*** London, O2 Arena Fanviews Here 8/18/09 ***

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Comments

  • Red-Man
    Red-Man Posts: 62
    hidinginthebushes wrote:
    First time i've seen them, been waiting for about 12 years for it, what a concert! Probably the best I've ever been to. Does anyone know if they'll be releasing this as a bootleg?

    Cheers

    They will - it was too good not to.

    As someone on here said earlier - it was one of those gigs that will be spoken of in awe (at least from this soul it will) for years.

    Still buzzing...
  • lilinger
    lilinger London, UK Posts: 475
    lilinger wrote:
    jambayleaf wrote:
    Anybody have a pic of the poster?

    2 versions have been released for this nite.

    Im posting a pic of mine tomorrow :)
    But rite Im full with every single moment of these great gigs in the last two days...

    Hmm...just unwrapped mine...and its from SBE :D

    The one from yesterday sold out in front of me... :(
    I am forever grateful to this band for giving us their ALL every single night and offering me such a wonderful gift - MUSIC, music that allows me to feel all that I want to feel, music that makes me strong in times of weakness, music that gives me joy in times of sorrow - SammieBlack
  • Bogwoppit
    Bogwoppit Posts: 13
    I hardly ever post here, I lurk a lot, but I just have to say that last night was the most amazing I've ever seen them.

    This was my 12th PJ gig and it was absolutely the best. How do they keep on getting better!
    I'll swallow poison, until I grow immune
    I will scream my lungs out till it fills this room!
  • Spags
    Spags Leigh-on-Sea, UK Posts: 3,057
    What a fantastic night.

    Was on the right hand side of the arena at the very top, I mean VERY top with no more seats behind us. Each band member was about the size of my thumb nail so I wasn't too annoyed about having to give over my camera on entry (well maybe a little). From the roof I got a completely different gig experience to what I'm used to (I guess my days of being down the front have slipped away), witnessing the crowd take those three steps back and then seeing everybody above them, me included, applaud the situation was very moving, Pearl Jam fans are a indeed a rare breed. Also watching Eddie reflect a spotlight off his guitar held above his head and shine the light around the entire stadium was magical, getting hit with that light made even me, all the way up in the sky, feel truly connected to the experience - beyond the music of course. The set list blew my mind, I couldn't pick a favourite (though Black and Crazy Mary were amazing). Seeing Stone and Jeff facing each other locked in a wonderful groove and Mike playing along with Boom just made me incredibly happy. There were some sad moments, Eddie was clearly hurting inside so thanks guys for coming out and living up to the pressure I always put upon you.
    Nature drunk and High
  • nuffingman
    nuffingman Posts: 3,014
    I was about 20 yards back on Stone's side and I thought it was fuckin' loud.
    My ears are whistling, I've lost my voice through too much singing and my feet hurt from being at the O2 from 3.30.

    I don't know whether I'm just getting old.

    By the testicles of Titan 'twas an awesome show.

    Come back soon.
  • gigiliz007
    gigiliz007 Posts: 4
    DIrty Franks - I love what you had to say about the concert.. it was my first show I have been able to get to -- been trying since 1992 ($, or some other shit kept it from happening).. at any rate - I have been in the UK for a year now (I am an American) and I finally get to see them in what had to be the best show ever... I am still flying high the next day.

    I just wanted to say that your statement about how the show reminded you of old 90's performances... it made me laugh out loud since your just 17... My kids babysitter is 16 and had no clue who PJ was... it made me feel ancient... thanks for not making me feel so old.... :)




    DiRtyFranK38 wrote:
    wow .. so i'm a 17 year old from connecticut and had seen the band 4 times (sig) before tonight. i was fortunate enough to go on a vacation to london/paris and get to see pj for the 5th time tonight (also hittin up the 4 philly shows ;) )!

    let me say that this crowd was absolutely INSANE! they blewwww awayyyy the msg crowd even! moshpits and crowd surfing left and right. ed even had to stop about 4 songs in and move everyone back! i swear the crowd could have taken out a fucking army tonight! it was a sight to see for sure.

    but more importantly, pj. HOLY SHIT :o ! the band was filled with passion and fury and ripped through quite the amazing setlist. i also want to note .. *Ed's voice was the best i've EVER seen it! right up there if not better then when i saw him solo in nyc!* the acoustics at the O2 were incredible and every single word sung by ed was crystal clear. no joke! the venue was so awesome! fucking huge!

    as far as some song/performace highlights, there are many ...

