your moment of Pearl Jam Zen, when did it occur?

hrd2imgn · June 2012

Okay, now that the Vic download is finally working it got me thinking, what was my moment where PJ became "it" for me regarding music? I thought about it was it the journey as a whole up to a point, a moment? I have been blessed with some truly awesome experiences in relation to the band and figuring out the one moment for me that made me go from superfreak to UBERFAN in all things related to Pearl Jam had to be the Vic.

I had just started collecting posters on the previous tour and this was the first show I could actually obtain it in person at the show. Lugging that tube for the first time, protecting it like a baby all night long....

The waiting in line all day for first come first serve seats was my first for a show, and let me tell you the people I met, the friends I made that day were irreplaceable. I think all of us sweating our asses off together made us all have some sort of vested interest to get into that show and just tear the roof off the place.

The theater itself was the first intimate setting I saw PJ in in person, and it was just that much more special. I had sat closer before, but the energy of the crowd that day, all of us singing and moving together on that small floor space. PJ20 was the first time since that I felt everyone was just together.

The set....the sheer amount of rare songs that day put that show on a level with just a few others
- I am a huge fan of Hard to Imagine, and this was the first time I heard it live after many many misses by a show date, this alone is enough to make that night one of a kind. The Ed Pre-set, one thing about this band I have always loved is how they try to personalize every show, relate it to the home crowd for cheap cheers/pops. I think us in Chicago get lucky more so than maybe any other city in this regard since Ed is from there, and he always brings up memories he has of growing up which many of us remember as well.

the lead into an amazing Lollapolooza- argue all you want for Lolla since, this one was so stacked with great bands, the Vic was just such a great primer- PJ, MMJ, Ben, Daft Punk, The Roots...what a great weekend

from that day on at the Vic I have seen them every chance I can get, it infected me with a virus to see them live. Driving to see them is the norm now, posters, F5 the whole sha-bang

So I would love to hear your story as to why this band is the one, what was your moment of conversion??

Jason P · June 2012

When I first saw the Alive music video ... after being trapped in 80's music all my life, I finally realized there was musical salvation.

jimed14 · June 2012

josevolution · June 2012

jimed14 wrote:

Yep mine to except i have the stub for the Paramount in NY , when i got that letter asking if i wanted to purchase tickets to the show i knew i had found what no other band had offered to me up to that point ..

mysticweed · June 2012

there is no story, really
the first second i heard once
that was it
and if i wasn't convinced
ff to release
pure bliss

veddertown · June 2012

Alive - MTV Europe premier (also saw Hunger Strike in the same show, Headbangers Ball) that started it..

Hearing Ten for the first time particularly when hearing Black and Release..

Atlanta 94 radio broadcast, it was starting to get serious...

Lots of boot collecting later and the upsurge of internet activity.. (Five Horizons)

Binaural tour boots released, now quite obsessed..

Zen? That only happens when you and the band share the same room for the first time, Dublin 2010, Long Road. Life has not been the same since, now I'm counting the days on my fingers and toes until shows number 5 and 6. Hopefully the years will bring me many more and my highpoint will be a show on Scottish soil...

Thanks for starting a thread aimed at promoting positivity under the cloud of doom and gloom that has emerged from the site's latest revamp...

pandora · June 2012

The Zen moment was when I heard Eddie's voice ...

He has remained just that for me now two decades later.
There is no more calming influence for me here on this Earth.
My intuition is heightened and revelation of spirit mind and body
come together in his music. He has been a gift as all those I love
and depend on have been.
I thank God everyday for him and his creativity that comes from beyond.
He is very special

SVRDhand13 · June 2012

Hearing some of my favorite songs for the first time ever:

Black- NYC 2008
Present Tense and Footsteps- Philly 3 2009
Bugs- Philly 4 2009
Of the Girl- New Jersey 2010
Release- PJ20

samjam · June 2012

The second I heard Given to Fly...that sealed it!

PJ_Soul · June 2012

The first time I heard Ten right after it was released.

SD48277 · June 2012

When I first heard and saw the Alive video. I was a goner from that moment on. I didn't realize it until then, but I was just killing time until these guys showed up.

iamica · June 2012

Chicago 2000. After that, I was hooked for life.

Kaylos · June 2012

I wasn't a fan until I got the re release of Ten and Backspacer within three weeks of each other, and playing them to death, but "the moment" goes as such..

I was listening to a "Best Of" list on a local rock station in my area while driving to a friends house (Not sure of the station, I constantly flipped between 4 of them until I got Sirius Satalite) and they were doing an alphabetical list. I tuned in at the end of W (no idea what the song was) and they said something along the lines of

"Another good W would be wine. Speaking of wine, Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder rarely takes the stage without a bottle sitting around....blah blah blah.....and that little anecdote leads us to Y. Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter"

I actually started crying, for no real reason that I can account for, and just belted the song out with the radio cranked. For good measure, when I got to my friends house, we listened to Yield, played some video games, and got a little drunk. It was on from then on in. The super deluxe editions of Ten and VS/VITALOGY, a road trip to see Ed from Toronto to Detroit on a Sunday with work Monday morning, and the 9.11.11 and 9.12.11 have cemented my reputation as a Pearl Jam devotee amongst friends, family, and anyone who even mentions music around me.

81 · June 2012

last tuesday

Tangerine · June 2012

I think a lot of us will say "the day the alive video aired on mtv" which was my first day of being in love with PJ but really i think my zen moment was when I finally decided we could afford to go see them live. Loved PJ since '91 (the year hubby and I hooked up) but then life happened, baby, jobs, college, bills, etc. Then one day I just said "we have to see them" and since then it's history. Obsessive collections on my part, B+Ping like crazy (until the kibosh was put on that), spending crazy cash on concerts....yeah I need an intervention but so what!?!!

Anyhow 2006 was my year of PJ ZEN

ponytd · June 2012

March 26, 1994 Murfreesboro, TN. My first PJ show. I was 16 and a big fan and that morning they opened up the 2 side stage sections at the arena. My dad bought me a ticket for an extra bday present and drove me down from Nashville to the show. I went by myself and I was a little worried since I hadn't ever been to a concert alone before, but when the lights went out and those first notes of RVM started, I realized I wasn't alone at the show after all

your moment of Pearl Jam Zen, when did it occur?

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