Disappointing Shows

Wobbie · February 2008

jGreer81 wrote:

I have been a fan since around 1993, but due to various circumstances I've never been able to attend a show. Obviously, I was able to get my live "fix" through the sucession of numberless bootlegs that have been released over the years.

I was hesitant to attend my first show due to the very fact that anything short of the Diety himself descending upon the arena NOTHING could meet my expectations...

I'm not sure what the problem was, maybe: high expectations, shitty sound, the fact that I couldn't hear Eddie singing, the fact that they seemed "off" (especially Eddie). I've detected a consistent theme to this thread and it seems to center around either Eddie not sounding very good, their sound system, the venue, etc.

What I'm wondering is from people who have attended multiple shows is their sound always that bad? Does it vary from show to show? Multiple people have mentioned that couldn't hear Eddie sing, does this depend on the show?

Anyway, thanks. This has been bugging the hell out of me for the better part of a year. I realize that speaks volumes about my life, but when you dream about the night your going lose your Pearl Jam virginity for 15 years and it turns out to be a rape...well that's going to leave one disillusioned.

Wow! That's a shock to me. I LOVED that show, from the Inside Job opening until the Porch ending. I know Eddie went on and on about his "health issues" but they weren't evident to me

. I was in the last row of the lower bowl (sidestage) and we were able to stand on our seats for the entire show, without blocking anyone's view. The MGM would probably like to send a bill to my brother-in-law for the seat he broke (due to excessive bouncing

).

UKpearljammer · February 2008

Wembley 1 back in 2000 was a pretty ordinary show I thought and my only PJ show to date that I was slightly disappointed with. I think it was the fact that the crowd was so dead that there was no atmosphere in that hideous cavenous venue. I really hope they play somewhere else in London next time, tired of that venue. Luckily for me that show was the start of an incredible European tour for me where I witnessed some amazing shows, Milan probably being the highlight.

AndySlash · February 2008

bcsbadboys wrote:

Of the 8 I've seen: Thunder Bay, 2005

Coming off a great show in Winnipeg, a small 4,600 seat venue, opening with Present Tense, what's not to like right?...

Ed was complaining about the heat in a hockey arena (everyone was sweating) and I think that's part of why the setlist was cut to 23 songs. Had the potential to be a great show in the most intimate location of the tour, but dissapointed in so many ways...

I agree with this one. Winnipeg was such a high, and then the TB show was just kind of there. I think it was their third show in three nights if I recall correctly, and it definitely seemed like the band was tired, and obviously the heat didn't help. Listening to it now I think I like the set more than Winnipeg (PT opens, Driven To Tears, Breakerfall out of nowhere, Nothingman..), but the show just can't compare overall to the night before, which is a real shame. Seeing what was scratched on the set is painful, too, as it looked like they planned a several song mini-acoustic set (including Masters of War, Thumbing My Way, Hard To Imagine, MOTH) but pared it down to Nothingman, I Am Mine, Black and Alive.

Another disappointing show for me was LA I in 06. The set was similar to San Diego the day or two before and I felt at times I was experiencing Deja Vu. Like Thunder Bay, listening to the show now, on its own and outside of the experience, is really good, but as part of a 3-show run I witnessed, it was the weakest and least enjoyable of the the three nights I saw.

Kraven · February 2008

BeerBaron wrote:

WOW!

While I can agree with you on one point - the fact that Ed's pre-set had so much more potential (Driftin' and Strangest Tribe would have been nice) wes till got a couple of gems (Picture In a Frame and Dead Man).

And, although it would have been nice to hear songs like Crown of Thorns and Dirty Frank (which was on the setlist but not played along with Light Years), who would have expected Undone, Education, Love Reign Over Me, All or None, Hard to Imagine, Rats, etc. all in one show?

To call that show a disappointment seems crazy to me ...

I forgot to add Breath to that list, but anyways, no I completely understand, but its just my preference in songs that made it a disappointment. Actually disappointment is not the word really I would use, it was just not what I thought it would be. Education is a great song and all but that over Crown of Thorns or Dirty Frank or Breath? They are much better. Some of the people want to hear songs just to hear, to say oh I heard that rare song they play once every two tours. I would rather have a higher quality not so rare song. I am waiting for the day the board decides to get behind a "Play Bugs!" campaign.

Rats wasn't a huge deal for me, it was the 3rd time I had seen it in the past two years between 5 shows. Wow, who would have thought, I have heard Rats more than Yellow Ledbetter. Who would have thunk.

I LOVED Love Reign O'er Me, it was definitely one of the songs I wanted to hear, probably the highlight of the night. They had sound checked Tremor Christ, which is one of my favorite songs, I wish they had played that, it would have been awesome.

So yeah disappointed isnt really the word. As a fan of the band, it was an amazing show definitely one for the ages, but as a fan of some songs, and other songs being chosen over those, disappointing.

DonJon · February 2008

TroubledSoul wrote:

theres a few of those crowds going around in australia.

the most disappointing show for me has been melbourne 1 06. was the only show on the tour to sell out its 10c contingent but the crowd was weak. from front row, ed was also heard to say "looks like another tough one" as he bent over after about the 3rd song.

after severed hand (6th song) ed goes, "if youre gonna be this quiet, i'm gonna start telling stories... good story tellin' crowd.. anyway.."

Thats very interesting. I assume he was referring to Sydney 2 when saying 'another toughie". No 10c seats, the crowd was appalling and whilst the band tried hard and were good (setlist too) the crowd just ruined it.

14 Feb 2003 Valentines day in Sydney. They really lacked energy that night. Unfortunately I have some close friends that refuse to ever listen to PJ again let alone attend a concert, after that night.

A real shame

Disappointing Shows

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