2014-10-17: Moline, IL

[BigRedLedbetter]

As for releasing it as bonus material for the No Code / Yield reissues, idk. As amazing as it was, it wasn't without flubs/struggles, especially Mankind and Around The Bend.

I suck I didn't know there was a Yield reissue in the works! Big Yield person.

[Chris_H_2]

Mankind was rough the first verse. Ed flubbed the lyrics on Off He Goes.

In My Tree and Habit probably sounded the best among all the No Code songs they played.

[TheTVtalkstome]

They should have played help help after no code because "This shit's to good to be true."

[Chris_H_2]

Someone asked about the flow last night. As mentioned, because they seemed to doing things on the fly, there seemed to be some lag time between songs.

[EJ]

Did Ed actually sing all the lyrics for I'm Open?

[Chris_H_2]

Did Ed actually sing all the lyrics for I'm Open?

No. It sounded like the other live versions.

[Chris_H_2]

So it's probably in my lower half of PJ songs, nevertheless I just saw Gone hadn't been played since Philly in 2009.

[Jefrey with One F]

[verb_to_trust]

And Infallible worked just fine.

Nah man nah

[Jorge]

Birdo, did you end up hanging out with any RMers

[hankholetsgo]

Here's my take on last night. It was my 88th show, and my 14th since Wrigley Field, and my final show this year. I have accepted some of the parts of modern-day Pearl Jam shows that I like the least, such as Ed's ridiculous banter, the annoying shout outs and song request banter, the predictable unpredictability of the second encores, and the ridiculous stage antics, but I always walk away from a show totally happy and glad I came.

That said, it's been a while since my mind was fucking blown. Once the beginning of Who You Are started, I can't even fucking describe how stoked I was. The whole concept of playing albums front to back is something I really enjoy, and I would've enjoyed them doing this for any record, but I'm really glad it was No Code. When I think of No Code, it's signals the end of Pearl Jam's beginning and more easily accessible first three albums, and leads into my favorite three records, No Code, Yield, and Binaural. The significance of playing an album front to back that really alienated the casual fan, is pretty big, in my opinion.

Wasn't perfect no, where there's some flubs, yes, but ignoring that, it was amazing.

I haven't walked away from a show this excited in a long time and I really wish I could fit finish the rest of the shows on the tour but last night was it for me.

PS... If I never have to hear Imagine again I'll be a happy man; That is the worst fucking song ever written. Fucking cheesy and trite shit.

[mkay0]

Flow was totally thrown out the window for this show. Lots of audibles, No Code in full changing the normal pacing, Moline/Imagine having major mistakes and taking forever, it was not what you normally see out of PJ. This was the least organized show I have ever seen, and it was probably the best.

[verb_to_trust]

Birdo, did you end up hanging out with any RMers

No...I was mainly planning on visiting with my sister who was also there. Would have been cool to talk with someone who 'got' how neat it was they played no code as I was around some nice but oblivious people

[dimejinky99]

Here's my take on last night. It was my 88th show, and my 14th since Wrigley Field, and my final show this year. I have accepted some of the parts of modern-day Pearl Jam shows that I like the least, such as Ed's ridiculous banter, the annoying shout outs and song request banter, the predictable unpredictability of the second encores, and the ridiculous stage antics, but I always walk away from a show totally happy and glad I came.

That said, it's been a while since my mind was fucking blown. Once the beginning of Who You Are started, I can't even fucking describe how stoked I was. The whole concept of playing albums front to back is something I really enjoy, and I would've enjoyed them doing this for any record, but I'm really glad it was No Code. When I think of No Code, it's signals the end of Pearl Jam's beginning and more easily accessible first three albums, and leads into my favorite three records, No Code, Yield, and Binaural. The significance of playing an album front to back that really alienated the casual fan, is pretty big, in my opinion.

Wasn't perfect no, where there's some flubs, yes, but ignoring that, it was amazing.

I haven't walked away from a show this excited in a long time and I really wish I could fit finish the rest of the shows on the tour but last night was it for me.

PS... If I never have to hear Imagine again I'll be a happy man; That is the worst fucking song ever written. Fucking cheesy and trite shit.

Self entitled/self righteous pj fan makes self righteous/self entitled post. You've seen too many shows.

[Kevin Davis]

COOL.


Starting with "Small Town" is a bit of a headscratcher though

Most likely it was a way of putting a familiar song out there as sensitivity to the general-interest folks who were unknowingly waiting to be subjected to a full 13 song record of non-hits. I've never really understood "Elderly Woman" as an opener but in person it doesn't feel as weird as it does on bootlegs, favor though I do the subtler show openers.

