March Madness 2026 - Animal wins!

[stip]

Pearl Jam March Madness 2026 has begun! Lets get right to it

The Rules
- Single Elimination Tournament
- Voting generally starts between 7-8 PM and lasts about 24 hours. Changes will be announced in the matchup post (changes based on my schedule)
- Ties will have matches extended for a pre-set identified time (usually 24 hours unless the winner is needed to move to the next match)

The Structure
- There are four brackets/four qualifying tournaments.
- Each bracket is structured around drummer eras, and when songs cut across eras (State of Love and Trust, Breath, etc) songs are placed with the drummer who played on the more prominent release
- Main bracket seeding is randomized (Matt broken into four brackets)
- The finalists of each bracket will advance to the final 8 (using the winners for finals seeding)

Brackets are below:

Dave K Bracket
Dave A Bracket
Jack Irons Bracket
Matt Part 1
Matt Part 2
Matt Part 3
Matt Part 4

Tournament Quarterfinals

Winners:
1. Even Flow
2. Last Exit
3. Brain of J
4. Insignificance

Finalists
1. Black
2. Animal
3. Do the Evolution
4. Nothing As It Seems


Tournament Quarterfinals
1. Even Flow vs. Do the Evolution
2. Brain of J vs. Nothing As it Seems
3. Last Exit vs. Black
4. Insignificance vs. Animal

[stip]

Match 1 is up, and will be open until Tuesday evening to give folks a minute to realize we've begun

[Anders]

Let's go!

[epilogue]

[B]

Are we supposed to pick the songs based on which has the better drumming?

[Matters]

Are we supposed to pick the songs based on which has the better drumming?

No Way

[Bammer]

Are we supposed to pick the songs based on which has the better drumming?

This is a great question and I will be voting this way now

[B]

Are we supposed to pick the songs based on which has the better drumming?

No Way

Nice.

[stip]

Round 1 of the Dave Krusen Bracket has come to a close.

1. Once over Hold On 28-12
2. Porch over Garden 28-12
3. Black over Brother 35-4
4. Wash over Why Go 21-19
5. Alive over Footsteps 29-10
6. Release over Jeremy 24-16
7. Oceans over Deep 24-16
8. Even Flow over Yellow Ledbetter 26-16


Black vs. Brother was inexplicably close

[stip]

Round 2 will be up for roughly 24 hours. I have to work late tomorrow night so closing time may vary

[stip]

Round is closed

9. Porch over Once 19-8
10. Black over Wash 17-8
11. Alive over Release 15-12
12. Even Flow over Oceans 16-12

[stip]

Man, look at this final four. I stump for Vitalogy as Pearl Jam's best album, but deep down I probably know it's really Ten

[wease]

It’s like looking at a Pearl Jam set list. You know you’re gonna get those four at every show.

[stip]

Round is closed

13. Porch over Black 14-13
14. Even Flow over Alive 16-11


Our final match is Porch vs. Even Flow. Both songs will advance to final 8

I believe this is Even Flow's first time in the finals. Also true of Porch?

[wease]

Wait, Black didn’t win?

[stip]

stop the presses. I fucked up. Black won the previous round. Restarting the final

[LetMeSleep]

Timed this to start reading the Stip/B book.

Madness indeed.

[lvc]

Are we supposed to pick the songs based on which has the better drumming?

No Way

Nice.

If that’s the case faithfull takes the whole thing. My favorite drumming in the whole catalogue.

[wease]

stop the presses. I fucked up. Black won the previous round. Restarting the final

You didn’t lock it. Now Porch is ahead again 16-15

[stip]

i need to shake off my rust before we get to the lightning bolt matches people really care about