Let's talk about the 1996 tour

[Bammer]

Seattle ‘96 at Key Arena was my first PJ show. My dumb ass since lost the ticket stub.

I stood in line outside near Jerry Cantrell if you can believe it. Got my picture taken with him by someone else in line. This was before the days of the iPhone so I gave the guy my address to mail me the pic when he developed the roll. Never mailed it to me.

I was at the front rail on Mike’s side and had nicely bruised ribs for a while after. I laugh now at people waiting 4 days in line to get on the rail. Glad to have gotten my rail experience over with like a normal person. My friend that I attended with ... we got separated pretty quickly in the pit and met up after. It was pretty fun running in there when they opened the venue doors.

I was 16 and I brought a sign with me: “PLEASE PLAY ALIVE” Yes, I was that guy. I had no idea I would go on to see them 30 times and counting. For all I knew at the time this would be my only PJ concert. I wasn’t into the “setlist watch” culture yet...the internet was a new concept and I had other things to do (like listen to other bands such as Bush & Green Day, oh and of course develop the skills that would one day make me RM’s best athlete). I didn’t realize they would play Alive at nearly every show.

Around this time I was really getting into playing in my own high school band. I played drums but was (and still am) fascinated by the guitar. I particularly enjoyed watching all the guitar changes from one song to the next (and now one of my favorite games at PJ shows is to predict the next song based on the guitar switch).

I take great pride in having seen PJ actually play in the ‘90s. I see on the pit where people list their shows in their signature and the vast majority begin in the 2000’s. I regret that I didn’t join the 10C before ‘96 but realistically I probably wouldn’t have been able/allowed to attend a concert prior to this one. Who knows. Part of me wishes I was ten years older and could have seen all these bands (AIC, Soundgarden) play the little local clubs coming up at the time. More of me, though, is glad to be 38 right now and not 48.

Oh - sorry - how did the band sound? I forgot, RM is a bunch of audio nerds. I don’t know - it was fucking awesome to be there. I was pretty upset that I never saw DAVE A. but looking back on it I’m lucky to have seen Jack Irons.

By the way it’s 4am right now and for some reason I cannot sleep.

[BootsToAsses]

Seattle ‘96 at Key Arena was my first PJ show. My dumb ass since lost the ticket stub.

I stood in line outside near Jerry Cantrell if you can believe it. Got my picture taken with him by someone else in line. This was before the days of the iPhone so I gave the guy my address to mail me the pic when he developed the roll. Never mailed it to me.

I was at the front rail on Mike’s side and had nicely bruised ribs for a while after. I laugh now at people waiting 4 days in line to get on the rail. Glad to have gotten my rail experience over with like a normal person. My friend that I attended with ... we got separated pretty quickly in the pit and met up after. It was pretty fun running in there when they opened the venue doors.

I was 16 and I brought a sign with me: “PLEASE PLAY ALIVE” Yes, I was that guy. I had no idea I would go on to see them 30 times and counting. For all I knew at the time this would be my only PJ concert. I wasn’t into the “setlist watch” culture yet...the internet was a new concept and I had other things to do (like listen to other bands such as Bush & Green Day, oh and of course develop the skills that would one day make me RM’s best athlete). I didn’t realize they would play Alive at nearly every show.

Around this time I was really getting into playing in my own high school band. I played drums but was (and still am) fascinated by the guitar. I particularly enjoyed watching all the guitar changes from one song to the next (and now one of my favorite games at PJ shows is to predict the next song based on the guitar switch).

I take great pride in having seen PJ actually play in the ‘90s. I see on the pit where people list their shows in their signature and the vast majority begin in the 2000’s. I regret that I didn’t join the 10C before ‘96 but realistically I probably wouldn’t have been able/allowed to attend a concert prior to this one. Who knows. Part of me wishes I was ten years older and could have seen all these bands (AIC, Soundgarden) play the little local clubs coming up at the time. More of me, though, is glad to be 38 right now and not 48.

