Also just to add. 4 shows in they already played 60 different songs. There is no band aside from perhaps Modest Mouse (and they are more indie) on a scale of Pearl Jam to give you that.
Btw, please go and see Modest Mouse. One of the most underrated rock bands out there. They are fantastic most nights.
I certainly would NOT recommend going to a U2 show then with only 2 rotating songs each tour over the past 3 decades. Maybe Eddie going to the sphere show and one too many convesations with Bono contaminated him? Video sceens, bells and whistles, more predictable setlists!?
It’s about expectations. I saw all 8 shows at msg in 2015 knowing u2 doesn’t mix up sets. I had the time of my life. Pearl have set a certain expectation so when there’s a huge change you should expect fans to discuss it respectfully
Very true. Big U2 fan my entire life and would attend many shows each tour. The current change may be hard for some to digest but need to keep some perspective I think
Also just to add. 4 shows in they already played 60 different songs. There is no band aside from perhaps Modest Mouse (and they are more indie) on a scale of Pearl Jam to give you that.
Btw, please go and see Modest Mouse. One of the most underrated rock bands out there. They are fantastic most nights.
4 shows in thats a decent amount of unique songs. And having 25 songs on the set is a nice surprise.
However there have been 9 songs played every night. Amazingly Porch and Evenflow are not of that 9 so if you add them as almost guarantees going forward that is 11/25 songs that you are likely to hear. And mostly in the same spot minus Evenflow which always hangs around the 10-13 spot usually.
Thats is pretty close to half the show.
And that is not including songs like Betterman, Corduroy, Jeremy, Black, Given to Fly, Yellow Ledbetter,
I think you get the idea with this for fans that have already committed to seeing multiple shows and how much of the set is already spoken for it seems before they even walk on stage.
This is why we are discussing this huge change over the past years. If those numbers above mean anything too you thats great. I am not sure why it matters to you that others are interested in it. I am not trying to argue with anyone to change their mind to mine. Just voicing an opinion.
And all of the above said we are only 4 shows into a long touring year for these guys. It might change it might not. Still worthy of a friendly discussion imo.
I certainly would NOT recommend going to a U2 show then with only 2 rotating songs each tour over the past 3 decades. Maybe Eddie going to the sphere show and one too many convesations with Bono contaminated him? Video sceens, bells and whistles, more predictable setlists!?
Just like tool, or green day, or metallica, or guns n roses, or foo fighters it's a one show per tour band. Pearl Jam is not a one show per tour band, has never been, I would have said never will be but here we are.
Maybe more than just one show for those bands. But yes, I get your point. It's early in the tour though. Let's see how things shake out as we progess.
It’s a different tour. First, they’re promoting a new album! It’s the first time in 10.5 years the band is on a real album tour. Second, they’ve added visuals to the show. They spent the time/money to develop material for certain songs they want to emphasize so those songs are going to be a part of most night’s sets.
A different type of tour should have been expected. It’s evolution, baby! Will this tour be like all future tours? Unlikely. If this tour isn’t to your liking, now you know. I for one can’t think of a place I’d rather be.
Also just to add. 4 shows in they already played 60 different songs. There is no band aside from perhaps Modest Mouse (and they are more indie) on a scale of Pearl Jam to give you that.
Btw, please go and see Modest Mouse. One of the most underrated rock bands out there. They are fantastic most nights.
Comparison:
First 3 shows in 2013. 63 - one less show to surpass that number (understandably longer shows)
First 4 shows in 2022. 56 different songs after 4 shows - however these sets had a couple less songs due to longer Gigaton songs - so they are mirroring the start of 2022 almost identically in terms of variety.
And the start of 2022 was bad variety that was subjected to much criticism in addition to the shock of shorter shows.
They course corrected variety come Europe/Fall shows. My faith that they course correct here is lesser due to the screens in play.
They should just channel their Inner Tool and say fine, fuck it no hits when they went for like 2 years without playing the big hits. Only Fans tour DM + deep cuts.
And you know how many complaints tool got for doing that? None.
