My story dealing with several horrible entitled “railbirds” in GA at Wrigley 2

Zod said:

OceansJenny said:

Happy to show up 1 hr prior for GA and be 5 rows back. The rats can have fun with their rail and imaginary celebrity.

That's how it was in Arena's?  With Wrigley '16 and Seattle '18, with the bigger pits, I found we were about 10-12 people deep being in front of mike's (or stones) mic, but getting in the lineup about 4pm.  4 hours of waiting around (between waiting for doors, and waiting for the band)

It was easier with Arena's because the pits were so much smaller.  Could show u at doors and get 5th or 6th row.

I must be getting old.  I'll always for GA because reserved's start behind GA, thus even the back of GA is better than any seat.   However if given the choice to go back to the old system of all seats.   I might lean towards to the seats to avoid dealing with the lineups

Big Bank Hank said:

For some people Eddie tossing them a tambourine or giving them some wine or touching them, is like the biggest deal ever, and they will still be telling stories about it 25 years from now. I don't care about any of that, more power to them if they are willingto invest all that time & energy. I am totally cool with lower reserve side stage, plus it's really nice having a seat & cupholder  plus easy bathroom access once Even Flow starts playing. Pearl Jam catching a shot of me on the rail during a show & posting the video later really won't make any difference in my life. Now if I happen to run into one of them in some random place & just be able to hang out & talk about ways to make the world a better place, real deep shit, that would be meaningful. Icon worship is a illusion, human to human interaction & finding ways to become better humans is where it's at. Besides Eddie has already played 3 requests for me from this board over the past 5 years, so I already feel kinda guilty about that, so I figure it's better to let others go up front with their signs & maybe they can get a song played or a shoutout & that will be a much more meaningful experience than it would be for me. I see the world through a rocking horse of time. Those people up front at the Seattle show earned it, lining up 4 days before in 90 degree heat, it's totally not worth it for me, plus when you get douche bags trying to muscle themselves in & cutting in front & just being down right disrespectful it can make for a really long night. I do have one question: If you are center rail, how in the hell do you take a piss? Empty bottle? Port a Potty? It seems like it would be really hard to get back the where you were before.

JH6056 said:

OceansJenny said:

Shakescky said:

pashapasaman said:

What sickens me is that i see the same people front row every show. What is the goal actually?? So that they can shake eddie’s hand?
the sound is way better if you are at the back actually
i’ve been in rail once in madrid
wasn’t my best experience, and i experience similar stuff like in this post. People fighting for spots
lame

for some people it has become less about the music and more about super fan recognition. sadly this happens with all fan bases within bands. and if you haven't seen it for another band you enjoy, it's definitely out there.

That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Fan recognition? I wouldn’t recognize any of those railrats from squat. I’m trying to watch the BAND.

Happy to show up 1 hr prior for GA and be 5 rows back. The rats can have fun with their rail and imaginary celebrity.

I can understand why that sounds bonkers to you, but just to clarify, I'm pretty sure those fans are NOT trying to be recognized by OTHER fans as much as they're just vying for the max amount of recognition from the BAND.

But hey, who knows, maybe there is a little celebrity club amongst them where they are trying to outdo each other too!  Stranger things certainly do happen...

pjl44 said:

Team All Reserved Seating 2019

+1

Mikusxkm said:

For all of you that had to deal with the rude and disrespectful people in GA I am sorry. I unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to look at it, usually get pretty good seats at most events. I’m handicapped and could not stand up for a 20 minuet line let alone a 3 hr concert. Seattle second night and Chicago 1st night were my first PJ concerts. I’m was PJ concert newbie, they were AMAZING, life altering and I could go on and on!
Handicaped seating in both Chicago and Seattle were somewhat “seat yourself wherever”, despite numbered seats. I’m not complaining at all. What a great, open, happy group of about 20 each night. I’m a bit bossy as my tall husband (Chicago trip) and my fairly short daughter (Seattle trip) can confirm. We had people in wheelchairs and walkers and usually their companion. When everyone took their places it was obvious (both nights) that some people in wheelchairs were not going to easily see the band, even with my husband seated. So being bossy I kind of started rearranging the people around us. At first they all said no, I am ok, I am here and can kinda see them and can hear them. I finally just scooted mysel and husband behind a couple of people and their companions. My husband had a chair to sit in, and did. When he wanted to stand he went to the back. Seeing this, many companions did the same. So with some gentle suggestions and offers to move around I think everyone single person in our small section had an awesome view. Was I in the “front, center row”? I was not. I was actually in the back row, but I am pretty tall and seat height in a walker is a couple inches higher than a wheelch, or the actual seats. 
By the time the concerts were amping up we all knew most everyone’s names and had started telling our PJ stories or our stories that land us in the gimpy section. We bought beers for each other, sang loudly and had an amazing good time. None of us really cared about the seat numbers on tickets. We wanted to make damn sure that everyone had the best possible view for their circumstances.
I’m not suggesting you become handicapped so you get decent seats to events. Obviously our lives can make everyday things difficult, but you try and make the most of a situation. I made friends and had 2 awesome trips with the highlight of seeing the best band ever. 
Thank you to the kind, generous and fun people who only enhanced the concert and of course thank you Pearl Jam for being you, best band EVER, kind and their incredible generosity to so many worthy causes. These may be my only PJ concerts (I certainly hope not) so I will think positively and remember how am incredibly grateful for the music I heard and the people I met in both cities. Everyone was so very kind and wonderful. So thanks to Seattle and Chicago, you have some great citizens.
Perhaps at your next big event remember that each one of you can choose the high road and regardless of your physical view of a concert, or whatever event, your kindness will make your experience much much better. 

Thanks Pete said:

amw101282 said:

Milwaukee is my city and u was the 3rd person there behind a couple girls from Brazil. I camped out the nigh before at 9pm and it was my first time trying for rail. I knew there were ppl that did it over and over and I decided this is my hometown my city and my first chance to represent on the rail. So I did. I waited in the rain with my friend and waited all night. I met many of the "entitled " fans you speak of traveling from city to city and taking front row every time. I was new some were nice and some were not. They were cool through the night but once it got closer to time u had some old aussie dude with a beard threatenin to fight my friend and saying we didn't belong up there. Sorry we beat you to the front. My friend was so soured by this he hasn't gone to a pearl jam show with me since. Ruined his experience. He had gone every time before. We had earned the rail and apparently these guys didn' wanna share with new faces. He way I saw it. We earned it. I ended up on the rail by Eddie's mic. He didn' acknowledge us once but did every one around us. The familiar faces handed em tambourines wine took their signs and played to em. We didn't get anything. It's like we were invisible to em. So yes he rewards the familiar faces. We were new...we didn't matter. I haven't tried for rail since. could've for wrigley twice and after our experience in Milwaukee we have tried since. So yes try to get up to front and the pool who own it will try to fight you and make you feel like you don't belong there. Very disappointing. I went for rail at radiohead and their fans were way cooler and thom yorke hadn't seen my face before but he still acknowledged my presence.  So that's my take. I may try for rail again but my best friend is completely done with it thanks to these ppl who own the band. Milwaukee show could'e been a great experience for us. Instead it pushed us away. And I guess that' what they wanted so they won. Congratulations you own the band. Enjoy

I think I know who you're talking about. He was at all of this Summer's European shows I attended. My experiences with him were the opposite. The guy was just so nice and cheery