talking about eddies second kid, which I had no idea about. And she looked at me and said something along the lines of "aren't you on the message boards"?
overall I just got a weird vibe from this chick and later discussed with my g-friend about how spoiled some fans are.
I have been to 13 Pj shows, most of them sat in nose bleeds. and these were my closest seats ever (8th row) and here's someone complaining about the random selection, who's been first row for every show she's been to.
kinda got to me...
Just look at some of the sigs here. Although i am happy that you sat in the 2nd row, I don't need to be reminded of that every time I see one of your posts. No one cares. As I said above, things are going south and I am seeing more and more people around here getting fed up.
That is why I have the sigs turned off. Nice feature of this board.
The value of a membership in the Ten Club is worth 50x more if you live in the Northeast. They have had more shows in a week then we have in almost a decade. I believe it has created a sense of entitlement.
Isn't that just the Northeast in a nutshell for everything?
I've met some really cool people in lines for shows, and I've met some that will immediately go to the "Were you at Boston 3?" or "How many shows are you hitting this tour?" etc, etc...
To be fair - its a smaller # that are the ones that are crazy arrogant/entitled/whatever. It's just that as small as that group is, they go to every show and make sure everyone around them knows it!
Seems like the tours have been like that with 10 club tickets since 2000. I've never had 10 club tix yet so it doesn't really bother me where I sit at the show. I just want to see some more shows.
The vibe on the board does seem different, I think it's partly because it's all just fan club members that can use the board now. Just seems like less people are here and less discussion but the complaining sure stayed. I honestly have just laughed at a lot of the complaints- they really are kind of funny depending on what it is over. 10 club is great there are alot of fanclubs that charge ALOT more. I have met some amazing people on this board. Still hoping to find my girlfriend here maybe if I'm lucky. The good people are still around amongst the fans. The complaints are just at an all time high around tour time. I've gotten used to it, and just don't open the threads that I know are going to irritate me.
Yep, it's definitely a turn off. It's all about who's met who, who got this signed, how many boots, which back door are you waiting at?
It's more N'sync than it is Rock N' Roll.
The latest MOJO that is available in the States has a Pearl Jam article. Somewhere in this article, Vedder says:
"Something as simple as going to get a coffee would mean getting mobbed," he laughs, "like I was in Backstreet Boys, which is hilarious, because this sure ain't no 'boy band' no more."
Ha, you wanna think about that again? You've got way too many fans that look at you the exact same way a Backstreet Boys fan would look at Backstreet Boys. I know that's not what you wanna hear but it is unfortunately true....
I have no patience for bad music and stupid people...
The whole world will be different soon the whole world will be RELIEVED
Unfortunately, I too have had the misfortune of meeting many of the aforementioned, but the good always outweigh the bad. There are just so many awesome fans out there that over time I've learned to not pay attention to the rest.
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. . .
Unfortunately, I too have had the misfortune of meeting many of the aforementioned, but the good always outweigh the bad. There are just so many awesome fans out there that over time I've learned to not pay attention to the rest.
Yep, that's the catch-22. I've met many awesome people, but also many people that I wouldn't save from a house fire.
Unfortunately, I too have had the misfortune of meeting many of the aforementioned, but the good always outweigh the bad. There are just so many awesome fans out there that over time I've learned to not pay attention to the rest.
Yep, that's the catch-22. I've met many awesome people, but also many people that I wouldn't save from a house fire.
but the sad thing is that it wasn't always that way. i remember when i was a seriously broke undergrad in 1998 and needed tix to the KC show. i posted on a msg board asking if anyone had any spares that they didn't need to contact me. less than 12 hours later, someone sent me an email. 3 days later the tix were in my hands with a note saying "happy birthday (it was 2 weeks earlier). enjoy the show on me!"
Being only 18 I've only met a few of these good people. From the shows I went to in '06 and '08 I just assumed that the majority of the fans were just tools. It didn't turn me off from the music, just from interacting with a lot of the people around me. It's cool to know that it wasn't always like this, though.