It’s another case of PJ First World Problems. How dare they only play 12-15 unique songs from one show to another. That was not my expectations! Lol
What makes you think this change shouldn’t be something that fans discuss on a fan board about the setlist?
Absolutely discuss it but not belabor it. The obsession in pointing it out is exhausting.
I’m going to vote with you, but I see n15’s point as well.
Jeff clearly stated that they are at a stage that they can do whatever they f****** want, that they’ve earned it (not verbatim) which is true.
This was named a “dark matter” tour….not a greatest hits tour or final tour.
They’ve taken the time to discuss (extensively) at various times over the past few years that things needed to change a bit, things needed to slow down a bit. Let’s take a poll of our ages over in AET and see what percentage of us 61 year olds can totally understand where they’re coming from.
No offense intended, but i can see being bummed out for sure, last tour, the first time things changed, but now it just feels kind of disrespectful. Not all the comments, just some. I’m confused as to why anyone is surprised by any of their decisions. They told everyone this was coming.
Truly confused so I’d appreciate if someone could explain why they thought they weren’t being honest?
I read all the time posts complaining they don’t tell us anything then when they do some don’t believe them. Baffling yet amusing.
Also just to add. 4 shows in they already played 60 different songs. There is no band aside from perhaps Modest Mouse (and they are more indie) on a scale of Pearl Jam to give you that.
There's a few that come to mind (Phish, Bruce, Dave Matthews, Dead), and I'm 100% sure all of those fan bases would have the same reaction that some PJ fans (myself included) are having to these more stagnant setlists. Bruce's 2023 tour is a pretty good example, Setlist was almost entirely stagnant all year, and a lot of the fans were pretty frustrated and bummed, lamenting the end of the Bruce shows of old.
I was definitely expecting a lot of DM material, but certainly wasn't expecting the same songs in the same slots every night. That said, aside from the overall song percentage due to shorter shows it's not insanely far off what they've done in the past. In 2010 I saw 8 Backpsacer songs in a single show, In 2013, it was 5-8 songs per show with LB and MYM almost always played together, Even Flow almost always paired with Sirens. Yellow Moon and Future Days in the encore. Hopefully they'll start to move stuff around a bit more by the fall, but if not, I'll be fine just seeing my 3 shows and will likely stop considering trying to get to the East Coast. Plus, if they play HTI in Vegas I can probably just stop seeing them and be happy lol.
I have a hard time with the "you can't complain, it's disrespectful" attitude. Sure, they can play what they want, and sure, we don't have to go. But what's the point of having a fan forum if not to discuss what they're doing. Active and engaged fan bases lead to forums like this, and without the variety I'm sure this place would be way less active.
Post edited by opsopcopolis on
2006: Hartford 2008: Camden 2, Hartford 2010: Hartford 2013: Wrigley, Worcester x2, Hartford 2015: NYC 2016: Philly 2, MSG x2, Boston 2, (TOTD Philly 2, MSG) 2018: Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Boston x2 2022: San Diego, Sacramento, Las Vegas
Seriously think about it. After the last tour, when we found out it would be the first tour with the new format, very few complained, we were all like “we can live with this”. “This was great!” Want to know why? We were just fucking excited to be back out in society. Now, we’re back to being cynical complainers. Well, I’m not….i can’t wait. They can play DM two times through and it would be great….its PJ. Take each concert/tour as a blessing and as if it may be your last. You may have a different view when you’re there.
I'm also all for healthy discussions, but the meritless rants just create further frustration. I'm a relatively new member, as well, but I am so surprised how negative many of the recent discussions are. I do read many old threads, as well, and it wasn't like this.
I think expectation management is key. Surely it is a bummer to spend 20k a tour for 6 or more shows and then hear 'only 70ish different songs', but that's where it begins for me. Spending that much money on one band is a bit crazy, no? And surely a more singular occurrence than the rule, so the band targeting the majority (one or two show goers) with setlists should be just fine.