    FINALLY saw release open! chills up and down.
    immortality early in the set was out of nowheree but amazing.
    the fixer and got some reaally kicked it live!
    SUPERSONIC! WOW! i know many of you must be super curious! fantastic live tune! the verses and choruses are mainly what you can here on the amazon clip .. BUT let me tell you that the bridge in the song is fucking ridiculous! mike played some crazy ass riff that is nothing like the rest of the song! it just seemed to keep unfolding and i was shitting my pants after each second. fuckin great!
    rats and i got shit were ace! great to see!
    ok, light years was gorgeous. before playing it ed talked about a close friend that he had recently lost. he started to break down and kept fcuking up the intro guitar! he had to stop and step away from the mic! he was majorly breaking down! the band all turned around to him to make sure he was ok to move on. they finally tried again and he pulled together after playing the intro riff many, many times so by the time he went to sing he wasnt crying his eyes out. beautiful performance!
    insignificance, life wasted, and blood were definitely treats! the crowd went APESHIT during blood. i truly dont think people who weren't there could understand the intensity of this crowd. it was almost like the early 90s!
    black = incredibleble
    both encores had TOP NOTCH performances of the classics, as well as some treats. everything just sounded better tonight. ed's voice was out of this world. i couldnt believe it. it was insanity.
    leaving here was so unexpected and great to see! the guitar fills became bass fills! awesome!

    pretty much just a fabulous show! london was truly a CRAZY crowd and what a passionate performance by the band! ed gave it his alllllll tonight (so did the others, of course)! now, i'm counting down the days until all 4 nights in philly baby! cannot wait! but i have a train leaving tomorrow to go to paris for 3 nights! then back home again!

    peace, everybody! :mrgreen: :!:
  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    And how about the sound at the O2?! Absolutely amazing, it almost made up for the exorbitantly priced beer! I hope they never play Wembley ever again!
  • Lillou77
    Lillou77 Posts: 93
    facepollution wrote:
    And how about the sound at the O2?! Absolutely amazing, it almost made up for the exorbitantly priced beer! I hope they never play Wembley ever again!

    I love the O2 for such a big venue they have managed to make the sound great!

    I am on such a high today...but also really emotional...damn I love Pearl Jam :D:D:D
  • nuffingman
    nuffingman Posts: 3,014
    facepollution wrote:
    And how about the sound at the O2?! Absolutely amazing, it almost made up for the exorbitantly priced beer! I hope they never play Wembley ever again!
    Agreed! 100%.
    The crowd was so much better than Wembley 07.
  • paulus2112
    paulus2112 Posts: 52
    Amazing show, brilliant night - O2 is such a great venue, back home by car 74 miles in under an hour from the gig ending!"

    This was my first PJ gig, been trying to get tickets for every show since the early 90s, didn't disappoint and really made up for the wait!

    I used to say Pink Floyd at Earls Court in 1994 was the best concert I'd been to but I think this tops it.

    What a set list, there's always gonna be tunes I wish they'd played - it would take a four hour gig to satisfy I reckon, but they played 'Footsteps' 'Release' 'Crazy Mary' and 'Rats' - Ed's tribute to MJ "A man who should have played here if he hadn't done what he did" - Every song was superb, Pearl Jam are the greatest fuckin band in the world...

    I can understand why people folow them around the world, respect guys - I wish I could do that too!

    Check out these vids from the night, I took with my phone so not great quality - we were pretty near the front and the sound is ok.

    Alive - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52w0JSeU2Cg
    Rats - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncmIBgTS8v4
    Crazy Mary - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJqEZUSbNPM
  • Plankton
    Plankton Posts: 692
    It really did sound great, better than Manchester did. Both were amazing though, I don't have a favourite of the two.
  • Jammitt
    Jammitt Posts: 37
    Review from Evening Standard

    http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/gig ... d=23734064

    Pearl Jam are in perfect harmony with their fans
    By John Aizlewood, Evening Standard 19.08.09 More reviews by John Aizlewood
    Mr Chat: the usually sulky frontman Eddie Vedder was in a talkative mood

    From the Borderline in '92 to the O2 in '09, it's been a long slog for Pearl Jam.