Oh - sorry - how did the band sound? I forgot, RM is a bunch of audio nerds. I don’t know - it was fucking awesome to be there. I was pretty upset that I never saw DAVE A. but looking back on it I’m lucky to have seen Jack Irons.

By the way it’s 4am right now and for some reason I cannot sleep.

You saw In My Tree with Jack Irons on the kit, so you have my immediate respect.

[Strat]

Seattle ‘96 at Key Arena was my first PJ show. My dumb ass since lost the ticket stub.

I stood in line outside near Jerry Cantrell if you can believe it. Got my picture taken with him by someone else in line. This was before the days of the iPhone so I gave the guy my address to mail me the pic when he developed the roll. Never mailed it to me.

I was at the front rail on Mike’s side and had nicely bruised ribs for a while after. I laugh now at people waiting 4 days in line to get on the rail. Glad to have gotten my rail experience over with like a normal person. My friend that I attended with ... we got separated pretty quickly in the pit and met up after. It was pretty fun running in there when they opened the venue doors.

I was 16 and I brought a sign with me: “PLEASE PLAY ALIVE” Yes, I was that guy. I had no idea I would go on to see them 30 times and counting. For all I knew at the time this would be my only PJ concert. I wasn’t into the “setlist watch” culture yet...the internet was a new concept and I had other things to do (like listen to other bands such as Bush & Green Day, oh and of course develop the skills that would one day make me RM’s best athlete). I didn’t realize they would play Alive at nearly every show.

Around this time I was really getting into playing in my own high school band. I played drums but was (and still am) fascinated by the guitar. I particularly enjoyed watching all the guitar changes from one song to the next (and now one of my favorite games at PJ shows is to predict the next song based on the guitar switch).

I take great pride in having seen PJ actually play in the ‘90s. I see on the pit where people list their shows in their signature and the vast majority begin in the 2000’s. I regret that I didn’t join the 10C before ‘96 but realistically I probably wouldn’t have been able/allowed to attend a concert prior to this one. Who knows. Part of me wishes I was ten years older and could have seen all these bands (AIC, Soundgarden) play the little local clubs coming up at the time. More of me, though, is glad to be 38 right now and not 48.

Oh - sorry - how did the band sound? I forgot, RM is a bunch of audio nerds. I don’t know - it was fucking awesome to be there. I was pretty upset that I never saw DAVE A. but looking back on it I’m lucky to have seen Jack Irons.

By the way it’s 4am right now and for some reason I cannot sleep.

I get some sick pride out of this too. Saw them in 95 for the first time as well.

[Hatfield]

I listened to that Charleston show today. Thanks for sharing your story.

Nowadays we would call Eddie's voice a bit rough when he sings like that, but it actually sounds great. Loved Blood. Loved the pure versions of In My Tree & Present Tense.

There's a bit a dark feeling around the show, a little mystique. Great. Love that era.

You nailed the feeling. Dark. Mystique. Good descriptions. I love Pearl Jam, but Ed is what pulled me in. I'm glad I got to see 1996 when Ed's voice still had that extra, unearthly energy inside of it.

22nd anniversary of that first show!

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Monkey_Driven]

Augusta, ME was my first PJ show. My folks had to drive us the 3.5 hours to Augusta, because neither myself nor my buddy had a license yet (I wouldn't turn 16 for a couple more months). To my parents' credit, they didn't hover too much: dropped us off at the show and went and did their own thing for the night.

The venue was so bizarre, like a college-size basketball arena. I remember we got up front during the Fastback set, and were then crushed to the point of near-asphyxiation once PJ took the stage; it was too much, so we we moved further back. I've had rail since, and I'd say it's pretty fun as long as you can breathe, but it really doesn't make or break the experience for me.

I did not like the Fastbacks set at all, though I have enjoyed some of their records. I remember PJ sounding very "boomy," probably the worst sound of any PJ show I've seen. It's definitely a point of pride that I got to see them do In My Tree and Who You Are with Jack on the drums. The show is sort of a blur, though I do remember Rodman coming out and hoisting Eddie up on his shoulders.