Besides the point, but If I had that much cash, I would rather give it to Vitalogy than throwing it all on being at different shows during one tour. But freedom of choice, right? And the freedom of choosing happiness over frustration.
It's just getting annoying following the setlist thread during the show when the same people complain throughout the entire thing. We get it, you don't like what they're doing, maybe take a break from the next setlist thread and spare us all the same complaint in the same spot every show
Then by all means stop buying tickets...leaves more for the rest of us
The whole point is that majority of this community is seeing many many shows each tour, myself included, because of the unknown set lists. For example, using the band as an excuse to go to Europe or Australia. The incentive now to travel to get uniqueness has dwindled….which eventually leads to the band losing money.
Oh wow, the entitlement of the traveling fans. Sure, complaining is an option, but not going is also. No one asks you guys to go out of your way to buy tickets to all the shows. Every show will give you something different, but they really like this record and that's why they are playing the hell out of it. It's great to see. Think the last time this really happened was during the Avocado tour. Overall, I think if it comes to the point that you as a person see yourself as a vital part of a live concert when you are not part of the band, then you are taking it too far. People will go, people will enjoy, you going and not enjoying because of setlist variety is doing yourself more of a disservice than to the band. Damn, I know groupies were a thing a few decades ago, but Pearl Jam seem to have the worst kind of groupies.
Easy to say in hindsight. Tickets go on sale in February, first 4 shows in May, and now it’s “well why did you buy tickets?”. Like we were able to predict the predictability? After 2023 I didn’t think this is where we would be. If the band came out and said 70% of each show will be the same, they wouldn’t have sold as many tickets. Let’s face it, the band is lucky to have us traveling fans. Sorry if that’s “entitled” but it is true.
Myself and the other fans showing concerns about the set list predictability never said we wouldn’t enjoy the show. We’ve said multiple times we are still going to rock out, just might change the amount of times we rock out.
The U2 comment - I wouldn’t go see them 8x. With their set lists, I would only want to see them once. And that’s fine! Springsteen was very predictable for the first time in a while. My dad would usually go to 5-10 shows a tour for his set list variety. He went to two.
MSG 2022 was not a great set list whatsoever for the “entitled traveling fan”, but the crowd and atmosphere made it one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. MSG specifically, we are traveling for the crowd not the set list.
Also, these “unique songs” aren’t very unique. Present Tense, Not For You, Last Exit, Immortality, Wishlist, Garden….these have all been staples. NAIS, In Hiding, and Red Mosquito maybe to a lesser extent, but we did always get them a good amount of times per tour. “oh wow they played Once!”.
Post edited by HailHailVitalogy on
2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2
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curmudgeoness
Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,390
Agreed. Hoping Seattle gets a little weird, and come September we have a new format. Otherwise I’m not really stressing about Philly tickets as much as I was before.
In 2022, I went to three of the spring leg shows (San Diego and LA*2); in the fall, I went to MSG and Denver. I thought the fall shows were different animals than the spring shows. The spring shows I saw were Gigaton shows, the fall shows felt more varied to me.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
PJ - 09/23/98: West Palm Beach II, 08/12/00: Tampa, 04/12/03: Orlando, 04/13/03: Tampa, 06/12/08: Tampa, 06/27/08: Hartford, 09/22/09: Seattle II, 04/11/16: Tampa, 05/01 &05/02/16: MSG I & II, 09/18/21: Sea Hear Now, 10/01& 10/02/21: Ohana Encore I & II, 05/06 & 05/07/22: Los Angeles I & II, 09/11/22: MSG, 09/16/22: Nashville, 09/02/23: St. Paul II, 09/07/23: Chicago II, 09/18& 09/19/23: Austin I & II, 05/16& 05/18/24: Las Vegas I & II. Michael Jordan's #!
