2024-08-31: Chicago, IL

[tragabigzanda]

I have zero complaints. Incredible night. I recruited a couple of potential new RMers.

Did you tell them about Trag ‘s mmm “personality “?

I am delightful you sonofabitch

[Ensign9]

I have zero complaints. Incredible night. I recruited a couple of potential new RMers.

Did you tell them about Trag ‘s mmm “personality “?

I emphasized using the search tool.

[dprival78]

I wonder how the other members of Pearl Jam like sitting out for a song or two to start the encore.

:stone: The paycheck is still the same, so who cares?

[96583UP]

i would def be bummed to open the high energy can of worms with Porch at song 2 and follow it with two low energy stinkers

gotta be smarter than that when you got 80k drunk fired up people ready to rawk in front of you

they're not all millionaire-sad like you

[Bi_3]

The change up of DM songs here is a good omen for the final run.

[96583UP]

The change up of DM songs here is a good omen for the final run.

i genuinely hope all that is left by the end of this tour is 1-2 token DM songs and they go back to playing real Pearl Jam concerts

[B]

For some reason, these setlists aren't amping me up. Maybe the shortened length leaves a little less to blow your mind. I don't know.

I hope I change my mind on Tuesday.

[Bi_3]

The change up of DM songs here is a good omen for the final run.

i genuinely hope all that is left by the end of this tour is 1-2 token DM songs and they go back to playing real Pearl Jam concerts

I’m not sure there are going to be “real” Pearl Jam concerts anymore. At least not in the pre-COVID era sense. The repetitive setlists (and visual effects tied to songs) may have shattered the illusion of what Pearl Jam is at this point… or more broadly what’s left of arena rock music. Less spontaneity, higher prices, more merch and TM bullshit. It’s all just less unique, more generic rock from the live show perspective and I can see where the fans would lose interest if they are seeing such a high percentage of repeats without the 3 hour chaos shows to keep huge percentage of the crowd with 30+ under their belts happy.

[daft twat]

Had a great view from the rail behind the special seated section on Stone’s side. The energy was palpable from the crowd with everyone shouting choruses to the hits as well as old anthems like In Hiding and Not for You.

I’ve come to sort of loathe Porch over the last decade or so, and last night revealed to me it was 100% about it being the obligatory first set finisher. In the 2 slot, it felt vital. Garden into Porch was phenomenal. As Wease mentioned, it was a mistake to kill that momentum with the Wishlist and Come Back - not quite Arms Aloft after Release at PJ20 dumb, but almost. And I actually love Come Back. I like Wish List as well, but Ed tends to try to be clever with lyric changes that just don’t work.

The disappointing deep cuts of night one - Down and U - continued here with All Night, but I realize that’s personal preference. I would say none of the three deep cuts are even deep cuts - U would be if it wasn’t already played at a previous Wrigley show. Too bad the band didn’t dust off a real veterans crowd pleaser like Dirty Frank or Get Right. Shows like this should have that moment.

I love DM so React, Respond into Running was one of my favorite combos of the night. I thought they both ripped and sounded great, and the audience responded well to them. The repetition of Wreckage and DM was a bit of a bummer since so many in attendance had been there for night one, but I get that those songs are as close to hits as this band is going to get at this stage in their career.

Even Flow into GTF was great. Maybe the difference between being in the 400s and on the field made the reception feel different, but GTF felt like it soared again.

Upper Hand is still my favorite on the album and was warmly received, l think in large part because it hadn’t been played night one. RVM to close the set fucking ruled! This should be back in the regular rotation.

Throw Your Arms Around Me is best-case scenario for the Ed solo slot. That with Falling Slowly and Glen on Smile was my favorite run of the night. Why the fuck they played Setting Sun after that and again boggles the mind. I love the song, but it doesn’t need to be played every night, and it certainly doesn’t need to be in this spot. If they’d played Breath or Leash here instead, this would have been the perfect encore.

Loved the standards the rest of the way, but I will admit I heard Little Wing from outside the friendly confines while headed to my car. I’m never going to get a tambourine, but Im always going to get out of the parking lot quickly.

I enjoyed myself immensely at this show. The crowd was great. I don’t think one set was head and shoulders above the other.

A couple final notes:
Walter Payton’s son being trotted out was nice. It made it feel a little more special. It wasn’t Ernie Banks or even Rodman, but it came with a nice story, and his shirt of Eddie in the Payton jersey was hilarious.

You know what’s never been played at Wrigley? A single song from Gigaton. I can’t think of a bigger shame than how that album has been forgotten already.

I would have bet on the return of Got to Give here. I am flabbergasted by its disappearance after one really good rendition. That in place of Setting Sun would have been killer!

If you have shows to come on this tour, enjoy. If Ed can stay healthy, they’re having fun and sound great.

[mikejasond]

The setlist to me does seem weaker than night 1, which seemed amazing to me. For people who were there, which night was stronger? I feel like Night 2 used to always be the stronger one (at least in New York) but who knows now.

