Which bootleg are you listening to?

[lowlight79]

On LA 2 for 2013. Man, these two LA shows are just fucking brutal. It killed my momentum of finishing up the 2013 U.S tour by mid April.

[hlniv]

11/3/96 Berlin from soundboard remaster series. Sitting on this hot fucking plane next to some big fat dude, squeezing me against the window, waiting to leave the gate for the last 20 minutes.

I am in hell, but somehow Jack's drumming is making it all bearable to me. I loved this band in 96. I still love how they sounded in 96.

obviously you don't have your phone set to flight mode.

If they're just sitting on the tarmac it's ok.

Screw that rule. I like leaving my speedometer app open to see how fast we get going at takeoff.

Spoiler: show

It's about 200 mph

I'm reporting this post to the FAA.

[LetMeSleep]

Friends at High Tide

During Nothing As It Seems I had one of those "Fuck me, this is awesome I must play this for..." moments. Damn that song is so good.

[matt reeder]

On LA 2 for 2013. Man, these two LA shows are just fucking brutal. It killed my momentum of finishing up the 2013 U.S tour by mid April.

Listen to Portland. That will restore your faith.

[matt reeder]

8/24/2009 - Chicago, IL

This is the best version of "Hard to Imagine" ever and it isn't even close. The rest of the show is good, but this is just absolutely sublime. Listen for yourself:

[Iholdthepain]

I used to have a tape with a HTI soundcheck on it... I think it was from Spain back in '96. They jammed on the song for a while, trying to figure it out, I guess... and then went into a straight performance of it, which sounded fucking great!

but yeah, Chicago always seemed to get those special moments.

[ridleybradout]

8/24/2009 - Chicago, IL

This is the best version of "Hard to Imagine" ever and it isn't even close. The rest of the show is good, but this is just absolutely sublime.

That is a very underrated show and a top shelf HTI

My fav is probably Orpheum 1994:

[lowlight79]

I used to have a tape with a HTI soundcheck on it... I think it was from Spain back in '96. They jammed on the song for a while, trying to figure it out, I guess... and then went into a straight performance of it, which sounded fucking great!

but yeah, Chicago always seemed to get those special moments.

I didn't really think those 2009 chicago shows were special at all. But that's just me.

[Iholdthepain]

I used to have a tape with a HTI soundcheck on it... I think it was from Spain back in '96. They jammed on the song for a while, trying to figure it out, I guess... and then went into a straight performance of it, which sounded fucking great!

but yeah, Chicago always seemed to get those special moments.

I didn't really think those 2009 chicago shows were special at all. But that's just me.

I'd say seeing them play HTI is a special moment, but maybe that's just me.

[TouringReg]

8/24/2009 - Chicago, IL

This is the best version of "Hard to Imagine" ever and it isn't even close. The rest of the show is good, but this is just absolutely sublime. Listen for yourself:

I am partial to the Vic Theatre version of Hard To Imagine. Thought the band sounded tight, good vocals and good crowd participation. It probably benefits from a better mix too than the 2009 boots.

I do agree with what you said though about Chicago 2 '09 being a great start to a show. Hard To Imagine, Coduroy, first "real" In My Tree in a long time (also, first time I saw it since the 2005 shows) and Last Exit.

[lowlight79]

8/24/2009 - Chicago, IL

This is the best version of "Hard to Imagine" ever and it isn't even close. The rest of the show is good, but this is just absolutely sublime. Listen for yourself:

I am partial to the Vic Theatre version of Hard To Imagine. Thought the band sounded tight, good vocals and good crowd participation. It probably benefits from a better mix too than the 2009 boots.

I do agree with what you said though about Chicago 2 '09 being a great start to a show. Hard To Imagine, Coduroy, first "real" In My Tree in a long time (also, first time I saw it since the 2005 shows) and Last Exit.

I may have to go back and listen this weekend. After you have listened to a few thousands shows, they can blend together.

[hlniv]

8/24/2009 - Chicago, IL

This is the best version of "Hard to Imagine" ever and it isn't even close. The rest of the show is good, but this is just absolutely sublime. Listen for yourself:

I was at the show, but don't remember being all that special. Having HTI as the opener makes it difficult to evaluate based on actually being there.

