1995 tour

letsongsprotest · April 2011

For some reason, this is my favorite era of live Pearl Jam. I know the '93-'94 shows are tremendous in pure energy and have great setlists. And the recent years have marathon sets and a larger catalog of music to pull from.

But the tension and pressure on the band during the 95 shows is something i cant get enough of. I've had the show from Casper, WY for many years and its the one that kicks off the tour without ticketmaster in the US. Its not the best sound quality, but i love it.

PJ making a stand against ticketmaster, frustrated by the difficulty of touring without TM. This being the time where the band could have easily imploded. These shows are just so angst filled and when a PJ show seemed like a worldwide event whenever they played. (though it still is to all of us

)

I'm was fascinated then and still am by this period of time when the biggest band in the world was on the verge of ripping apart while at the same time putting on incredible performances each night. Thoughts????

Res Ipsa Loquitur · April 2011

I have seen them every few years since 95. Saw them in Augusta Maine in 95 in a small hockey arena--EV sang with the fastbacks wearing a wrestling mask, rode Dennis Rodman's shoulders at the end of the show, eclipse that night-just an awesome experience-the whole ticketmaster boycott made things difficult for a bit. Though every show seems to be awesome. Big fan of the 08 Tampa show as well as everyone was singing and it seemed a lot of the fans were in from somewhere else.

mcgavinj · April 2011

I saw em twice that year. The Casper show was my first, then again in November in Salt Lake City(2nd row dead center in front of ed, courtesy of the then Vitalogy Health Club). The emotion and pure energy was more than amazing then. I was only 16. I've loved hearing those 95 shows on PJ Radio lately too.

ed243421 · April 2011

ER233841 wrote:

I have seen them every few years since 95. Saw them in Augusta Maine in 95 in a small hockey arena--EV sang with the fastbacks wearing a wrestling mask, rode Dennis Rodman's shoulders at the end of the show, eclipse that night-just an awesome experience-the whole ticketmaster boycott made things difficult for a bit. Though every show seems to be awesome. Big fan of the 08 Tampa show as well as everyone was singing and it seemed a lot of the fans were in from somewhere else.

augusta maine was 96
my 2nd show
outstanding setlist
first black red and yellow
i ate a few shrooms and floated around the first few rows most of the show
it was like we were in a high school gym
and the full moon

Gary Carter · April 2011

love the bootlegs from 94-96

best period in my ears

ed243421 · April 2011

as for 95
my first show was night 1 at red rocks
and i will always regret not going night 2 for that setlist
and yes
the energy was outstanding
or was it their, and our, youth?

mr bungle · April 2011

Phoenix 95 was my second PJ show. Me and my girlfriend (now wife) flew from Seattle without batting an eye. You're right, shows that year were a big event. The energy and intensity have rarely been matched since then and I've been to 60 plus PJ shows since. I have loved this band at every stage of their career and have been blown away over and over by them live. But that 93-95 was PJ's moment as the worlds most important band, too bad they didn't enjoy it as much as we did.

PearlJamPatriot · April 2011

Yea, ive always thought Pearl jam sounded amazing in '95 too. I love listening to all the bootlegs from this year. '94 was absolutely incredible too.

Crazy Marcus · April 2011

06-24-1995 Polo Fields at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California. Got into the pit and was on the rail by the time Bad Religion was done. Only got to listen to Ed for 7 songs but it was still an amazing show. This show made me a fan of Neil Young. Wish I could go back and be there again. Experience that show all over. Not bad for my first show.

inmyohiotree · April 2011

ive seen them many many times through this 20 year ride i do agree with the energy in the early 90's its something that could never be replaced i remember seeing them at csu in cleveland in 92 awesome but if i had to pick one tour i think they hit there highest peak with the 2000 tour the band was at its best and the band's energy still was similar to what it was in the 90's. I think they still sound great live but I dont see that intense energy as we did in past years. But with that said out 30 plus shows my two favorites will always be Montreal 05 and Grand rapids in 06. There was something strange going on that night in Grand rapids it was almost like it was 1996 rather than 2006

The montreal show the energy in that crowd was something that hasnt been topped yet (to me) and thats even with having the worst ten club seats i had yet.

