2016-08-22: Chicago, Illinois

[Simple Torture]

One of the problems this band has today is that they aren't angry enough. Their whole shtick now is that they survived the 90s, and now they're...still alive. And ready to party.

You've convinced me to vote for Trump.

[Kevin Davis]

crazy mary felt shorter last night, which is fine by me.

Did it have the boom/mike organ/guitar banter in it? That is usually what makes it take forever.

2000 Crazy Mary for life. I'm going to go listen to the Chicago version from that year to cleanse the pallet even thinking about more recent versions.

Yep. 2000 Crazy Mary is the only one worth listening to.

You are wrong.

Nope.

Yup. 2000 Crazy Mary is great, but it doesn't mean 2003/5-ish Crazy Mary isn't great as well.

You're right 2000 Crazy Mary's greatness isn't what makes modern Crazy Mary shitty. Modern Crazy Mary's shittyness does that on its own.

I'll get even more specific and say that not only do the best versions of "Crazy Mary" come from 2000, but August 2000 in particular, before Mike realized he could play the "Stairway to Heaven" solo over the chords. I don't know that PJ has another song in their repertoire that tells a tale like this -- it's really an expert-level piece of songwriting, telling this seemingly straightforward story but convoluting it with ambiguous language and an extremely sophisticated sense of time and place in which the music asks questions of the story that the lyrics do not. While it seems a relatively straightforward tale about a local loon, I think is more broadly a song about fate, the difference between fact and folklore, and general small town weirdness. There is an ominousness and ambiguity in the song which, to me, implies a sequence of events possibly guided by unseen forces. There's a lot to unpack in it.

Every element of showmanship the band interjects into a performance of this song compromises that sense of mystery -- a classic rock solo, Eddie's "let's see how many different ways I can change this melody" gymnastics. The dueling banjos fireworks show it became in 2003 really compromised the greater strength of the song, in my opinion, which is that despite being a five-minute narrative it ultimately gives the sense that it's hiding more than it's telling. And Mike and Boom are the kinds of players that shout, not imply.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[pnjguy]

wow, the snob squad out in FULL force! I do love it though.

Just be glad these guys are alive and enjoy playing for you snobby fucks.

[wease]

crazy mary felt shorter last night, which is fine by me.

Did it have the boom/mike organ/guitar banter in it? That is usually what makes it take forever.

2000 Crazy Mary for life. I'm going to go listen to the Chicago version from that year to cleanse the pallet even thinking about more recent versions.

Yep. 2000 Crazy Mary is the only one worth listening to.

You are wrong.

Nope.

Yup. 2000 Crazy Mary is great, but it doesn't mean 2003/5-ish Crazy Mary isn't great as well.

You're right 2000 Crazy Mary's greatness isn't what makes modern Crazy Mary shitty. Modern Crazy Mary's shittyness does that on its own.

I'll get even more specific and say that not only do the best versions of "Crazy Mary" come from 2000, but August 2000 in particular, before Mike realized he could play the "Stairway to Heaven" solo over the chords. I don't know that PJ has another song in their repertoire that tells a tale like this -- it's really an expert-level piece of songwriting, telling this seemingly straightforward story but convoluting it with ambiguous language and an extremely sophisticated sense of time and place in which the music asks questions of the story that the lyrics do not. While it seems a relatively straightforward tale about a local loon, I think is more broadly a song about fate, the difference between fact and folklore, and general small town weirdness. There is an ominousness and ambiguity in the song which, to me, implies a sequence of events possibly guided by unseen forces. There's a lot to unpack in it.

Every element of showmanship the band interjects into a performance of this song compromises that sense of mystery -- a classic rock solo, Eddie's "let's see how many different ways I can change this melody" gymnastics. The dueling banjos fireworks show it became in 2003 really compromised the greater strength of the song, in my opinion, which is that despite being a five-minute narrative it ultimately gives the sense that it's hiding more than it's telling. And Mike and Boom are the kinds of players that shout, not imply.

Oddly, I don't usually mind the interplay between Mike and Boom. At last, Pearl Jam had a song in which a B3 fit. What I can't stand about it, and what really takes me out of it now is Ed's need to sing it an octave higher after the second verse. The vulnerability of the topic is squashed by his higher-pitched wailing of the lyric.

[Kevin Davis]

wow, the snob squad out in FULL force! I do love it though.

Just be glad these guys are alive and enjoy playing for you snobby fucks.

Congrats on your 41st show and 1st child, bro.

[E.H. Ruddock]

lol

[Strat]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

[Bi_3]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I really want one tour to go through without RM bringing up the '00 and '03 tours. You all sound like Al Bundy talking about his four touchdowns.

[Strat]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I really want one tour to go through without RM bringing up the '00 and '03 tours. You all sound like Al Bundy talking about his four touchdowns.

I loved the 04,05,06 and 13 through present tours!!

[Bi_3]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I really want one tour to go through without RM bringing up the '00 and '03 tours. You all sound like Al Bundy talking about his four touchdowns.

I loved the 04,05,06 and 13 through present tours!!

05 was unfuckwithable

[spike]

Who were the two dudes on stage playing guitar during RITFW?

Spoiler: show

chud beat you to it, buddy. image search a little faster next time.

The point of my post was the awesome Fan art

Take it to the MIKE ART thread.

[Kevin Davis]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I really want one tour to go through without RM bringing up the '00 and '03 tours. You all sound like Al Bundy talking about his four touchdowns.

If you can guarantee no more bar band covers ever again I solemnly swear I will never breathe another word of glory days gone by. Otherwise, no promises, Peg.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[wease]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I waved at Ruddo from about 75 feet away.

[Strat]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I waved at Ruddo from about 75 feet away.

Did he wave back? I feel like he might not wave back - depending on his mood.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

Yeah this should happen someday

[E.H. Ruddock]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I waved at Ruddo from about 75 feet away.

Did he wave back? I feel like he might not wave back - depending on his mood.

I found him and waved, dick.

[Strat]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I waved at Ruddo from about 75 feet away.

Did he wave back? I feel like he might not wave back - depending on his mood.

I found him and waved, dick.

B ran to me and met me. Doc did not. Im still hurt about that.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I really want to see a show with Ruddo

I waved at Ruddo from about 75 feet away.

Did he wave back? I feel like he might not wave back - depending on his mood.

I found him and waved, dick.

B ran to me and met me. Doc did not. Im still hurt about that.

Yeah I've seen B at a few shows. Surprising about doc, he runs to me every time.