Options
Individual song performances you will never forget
walkunafraid
Posts: 2,557
Kind of an odd topic, I know, but thinking back on all the PJ shows I have been to, most of the songs are just a blur in my mind at this point. Not to say I haven't enjoyed EVERY single song I have seen them perform...but the memory of most fades away over time so that I can't pinpoint the moment when I experienced it anymore.
That being said, there have been a handful of songs that were so brilliant/moving/unique etc. that I can recall them vividly in my mind as if it was just yesterday when I saw them.
If you're understanding what I'm saying, I'm curious to know what performances have stayed with you the most through the months/years/decades etc.
Here's mine:
1. In Hiding - Missoula '98 (this was my first PJ show; most of it is a blur now, but I recall being blown away by this song...the surge of emotion as Ed burst into the chorus...the swaying of the crowd as they were uplifted by Ed's voice...my first realization of how amazing this song is)
2. Masters of War - Bridge School 2003 (my first time hearing MOW live, and honestly, my first time hearing PJ doing the song, period. Wow. The song is so powerful that I was stunned.)
3. Release - Los Angeles I, 2006 (my favorite PJ song of all-time...my first time hearing it live...the goosebumps and tears welling up...from the moment the first chord struck and I recognized that they were about to pay Release, I was an emotional mess)
4. Arc - Eddie Solo, Los Angeles II, 2008 (fucking beautiful...not much more I can say...I can still picture Eddie in his lab coat as the song hit its climax)
That being said, there have been a handful of songs that were so brilliant/moving/unique etc. that I can recall them vividly in my mind as if it was just yesterday when I saw them.
If you're understanding what I'm saying, I'm curious to know what performances have stayed with you the most through the months/years/decades etc.
Here's mine:
1. In Hiding - Missoula '98 (this was my first PJ show; most of it is a blur now, but I recall being blown away by this song...the surge of emotion as Ed burst into the chorus...the swaying of the crowd as they were uplifted by Ed's voice...my first realization of how amazing this song is)
2. Masters of War - Bridge School 2003 (my first time hearing MOW live, and honestly, my first time hearing PJ doing the song, period. Wow. The song is so powerful that I was stunned.)
3. Release - Los Angeles I, 2006 (my favorite PJ song of all-time...my first time hearing it live...the goosebumps and tears welling up...from the moment the first chord struck and I recognized that they were about to pay Release, I was an emotional mess)
4. Arc - Eddie Solo, Los Angeles II, 2008 (fucking beautiful...not much more I can say...I can still picture Eddie in his lab coat as the song hit its climax)
Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
It's Okay tag (Gorge 06) - again, cried alllll the way though it. The heat, the camping, the place i was in my own life...all combined like that, it was prefect. I still tear up every time i hear it.
"To is a preposition.
Come is a verb"
Gimme Some Truth-Deer Creek 03--insanely intense!!
Sometimes-Toledo 96-First PJ ever heard live
Toledo, Ohio (September 22, 1996), East Troy, Wisconsin (June 26, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 17, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 18, 2000), Cincinnati, Ohio (August 20, 2000), Columbus, Ohio (August 21, 2000), Nashville, Tennessee (April 18, 2003), Champaign, Illinois (April 23, 2003), Noblesville, Indiana (June 22, 2003), Chicago, Illinois (May 16, 2006), Chicago, Illinois (August 05, 2007), West Palm Beach, Florida (June 11, 2008), Tampa, Florida (June 12, 2008), Columbus, OH (May 06, 2010), Noblesville, Indiana (May 07, 2010), Wrigley Field (July 19, 2013), US Bank Arena (October 01, 2014), Lexington (April 26, 2016), Chicago Night 2 (August 20, 2018), Boston Night 1 (September 02, 2018), Nashville (September 16, 2022), St. Louis (September 18, 2022)
Alive - SD 03 (1st time live)
The entire Santa Barbara 03 concert
Alive- Seattle 2000
memorable bookends for that tour.
first pre-set song every heard - dead man walking holmdel 2003
first time hearing man of the hour live - boston I 2004 - magical!
hearing oceans live - for the first/only time thus far - calgary 2005
dedicated to my dad - man of the hour - milan 2006 - probably *the* most special song moment for me ever, live.....beautiful!