RedMosquito02 · April 2011

ed243421 wrote:

ER233841 wrote:

I have seen them every few years since 95. Saw them in Augusta Maine in 95 in a small hockey arena--EV sang with the fastbacks wearing a wrestling mask, rode Dennis Rodman's shoulders at the end of the show, eclipse that night-just an awesome experience-the whole ticketmaster boycott made things difficult for a bit. Though every show seems to be awesome. Big fan of the 08 Tampa show as well as everyone was singing and it seemed a lot of the fans were in from somewhere else.

augusta maine was 96
my 2nd show
outstanding setlist
first black red and yellow
i ate a few shrooms and floated around the first few rows most of the show
it was like we were in a high school gym
and the full moon

my first show
ate a few (too many) gel tabs, I must have floated right by you

and the full moon my friend, THE FULL MOON!
*I love listening to the boot and hearing Ed yell, "can you feel it, can you feel it?!?"

usamamasan1 · April 2011

op, agree.
'94 at the "new" regal theater (chicago) was like the 5th time i saw them in a few years but the first time i actually fell in love with not only music but the band.
This show was after they cancelled their tour due to TM if memory serves but just before the soldier field show.
listening to the Orpheum show for the first time, which i just got in the set, reminded me of the days all too well.

Boxes&Books · April 2011

Crazy Marcus wrote:

06-24-1995 Polo Fields at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California. Got into the pit and was on the rail by the time Bad Religion was done. Only got to listen to Ed for 7 songs but it was still an amazing show. This show made me a fan of Neil Young. Wish I could go back and be there again. Experience that show all over. Not bad for my first show.

My first show too! Damn that was an incredible experience...I was like 15yrs old---- at my first ever concert and I was dead center on the rail with two massive pits going round and round behind me...... and about 50,000+fans just super charged with energy .... Even though that was only a seven set show - it remains my favorite.... It was definitely worth the 8 hour drive!! 95 was an amazing year--the energy was insane and full of thunderous rage!!!

elevation622 · April 2011

my first show was in 96 (wish I could've seen them earlier but the fates did not allow) but I'm loving this thread and people's stories so keep them coming!

drummerboy_73 · April 2011

My first show was Osaka, Japan 2-21-95 - will never forget it. Got to talk to Ed for about 30 seconds - during the Porch "jam"!

liamdog7 · April 2011

Hell yeah. My first PJ show was Sydney March 10, 1995. Camped out for over 2 days and got awesome tickets. Flea guested for Jeff's bday. Overall was truly amazing show. I only wish that I'd been able to see them with Dave A.

titchinello · April 2011

I was on holiday in the usa in 1995, and was lucky enough to catch Pearl jam on the last 2 nights of tour in november at san diego 6th and 7th. and yes there was something amazing about the band then,

I haven't seen the band as much as some of you people on here, but i have been lucky enough to seen them on different occasions from 1992 - 2010, seeing them progress from the club band right through to the band that they are today.

Easties · April 2011

liamdog7 wrote:

Hell yeah. My first PJ show was Sydney March 10, 1995. Camped out for over 2 days and got awesome tickets. Flea guested for Jeff's bday. Overall was truly amazing show. I only wish that I'd been able to see them with Dave A.

My first was Eastern Creek. Man, the old days of camping out for tickets. What a cool period of my life. Things never stay the same of course but I loved the intensity back in the mid 90's. I didn't need to hear Ed talk and make me laugh between songs. I didn't care to see Mike with a big smile on his face. Both things I love about the shows these days. All I cared about was hearing some intense tunes. Burning off energy. Being energised by their energy. Watching Mike smash his guitar. Eddie with a constant frown. I fucking loved those times, and super grateful for having witnessed them. '95 was a hell of a year. You could just sense that may things were bottling up inside and whenever they came out on stage - BAM! They were lethal. Dave A is my fav as well but Jack was super cool. Just pure rock at it's 90's best. They were getting into a serious groove by the time '95 came around.

ComeToTX · April 2011

my first show was austin in '95. agree that the energy was overwhelming...and the pit was nuts.

Riot_Mac · April 2011

My favorite tour for sure. I didn't get to see the band until 1998. Really wish I could have seen soldier field 95. I was young back then and didn't even realize they were playing Chicago until a few days before. Tried to win tickets through Q101. I was one caller off once!

RedMosquito22 · April 2011

letsongsprotest wrote:

For some reason, this is my favorite era of live Pearl Jam. I know the '93-'94 shows are tremendous in pure energy and have great setlists. And the recent years have marathon sets and a larger catalog of music to pull from.

But the tension and pressure on the band during the 95 shows is something i cant get enough of. I've had the show from Casper, WY for many years and its the one that kicks off the tour without ticketmaster in the US. Its not the best sound quality, but i love it.

PJ making a stand against ticketmaster, frustrated by the difficulty of touring without TM. This being the time where the band could have easily imploded. These shows are just so angst filled and when a PJ show seemed like a worldwide event whenever they played. (though it still is to all of us )

I'm was fascinated then and still am by this period of time when the biggest band in the world was on the verge of ripping apart while at the same time putting on incredible performances each night. Thoughts????