EV - 08/04 & 08/05/08: (Eddie solo, w/Liam Finn) NYC I & II, 11/27 & 11/28/12: (Eddie solo, w/Glen Hansard) Orlando I & II, 02/09 & 02/10/22: (Eddie & the Earthlings) Chicago I & II, 09/30/23: (Eddie & the Earthlings) Ohana Festival
Song Wishlist: Oceans, Brother, Alone, Let Me Sleep, full W.M.A., Hold On, all of Vitalogy or Satan's Bed, Gremmie Out Of Control, Mankind, Around The Bend (full band), Don't Gimme No Lip, Pilate, Push Me Pull Me, All Those Yesterdays, Rival, Parting Ways (full band), You Are (thank you, Vegas!), Bu$hleaguer, Inside Job (Vegas!), low octave Driftin', Strangest Tribe, Other Side, Undone, Of The Earth, Love Reign O'er Me, Comfortably Numb, and the Mamasan Trilogy.
Wanted Posters: WPB '98, Tampa/WPB '00, Tampa '03, EV Batmobile '08 ISO: any picks, or setlists from any of my shows!
Then by all means stop buying tickets...leaves more for the rest of us
The whole point is that majority of this community is seeing many many shows each tour, myself included, because of the unknown set lists. For example, using the band as an excuse to go to Europe or Australia. The incentive now to travel to get uniqueness has dwindled….which eventually leads to the band losing money.
Oh wow, the entitlement of the traveling fans. Sure, complaining is an option, but not going is also. No one asks you guys to go out of your way to buy tickets to all the shows. Every show will give you something different, but they really like this record and that's why they are playing the hell out of it. It's great to see. Think the last time this really happened was during the Avocado tour. Overall, I think if it comes to the point that you as a person see yourself as a vital part of a live concert when you are not part of the band, then you are taking it too far. People will go, people will enjoy, you going and not enjoying because of setlist variety is doing yourself more of a disservice than to the band. Damn, I know groupies were a thing a few decades ago, but Pearl Jam seem to have the worst kind of groupies.
Easy to say in hindsight. Tickets go on sale in February, first 4 shows in May, and now it’s “well why did you buy tickets?”. Like we were able to predict the predictability? After 2023 I didn’t think this is where we would be. If the band came out and said 70% of each show will be the same, they wouldn’t have sold as many tickets. Let’s face it, the band is lucky to have us traveling fans. Sorry if that’s “entitled” but it is true.
Myself and the other fans showing concerns about the set list predictability never said we wouldn’t enjoy the show. We’ve said multiple times we are still going to rock out, just might change the amount of times we rock out.
The U2 comment - I wouldn’t go see them 8x. With their set lists, I would only want to see them once. And that’s fine! Springsteen was very predictable for the first time in a while. My dad would usually go to 5-10 shows a tour for his set list variety. He went to two.
MSG 2022 was not a great set list whatsoever for the “entitled traveling fan”, but the crowd and atmosphere made it one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. MSG specifically, we are traveling for the crowd not the set list.
Also, these “unique songs” aren’t very unique. Present Tense, Not For You, Last Exit, Immortality, Wishlist, Garden….these have all been staples. NAIS, In Hiding, and Red Mosquito maybe to a lesser extent, but we did always get them a good amount of times per tour. “oh wow they played Once!”.
“Like we were able to predict the predictability? After 2023 I didn’t think this is where we would be”
Why? They told us things were changing and
“but they really like this record and that's why they are playing the hell out of it. It's great to see!”
Is probably correct. Doing as they wish, as they’ve earned, as they’re entitled to do. It’s like when us old folks decide to drive however we want, entitled.
The beauty, exhiliration, and power of seeing a Pearl Jam concert has always been, in large part, the unknown. The lights go down and everything to come is a mystery. The band has always operated as such up until this tour. About 1/3 of the set for these shows is, so far, known in advance.
For those of us who have travelled to and seen numerous shows, myself included with 78 since 1993, that mystery, I would argue, is the fundamental reason. It's essential to the band's identity. A characteristic that they have created, acknowledged, cultivated, and benefited from throughout its existence.
I love the band. I love the new album. I'll know I'll enjoy both of the Seattle shows later this month...from I've seen and heard in youtube videos, they look and sound great. But...I'll be secretly hoping I don't know a 1/3 of the set beforehand.