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
There's a constant ringing in my ears
Sense of humor's void and numb
And I'm bored to tears.......
Who could forget that. Amazing, 1st show after Denmark. I remember wondering if they were going to continue with the 2nd leg of the tour. I would have been a mess.
In Hiding from the 2003 Charlotte show.
Alive from the 2008 Columbia show.
'Release' - Verona, 2006 - There couldn't have been a more perfect way to open this show in a coliseum while it was pouring down with rain. We were feeling a bit fed up because we were wet and waiting for PJ to take the show, but everything felt perfect when i heard the opening notes. While not the best version in terms of Ed's vocals, it was still a powerful, wet performance!
'Nothingman' - Nijmegen, 2007 - my joint-favourie song and how fitting that i finally heard it at my last show! The sun was going down, the crowd was very vocal and it was one of those moments where everything was in sync. I really wanted to cry after this one!
'No More' - Nijmegen, 2007 - This is still the best version of this new-ish song, hands down. Ed's voice is so powerful, and the crowd response is ridiculously loud. Clapping along, singing so loud....this is THE definitive version of the song.
Patriot- Voters For Choice show in DC 1998
Begin the Begin- Ed with REM 2004- VFC in DC
Long Road/Porch- AC night 1 in 2005
Rocking in the Free World with Ace - AC night 2 2005
katowice 2007-nothingman..AWESOME!
and always remember ''it's no crime to escape!!!"
hunger strike &reach down just bad ass is all i can say
This was my second time seeing the band, but the first time in a headlining position. I was with two very close friends, one who was seeing Pearl Jam for the first time. I remember looking around the crowd and seeing everyone standing, singing, staring in awe. It was beautiful.
2. In Hiding - The Vic '07
3. Go - Pittsburgh '05
First Pearl Jam song I ever saw live. The band was opening for the Rolling Stones, so I never expected them to open with such a hard rocker. But they came out and kicked me in the fucking head. The first time hearing Ed's scream and Mike shred in person. I listened to bootlegs and heard stories from friends who had seem them before, but nothing could prepare me for this.
4. Education - The Vic '07
After a chilling All or None, Ed dawned the sparkly blue guitar. I didn't know what to expect. Then, a quick drum beat by Matt, and "CHAAA!" Everyone started rockin, groovin and singing. Just awesome to see it live. When I went back to the hotel room, I told my friends "I really hope they play this again at Lolla guys, you gotta see it." And sure enough, the boys played it at Lolla too.
5. State of Love and Trust - Pittsburgh '06
Still the best version I've heard on any boot. So fuckin rock. By this point in the set, everyone was rocking. "Nothing! I'll do this one, myyyseeelllf. Ooooooooo oooo ooo myseeelfff. Mike! Help me!" SHREDDDDDDD SESSSSSION. I'm listening to the boot now ahhhhhhhh.
I'm still recovering from the amazingness of Monday's show and haven't fully reflected on the night yet, so I didn't include any songs from there. I also have to mention Black from Pittsburgh '06, the "We Belong Together" tag gave me chills.
9/28/05 Pittsburgh
6/23/06 Pittsburgh
8/2/07 Vic
8/5/07 Lolla
6/16/08 Columbia
8/17/08 DC (EV Solo)
Toronto - 93: Baba O'Riley - they were opening for Neil, playing Exhibition Stadium, and the sound of ~70,000 people singing the 'Don't Cry...' part was just earth-shattering
Toronto - 96: Jeremy - The chanting at the end seemed to be circularly going around the arena, like a wave - it was deafening!
Barrie 98 - Leatherman - I really dig this tune and I couldn't believe they played it. Me and my gf were the only ones around us that knew it and we just jumped up and down the whole time.