No doubt. It was a real interesting time in the bands tenure. I never got to see a show from '93-'95 but I still felt it in '96 at Randall's Island. They still had the ticketmaster fight going but with No Code now out. I agree that 1993-1997 was very, very memorable. It cost the band a lot of fans with the touring but the ones that fought through it with them became one of the greatest tight knit fan bases ever. Thus teaching the new generation fans what the band is all about!!

Yellow Ledbelly · April 2011

My first show was New Orleans '95 and I agree with what you are saying. That show was full of great moments but none better than Eddie stopping the band in the middle of Tremor Christ and saying they weren't going to play another note until the girl who had fallen up front was helped up....she was and they went right back into it

coco butter · April 2011

Milwaukee July 9th 1995... my first show! Had grass seats and ended up winning tickets from a local radio station (102.1) an hour before the show to be seated in row 2! What an amazing night! Fell in love with the band and never looked back. Great setlist, Great crowd, unbelievable versions of "Act of Love" and "Little Wing", ahhh the memories. Once Eddie picked up the guitar and started the first few cords of "Corduroy" i was floored. Never heard or saw music live like this before... not even Huey Lewis and the News with my parents could beat this moment!

lolobugg · April 2011

Yellow Ledbelly wrote:

My first show was New Orleans '95 and I agree with what you are saying. That show was full of great moments but none better than Eddie stopping the band in the middle of Tremor Christ and saying they weren't going to play another note until the girl who had fallen up front was helped up....she was and they went right back into it

Yeah that was my first show.... that pit was insane. Security was rationing out water to all of us. The crowd crush on that field was massive. I remember entering from the opposite end of the stage and running full speed to the other end of the field. I was row 5 or something if that means anything in a pit. It was smokin hot and humid and this was the only time in 20+ shows I've seen Mike smash a guitar. One of my all time favorites.

Oh yeah kids, that was when tix were really hard to come by. I remember talking to a guy in line that had eaten dog food to win a pair of radio promo tickets.

Yellow Ledbelly · April 2011

lolobugg wrote:

Yellow Ledbelly wrote:

My first show was New Orleans '95 and I agree with what you are saying. That show was full of great moments but none better than Eddie stopping the band in the middle of Tremor Christ and saying they weren't going to play another note until the girl who had fallen up front was helped up....she was and they went right back into it

Yeah that was my first show.... that pit was insane. Security was rationing out water to all of us. The crowd crush on that field was massive. I remember entering from the opposite end of the stage and running full speed to the other end of the field. I was row 5 or something if that means anything in a pit. It was smokin hot and humid and this was the only time in 20+ shows I've seen Mike smash a guitar. One of my all time favorites.

Oh yeah kids, that was when tix were really hard to come by. I remember talking to a guy in line that had eaten dog food to win a pair of radio promo tickets.

In the beginning my buddy and I were on the rail behind the pit, but when PJ time came things got crazy and pretty scary and we eventually ended up a bit farther back in the crowd. It was like non-stop ocean of humanity pushing and one direction then another and it was so insanely hot and muggy from the rain shower. I was in peak physical condition at that time but I was worn out at the end of it. Still...an amazing show. Actually it was supposed to be on July 4 and somewhere tucked away in all my junk are the two original tickets. I enjoy pulling the bootleg out every now and again and just reliving it....glad I had the chance to see them then

lolobugg · April 2011

Yellow Ledbelly wrote:

lolobugg wrote:

Yellow Ledbelly wrote:

My first show was New Orleans '95 and I agree with what you are saying. That show was full of great moments but none better than Eddie stopping the band in the middle of Tremor Christ and saying they weren't going to play another note until the girl who had fallen up front was helped up....she was and they went right back into it

Yeah that was my first show.... that pit was insane. Security was rationing out water to all of us. The crowd crush on that field was massive. I remember entering from the opposite end of the stage and running full speed to the other end of the field. I was row 5 or something if that means anything in a pit. It was smokin hot and humid and this was the only time in 20+ shows I've seen Mike smash a guitar. One of my all time favorites.

Oh yeah kids, that was when tix were really hard to come by. I remember talking to a guy in line that had eaten dog food to win a pair of radio promo tickets.