1993 - Dallas ~~~ 1995 - Red Rocks I & II | Austin ~~~ 1998 - St Louis | Kansas City | Dallas | Raleigh | Atlanta | Birmingham | Greenville | Knoxville | Virginia Beach ~~~ 2000 - New Orleans | Memphis | Nashville | Noblesville | Cincinnati | Columbus | Houston I & II | Dallas | Las Vegas | LA | San Diego | San Bernardino | Sacramento | San Francisco ~~~ 2003 - OKC | San Antonio | Houston | Dallas | Little Rock | Camden I & II | MSG I & II ~~~ 2004 - Boston I & II | St Louis ~~~ 2005 - Gorge | Vancouver | Kitchener | London | Hamilton ~~~ 2006 - Las Vegas | Gorge I & II | Honolulu ~~~ 2008 - MSG I & II ~~~ 2009 - Seattle I & II | Vancouver | Portland | ACL | Philly I-IV ~~~ 2010 - Kansas City | St Louis ~~~ 2011 - PJ20 I & II ~~~ 2013 - Wrigley | Dallas | OKC ~~~ 2014 - ACL I | Tulsa | Moline | St Paul | Milwaukee | Denver ~~~ 2022 - OKC ~~~ 2023 - FW I & II | Austin I & II ~~~ 2024* - Seattle I & II | Wrigley I & II [82*]
The beauty, exhiliration, and power of seeing a Pearl Jam concert has always been, in large part, the unknown. The lights go down and everything to come is a mystery. The band has always operated as such up until this tour. About 1/3 of the set for these shows is, so far, known in advance.
For those of us who have travelled to and seen numerous shows, myself included with 78 since 1993, that mystery, I would argue, is the fundamental reason. It's essential to the band's identity. A characteristic that they have created, acknowledged, cultivated, and benefited from throughout its existence.
I love the band. I love the new album. I'll know I'll enjoy both of the Seattle shows later this month...from I've seen and heard in youtube videos, they look and sound great. But...I'll be secretly hoping I don't know a 1/3 of the set beforehand.
Okay Attenborough. Let's put down the thesaurus, come back to the reality that you're going to a rock concert.
One that is promoting a new album. The concert tour's identity of promoting Dark Matter has been created, acknowledged, blah blah throughout it's existence.
Opinions and judgment should really be reserved for people that actually went to the show. The rest is just noise. Nobody cares if you decided to not buy tickets to future shows based on what you read on the setlist thread. Lol
Typically I agree with this sentiment. You can't look at a list of songs in order and properly evaluate how the show was.
But that's not the critique here. For the last 30 years you've had no idea what you were going to hear walking into a Pearl Jam show (save for "likely Even Flow at some point"). We now have 4 shows in a row where about 1/3 of the set is constant down to the placement. That's a big change.
I certainly would NOT recommend going to a U2 show then with only 2 rotating songs each tour over the past 3 decades. Maybe Eddie going to the sphere show and one too many convesations with Bono contaminated him? Video sceens, bells and whistles, more predictable setlists!?
This is true for most bands. I also don't see most bands more than once on a tour for this reason. Pearl Jam has always been a rare exception.
45 minute DTE at both Ohana shows. Director's cut of the music video will be shown on the screens. No one under 17 will be admitted without parent or guardian. You've been warned.
I think a bunch of us are excited for the shows we are going to this year, and seeing these sets we already know what’s coming for future shows. We’ve never had this experience before as fans. No one on here who’s got issues with the set list has ever said “must be a bad show”; our critique is solely on the songs played and in what order. We’re getting excited over a flubbed Faithful and Garden, the latter which was a staple a year ago. Just refresh your memory and look at the 2023 set lists, they were perfect after all the bitching about shorter shows. I mean fuck, we got Tremor and Marker in the same main set. I’m going to Vegas and I’m excited for the first 4 songs and the 1 or 2 songs mid-set that change. Otherwise I already know what to expect. Never had that feeling before, but still going to give my 110% in the crowd as a fan.