I've been around since 96 and everything has changed since then.
It is I would say due to two factors: the internet and 10c ticketing arrangements.
2000 US tour was the last time I felt a real sense of companionship and genuine enjoyment throughout the entire process from ticket buying to lining up to before and after shows.
Someone hit it on the head when they said the internet has turned everything into instant gratification and the 'need it and want it now' type attitude. It's not just with PJ, its with life itself these days.
Seeing the same people front row every single night gets tiring. Hearing their elitist talk is even worse. That is why I would probably trade my excellent 10c tix for a spot away from such fans. I would rather be right up the back in my own little world just enjoying the music, than be down the front with people checking off stats and figures and being the benefactors of everything Ed hands out to the audience (maybe he thinks they'll finally go away if he gives them his harmonica?).
so glad i live in australia... my honeymoon/8 shows on the 06 was the time of my life, and it was definitely because of the great people who i met. can't wait to see some of you out on the road again.
damn time someone had the guts to post something like this.
The band is a great one. For many of us, we grew up with this band. It soundtracked our lives, our childhood, our teen years, and continues to this day to bring inspiration to us.
That said this board and the culture around the band often feel like a cult as opposed to a fan community.
The people on this board seem to treat the band with almost christ like hero worship. While, I love this band and their influence on me is immeasurable, to suggest the band is above any criticism is absolutely absurd. I dont have to love every action the band engages in and I dont have to sit in silence about it. No matter what occurs, even if its legitimate concerns like the rise in ticket prices, people on this board act like to even voice such a concern is blasphamous and somehow makes you less of a fan than those who love every single thing PJ has ever done in history.
If I love Ben Harper's work but didnt like Lifeline as much as previous albums am I less of a fan? Is it heretical of me to say this? How about if I enjoy Damien Rice's music but think he is a mean and less than admirable human being?
How about the bragging of how many shows? Am I less of a fan if I havent seen many shows? I have only seen one, does that make me less of a fan than those people on here who post the 20-30 shows they went to in their signiture?
Again, i love this band, but I hardly think even the band would think its wise for people on the board to act like what the band says is gospel and what the band does is perfect and above critique.
this is a DISCUSSION BOARD. Discussion to me, means discourse. On ideas. And opinions. Not group think.
I dont appreciate those nazi's and facists on this board who act like those who question the bands actions sometimes are somehow hurting the bands feelings or ruining it for everyone.
The ticket prices issues is valid and important. So important even, that I assume, PJ will always be linked with ticketmaster.
So to suggest the band can charge whatever they want and not have people question the price sometimes is a little naive and asinine.
People question ticket prices for Neil Young, or Dylan or The stones. Why are PJ above criticism?
As a fan, and ten club member I didnt join anything that made me pledge alligience to this band and all their actions.
Yep, that's the catch-22. I've met many awesome people, but also many people that I wouldn't save from a house fire.
But isn't that just life? Some people you like, some you don't. Some are cool, some are shitheads. Why should it be different for fans of a band? Can one really expect that the thousands and thousands of people all feel this lovey-dovey 'jamily' thing? There is one thing in common amongst all these people and it is liking the music of this band... that may be the only thing too.
Yep, that's the catch-22. I've met many awesome people, but also many people that I wouldn't save from a house fire.
But isn't that just life? Some people you like, some you don't. Some are cool, some are shitheads. Why should it be different for fans of a band? Can one really expect that the thousands and thousands of people all feel this lovey-dovey 'jamily' thing? There is one thing in common amongst all these people and it is liking the music of this band... that may be the only thing too.
That's exactly what I was thinking!
I've been a member for a few years now, but only recently have started posting on the board. For me the community is just a fun bonus to the ticket opportunities and all the stuff 10c has done for me. I've only been to a handfull of shows and met some great people and some of the rather annoying types. But that has never influenced my appreciation for the music, because when the music starts it all goes away and kind of boils down to just the music and me. And that's why I go to the shows and why I signed up for 10c in the first place.
However, I never expierienced 10c in the pre-2000 era...