In the beginning my buddy and I were on the rail behind the pit, but when PJ time came things got crazy and pretty scary and we eventually ended up a bit farther back in the crowd. It was like non-stop ocean of humanity pushing and one direction then another and it was so insanely hot and muggy from the rain shower. I was in peak physical condition at that time but I was worn out at the end of it. Still...an amazing show. Actually it was supposed to be on July 4 and somewhere tucked away in all my junk are the two original tickets. I enjoy pulling the bootleg out every now and again and just reliving it....glad I had the chance to see them then

It was tough from the first chord of the Ramones and only got rougher... i had to send my sister out of the front before PJ came on. I also felt like I had gone a few rounds with Tyson after this show. I'm surprised I made my way to the merch stand to get a shirt and poster after the show... but we ended up on the 95 holiday single..."July Fourth in New Orleans"... I've got to see if my parents still have those original tickets somewhere in my old room. Great memories.

max8700 · April 2011

inmyohiotree wrote:

ive seen them many many times through this 20 year ride i do agree with the energy in the early 90's its something that could never be replaced i remember seeing them at csu in cleveland in 92 awesome but if i had to pick one tour i think they hit there highest peak with the 2000 tour the band was at its best and the band's energy still was similar to what it was in the 90's. I think they still sound great live but I dont see that intense energy as we did in past years. But with that said out 30 plus shows my two favorites will always be Montreal 05 and Grand rapids in 06. There was something strange going on that night in Grand rapids it was almost like it was 1996 rather than 2006 The montreal show the energy in that crowd was something that hasnt been topped yet (to me) and thats even with having the worst ten club seats i had yet.

That Grand Rapids 2006 show was the one where they "screwed up" the fan club seats and all the good numbers were in the back and the normally bad numbers were up front. Tons of people had great seats that never usually got a sniff of the stage....and the band responded to all the new faces. At one point near the end of the show, Vedder says "Grand Rapids, huh? Who knew?"

Besides Soldier Field 1995, may favorite show I've ever been to.

YAKIMATSU · April 2011

My first show was the Soldier Field show and it was a mindblowing experience. I used to keep tickets to all my concerts back in the day, but those are the only ones that remain for obvious reasons. I couldn't belive it when the three disc show of that event came out. Happily paid a hundred for it and I can now relive my experience there for the rest of my life. I just put it on, close my eyes and smile for 2 hours.

High Fidelity 2000 · April 2011

I looked forward to the Las Cruces show for months and then it was cancelled :( but then it was rescheduled!

Such an awesome show. 2 hours and 20 minutes if I remember, and this was back when they only had 3 albums. So in other words, they played almost every song from those albums. A strange time in the band's history, but some killer concerts too.

letsongsprotest · April 2011

My first show wasnt until Toledo 1996. But, that felt like winning the lottery when i got tickets as they still werent using ticketmaster. And it was f-ing incredible.

But i just remember 1995, at least for me, being the absolute pinnacle of my fandom. (not that i still dont go nuts when the tour, but hey, i was an impressionable 16 years old as oppossed to my current, jaded 32.

)

1995
--i first got into them with the release of Vs, so i was in the process of soaking in both Ten and Vs.
--Vitalogy coming just over a year after Vs to my suprise and excitiment. Still remember reading in Hit Parader (!) about Pearl Jam having a new surprise release because it was so soon after Vs (long before internet leaks)
--kicking off '95 with a freaking pirate radio broadcast where they were swearing on FM radio! I remember thinking "how can they get away with that, this band can do anything!" Self pollution radio was magical.
--Taking on a greedy corporation in Ticketmaster. Ended up not working out, but was a Noble thing to do and made me love them even more, even if getting tickets was impossible most of the time.
--Also, pretty much anything i heard from them on random complilations was gold- Crazy Mary, Against the 70's, Merkinball, etc.
--And even though they were like $30 a pop, the old school bootlegs were unbelievably awesome!!!! Still got 'em and love more than most of my official boots.

Very exciting time. Memories........................

BH198990 · April 2011

letsongsprotest wrote:

My first show wasnt until Toledo 1996. But, that felt like winning the lottery when i got tickets as they still werent using ticketmaster. And it was f-ing incredible.

Very exciting time. Memories........................

I'm same age as you, and also a Detroiter, and missed out on this show, was only barely aware at the time that it happened. I had tried the "newspaper lottery" for the '94 Masonic show, missed on that and the AnnArbor show of the same year. Tickets were selling out in literally like 3 minutes. The Toledo show, i don't know, i think i just sort of let it go out of my awareness so as not to torture myself further. Funny, because that's when i was really really at the peak of my fandom too (athough i'm still sort of their i guess). No Code was easily my favorite album of theirs, and remains so. I had taped the Self Pollution broadcast off the radio, had taped the Atlanta concert off the radio, started buying some of those same boots....And was starting to believe i would never see 'em live.....When i finally did, detroit 98, i was the very last seat to the top on Mike's side of the stage, like the last seat stuffed halfway behind the stage all the way at the top.....And it was worth it.

cheers
aaron

1995 tour

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