The all-new rank your shows thread

[Jessica Fletcher]

I don't think I can objectively rank shows I've been to. Listening to boots from the past couple years I KNOW Ed's voice has gone down in quality, but the two shows I saw last year seemed like the best things I've ever seen at the time.

So... I don't think anything can beat the feeling of seeing them for the first time. San Diego 2000, followed by Glendora 5 days later or so. I was 18 and went with my 15 year old brother to SD, who had joined 10c the previous year and bought a pair. Then brought our 12 year old brother up to Glendora and picked up three scalper tickets. The shows were amazing. Opening with RVM in Glendora, Ed jumping into the pit during Porch and then (apparently) getting into an argument with Jeff about it backstage. Way too cold temperatures for an outdoor show, fires up on the lawn, just a great scene.

Key Arena shows '02 were very special, it felt like the band had come alive again after a sombre post-roskilde Binaural tour.
I was at the first two SF '06 shows, right up front. So much energy.

[LetMeSleep]

My 95 show was just ridiculous. I've seen better shows but that was the best gig.

What show?

Sydney March 10, 1995 (a week before the JJJ show)

Look at the opening set

Spoiler: show

Go
Spin the Black Circle
Last Exit
Tremor Christ
Animal
Corduroy
Not for You
State of Love and Trust
Even Flow
Daughter
Whipping
I Got Id
Rearviewmirror
Alive
Porch
Encore:
Black
Better Man
Blood
Encore 2:
Happy Birthday (Jeff Ament)
The Needle and the Damage Done (Flea solo)
Let My Love Open the Door
Encore 3:
Indifference

[Monkey_Driven]

This is tough. I don't have definitive rankings, more like groupings that change from time to time. This isn't really a ranking of the quality of performances, just my overall enjoyment.

Best:
St. Louis 2004
Lincoln 2014
Kansas City 2003

Second Tier:
St. Louis 2014
Kansas City 2010
Council Bluffs 2003

Third Tier:
Chicago I & II 2006
St. Louis 2010

[EJ]

MSG 1 2003 is still the best out of the dozen or so times I've seen them. Unfortunately, the DVD comes off as a bit of a dud in comparison.

These were all great shows too:
Philly 2005
E Rutherford 1998
MSG 2 2003
Jones Beach 2 2000

The only iffy one was Philly 1 2009. Ironically, these were the best seats I've ever had at a show. Interesting setlist, but really sloppily played. Still a good time, but a completely different vibe than any other PJ show I've seen.

[LoathedVermin72]

Only been to two, and they're extremely easy to rank.

1. 6/21/03 - East Troy, WI



















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2. 6/29/06 - Milwaukee, WI (Basically a glorified opening act for Tom Petty. Really weak, short setlist.)

[Bammer]

Yeah, I'm also 34 and most of the PJ fans I know first saw them on the Yield tour, although I have one buddy who saw them at the Boston Garden in 1994.

In my case (and I suspect for others my age - depending on the geography), I would have been able to see them in 95-97 if they came anywhere close - but at that age with no car of my own and not much money I couldn't swing an out-of-state show. I suspect a lot of energy was pumped into those Yield tour crowds (and probably even Binaural tour crowds) because there were lots of cohorts of mine who had been salivating for a couple of years to see the band in person, and finally got the chance.

Great point. In 1996 I had been a fan for many years already and FINALLY got to attend a concert. So amped!

[Biff Pocoroba]

IKey Arena shows '02 were very special, it felt like the band had come alive again after a sombre post-roskilde Binaural tour.

Show rankings can be so subjective. That was my second Seattle trip was for those two & I'd put them both towards the bottom of my list.

[BigRedLedbetter]

My 95 show was just ridiculous. I've seen better shows but that was the best gig.

What show?

Sydney March 10, 1995 (a week before the JJJ show)

Look at the opening set

Spoiler: show

Go
Spin the Black Circle
Last Exit
Tremor Christ
Animal
Corduroy
Not for You
State of Love and Trust
Even Flow
Daughter
Whipping
I Got Id
Rearviewmirror
Alive
Porch
Encore:
Black
Better Man
Blood
Encore 2:
Happy Birthday (Jeff Ament)
The Needle and the Damage Done (Flea solo)
Let My Love Open the Door
Encore 3:
Indifference

I'm not sure what the JJJ show is. Looks awesome though.

[BigRedLedbetter]

This is tough. I don't have definitive rankings, more like groupings that change from time to time. This isn't really a ranking of the quality of performances, just my overall enjoyment.

Best:
St. Louis 2004
Lincoln 2014
Kansas City 2003

Second Tier:
St. Louis 2014
Kansas City 2010
Council Bluffs 2003

Third Tier:
Chicago I & II 2006
St. Louis 2010

I'm glad you enjoyed the Lincoln show so much!

[cwmcdowell]

I hadn't thought about ranking my shows before reading this thread, but I will give it a shot:

San Jose 1995
New York II 2010
Denver 2014
Maui II 1998
Los Angeles IV 2009
Wisconsin II 2011
San Diego 2006
Chicago 2013
Bridge School 2003
Santa Barbara 2006
Boston II 2008
Bridge School 2006
Wisconsin I 2011
Las Vegas 2003
Sydney 2014
Sacramento 1995
Kissimmee 2004
LA II 2003
Maui I 1998
Hartford 2008
New York I 2010
Los Angeles III 2009
Dallas 2013
Pensacola 2012
Los Angeles II 2006
Los Angeles I 2003
Boston I 2008
Los Angeles I 2009
Denver 2003
Salt Lake 2009
San Francisco I 2006
San Diego 2009
Los Angeles II 2009
Atlanta 2012

It is obviously very subjective but this is based on what I remember about the shows, the set lists and listening to the bootlegs again.

