The most embarrassing thing from PJ’s career - RESULTS

[stip]

same. they always feel special when you’re there. And when I’’m not Indont begrudge the experience of the people who are

[coptheriotact]

I didn’t mind it 3/4 of the way through, but turning every song in to a sing along from the opener isn’t as good as the slow burn sets they used to do that might have started with a more serious tone

[wease]

same. they always feel special when you’re there.

No they don’t.

[Ms Harmless]

I didn’t mind it 3/4 of the way through, but turning every song in to a sing along from the opener isn’t as good as the slow burn sets they used to do that might have started with a more serious tone

I think that's the difference between the live act now (I have no real desire to see it now, and haven't since 2006) and the live act then: they created a journey, a building up of intensity, a wave if you will... now they seem to just smash through stuff

[stip]

to each their own, but the last two shows i saw (after a 9 year drought) were incredible and i love the slow starts gradually ramping up to the more traditional main set

[liebzz]

Yeah, I wouldn’t say they just banged through stuff the last two shows I saw (Sea.Hear.Now in 2021, MSG in 2022). I think the sets were compressed with fewer songs but still had the same general flow of a Pearl Jam show. Actually, the slow start at the Garden paved the way for the most incredible version of Present Tense in that build I could ever remember. I kind of felt the show lost its upward trajectory when they interrupted Porch to yell at a fan, but it wasn’t for lack of set list artistry and more the wind being pulled from their sails. And even then, it was a fantastic show.

[Ms Harmless]

I'm gonna meet you in the middle: I love that they (still) start shows with slow songs like "Release"; "smash through" was an exaggeration but I'm really referring to the fact that they play most of their "classics" too fast now, so it feels like they're overly eager to reach the "release" part of the tension-and-release equation; that really pulls me out of the emotional journey of any concert, not just Pearl Jam

[Happy Trees]

Ed started off the Hershey '03 as they were going into the 2nd song by saying "Fuck this fuckin chocolate factory" so he was in a fiery mood I guess.

Sleater-Kinney complained about the rude staff during their opening set, and cops were beating up drunken fans right outside the gates after the show.

Ed was probably in a psychotic rage. Snooty and entitled tourist traps will do that to you.

And there are mosquitos everywhere. Context and all that stuff.

that's their own fault, not Pearl Jam's; they recorded that when rifling through old 50s indie records and finding a tragi-pop song to cover was cool and quaint; there's nothing embarrassing about "Last Kiss"

Except for the fact that it was always considered an embarrassing and uncool song, and Eddie brought it to the band thinking it was obscure and wicked indie.

Target was pretty bad. But Ed just won this award with what appear to be botox injections. Uncle Neil should kick him in the dick.

Uncle Neil should kick him in the dick for many reasons.

RM, The Porch, (and I'm assuming) Facebook all seem like they skew largely towards "rah rah rah pearl jam!" and that any criticism immediately gets pegged as being "negative" or some such

This applies to every music related topic on every forum and social media platform in the last 10+ years.

Every post is an Amazon review, and everyone is a self-appointed staff member with a delete button instructed to meet community standards.

Less than positive hurts us deep inside our soul, and so do those pesky details and facts. You're pooping in our punch bowl, so go somewhere else to complain.

Kumbaya while fat man counts money behind the curtain.

[96583UP]

GIFT CARDS

[E.H. Ruddock]

GIFT CARDS

Nice call back

[bodysnatcher]

I was at that show. I’ve not listened to it in a long time.

I had the worst hangover of my life at that show, and only one contact so I had to watch the show with one eye. I think Vedder was in a bad mood, which helped the song I think.

I was at that show too

[96583UP]

GIFT CARDS

Nice call back

[wease]

I was at that show. I’ve not listened to it in a long time.

I had the worst hangover of my life at that show, and only one contact so I had to watch the show with one eye. I think Vedder was in a bad mood, which helped the song I think.

I was at that show too

Nice!

[Jorge]

I too was at that show

[knee tunes]

I was at that show. I’ve not listened to it in a long time.

I had the worst hangover of my life at that show, and only one contact so I had to watch the show with one eye. I think Vedder was in a bad mood, which helped the song I think.

I need to know why you only had one contact please

[Bammer]

same. they always feel special when you’re there.

No they don’t.

You, sir, are wrong.

[wease]

same. they always feel special when you’re there.

No they don’t.

You, sir, are wrong.

Not a chance

[stip]

same. they always feel special when you’re there.

No they don’t.

You, sir, are wrong.

Not a chance

let me ammend my original comment. they feel special when you are there, unless you are Wease.

[wease]

same. they always feel special when you’re there.

No they don’t.

You, sir, are wrong.

Not a chance

let me ammend my original comment. they feel special when you are there, unless you are Wease.

I mean, some of them do, but I’m to the point on some of these that it’s just overdone and I want older arrangements back.

[Kevin Davis]

The first time I heard the “Better Man” first verse thing I thought it was awesome. It felt less awesome subsequent times. There are some concert gestures that are meant for the setlist spotters and fans that collect boots and travel to multiple shows; other gestures are meant for the people who are at their first and/or only show, or aren’t otherwise at risk for having a seemingly spontaneous, special moment exposed as manufactured and routinized. Can’t fault them for trying to find moments in shows that appeal to all levels of fan, even though I am generally with Wease in not really enjoying those moments anymore. I go to shows because I want to hear the band, not the crowd.