As for the setlists, have they really gotten THAT much more repetitive? I mean yeah the Dark matter songs repeat (as the new album tracks often do) and there was some more repetition than there generally is I guess (Even Flow and Porch played both nights) whereas in the past they might play almost completely adjacent setlists, but I mean...there's also a ton of songs played differently each night and Im pretty sure they still do overall have a decent amount of variety across their shows?

If you look at when each song from an album was last played, a LARGE number of songs have been played at least once from 2022-2024

[dimejinky99]

I just saw a video from the very back

They had the baseball diamond thing blocked off and no seating or anyone on it?

What kind of dunbass shit is that? I don’t know anything about baseball but the grassy space in the diamond isn’t even used in the game is it?

Dumbasses

[96583UP]

I’m never going to get a tambourine, but Im always going to get out of the parking lot quickly.

I had a tambourine in my hands in an early 2000’s buffalo show. drunk beast behind me lunged in and ripped it out and sliced my hand open. a decent amount of blood spilt. he celebrated waving it in the air like an asshole irrespective of my wound or having had it first. so i turned around and reached up and pounded a big smear of my blood on it as a F you. i turned back around and i looked up at the stage and I swear Mike and Ed were standing there hands on their hips aghast at the whole thing. Just another day in the 96583UP simulation.

[96583UP]

The setlist to me does seem weaker than night 1, which seemed amazing to me. For people who were there, which night was stronger? I feel like Night 2 used to always be the stronger one (at least in New York) but who knows now.

As for the setlists, have they really gotten THAT much more repetitive? I mean yeah the Dark matter songs repeat (as the new album tracks often do) and there was some more repetition than there generally is I guess (Even Flow and Porch played both nights) whereas in the past they might play almost completely adjacent setlists, but I mean...there's also a ton of songs played differently each night and Im pretty sure they still do overall have a decent amount of variety across their shows?

If you look at when each song from an album was last played, a LARGE number of songs have been played at least once from 2022-2024

a lot of low energy stuff in the set

i am mentally preparing for many beer / piss / churro breaks at my shows

[Ensign9]

I have a hard time complaining about the setlist after a positive experience in GA surrounded by awesome fans. Vibes were high all night. Agreed on the bizarre Wishlist placement grinding the momentum to a halt. I get the sense Ed is much more conscious of pacing himself vocally with these sets. (Is he okay?)

Our 10c seats Thursday were in the far left of T and the view sucked (could not see any of the screen behind the band). I ended up selling our Saturday seats (also T) and bought GA. I’m so glad we did.

[96583UP]

i’m glad you had fun, man

obviously the non-attendee peanut gallery experience is pure vapor

keep on rockin in the free world

[Iholdthepain]

I just saw a video from the very back

They had the baseball diamond thing blocked off and no seating or anyone on it?

What kind of dunbass shit is that? I don’t know anything about baseball but the grassy space in the diamond isn’t even used in the game is it?

Dumbasses

Every concert at a baseball stadium is structured like this. Jeez, I just remembered why I quit coming round here... Lots of whiny, entitled, uninformed, insufferable, buzzkill opinions. Grow up and try to be happy, RM!

[96583UP]

seriously

how the f can people not be excited by a set comprised of 70% low energy doozers

learn to experience joy, people

through an auditory experience comprised primarily of somber music

that costs a lot of money to attend

contrary to the band’s purported values

p*ssies

[Bi_3]

I just saw a video from the very back

They had the baseball diamond thing blocked off and no seating or anyone on it?

What kind of dunbass shit is that? I don’t know anything about baseball but the grassy space in the diamond isn’t even used in the game is it?

Dumbasses

Every concert at a baseball stadium is structured like this. Jeez, I just remembered why I quit coming round here... Lots of whiny, entitled, uninformed, insufferable, buzzkill opinions. Grow up and try to be happy, RM!

To be fair to Dime, he’s probably never been to a concert at an American baseball stadium

[Iholdthepain]

seriously

how the f can people not be excited by a set comprised of 70% low energy doozers

learn to experience joy, people

through an auditory experience comprised primarily of somber music

that costs a lot of money to attend

contrary to the band’s purported values

p*ssies

If that's how you've summarized seeing a PJ show, it's simple...

Don't go, or lower your unattainable expectations.

[96583UP]

seriously

how the f can people not be excited by a set comprised of 70% low energy doozers

learn to experience joy, people

through an auditory experience comprised primarily of somber music

that costs a lot of money to attend

contrary to the band’s purported values

p*ssies

If that's how you've summarized seeing a PJ show, it's simple...

Don't go, or lower your unattainable expectations.

i have considered both this tour and am aggressively working on the latter

this setlist forced me to recalibrate further down

by the time the show comes i will be pleased if any singular Vs or Vitalogy or No Code song is played

that is where i need to be

and i will seek out alcohol use in the interim for anything else

and casual male encounters