The "No Code" thing felt like a dream -- somehow it managed to feel less and less believable the clearer it became that they were actually doing it. I would have been overcome sufficiently with emotion just to have heard "Who You Are," a song that during the critical years of my PJ fandom it was genuinely believed would never be played again. And up until that point it felt like they may have just been employing tactful sequencing, but once they started "In My Tree" there definitely seemed to be a collective sense of, "Oh shit, they are really doing this." Before the show I was talking with one of the guys in my section and I asked him if there was anything he was hoping to hear, and he said, "Anything off 'No Code' would be awesome -- it's my favorite album. And 'In Hiding.'" This man was in pure ecstasy all night. It's easy to knock the vacuity of the "high-fiving your bros in the bleachers" thing (and God knows I have) but there is definitely enjoyment to be had in seeing other people enjoy a special moment, provided they're not obnoxious about it.

The "No Code" stuff was really well-performed too -- this is definitely the niche of material that 50 year-old Eddie's voice is most suited to, and Mike's guitar playing -- especially on "Off He Goes," "Red Mosquito," and "Around the Bend" -- was melodic and soulful. It takes a relatively shred-free program of material to make you remember what a great guitarist he can be, coming up with lines that are cohesive and tactful rather than just flashy and fast. Eddie had a few momentary slip-ups that were quickly righted (I think we got a "call man's your neighbor/call it behavior" during "RM"), but no blank spots. He couldn't remember the first line to "Around the Bend," so he discreetly scanned the audience until someone prompted him, and then proceeded to deliver a flawless version. In fact, I might go so far as to say that this "Around the Bend" was the single best Pearl Jam performance that I have witnessed in person. The band played it just how I like them best -- loose, but in the pocket, with committed phrasing from Eddie, restrained drumming from Matt, and tasteful soloing from Mike. I hope it sounds as good on the recording.

Other highlights for me were "Brain of J," "In Hiding," "Bee Girl," and "Fuckin' Up," probably my favorite of the late-set Young/Who covers. "Gone" always pleasantly surprises me in its live incarnation -- great singing from Ed, right in the sweet spot of his range. And I didn't think "Infallible" dragged at all -- the guitars pack a lot more wallop when stripped of their studio polish. Again, the low point for me was "Imagine" -- just an insipid cover choice, especially with the projector cameras zooming in on all the weepy-faced girls singing along and crying. And though the gesture was nice, I was ambivalent about the Moline song.

But really, this night was about "No Code"; everything else was lagniappe. If the St. Louis show was a wild night of partying and vandalizing your neighborhood with your closest friends, this was the night where you and those same people stay up until 4am and tell each other your most intimate secrets. The decision to do "No Code" -- the record that essentially signaled the moment at which fans decided they were going to stick with or ditch the band -- felt like a very deliberate gesture of gratitude, and it wasn't garish or sentimental. It was just the band's very best music being played for a room full of people who knew it was special.

[stip]

I'm so glad you guys got to experience it

[hankholetsgo]

[quote="hankholetsg


Self entitled/self righteous pj fan makes self righteous/self entitled post. You've seen too many shows.

Did you miss the part where I said I always leave happy? I go to a show with zero expectations, which makes having my mind blown like last night even better.

[verb_to_trust]

Maybe infallible just sounded bad from the floor? it was tough for me to pick out the melody as the guitars just sounded like WOMP WOMP WOMP! And when the chorus rolled around it didn't seem to take off like it should have... maybe due to Ed's voice....

Yeah, Imagine was a little weird. The crowd needed a big sing along moment there though. Seeing those women weeping while singing along was pretty lame.

[PHATJ]

By the way, Ed said that there was absolutely no significance to them playing the entire No Code start to finish in order. He mentioned the only other time that they've done that with an album was in 1991.

Didn't they play Avocado in sequence at one of the Italy 2006 shows?

Yep. Sept 19, 2006

Love that show.

With as many shows as they have played and pushing 50 it's no wonder Ed forgets some things. Hell, I struggle to remember what I had for breakfast yesterday and he has 15 years and lots of alcohol on me.

Nonetheless I dig playing an album in sequence now and again. PLEASE do this with Yield one day.

Sunday in St.Paul would be a perfect time for them to play Yield. My head would explode.

[verb_to_trust]

No Code is their shortest record right? If they tried this with anything other than this or Ten I honestly don't think it would work...