Pearl Jam Mailed It In On Monday Night

While I agree that I would like to hear some of my personal favorites, and only 1 of them is on 10, I still understand that the band enjoys playing their 'greatest hits'. The crowd goes insane, whether they're a casual fan or a fan since 91, and that has to give the band energy.

So, while I would love to have heard my personal favorites, I'm glad to not have heard Dirty Frank and I'm happy to have heard Even Flow because it still brings me back to the beginning of college and a time when I had zero fucks to have to give about anything!

I like Lightning Bolt a lot, so if they play it on consecutive nights, the world isn't ending.

Like most others, I don't think mailing it in is an appropriate term for this band. To me, that suggests half heartedness, no effort etc. This band brings it energy wise night in & night out. Even on lackluster nights they still kick ass. (Worcester 2, '13 for example)

Every show can't be epic.

That doesn't mean there isn't some level of predictability to their setlists in recent years. GTF, Rearview Mirror & SOLAT used to be my favorites, but have now become piss break songs for me. They've become staples of the show that have lost my interest. I like MYM (it helps that it's quick) but if I never heard DTE or Lightning Bolt live again, I wouldn't complain. That doesn't mean they aren't great songs, I'm just burnt out on them.

I've also been to 12 shows in the last 6 years, so I understand I am very much part of the problem.

The songs that were repeated got great reactions from the crowd both nights, with those in the GA pit as well as those in my sections behind the stage.

My first time to MSG and NYC.

All of these posts how these shows were terrible are just mind boggling to me. What I saw were two excellent rock shows, where the band was on fire and two of the best crowds I have ever seen. It was deafening in the arena, and the place was bumping all night. What I witnessed was the best band in the world rocking the world's greatest arena. I don't need to hear Strangest Tribe or some other song to etch off a personal song hit list to enjoy a show, but it's all personal preference I guess. Ed and the guys will play whatever they want and feel like playing that night. Simple.

We are to the point where folks need to hear Lost Dogs in bits entirety to feel like it was a great show.

After 6 years of not seeing any PJ shows and you feel this way after seeing them at MSG, I do feel sorry that you feel this way. I don't agree with you and I don't know what to tell you.

They have to balance the wants of the collectors vs those of the casual fans and they may have been more on the side of casual fans in this show but that certainly doesn't equate to mailing it in. Jese

Also re repeats not everyone can make both shows and it wasn't that many anyway.

mrpink90 said:

they didnt mail it in. but i agree with everything else. their setlists are more "predictable" than theyve ever been. i felt that way in 2013 with the 4 show run in philly and brooklyn. there were alot of repeats. it was the first time i could ever predict what was coming next.

I disagree with 2013 assessment - i was there and they played 83 different songs across 4 nights/2 cities. I felt there were a lot more surprises then - a lot more repeats this time around.

Not every b2b is gonna be Mansfield or Spectrum (man, I just looked at Spectrum setlists...4 nights = 110 different songs! 43 songs on Halloween!) - My brother was given a free ticket and had no appreciation for what he witnessed. Only PJ could have amazingly diverse sets for 3 nights and then break out:
Last Exit, Severed Hand, You Are, Amongst the Waves. Rats, I'm Open, I got ID, Glorified, Out of My Mind, Insignificance, Inside Job, Bugs, Whip It, Crown, Satans Bed, Sweet Lew, Smile...and still have plenty of room for Alive, Black, Why Go, Porch, etc.

Do I wish my 4 shows (PHL/NYC) were as diverse as those 4 nights? Absolutely! Am I upset at hearing so many repeats? Absolutely not! Would it be better if certain songs weren't played every night? Definitely - it makes them more special when they're perfunctory. Porch, Alive, DTE, GTF - I love them and they're great live songs, but switching it up is OK. Some bands never change their sets, some bands do it so much so that the quality of the performances suffer. PJ is in that happy medium where any song is possible but they still have some mainstays. It was a great time - I heard a bunch of songs for the first/second times, still have plenty of reasons to see them next tour, but I would definitely enjoy shows that had more:

Binaural
Riot Act
Avocado
No Code (Specifically - Red Mosquito, Smile, Sometimes)
Yield (specifically - No Way (why is this so rare???) Faithfull)

Lost Dogs - Sad, Fatal, Hold On,

Different Covers - I heard a bunch of new covers this tour - Comfortably Numb, Throw Your Hatred Down, Fuckin' Up,Driven To Tears, Surrender, Picture in a Frame, Takin it to the Streets- Keep it up! Bring back Kids are Alright, Walkin the Cow, many of the covers Eddie plays solo...it doesn't have to be Rockin, Baba, and Last Kiss every night - I would love for them to play more MLB, maybe a Soundgarden song, Plenty of great Neil songs they learned for Mirror Ball tour they could bring up - Peace and Love, Down by the River, Cowgirl in the Sand, Eddie would KILL Tonight's the Night, Southern Man,