The band was otherwise a mess of scribbled fury, as they usually were at that time. Killer setlist, too:

Sometimes
Hail Hail
Animal
Spin the Black Circle
Tremor Christ
In My Tree
Lukin
Not for You
Better Man (w/Save It for Later)
Corduroy
Jeremy
Red Mosquito
State of Love and Trust
Black
Habit
Rearviewmirror
Alive

Encore 1:

Who You Are
Even Flow
Daughter (With Black Red Yellow and… more )
Blood (Fame tag)
Leaving Here (with Fastbacks)

Encore 2:

I Am a Patriot (Ed solo)

What a weird closing song.

[Hatfield]

Augusta, ME was my first PJ show. My folks had to drive us the 3.5 hours to Augusta, because neither myself nor my buddy had a license yet (I wouldn't turn 16 for a couple more months). To my parents' credit, they didn't hover too much: dropped us off at the show and went and did their own thing for the night.

The venue was so bizarre, like a college-size basketball arena. I remember we got up front during the Fastback set, and were then crushed to the point of near-asphyxiation once PJ took the stage; it was too much, so we we moved further back. I've had rail since, and I'd say it's pretty fun as long as you can breathe, but it really doesn't make or break the experience for me.

I did not like the Fastbacks set at all, though I have enjoyed some of their records. I remember PJ sounding very "boomy," probably the worst sound of any PJ show I've seen. It's definitely a point of pride that I got to see them do In My Tree and Who You Are with Jack on the drums. The show is sort of a blur, though I do remember Rodman coming out and hoisting Eddie up on his shoulders.

The band was otherwise a mess of scribbled fury, as they usually were at that time. Killer setlist, too:

Sometimes
Hail Hail
Animal
Spin the Black Circle
Tremor Christ
In My Tree
Lukin
Not for You
Better Man (w/Save It for Later)
Corduroy
Jeremy
Red Mosquito
State of Love and Trust
Black
Habit
Rearviewmirror
Alive

Encore 1:

Who You Are
Even Flow
Daughter (With Black Red Yellow and… more )
Blood (Fame tag)
Leaving Here (with Fastbacks)

Encore 2:

I Am a Patriot (Ed solo)

What a weird closing song.

That was my first Pearl Jam bootleg. I bought it a weird record store in Beaumont Alabama of all places. I LOVE that show! Save it for Later!

[Birds in Hell]

I am also very glad I saw Pearl Jam with Jack, on the first leg of the Yield tour in '98 in my case.

Animal from that show:

https://youtu.be/miJM7dmBwrY?t=414

Bizarre venue too, a suburban football oval. I don't think there's been a concert there since.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Birds in Hell]

I am also very glad I saw Pearl Jam with Jack, on the first leg of the Yield tour in '98 in my case.

Animal from that show:

https://youtu.be/miJM7dmBwrY?t=414

Bizarre venue too, a suburban football oval. I don't think there's been a concert there since.

Man they sound great there

I just love the way they sounded with both Dave and (especially) Jack on drums.

[Strat]

I am also very glad I saw Pearl Jam with Jack, on the first leg of the Yield tour in '98 in my case.

Animal from that show:

https://youtu.be/miJM7dmBwrY?t=414

Bizarre venue too, a suburban football oval. I don't think there's been a concert there since.

Man they sound great there

I just love the way they sounded with both Dave and (especially) Jack on drums.

Man ed was so fucking cool back then too.

[liebzz]

I don’t take any pride in seeing them in the 90s because I think they’ve had a great number of live periods that are all pretty much great. My first was the first Randall’s Island show where it poured, John Popper played the Even Flow solo on harmonica. I remember the band sounding great but they pretty much always have to me. It did push me to see them 3 times on the Yield tour (MSG 1, MSG 2, and Hartford). I went on to see them another 20 or so times in the 2000s too. But I would place much of the 2000s shows ahead of the 90s shows I saw in terms of enjoyment (save for MSG 2 ‘98, which was absolutely incredible to experience and one of the better Pearl Jam shows I have attended).