Well said🖋
ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 1992 SUMMERFEST MILWAUKEE 1995 ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 1998 UNITED CENTER CHICAGO1998 THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA KNOXVILLE 1998 ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 2000 ALLSTATE ARENA ROSEMONT 2000 ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 2003 HERSHEYPARK STADIUM 2003 TOLEDO SPORTS ARENA 2004 AIR CANADA CENTRE TORONTO 2005 UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2006 UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2006 VERIZON CENTER DC 2008 UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2009 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS 2010 PJ20 NIGHT 1 Alpine Valley Music Theatre 2011 PJ20 NIGHT 2 Alpine Valley Music Theatre 2011 1ST MARINER ARENA BALTIMORE 2013 IWIRELESS CENTER MOLINE 2014 XCEL ENERGY CENTER ST. PAUL 2014 CHICAGO 1 Wrigley Field 2016 CHICAGO 2 Wrigley Field 2016 CHICAGO 1 Wrigley Field 2018 CHICAGO 2 Wrigley Field 2018 BOSTON 2 Fenway Park 2018 ENTERPRISE CENTER SAINT LOUIS 2022 Eddie Vedder Auditorium Theatre CHICAGO 2008
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Btw, please go and see Modest Mouse. One of the most underrated rock bands out there. They are fantastic most nights.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
However there have been 9 songs played every night. Amazingly Porch and Evenflow are not of that 9 so if you add them as almost guarantees going forward that is 11/25 songs that you are likely to hear. And mostly in the same spot minus Evenflow which always hangs around the 10-13 spot usually.
Thats is pretty close to half the show.
And that is not including songs like Betterman, Corduroy, Jeremy, Black, Given to Fly, Yellow Ledbetter,
I think you get the idea with this for fans that have already committed to seeing multiple shows and how much of the set is already spoken for it seems before they even walk on stage.
This is why we are discussing this huge change over the past years. If those numbers above mean anything too you thats great. I am not sure why it matters to you that others are interested in it. I am not trying to argue with anyone to change their mind to mine. Just voicing an opinion.
First 3 shows in 2013. 63 - one less show to surpass that number (understandably longer shows)
First 4 shows in 2022. 56 different songs after 4 shows - however these sets had a couple less songs due to longer Gigaton songs - so they are mirroring the start of 2022 almost identically in terms of variety.
And the start of 2022 was bad variety that was subjected to much criticism in addition to the shock of shorter shows.
They course corrected variety come Europe/Fall shows. My faith that they course correct here is lesser due to the screens in play.
They should just channel their Inner Tool and say fine, fuck it no hits when they went for like 2 years without playing the big hits. Only Fans tour DM + deep cuts.
And you know how many complaints tool got for doing that? None.
I was definitely expecting a lot of DM material, but certainly wasn't expecting the same songs in the same slots every night. That said, aside from the overall song percentage due to shorter shows it's not insanely far off what they've done in the past. In 2010 I saw 8 Backpsacer songs in a single show, In 2013, it was 5-8 songs per show with LB and MYM almost always played together, Even Flow almost always paired with Sirens. Yellow Moon and Future Days in the encore. Hopefully they'll start to move stuff around a bit more by the fall, but if not, I'll be fine just seeing my 3 shows and will likely stop considering trying to get to the East Coast. Plus, if they play HTI in Vegas I can probably just stop seeing them and be happy lol.
I have a hard time with the "you can't complain, it's disrespectful" attitude. Sure, they can play what they want, and sure, we don't have to go. But what's the point of having a fan forum if not to discuss what they're doing. Active and engaged fan bases lead to forums like this, and without the variety I'm sure this place would be way less active.
2008: Camden 2, Hartford
2010: Hartford
2013: Wrigley, Worcester x2, Hartford
2015: NYC
2016: Philly 2, MSG x2, Boston 2, (TOTD Philly 2, MSG)
2018: Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Boston x2
2022: San Diego, Sacramento, Las Vegas
I think expectation management is key. Surely it is a bummer to spend 20k a tour for 6 or more shows and then hear 'only 70ish different songs', but that's where it begins for me. Spending that much money on one band is a bit crazy, no?