Isn't every band the same? There will always be borderline psychopaths trailing after their favourite act, breathlessly recounting the time during that gig where EV's sweat dropped on them.
I agree with those who think that the seniority thing is a mistake. Personally, I think that everyone who is a member of a fan club should have the same status. Granted, that's open to abuse by scalpers if they open an account merely to buy tickets, but I'm sure that could be countered somehow. There seem to be quite a few genuine fans here who are younger than the rest of us, and it's not fair to shut them out of good tickets because they're too young to have followed Pearl Jam since the beginning.
I haven't been to a lot of PJ shows, only those they've played in Ireland, so I can't possibly comment on the change in fan attitude - I only get to see the band every 5 years or so. However, the last time they played Dublin, I met a very sound American guy. Spent a good half hour talking about his collection, gigs he'd been to, etc. The guy was clearly obsessed, but relaxed and humorous. I enjoyed the chat. Never had a bad experience at a PJ show, even in '96 when I spent 5 mins debating with some girl which of the guys was Mike McCready! I lost.
When we found the things we loved,
They were crushed and dying in the dirt.
We tried to pick up the pieces,
And get away without getting hurt,
But they caught us at the state line,
And burned our cars in one last fight,
And left us running burned and blind,
Chasing something in the night.
the problem is that people have a hard time adapting to what this band is doing and are trying to do for their fans such as random seating which i think is a great idea...im mean the band even came out and said they were tired of seeing the same faces just standing there, i mean if a band notices that then there is a problem
ive been a part of the fan club since 97, went to my first show in St. Louis in 98 and man those were some times and i have not problem with all the changes its nice to freshen things up
as far as meeting other fans i would say i have had 95% good experiences and then have come across some people who do feel entitled and kind of snobish about the band, even some of the people who run the fundraisers have come off with that im better than you attitude
all in all i like things around here and try just to enjoy what this band is giving us and just fortunate these guys are still together and keep giving up new albums and tours and didnt end up like some of their counterparts
The Internet is a communication tool used the world over where people can come together to bitch about pearl jam and share pornography with one another.
"All I Ever Knew" available now in print and digital formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.
The Internet is a communication tool used the world over where people can come together to bitch about pearl jam and share pornography with one another.
Comments
Yeah, seems like since the 2000 tour, things have been different. Fans have changed or something. I used to love waiting in line with the tenclubbers and talking for hours. Now, I'm mostly annoyed and irritated with other members at the show. Maybe its me, but something is missing nowadays.
That sounds about right, time-wise. Once they opened the doors to granting seniority to an unlimited number of shows, there seemed to be a huge surge in psycopaths crawling out of the woodwork with their sense of entitlement. Things have been downhill since.
so, it's Boston 1 of EV east coast tour. I have TC tix and I bring my girlfriend. Before the show we go to this bar around the corner and we grab some food and drinks. We got talking to the bartendar about the show as he mentioned having a ticket to the next night... well there's this middle-aged woman sitting next to us the whole time by herself. She made a comment about my drink and then butted in when I mentioned going to the show.
She started to ramble on about always being in the front row and how she was unhappy that the 1st and 5th rows were random for this tour. She was talking about eddies second kid, which I had no idea about. And she looked at me and said something along the lines of "aren't you on the message boards"?
overall I just got a weird vibe from this chick and later discussed with my g-friend about how spoiled some fans are.
I have been to 13 Pj shows, most of them sat in nose bleeds. and these were my closest seats ever (8th row) and here's someone complaining about the random selection, who's been first row for every show she's been to.
kinda got to me...
Jones Beach NY 1 + 3 - '00
MSG 1 + 2 - '03
Boston Garden - '04
Montreal - '05
Boston Garden 1, Meadowlands 1 + 2 - '06
Mansfield 1 - '08
(EV solo) Boston 1 - '08
Chicago 1 - '09
MSG -'10
Brooklyn 1+2 - '13
Central Park - '15
MSG - '16
Fenway - '16
Wrigley - '16
(RRHOF) Brooklyn - '17
Fenway - '18
MSG - '22
I have encountered people like that at shows as well. It's almost like the number of shows you have gone to and how close you were has turned into "cred" for some people. It's not even about the show or the music anymore. Just look at some of the sigs here. Although i am happy that you sat in the 2nd row, I don't need to be reminded of that every time I see one of your posts. No one cares. As I said above, things are going south and I am seeing more and more people around here getting fed up.