[VinylGuy]

Oh that msg 2 98 show is an epic one i would have loved to attend to.

[wease]

Seattle ‘96 at Key Arena was my first PJ show. My dumb ass since lost the ticket stub.

I stood in line outside near Jerry Cantrell if you can believe it. Got my picture taken with him by someone else in line. This was before the days of the iPhone so I gave the guy my address to mail me the pic when he developed the roll. Never mailed it to me.

I was at the front rail on Mike’s side and had nicely bruised ribs for a while after. I laugh now at people waiting 4 days in line to get on the rail. Glad to have gotten my rail experience over with like a normal person. My friend that I attended with ... we got separated pretty quickly in the pit and met up after. It was pretty fun running in there when they opened the venue doors.

I was 16 and I brought a sign with me: “PLEASE PLAY ALIVE” Yes, I was that guy. I had no idea I would go on to see them 30 times and counting. For all I knew at the time this would be my only PJ concert. I wasn’t into the “setlist watch” culture yet...the internet was a new concept and I had other things to do (like listen to other bands such as Bush & Green Day, oh and of course develop the skills that would one day make me RM’s best athlete). I didn’t realize they would play Alive at nearly every show.

Around this time I was really getting into playing in my own high school band. I played drums but was (and still am) fascinated by the guitar. I particularly enjoyed watching all the guitar changes from one song to the next (and now one of my favorite games at PJ shows is to predict the next song based on the guitar switch).

I take great pride in having seen PJ actually play in the ‘90s. I see on the pit where people list their shows in their signature and the vast majority begin in the 2000’s. I regret that I didn’t join the 10C before ‘96 but realistically I probably wouldn’t have been able/allowed to attend a concert prior to this one. Who knows. Part of me wishes I was ten years older and could have seen all these bands (AIC, Soundgarden) play the little local clubs coming up at the time. More of me, though, is glad to be 38 right now and not 48.

Oh - sorry - how did the band sound? I forgot, RM is a bunch of audio nerds. I don’t know - it was fucking awesome to be there. I was pretty upset that I never saw DAVE A. but looking back on it I’m lucky to have seen Jack Irons.

By the way it’s 4am right now and for some reason I cannot sleep.

I get some sick pride out of this too. Saw them in 95 for the first time as well.

My first was in 94, second was 95 and third was 96. Just once with Dave A and twice with Jack. Good times.

[wease]

10/04/96 – Memorial Stadium: Charlotte, NC [140m]
attendance: 25,000
support act: The Fastbacks, Ben Harper
soundcheck: Throw Your Arms Around Me, Better Man
set: Long Road, Last Exit, Animal, Spin the Black Circle, Hail Hail, In My Tree, Corduroy, Lukin, Not for You, Jeremy, Better Man, Red Mosquito, Black, State of Love and Trust, (MFC riffs), Habit, Rearviewmirror, Immortality, Alive, Porch
enc 1: Who You Are, Even Flow, Whipping, I Got Shit, Leaving Here, Daughter/(The Real Me)/(Noise of Carpet)/(The Real Me)
enc 2: Yellow Ledbetter

I had forgotten about them closing the encore with Daughter. Thought it was odd then and still do.

Look at that main set, tho. Fucking balls to the wall.

[12345678910]

Is the only soundboard audio from this tour the 11/3/96 Berlin show?

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

Is the only soundboard audio from this tour the 11/3/96 Berlin show?

It's the only genuine soundboard audio, besides "Smile" from Barcelona.

There are some IED/AUD matrixes such as Hartford, which is pretty good.

[Kevin Davis]

The full Hamburg or Barcelona shows are at the top of my wishlist for Vault releases. My patience for PJ audience recordings grows less by the year but those are shows I'll always have time for.

[dad]

[Bammer]

Of all my tickets and souvenirs … I somehow lost that one. Can’t fucking believe it. I have so much crap and memorabilia that I collected during my teens and still have most of it, but not that ‘96 ticket. Ugh.