What Post-Covid shows are on your all-time list?

They started with the wrong song at SHN.  Release or Why Go would have been better.  All
the Gigaton sucked the air out of an outdoor venue (which is impressive).  Then all of the  stoppages for people passing out.

I would say that these post Covid shows are all pretty great, but none being all timers.

HailHailVitalogy said:

gotthebottle said:

HailHailVitalogy said:

I think “standouts” is watering down what I’m looking for here. I mean shows that blew you away, whatever criteria that might be. I was at San Diego, LA x2, and St Louis in 2022…I thought they were just average shows in my opinion. Crowd was brutal in Cali. Austin 2 2023 and Seattle 2024 were fucking fantastic, but didn’t crack my personal “all-time” list I’m talking about. 

I’m looking for you walking out of the venue, thinking to yourself “That could have been the best show I’ve seen, or close to it”. I definitely felt that way with my 5. 

Right.. that's why I put Ohana 21 cause it blew me away because we heard live PJ for first time in long time

That’s great. I was at SHN ‘21, had the same feeling but it might be the “worst” show I’ve seen. But emotionally I was on such a high because of what it represented.

CarryTheZero said:

Only been to Nashville, St. Louis, and Fort Worth N2. 

All great shows, but Fort Worth was the special one for me. Killer setlist.

I was at all of those. FW2 was absolutely incredible with the setlist. MSG ‘22 was the complete opposite, possibly the best crowd I’ve been a part of.

I guess my point to all of this is that it’s possible to have these newer shows become all-timers regardless of format.

This. Being on the beach at SHN with friends, toes in the sand, drinks in hand for the first time after being stuck inside was emotional for me.  I cried during Wishlist. I thought the set was pretty good for a festival set.
Ohana 21 was also great because of the EV short set, the Earthlings and Pearl Jam.
I would also say Camden 22 was probably my favorite post COVID setlist I have seen. Just when I think it's time for me to hang it up they come out deliver in a big way.

Seattle Night 1 '24
Hamilton '22
Ottawa '22
Seattle Night 2 '24 
Quebec City '22
Toronto '22

Vegas 1 is creeping up to the MSG2 ‘10/Philly 09/Home Show territory for me. 

Went to SHN 21 and MSG 22. Neither are near the top. Love the band but I think their most epic sets are behind them. 

Of the 10 shows I've been to in the last 2 years, I'd have to put OKC 22 and LA1 24 at the top of the list.

I’ve only been to one and it was Camden 22. I thought it was good, but definitely not an all timer.

Ive seen some Pearl Jam concerts that get thrown around a bit when people talk about legendary shows…a few msg, 2009 spectrum shows (probably the most overrated shows in Pearl Jam history), Philly 05 to name a few…but I honestly think the best I’ve seen them play might have been Cincinnati in 2006 which almost no one would mention as an all timer.

jimjam1982 said:

Setlists can't compete with anything from 2003 to 2018 though. Without the epic sets they can't be all timers.

I think you’re probably right that none of them have been all timers, but I think it has more to do with Ed being almost 60 years old and just not being able to perform like he used to. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still amazing at what he does, and as good as any other 50 something year old rock singer out there, but it is what it is. The band is as good as they’ve ever been, but it’s different for the frontman.

That said, I completely disagree with the setlist reasoning. Every ‘epic’ setlist I’ve seen from their marathon era (after 2006) has included enough vibe killing material that they could’ve improved the show by playing less. I know most people would disagree with me, but longer shows aren’t always better.

2003-2006 I’ll give you that…there were some long ones in that period that were pretty great from start to finish. 

on2legs said:

jimjam1982 said:

None of them are even close to all timers. 

Went to 13 shows.

SHN - as others mentioned this is a honorable mention due to representing a return to normalcy post coivd hysteria. It always really cool for that effect alone

I will however fondly remember 10/2/21 when Hawkins, Smith, Cameron were all smashing 1 drum kit during ritfw. As it turns out... looking back.... what a moment.

9/11 NYC was one of the most emotional/powerful shows ever.

Setlists can't compete with anything from 2003 to 2018 though. Without the epic sets they can't be all timers.

The majority of Pearl Jam shows have set list lengths shorter than what we got from 2013-2018 and there are dozens of epic shows from outside that time frame.  In fact most epic shows were not from 2013-2018.  

You nailed it.  Set length does not equal epic show.  Hell most 98 shows were under two hours and they absolutely smoke anything from the last 15 years (if not longer).  Excluding the first few years of the band when they were young and a totally different beast I’d say 98-2006 is the peak modern era version of the band.  The playing was incredible, Ed’s voice was still top notch, they still did some improv at shows and setlists were less predictable with songs appearing anywhere.  2013-2014 was a lot of fun with the longer sets being introduced but the encore because formulaic and stale quick and hearing Sirens and Just Breathe every night was a bummer.  I had a lot of fun those years, but the band was last its prime at that point.  Shows now are just a fun night out and that’s ok- we’re lucky these guys are still doing it and I hope we get a few more years of it!