That is why I have the sigs turned off. Nice feature of this board.
Jones Beach NY 1 + 3 - '00
MSG 1 + 2 - '03
Boston Garden - '04
Montreal - '05
Boston Garden 1, Meadowlands 1 + 2 - '06
Mansfield 1 - '08
(EV solo) Boston 1 - '08
Chicago 1 - '09
MSG -'10
Brooklyn 1+2 - '13
Central Park - '15
MSG - '16
Fenway - '16
Wrigley - '16
(RRHOF) Brooklyn - '17
Fenway - '18
MSG - '22
It's more N'sync than it is Rock N' Roll.
I've met some really cool people in lines for shows, and I've met some that will immediately go to the "Were you at Boston 3?" or "How many shows are you hitting this tour?" etc, etc...
To be fair - its a smaller # that are the ones that are crazy arrogant/entitled/whatever. It's just that as small as that group is, they go to every show and make sure everyone around them knows it!
The vibe on the board does seem different, I think it's partly because it's all just fan club members that can use the board now. Just seems like less people are here and less discussion but the complaining sure stayed.
EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
The latest MOJO that is available in the States has a Pearl Jam article. Somewhere in this article, Vedder says:
"Something as simple as going to get a coffee would mean getting mobbed," he laughs, "like I was in Backstreet Boys, which is hilarious, because this sure ain't no 'boy band' no more."
Ha, you wanna think about that again? You've got way too many fans that look at you the exact same way a Backstreet Boys fan would look at Backstreet Boys. I know that's not what you wanna hear but it is unfortunately true....
The whole world will be different soon the whole world will be RELIEVED
#resistgezi #resistturkey #resisttaksim #direnturkiye #direngezi
#standingman #duranadam
Quote of the thread.
Unfortunately, I too have had the misfortune of meeting many of the aforementioned, but the good always outweigh the bad. There are just so many awesome fans out there that over time I've learned to not pay attention to the rest.
Yep, that's the catch-22. I've met many awesome people, but also many people that I wouldn't save from a house fire.
Kidding... sort of.
but the sad thing is that it wasn't always that way. i remember when i was a seriously broke undergrad in 1998 and needed tix to the KC show. i posted on a msg board asking if anyone had any spares that they didn't need to contact me. less than 12 hours later, someone sent me an email. 3 days later the tix were in my hands with a note saying "happy birthday (it was 2 weeks earlier). enjoy the show on me!"
www.cluthelee.com
www.cluthe.com
Ah, to be born a decade earlier...
I almost enjoy that more than the music itself. Hopefully I'll meet some of you on tour.
BTW, I'm gonna buy hopethatyouchoke a beer, since I agree with him 98.2% of the time.
Beer on you, shots on me
Sounds good
I've been around since 96 and everything has changed since then.
It is I would say due to two factors: the internet and 10c ticketing arrangements.
2000 US tour was the last time I felt a real sense of companionship and genuine enjoyment throughout the entire process from ticket buying to lining up to before and after shows.
Someone hit it on the head when they said the internet has turned everything into instant gratification and the 'need it and want it now' type attitude. It's not just with PJ, its with life itself these days.
Seeing the same people front row every single night gets tiring. Hearing their elitist talk is even worse. That is why I would probably trade my excellent 10c tix for a spot away from such fans. I would rather be right up the back in my own little world just enjoying the music, than be down the front with people checking off stats and figures and being the benefactors of everything Ed hands out to the audience (maybe he thinks they'll finally go away if he gives them his harmonica?).
The days of old are gone sadly enough.
peace
wr
if nothing is everything i would have it all
The band is a great one. For many of us, we grew up with this band. It soundtracked our lives, our childhood, our teen years, and continues to this day to bring inspiration to us.