    With Soundgarden and Nirvana long gone, they are the last band standing of the Seattle grunge titans who changed the course of pop music in the early Nineties.

    These days, they're standing taller than ever and last night's 28-song jamboree sold out in 14 minutes.

    More to the point, having spent much of this century in a water-treading coma, they have re-engaged and for all singer Eddie Vedder's protestations that "we have to pace ourselves these days", last night's nearly three-hour set suggests these fortysomethings are not wilting.

    It's taken them a while and although you wouldn't know it from Vedder's unbecoming outfit of shorts, trainers and socks, Pearl Jam have grown up.

    Where once they were sulkier than a poutload of supermodels, these days Vedder is Mr Chat and his colleagues Mr Smiles.

    Surprising as it seemed, Vedder (now resembling the improbable offspring of Bill Bailey and Mission-period Robert De Niro) actually seemed to enjoy himself.

    When covering The Who's Love Reign O'er Me; Holland-Dozier-Holland's Leaving Here or even the ominous Victoria Williams obscurity Crazy Mary, he glowed, a singing child in a musical sweetshop.

    To the delight of an audience including actors Josh Brolin, Jonah Hill, Tim Robbins (to whom Vedder dedicated Blood) and Diane Lane, they embraced old and new.

    During the elderly Even Flow, Mike McCready's guitar solo lasted so long Vedder had time to smoke a cigarette. They are Pearl Jam; they are above the law.

    The new material sizzled too, particularly the fierce Got Some and, on its live debut, Supersonic.

    Along the way, they paid homage to O2 no-show Michael Jackson with a burst of Ben before Rats (Ben being a rat in Jackson's song) and snuck in rarities such as I Got ID.

    Ultimately though, this was that rarest of exchanges: a band and their audience in perfect harmony, literally during the singalong that was Alive.

    "After tonight, we won't be in Europe for some time," explained Vedder. They're welcome back any time.
  • Hayley.Arch
    Hayley.Arch Posts: 4
    Wow!
    What an incredible night!

    The venue and sound were awesome and thanks to 10 Club for getting me standing tickets! The atmosphere down the front was wicked.

    Highlights were Footsteps, Crazy Mary, Hail Hail, Betterman.

    I really love the new stuff and can't wait for the new album although I really missed hearing stuff from the last 'Pearl Jam' album - they only did one song - Life Wasted. Would have loved a few more from that album.

    Eddies voice was flawless and I found 'Light years' which he dedicated to his friend who passed away yesterday very moving - it was a form of cathasis for him.

    Woke up this morning at 5.30am worrying about the fact he said they wouldn't be touring for a few years - that has hit me hard especially as I am on a massive anti-climax today anyway.
    If only I were rich, I could spend my time following them from gig to gig!

    Rock on Pearl Jam. We love you
    x
    Hayley
    "makes much more sense to live in the present tense"
    Wembley Arena - Oct 29, 1996
    Wembley Arena - May 29, 2000
    Astoria - Apr 20, 2006
    Reading Festival - Aug 27, 2006
    Wembley Arena - Jun 18, 2007
    O2 Arena - Aug 18, 2009
  • gigiliz007
    gigiliz007 Posts: 4
    Bertan - I cried as well during Release.. that song has a lot of meaning for me... it was the last song I shared with a great friend before he passed away.. when they opened with that song-- it was like my friend was there with me... and I balled my eyes out.. I am crying just thinking about it... it was IMMENSE! So SO happy just because of that one moment... although the entire concert blew the roof off...

    bertan wrote:
    supersonic definitely sounded like mankind (which is a good thing for me), but i still like got some the best.

    i'm too tired to write a detailed review, but i have to say this was my 3rd pearl jam concert and i always wanted release as an opener. finally hadi it tonitght, and it was fucking amazing! the crowd was loud as hell, i couldn't stop crying like a baby, it was really emotional. lots of love to everyone who screamed their lungs out, cheers :)
  • Alive 79
    Alive 79 Posts: 100
    Jammitt wrote:
    Review from Evening Standard

    http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/gig ... d=23734064

    Pearl Jam are in perfect harmony with their fans
    By John Aizlewood, Evening Standard 19.08.09 More reviews by John Aizlewood
    Mr Chat: the usually sulky frontman Eddie Vedder was in a talkative mood

    From the Borderline in '92 to the O2 in '09, it's been a long slog for Pearl Jam.

