Lets Talk About the 2005 Tour
Posted: Thu March 28, 2013 12:27 am
My buddy and I always joked that someday Pearl Jam would play a tour with stops in Buffalo, Toronto, Hamilton, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Youngstown. It was this dream itinerary that would get us to a bunch of shows with limited travel and not be that expensive. When the Canadian tour was announced it was sort of like that. Kitchener, London, and Hamilton, Toronto, and ultimately Pittsburgh were all really close to one of our houses. We planned out the Kitchener, London, Hamilton run and then of course planned on Toronto. I had been to Montreal in 2000 and 2003 so I decided to hit Ottawa this time. I went to the Pittsburgh show because my buddy lives in Pittsburgh and because PNC Park kicks ass. Then when the Borgata was announced we jumped on the opportunity. We got tickets to night one but had to pay out the nose for night two on the secondary market. I cant remember what we paid but it was more than the $150 that I paid for Buffalo 96.
Kitchener- It was 9/11, it was opening day of football season, and their was a Pearl Jam concert to get to. I left Buffalo with my friend Don, his wife and brother, my 2000 tour companion Mike, and my friend from Pittsburgh Matt. We stopped at a Jack Astor's somewhere along the QEW to watch football. I am a huge Saints game and it was the first of 16 road games the Saints would play after Katrina. After the Saints beat the Panther we went the rest of the way to Kitchener. It was a good thing we got a good meal at Jack Astor's because downtown Kitchener was closed. We stumbled into an overwhelmed sub joint and had to settle for that. The venue was really cool. It is the home of the Kitchener Rangers and is an old school hockey arena. The show was good but not great. A good start to what was ahead. Long Road was the opener and Leatherman was a good surprise.
London- London was a really cool city. I had worked hockey schools over the summer with a Canadian kid that went to Western a Canadian college notorious for a good time. He met us down there and I remember being blown away by the arena. This time we were in the home of the London Knights and the place was beautiful. I sat in some killer 10C seats with my buddy Matt who has the best number of all of us. He always gets killer seats. Before the show we were entertained by 2 brothers from Chicago who were clearly "enjoying" themselves and enjoyed arguing about the Chicago Bears. Oceans was a beautiful start and it was the first time I heard it since my very first show, Buffalo 96. There was this guy next to us at some point who said he had a 4 digit 10C number but gave his first row seats to someone else because he likes to walk around during shows. When they started playing Black, Red, Yellow he turned to me and asked what song it was. It goes to show just because you have been in the club for a while doesn't mean you are a huge fan. I bet he posts on this board. Hard to Imagine was a great surprise and it really brought down the joint. Hard to Imagine is way up there on my underrated PJ list. Five star Pearl Jam show, easily in my top 20.
Hamilton- Hamilton is close to Buffalo and besides the group that traveled to the previous shows a few more joined us at the Copps Coliseum. We stayed right at the hotel attached to the arena and wasted the day away at the mall that is also somehow attached. Hamilton is not the most beautiful city in Canada. The show was really good and included Sad. It was only the second time I had heard it and I was very excited. U was right after and I think that was my first time hearing it after a couple of close calls. I am not sure if I liked London or Hamilton better but they were both better than Kitchener.
Ottawa- I went to Ottawa with my buddy Mike who went with me to all the 2000 shows. It was good to be out on the road with Mike. This show was awesome. I bought the poster. I don't buy a lot of posters but this one was just too cool. Wash opened the show and Sleight of Hand is one of my favorites. I always like it when Stone sings and it was a fun change to hear Dont Gimme No Lip. Bee Girl was out of no where. It was my second time hearing I Believe in Miracles acoustic for the second time (Benaroya was first). Mike and I struck out with a couple of cute girls in the elevator before the show. An elevator is just not enough time to wheel. My only complaint is where the arena is located. Talk about ghost town.
Toronto- I was extra excited for this show because I got to take my youngest brother to his first Pearl Jam show. He was a freshman in high school and I picked him up in the parking lot and we made the drive to Toronto. We walked in and watched Ed play an acoustic version of Porch. Then we watched the Saints play their home opener in Giant Stadium against the Giants. It remains one of the biggest jokes in the history of the National Football League. Anthony and I went to our seats and I wasn't surprised that his first song was Release. I waited 21 shows for release and he got it first. He always reminds me that my first song was Oceans a song he still hasn't heard. If it wasn't for the special night with my brother this might be show 69 of 69 for me. I am not a huge U2 fan so Bono being there didn't blow me away. Leaving Here was a cool surprise.
Pittsburgh- Walked into PNC Park and saw Big Pete eating a huge plate of nachos. I really enjoyed Black. I was hoping they would play the best for all of the Rolling Stones fans. It was my first time seeing the Stones and I am glad I got the chance.
Borgada- This was an incredible experience. I got to see Atlantic City for the first time. I took pictures at Trump and stood in front of the entrance to the arena there the home of Wrestlemania IV and V. The boardwalk was cool and we ended up staying at Showboat because we spent so much money on night two tickets. The Borgata is obviously a princess in a world full of dragons out there. I didn't gamble much but ate like a kind. It was my first GA experience since 1998. I got the chance to creep towards the front and got good pictures both nights. The shows were great. Nothingman was incredible the second night. Sad was great the first night. Night 2 was on the 9 year anniversary of my first show. Breath>State of Love and Trust>Porch might be the best end to a first set I have seen. It was an amazing weekend in Atlantic City. I wish Pearl Jam would lose more bets.