That said this board and the culture around the band often feel like a cult as opposed to a fan community.
The people on this board seem to treat the band with almost christ like hero worship. While, I love this band and their influence on me is immeasurable, to suggest the band is above any criticism is absolutely absurd. I dont have to love every action the band engages in and I dont have to sit in silence about it. No matter what occurs, even if its legitimate concerns like the rise in ticket prices, people on this board act like to even voice such a concern is blasphamous and somehow makes you less of a fan than those who love every single thing PJ has ever done in history.
If I love Ben Harper's work but didnt like Lifeline as much as previous albums am I less of a fan? Is it heretical of me to say this? How about if I enjoy Damien Rice's music but think he is a mean and less than admirable human being?
How about the bragging of how many shows? Am I less of a fan if I havent seen many shows? I have only seen one, does that make me less of a fan than those people on here who post the 20-30 shows they went to in their signiture?
Again, i love this band, but I hardly think even the band would think its wise for people on the board to act like what the band says is gospel and what the band does is perfect and above critique.
I dont appreciate those nazi's and facists on this board who act like those who question the bands actions sometimes are somehow hurting the bands feelings or ruining it for everyone.
The ticket prices issues is valid and important. So important even, that I assume, PJ will always be linked with ticketmaster.
So to suggest the band can charge whatever they want and not have people question the price sometimes is a little naive and asinine.
People question ticket prices for Neil Young, or Dylan or The stones. Why are PJ above criticism?
As a fan, and ten club member I didnt join anything that made me pledge alligience to this band and all their actions.
But isn't that just life? Some people you like, some you don't. Some are cool, some are shitheads. Why should it be different for fans of a band? Can one really expect that the thousands and thousands of people all feel this lovey-dovey 'jamily' thing? There is one thing in common amongst all these people and it is liking the music of this band... that may be the only thing too.
That's exactly what I was thinking!
I've been a member for a few years now, but only recently have started posting on the board. For me the community is just a fun bonus to the ticket opportunities and all the stuff 10c has done for me. I've only been to a handfull of shows and met some great people and some of the rather annoying types. But that has never influenced my appreciation for the music, because when the music starts it all goes away and kind of boils down to just the music and me. And that's why I go to the shows and why I signed up for 10c in the first place.
However, I never expierienced 10c in the pre-2000 era...
I agree with those who think that the seniority thing is a mistake. Personally, I think that everyone who is a member of a fan club should have the same status. Granted, that's open to abuse by scalpers if they open an account merely to buy tickets, but I'm sure that could be countered somehow. There seem to be quite a few genuine fans here who are younger than the rest of us, and it's not fair to shut them out of good tickets because they're too young to have followed Pearl Jam since the beginning.
I haven't been to a lot of PJ shows, only those they've played in Ireland, so I can't possibly comment on the change in fan attitude - I only get to see the band every 5 years or so. However, the last time they played Dublin, I met a very sound American guy. Spent a good half hour talking about his collection, gigs he'd been to, etc. The guy was clearly obsessed, but relaxed and humorous. I enjoyed the chat. Never had a bad experience at a PJ show, even in '96 when I spent 5 mins debating with some girl which of the guys was Mike McCready! I lost.
They were crushed and dying in the dirt.
We tried to pick up the pieces,
And get away without getting hurt,
But they caught us at the state line,
And burned our cars in one last fight,
And left us running burned and blind,
Chasing something in the night.
ive been a part of the fan club since 97, went to my first show in St. Louis in 98 and man those were some times and i have not problem with all the changes its nice to freshen things up
as far as meeting other fans i would say i have had 95% good experiences and then have come across some people who do feel entitled and kind of snobish about the band, even some of the people who run the fundraisers have come off with that im better than you attitude
all in all i like things around here and try just to enjoy what this band is giving us and just fortunate these guys are still together and keep giving up new albums and tours and didnt end up like some of their counterparts
Are you and Dunk long lost brothers or something?