And surely a more singular occurrence than the rule, so the band targeting the majority (one or two show goers) with setlists should be just fine.
Besides the point, but
If I had that much cash, I would rather give it to Vitalogy than throwing it all on being at different shows during one tour. But freedom of choice, right?
And the freedom of choosing happiness over frustration.
Don't you do it too...
Myself and the other fans showing concerns about the set list predictability never said we wouldn’t enjoy the show. We’ve said multiple times we are still going to rock out, just might change the amount of times we rock out.
The U2 comment - I wouldn’t go see them 8x. With their set lists, I would only want to see them once. And that’s fine! Springsteen was very predictable for the first time in a while. My dad would usually go to 5-10 shows a tour for his set list variety. He went to two.
In 2022, I went to three of the spring leg shows (San Diego and LA*2); in the fall, I went to MSG and Denver. I thought the fall shows were different animals than the spring shows. The spring shows I saw were Gigaton shows, the fall shows felt more varied to me.
Song Wishlist: Oceans, Brother, Alone, Let Me Sleep, full W.M.A., Hold On, all of Vitalogy or Satan's Bed, Gremmie Out Of Control, Mankind, Around The Bend (full band), Don't Gimme No Lip, Pilate, Push Me Pull Me, All Those Yesterdays, Rival, Parting Ways (full band), You Are (thank you, Vegas!), Bu$hleaguer, Inside Job (Vegas!), low octave Driftin', Strangest Tribe, Other Side, Undone, Of The Earth, Love Reign O'er Me, Comfortably Numb, and the Mamasan Trilogy.
“but they really like this record and that's why they are playing the hell out of it. It's great to see!”
Is probably correct. Doing as they wish, as they’ve earned, as they’re entitled to do. It’s like when us old folks decide to drive however we want, entitled.
For those of us who have travelled to and seen numerous shows, myself included with 78 since 1993, that mystery, I would argue, is the fundamental reason. It's essential to the band's identity. A characteristic that they have created, acknowledged, cultivated, and benefited from throughout its existence.
I love the band. I love the new album. I'll know I'll enjoy both of the Seattle shows later this month...from I've seen and heard in youtube videos, they look and sound great. But...I'll be secretly hoping I don't know a 1/3 of the set beforehand.
[82*]
One that is promoting a new album. The concert tour's identity of promoting Dark Matter has been created, acknowledged, blah blah throughout it's existence.
But that's not the critique here. For the last 30 years you've had no idea what you were going to hear walking into a Pearl Jam show (save for "likely Even Flow at some point"). We now have 4 shows in a row where about 1/3 of the set is constant down to the placement. That's a big change.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
SUMMERFEST MILWAUKEE 1995
ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 1998
UNITED CENTER CHICAGO1998
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA KNOXVILLE 1998
ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 2000
ALLSTATE ARENA ROSEMONT 2000
ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE 2003
HERSHEYPARK STADIUM 2003
TOLEDO SPORTS ARENA 2004
AIR CANADA CENTRE TORONTO 2005
UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2006
UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2006
VERIZON CENTER DC 2008
UNITED CENTER CHICAGO 2009
NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS 2010
PJ20 NIGHT 1 Alpine Valley Music Theatre 2011
PJ20 NIGHT 2 Alpine Valley Music Theatre 2011
1ST MARINER ARENA BALTIMORE 2013
IWIRELESS CENTER MOLINE 2014
XCEL ENERGY CENTER ST. PAUL 2014
CHICAGO 1 Wrigley Field 2016
CHICAGO 2 Wrigley Field 2016
CHICAGO 1 Wrigley Field 2018
CHICAGO 2 Wrigley Field 2018
BOSTON 2 Fenway Park 2018
ENTERPRISE CENTER SAINT LOUIS 2022
Eddie Vedder Auditorium Theatre CHICAGO 2008