I just listened to it on the bootleg, it's pretty good, but saying it's clearly the best ever might be a little strong. Stone plays it pretty flawlessly, and I really do like what Mike is doing coming out of the last chorus and into the outro, though. Ed struggles a bit, it's a pretty average vocal performance on a tough song for him.

Going to have a listen through the rest of the show. It's certainly a forgotten one for me, and I was actually there. Setlist is interesting. It was kind of a unique experience for me, I only went to night 2, sort on a whim during a late-planned long weekend. It was just me and the wife, which I've only done at a PJ show maybe 3 or 4 times - it changes the experience for me a bit as she is not so much into it, and I have to be respectful and such... We had good floor seats, I do remember it being one of the better sound quality arena shows I've been to, but I think that was just due to seat location.

[hlniv]

This is a great show actually. Can't believe I've overlooked it and I was there.

The first six songs through are all great performances and a great set of tunes-

Hard to Imagine
Corduroy
In My Tree
Last Exit
All Night
Nothingman



Great version of Present Tense

Brother works really well. Black is superb

And I like their cover of The Real Me - they play it well here.

[lowlight79]

I do remember the real me is fanatastic here, probably the best version they ever played

[CopperTom]

Vault #1 - Moore Theater-Seattle January 17, 1992

I didn't remember the rant about animal rights. Kinda funny about the anti-deodorant sentiment since the only person I know to ever meet Eddie did so in 1992ish and said grunge was not only a look, but a smell. A really bad smell. I never thought that occurred because of a complete lack of deodorant.

[Iholdthepain]

4/17/1994... Dave's final show
http://www.pearljambootlegs.org/modules ... D&ext.html



A couple of interviews from the Dallas Observer back when he got fired, and a follow-up a couple of years later. Interesting perspective on soul-poisoning, Ed's band, and eating meat. Dave Castell and Paul Slavens must have been great company for Dave, after being mercilessly fired. They are great talents and some pretty cool dudes
http://www.dallasobserver.com/1995-03-0 ... etter-man/
http://www.dallasobserver.com/1996-10-2 ... rock-star/

[matt reeder]

11/11/11 - Porto Alegre, Brazil

I swore off post-2006 Pearl Jam for a long time because I was so disappointed with so much of it. I guess I was wrong - they aren't worse now (okay, they are) - they're just wildly inconsistent. If you catch them on a good night they've still got it. Some nights they've really got it. They had several such nights in South America on this tour (Rio, Lima and Curitiba also come to mind) but this one might be the best. The setlist is fantastic:

SET 1
Why Go
Do The Evolution
Severed Hand
Corduroy
Got Some
Low Light
Given To Fly
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
Even Flow
Unthought Known
Present Tense
Daughter/(It's Ok)
1/2 Full
Wishlist
Rats
State Of Love And Trust
Black

ENCORE 1
Just Breathe
Oceans
Comatose
Light Years
I Believe In Miracles
The Fixer
Rearviewmirror

ENCORE 2
Last Kiss
Better Man/(Save it for Later)
Crazy Mary
Jeremy
Alive
Rockin' In The Free World
Indifference
Yellow Ledbetter/(Little Wing)

But the performance is even better. It's tight, Ed sounds really good on pretty much everything, he doesn't flub many lyrics and Stone is really on. I honestly cannot recommend this bootleg enough.

Actually, I could say that about a lot of the shows from South America 2011 but this one is really, really great.

[lowlight79]

About finish portland, very good show. Life wasted is a mess, but this was a nice listening

[matt reeder]

About finish portland, very good show. Life wasted is a mess, but this was a nice listening

I'm biased because I was there but it was a great show. The first 16-17 songs really cook and then Ed blows out his voice, but after that it's greatest hits cruise control and it doesn't matter that much. Still, everything through about "Lukin" is just smoking, and Ed sounds really good for this era.

[Birds in Hell]

Listening back to snippets of the Adelaide show, I'm pleasantly surprised that it's more enjoyable than I'd remembered.

It was honestly one of my least-enjoyed live music experiences, it wasn't a good time in any respect; I would've preferred to have been paying bills or doing laundry than watching Pearl Jam at that moment. I guess it may have just been one of those times where the environment had an overwhelmingly negative impact on my enjoyment of the show.

Looking forward to giving it a full listen tomorrow!