[ridleybradout]

I hadn't thought about ranking my shows before reading this thread, but I will give it a shot:

San Jose 1995
New York II 2010
Denver 2014
Maui II 1998
Los Angeles IV 2009
Wisconsin II 2011
San Diego 2006
Chicago 2013
Bridge School 2003
Santa Barbara 2006
Boston II 2008
Bridge School 2006
Wisconsin I 2011
Las Vegas 2003
Sydney 2014
Sacramento 1995
Kissimmee 2004
LA II 2003
Maui I 1998
Hartford 2008
New York I 2010
Los Angeles III 2009
Dallas 2013
Pensacola 2012
Los Angeles II 2006
Los Angeles I 2003
Boston I 2008
Los Angeles I 2009
Denver 2003
Salt Lake 2009
San Francisco I 2006
San Diego 2009
Los Angeles II 2009
Atlanta 2012

It is obviously very subjective but this is based on what I remember about the shows, the set lists and listening to the bootlegs again.

Eclectic mix of shows

Surprised to see Sydney 2014 so high up the list and ahead of Hartford 2008 among others

It also appears that LA shows tend to suck in comparison with others

[cwmcdowell]

I think Sydney ranks higher because it is the only time I have seen them in a foreign country and it was in Australia which was amazing. Plus it is the only time I have seen Getaway and Let the Records Play live.

In my opinion they seem to save the better shows for San Diego (except in 2009) than in LA when they are playing in Southern California.

[LetMeSleep]

That Sydney show was quite enjoyable in person. The boot is flat though.

I was the same when I saw them in the UK. Different vibe.

[Monkey_Driven]

This is tough. I don't have definitive rankings, more like groupings that change from time to time. This isn't really a ranking of the quality of performances, just my overall enjoyment.

Best:
St. Louis 2004
Lincoln 2014
Kansas City 2003

Second Tier:
St. Louis 2014
Kansas City 2010
Council Bluffs 2003

Third Tier:
Chicago I & II 2006
St. Louis 2010

I'm glad you enjoyed the Lincoln show so much!

I did. The first set especially had a lot of my favorites and Open All Night was a highlight. It helped I was sitting with my dad (who hadn't seen the band since '03) and my expectations were low.

[Biff Pocoroba]

I think Sydney ranks higher because it is the only time I have seen them in a foreign country

I was the same when I saw them in the UK. Different vibe.

It's not the same but I kind of felt that too when I went to see them in Montreal in '05. My first time in Canada & Montreal in particular does feel like a foreign (and way cool) city.

[Jessica Fletcher]

I think Sydney ranks higher because it is the only time I have seen them in a foreign country and it was in Australia which was amazing. Plus it is the only time I have seen Getaway and Let the Records Play live.

In my opinion they seem to save the better shows for San Diego (except in 2009) than in LA when they are playing in Southern California.

Yeah, I'd probably rank SD '09 at the bottom of my 20-something shows I've seen. I don't remember much about it, my clearest memory is Ed's old guitar teacher absolutely butchering Little Wing. My 10c seats were shit, which didn't help.

[DeLima]

that's two people who were at the maui 2 '98 show, which ended with Around the Bend => SOLAT. I'd love to hear more about that show.

[cwmcdowell]

I think Sydney ranks higher because it is the only time I have seen them in a foreign country and it was in Australia which was amazing. Plus it is the only time I have seen Getaway and Let the Records Play live.

In my opinion they seem to save the better shows for San Diego (except in 2009) than in LA when they are playing in Southern California.

Yeah, I'd probably rank SD '09 at the bottom of my 20-something shows I've seen. I don't remember much about it, my clearest memory is Ed's old guitar teacher absolutely butchering Little Wing. My 10c seats were shit, which didn't help.

That is exactly what I remember as well. I was so excited they were playing Little Wing and it just turned out terrible. My 10c seats were also awful.

[cwmcdowell]

that's two people who were at the maui 2 '98 show, which ended with Around the Bend => SOLAT. I'd love to hear more about that show.

Since the Maui shows were more than 15 years ago I don't remember them all that well. I was a freshman in collage on Oahu and a couple of buddies and I fly to Maui for the weekend just for the two Pearl Jam shows. The first night wasn't great but it was exciting to hear songs off of Yield played for the first time.

The second night they came out on fire with Evolution to open and kept the pace up with Animal, Hail Hail and Brain of J. During the second encore the crowd was super into Betterman and probably not as much into Around the Bend but it was an unexpected and beautiful rendition. The ended on fire again with SOLAT but like most shows in 98 they seemed to end too early as everyone was really into it.

They didn't come to Hawaii in 2000 and I was still in school then so I missed the entire Binaural tour and have been playing catch up ever since. Over 30 shows and still never seen Light Years.

[irishferg]

I have all the boots of the shows I was at but I'm gonna base this list on memory of feeling/occasion enjoyment at the time rather than the pure musical quality etc

Dublin 1996
Leeds 2006
Belfast 2010
Dublin 2000
Manchester II 2012
Dublin 2010
Manchester 2009
Reading 2006
Manchester 1 2012
Dublin 2006
London 2009
London 2007