    With Soundgarden and Nirvana long gone, they are the last band standing of the Seattle grunge titans who changed the course of pop music in the early Nineties.

    These days, they're standing taller than ever and last night's 28-song jamboree sold out in 14 minutes.

    More to the point, having spent much of this century in a water-treading coma, they have re-engaged and for all singer Eddie Vedder's protestations that "we have to pace ourselves these days", last night's nearly three-hour set suggests these fortysomethings are not wilting.

    It's taken them a while and although you wouldn't know it from Vedder's unbecoming outfit of shorts, trainers and socks, Pearl Jam have grown up.

    Where once they were sulkier than a poutload of supermodels, these days Vedder is Mr Chat and his colleagues Mr Smiles.

    Surprising as it seemed, Vedder (now resembling the improbable offspring of Bill Bailey and Mission-period Robert De Niro) actually seemed to enjoy himself.

    When covering The Who's Love Reign O'er Me; Holland-Dozier-Holland's Leaving Here or even the ominous Victoria Williams obscurity Crazy Mary, he glowed, a singing child in a musical sweetshop.

    To the delight of an audience including actors Josh Brolin, Jonah Hill, Tim Robbins (to whom Vedder dedicated Blood) and Diane Lane, they embraced old and new.

    During the elderly Even Flow, Mike McCready's guitar solo lasted so long Vedder had time to smoke a cigarette. They are Pearl Jam; they are above the law.

    The new material sizzled too, particularly the fierce Got Some and, on its live debut, Supersonic.

    Along the way, they paid homage to O2 no-show Michael Jackson with a burst of Ben before Rats (Ben being a rat in Jackson's song) and snuck in rarities such as I Got ID.

    Ultimately though, this was that rarest of exchanges: a band and their audience in perfect harmony, literally during the singalong that was Alive.

    "After tonight, we won't be in Europe for some time," explained Vedder. They're welcome back any time.


    What a sweet review!
    Underneath this smile lies everything........... all my hopes, anger, pride and shame
  • big-al
    big-al Posts: 1
    What can I say?! Seen the boys 5 times now, and apart from the Astoria gig, that was the best gig ever of all time, including other bands!! The setlist was like a dream come true, to open with Release and close with Yellow has had me smiling so much, my face hurts!! I am so proud of that they're my fav band, the ultimate band-top-trump!!

    P.s, was it just me, or was the solo for Even Flow mind blowingly epic?!?!?!
  • jrd
    jrd Posts: 3,060
    Alive 79 wrote:
    What a sweet review!

    except...
    ...having spent much of this century in a water-treading coma..."

    what the feck does that mean...? :? :roll: :roll:

    albums in 2000, 2003, 2006 and now 2009, plus tours of one form or another in 2000 and 2003 thru 2009 doesn't sound like a band 'treading water' to me... :D

    anyway, last night was insanely awesome. awesomeness encapsulated to quote someone Scottish... fantastic setlist, performance and crowd. i'm not going to bitch about the setlist (would have loved to see Brain Of J, and my Jeremy-less string of concerts goes on... ;) ) because unless they play for about 5 hours they'll never fit in everything i want at one show! did i see someone complain that there were as many as 9 repeats from SBE...???!!! talk about glass half-empty - that means they just played 19 DIFFERENT songs!! :lol:

    SBE will still probably be my favourite show simply for the size of venue and closeness to the band, but last night's setlist blew it out the water.

    enjoy the US shows, folks, you should be in for some real treats!
    Oh yeah? Well, I've had about enough of morons and halfwits, dolts, dunces, dullards and dumbbells - and you chowderhead yokel, you blithering hayseed, you - you've had enough of me?
  • Ron The Shelf
    Ron The Shelf London Posts: 80
    What a fucking week. SBE, Berlin and the O2. Incredibly last night came very close to eclipsing Berlin. A close call but I think the venue in Berlin tips the balance. The band seems in perfect harmony, the interplay between Mike and Boom during Crazy Mary was fantastic. Stone is bouncing around and looking as happy onstage as I have ever seen him and Ed's voice just gets better and better (think I might take up a diet of red wine and ciggies if that's the result lol). Miles better than SBE where I felt they were a bit off the pace (and got slaughtered for suggesting it) but I think anyone at all 3 would say that SBE was outdone by the other 2 gigs.