Seattle II 2000 - Alive - Just the weight of that song after Roskilde and what all involved had endured. That was HEAVY
Seattle II 2000 - The Kids are Alright - Eddie talking about the Teen Dance Ordinance made the song really relevant. And it was cool to rock out to a 'pop' song near the end of a really emotionally-charged show.
Montreal 2003 - Alive. The chanting and fist pumping at the end going on around the whole arena was amazing. I had floor seats and I just spun around looking at the whole place and I distinctly remember thinking to myself 'when you look back on why you followed this band around - it was THIS right here'
Benaroya 2003 - Lowlight - Thought I'd never see this song and it's one of my favorites. When I heard those first notes I knew that night was going to be really special.
Benaroya 2003 - Black - When Ed handed over the 'I hope some day..' verse to the crowd and EVERYONE sang it back, it felt like a family event.
Ottawa 2005 - Wash - After the day I'd had and the weather that day, starting the show with 'Oh please, let it rain today...' was so perfect. Also had some to the best seats I've ever had to a PJ show at that one.
Toronto 2006 - Severed Hand - 'Holy Shit, LASERS?!!' Ha ha.
Sorry for the long list - hope I can add a couple more at least with the MSGs (Breath perhaps?...)
Betterman - Chicago 2003 - crowd was intense
I Am a Patriot - Uniondale 2003 - Vedder's voice was spot on
Oceans - Buffalo 1996 - Best opener & my first PJ song heard live
I am sure there is more...
I second that!
Also, Bonnaroo's Release. There is a thread out there that talks about release and people's relationships with their fathers. If you weren't there, listen to the boot, and you'll see what I am getting at.
Chicago 5/16/06 - Milwaukee 6/30/06 - Bonnaroo 6/14/08 - Milwaukee (EV)8/19/08
Chicago 8/23/09 - St. Louis 5/4/10 - East Troy 9/3/11 - East Troy 9/4/11
Minor League Park 7/19/13 - Milwaukee 10-20-14 - Bonnaroo 6/11/16
Minor League Park 8/20/16 - Minor League Park 8/22/16
Minor League Park 8/18/18 - Minor League Park 8/20/18 - Los Angeles 4/16/20
Immortality Soldier Field
Garden Chicago Stadium
Hahahah...yeah right
Philly- 2005, 2013, 2016
Camden 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2022
Philly Spectrum 2009 x4 - We closed that MFER Down Proper
DC- 2006, 2008
New York- 2008, 2010
Boston - Fenway 2016
New Jersey- 2006
Chicago - 2007
Seattle- 2005
EV Solo- DC x2, Baltimore x2 , Newark NJ x2, Tower Theater x2
- Given To Fly
Low Light - Gorge 05
Daughter/Its Ok - Gorge I '06
Little Wing (Full Song) Gorge II '06
Corduroy - Lolla (this version just kicks my ass for some reason)
Hard to Imagine - Bonnaroo
-my dad after hearing Not for You for the first time on SNL .
crazy mary edmonton 05
alive seattle 2000 II
long road seattle groundwork 2001 - anybody wanna back me up on that. spinetingling, what a moment that was. look it up.
seeing release in boston 06 night I - perfect.
off the top of my head
The boot does no justice to the emotion or the scenery that was there during that performance.
Last Exit (Hershey 2003)
"Let's Go, fuck this fucking chocolate factory" Need I say more.
Reading 06 - Alive (cut me some slack, it was the first time i'd seen 'em!), Do The Evolution, Iron Man/Soon Forget and Better Man - oh how I cried for Better Man!
Wembley 07 - Given To Fly, No More and RITFW
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
Alive - Seattle 98' : Dude climbed the scaffolding in the middle of memorial stadium. That image is stuck in my head from the show.
Crown of Thorns - Vegas 00' : Ten year reunion show, nuff said.
Wash - Gorge 06' : Perfect Opener for a perfect weekend
Daughter/It's OK - Gorge 06' : Great to finally hear it live