Favorite Show: Borgada 2
Favorite Song: Nothingman Borgada 2
Best Seats: On the rail, Borgada 2
Best Crowd: Ottawa
Best Venue: Borgada
Best City: Londo
Worst City/Venue: Hamilton
Biggest Snub: Not ending the year with Yellow Ledbetter- I want that to be the last song I hear and it makes me nervous when it isnt.
Kitchener- It was 9/11, it was opening day of football season, and their was a Pearl Jam concert to get to. I left Buffalo with my friend Don, his wife and brother, my 2000 tour companion Mike, and my friend from Pittsburgh Matt. We stopped at a Jack Astor's somewhere along the QEW to watch football. I am a huge Saints game and it was the first of 16 road games the Saints would play after Katrina. After the Saints beat the Panther we went the rest of the way to Kitchener. It was a good thing we got a good meal at Jack Astor's because downtown Kitchener was closed. We stumbled into an overwhelmed sub joint and had to settle for that. The venue was really cool. It is the home of the Kitchener Rangers and is an old school hockey arena. The show was good but not great. A good start to what was ahead. Long Road was the opener and Leatherman was a good surprise.
London- London was a really cool city. I had worked hockey schools over the summer with a Canadian kid that went to Western a Canadian college notorious for a good time. He met us down there and I remember being blown away by the arena. This time we were in the home of the London Knights and the place was beautiful. I sat in some killer 10C seats with my buddy Matt who has the best number of all of us. He always gets killer seats. Before the show we were entertained by 2 brothers from Chicago who were clearly "enjoying" themselves and enjoyed arguing about the Chicago Bears. Oceans was a beautiful start and it was the first time I heard it since my very first show, Buffalo 96. There was this guy next to us at some point who said he had a 4 digit 10C number but gave his first row seats to someone else because he likes to walk around during shows. When they started playing Black, Red, Yellow he turned to me and asked what song it was. It goes to show just because you have been in the club for a while doesn't mean you are a huge fan. I bet he posts on this board. Hard to Imagine was a great surprise and it really brought down the joint. Hard to Imagine is way up there on my underrated PJ list. Five star Pearl Jam show, easily in my top 20.
Hamilton- Hamilton is close to Buffalo and besides the group that traveled to the previous shows a few more joined us at the Copps Coliseum. We stayed right at the hotel attached to the arena and wasted the day away at the mall that is also somehow attached. Hamilton is not the most beautiful city in Canada. The show was really good and included Sad. It was only the second time I had heard it and I was very excited. U was right after and I think that was my first time hearing it after a couple of close calls. I am not sure if I liked London or Hamilton better but they were both better than Kitchener.
Ottawa- I went to Ottawa with my buddy Mike who went with me to all the 2000 shows. It was good to be out on the road with Mike. This show was awesome. I bought the poster. I don't buy a lot of posters but this one was just too cool. Wash opened the show and Sleight of Hand is one of my favorites. I always like it when Stone sings and it was a fun change to hear Dont Gimme No Lip. Bee Girl was out of no where. It was my second time hearing I Believe in Miracles acoustic for the second time (Benaroya was first). Mike and I struck out with a couple of cute girls in the elevator before the show. An elevator is just not enough time to wheel. My only complaint is where the arena is located. Talk about ghost town.
Toronto- I was extra excited for this show because I got to take my youngest brother to his first Pearl Jam show. He was a freshman in high school and I picked him up in the parking lot and we made the drive to Toronto. We walked in and watched Ed play an acoustic version of Porch. Then we watched the Saints play their home opener in Giant Stadium against the Giants. It remains one of the biggest jokes in the history of the National Football League. Anthony and I went to our seats and I wasn't surprised that his first song was Release. I waited 21 shows for release and he got it first. He always reminds me that my first song was Oceans a song he still hasn't heard. If it wasn't for the special night with my brother this might be show 69 of 69 for me. I am not a huge U2 fan so Bono being there didn't blow me away. Leaving Here was a cool surprise.
Pittsburgh- Walked into PNC Park and saw Big Pete eating a huge plate of nachos. I really enjoyed Black. I was hoping they would play the best for all of the Rolling Stones fans. It was my first time seeing the Stones and I am glad I got the chance.
Borgada- This was an incredible experience. I got to see Atlantic City for the first time. I took pictures at Trump and stood in front of the entrance to the arena there the home of Wrestlemania IV and V. The boardwalk was cool and we ended up staying at Showboat because we spent so much money on night two tickets. The Borgata is obviously a princess in a world full of dragons out there. I didn't gamble much but ate like a kind. It was my first GA experience since 1998. I got the chance to creep towards the front and got good pictures both nights. The shows were great. Nothingman was incredible the second night. Sad was great the first night. Night 2 was on the 9 year anniversary of my first show. Breath>State of Love and Trust>Porch might be the best end to a first set I have seen. It was an amazing weekend in Atlantic City. I wish Pearl Jam would lose more bets.
Favorite Show: Borgada 2
Favorite Song: Nothingman Borgada 2
Best Seats: On the rail, Borgada 2
Best Crowd: Ottawa
Best Venue: Borgada
Best City: Londo
Worst City/Venue: Hamilton
Biggest Snub: Not ending the year with Yellow Ledbetter- I want that to be the last song I hear and it makes me nervous when it isnt.