    The only questions right now are 1) when will they be back? and 2) how the hell do they top those performances?

    Best live band in the world right now and probably the best live band of the last 30 years.
    London Wembley Arena - Oct 28, 1996; Manchester Evening News Arena - Jun 04, 2000; ; ; Cardiff Arena - Jun 06, 2000; Seattle Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002; ; London Astoria - Apr 20, 2006; Portland Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Jul 20, 2006; Berlin Wuhlheide - Sep 23, 2006; London Wembley Arena - Jun 18, 2007; London Shepherd's Bush Empire - Aug 11, 2009; Berlin Wuhlheide - Aug 15, 2009; London O2 Arena - Aug 18, 2009; London Hyde Park - June 25, 2010; Berlin Wulheide - June 30, 2010; Alpine Valley PJ20 East Troy - Sep 03, 2011; Alpine Valley PJ20 East Troy - Sep 04, 2011; Berlin O2 Arena - July 04, 2012; Barclays Center, Brooklyn - October 18, 2013; Barclays Center, Brooklyn - October 19, 2013; San Siro, Milan - June 20, 2014; Milton Keynes - July 11, 2014; Central Park, New York - September 26, 2015; Maracana, Rio de Janeiro -November 22, 2015
  • realboss7669
    realboss7669 Posts: 7
    Just got into work after 3 days out and about. Posted a reply message on the Manchester forum thread too.

    We saw the Manchester gig and after a bit of stress at the beginning had a fab time. We ended up staying a grotty hotel in Manchester and then headed to London Tuesday afternoon.

    Arrived at O2 Arena around 5pm with a bottle of red wine, some cheese and ham, and some rolls. Got our tickets from the fan club stalls then sat in our car in the sunshine chilling out. Met a really nice couple of guys; one from Swansea and another from Boston, USA. Had a good old chat with them and then headed in to the Arena.

    This time we were seated in section 101 with a great view (although less intimate than the standing area!). Noticed that with the standing area at the O2 Arena it was much more relaxed than the front section at the Manchester gig. Eddie told everyone to chill out and move back a few paces for space.

    Just cant believe I experienced such an amazing gig. I feel I need a week off just to take it in!

    Big thanks to Pearl Jam again, you were awesome. As per my message on the Manchester thread my wife is now a big fan and wants to come to more gigs. She is from Jamaica and this was her first big 'rock' (used loosely) gig.

    Headed home last night and got in around 3am. Had a work conference call at 9:30am this morning and the lyrics kept coming back to me "I've tasted a life wasted, and I am never going back again". Am feeling the blues in work right now. Gutted to be back and imagining what PJ are up to probably prepping for Canada and getting flights etc. Would be nice to be having a cup of tea and a chat with them on the plane...alas, back to the grindstone.

    Thanks everyone who made our experience so good. The vibe is still there strong. Been a long time since I first heard MotherLoveBone. Some US backpackers passed me a tape with them on and from there I was hooked. Pearl Jam was a revelation and they have become the band closest to my heart.

    Keep up the fabulous work guys. Thanks so much. If you ever need a tea boy, please get in touch. I also have basic carpentry and plumbing skills, and make a mean sandwich...hey, you never know!

    8-)
    "Não há tempo para amanha" - M.R.
  • Red-Man
    Red-Man Posts: 62
    Ron The Shelf wrote:
    What a fucking week. SBE, Berlin and the O2. Incredibly last night came very close to eclipsing Berlin. A close call but I think the venue in Berlin tips the balance. The band seems in perfect harmony, the interplay between Mike and Boom during Crazy Mary was fantastic. Stone is bouncing around and looking as happy onstage as I have ever seen him and Ed's voice just gets better and better (think I might take up a diet of red wine and ciggies if that's the result lol). Miles better than SBE where I felt they were a bit off the pace (and got slaughtered for suggesting it) but I think anyone at all 3 would say that SBE was outdone by the other 2 gigs.

    The only questions right now are 1) when will they be back? and 2) how the hell do they top those performances?

    Best live band in the world right now and probably the best live band of the last 30 years.

    Agreed on the Berlin venue - truly, a special place and all round experience. The '06 gig there remains my favourite, but the set-list and performance of the band made last night just as unique.

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