Bob: on your deathbed, you have time to play ONE Pearl Jam song. Which song do you pick? I think I'm going with Given to Fly. Curious what you'd think.
Love it Bob! At my first Pearl Jam show in Toledo (my 4th will be in my now hometown of Austin on Tuesday) in 1998 during my senior year at IU and the infamous TicketMaster battle, I stood 12 feet from Eddie Vedder as he belted out the last song of the Vs. album, Indifference. I had the heard the song many of times but never quite like that. Still to this day it brings a tear to my eye and a memory I will never forget. Thanks for sharing Bob. Keep up the great work!
Great summary - I'm the same age - same level of fan - but have never seen them. Definitely on my list - and thanks for taking the time to write it up.
Love the human element that you can bring to these write-ups. Just caught them on the second night of the Chicago stop and they absolutely delivered. Their ability to make arena shows feel so intimate and have each one be unique is special
Very happy you finally got to see them Bob. Was fortunate that my first time was Lollapalooza ‘92, and then not again until 2005. It was then I realized “what the F am I doing?” and have seen another dozen times or so. Each PJ has its own uniqueness yet familiarity to it. IMHO, live music has that power that compares to nothing else (not even live sports), so glad it was all you hoped for. Thanks for the write up! In response to Chuck, gotta be Release for me (check out the Live in Atlanta ‘94 version!)
I'm turning 50 in a few days. Haven't seen them yet. Just booked two weeks ago to see U2 in Vegas (a first). Now I'm just going to have to get online and figure out when I can go see Pearl Jam too.
Dammit Bob - you're now making me strongly consider dropping 300-400 to go tomorrow night! LOVE the non-sportsy content too. You've been my leader ever since you arrived in town 20+ years ago, so keep up the great work here on any and all topics your heart desires amigo. I'll be here to read.
Great post, Bob. There are certain bands and songs that immediately take you back to a time and place. I was fortunate to see Pearl Jam in 2009 but whenever I hear "Jeremy," I'm immediately taken back to my time as a freshman at KU and all the friendships and memories forged there. Rock Chalk!
Indifference to end the show? Man, that’s heavy. I would have been motionless
Saw them at Lollapalooza way back in the day and a couple more times here and there. Definitely all highlight events in my extended live music career.
Glad you checked them off your bucket list. I was so pissed at myself that I never saw Tom Petty when he passed. I just always thought I’d have time to catch him the next time.
Spot on Bob. At 58 years on the planet, it was my first time as well on Wed 9/13 and was blown away wondering why I waited. My three - The energy, the emotion and the integrity of the show.
Eddy came out and told the crowd he needed us and seemed to truly feed off of what we were putting out. Maybe, as you say, veterans has seen it before, but it felt genuine.
But damn my knees and calves were killing me on Thursday for the toe tapping, stomping and some occasional jumping !
Like a couple of other commenters on here, I saw them back in '92 at Lalapalooza in Chicago (well, Tinley Park). The security there always insisted that no one in the pavilion stand on their seats, but Vedder incited the crowd, whose rushing the stage caused the security to lose all control for the remaining 5 or 6 acts (Pearl Jam played second, as I recall), which was great for us short people who (naturally) always get seated behind someone taller. I was never (and still am not) a huge Pearl Jam fan--I was always more of a Soundgarden or Alice in Chains guy, though I also liked Mudhoney, The Screaming Trees, The Melvins, and of course Nirvana--but I do like them and would definitly go see them again. Glad you got to!
Side note: I saw both nights of the Metallica show in Metlife Stadium in NJ and agree about the venue size. I'd seen them last summer in the Buffalo Bills' stadium (I'm a fellow midwesterner, from central IL, but moved to central NY to attend Daryl Johnston U., er, Syracuse University and stayed after meeting my wife here), and that show was much better in terms of energy, excitement, etc. I may try the 2 night Metallica experience again next summer in Foxborough and see what I think then.
Bob I’m not a soccer fan but like your soccer articles because they are good analysis. Same with baseball. But please don’t become Corby and talk about bands all the time. I couldn’t care less about any of them. Your articles are precious I hate to see one wasted.
Haha I could never be Corby. But I will definitely write about “whatever” once in a while. It won’t take the place of what I need to write and I even make it a free post. So plan on these periodically and ignore if you wish. It’s all good.
Bob: on your deathbed, you have time to play ONE Pearl Jam song. Which song do you pick? I think I'm going with Given to Fly. Curious what you'd think.
this is going in the Friday mailbag, but Given to Fly is definitely on the podium somewhere
Pretty awesome, Bob. That write-up alone made subscribing worth it. Thank you for your writing.
Love it Bob! At my first Pearl Jam show in Toledo (my 4th will be in my now hometown of Austin on Tuesday) in 1998 during my senior year at IU and the infamous TicketMaster battle, I stood 12 feet from Eddie Vedder as he belted out the last song of the Vs. album, Indifference. I had the heard the song many of times but never quite like that. Still to this day it brings a tear to my eye and a memory I will never forget. Thanks for sharing Bob. Keep up the great work!
Great summary - I'm the same age - same level of fan - but have never seen them. Definitely on my list - and thanks for taking the time to write it up.
Love the human element that you can bring to these write-ups. Just caught them on the second night of the Chicago stop and they absolutely delivered. Their ability to make arena shows feel so intimate and have each one be unique is special
Very happy you finally got to see them Bob. Was fortunate that my first time was Lollapalooza ‘92, and then not again until 2005. It was then I realized “what the F am I doing?” and have seen another dozen times or so. Each PJ has its own uniqueness yet familiarity to it. IMHO, live music has that power that compares to nothing else (not even live sports), so glad it was all you hoped for. Thanks for the write up! In response to Chuck, gotta be Release for me (check out the Live in Atlanta ‘94 version!)
I'm turning 50 in a few days. Haven't seen them yet. Just booked two weeks ago to see U2 in Vegas (a first). Now I'm just going to have to get online and figure out when I can go see Pearl Jam too.
Dammit Bob - you're now making me strongly consider dropping 300-400 to go tomorrow night! LOVE the non-sportsy content too. You've been my leader ever since you arrived in town 20+ years ago, so keep up the great work here on any and all topics your heart desires amigo. I'll be here to read.
Stick to sports
(did I do that right?)
j/k, great review
Great post, Bob. There are certain bands and songs that immediately take you back to a time and place. I was fortunate to see Pearl Jam in 2009 but whenever I hear "Jeremy," I'm immediately taken back to my time as a freshman at KU and all the friendships and memories forged there. Rock Chalk!
Fun read, Bob. It’s your stack. Fill it up!
Indifference to end the show? Man, that’s heavy. I would have been motionless
Saw them at Lollapalooza way back in the day and a couple more times here and there. Definitely all highlight events in my extended live music career.
Glad you checked them off your bucket list. I was so pissed at myself that I never saw Tom Petty when he passed. I just always thought I’d have time to catch him the next time.
Great review and insights as usual, sir.
Spot on Bob. At 58 years on the planet, it was my first time as well on Wed 9/13 and was blown away wondering why I waited. My three - The energy, the emotion and the integrity of the show.
Eddy came out and told the crowd he needed us and seemed to truly feed off of what we were putting out. Maybe, as you say, veterans has seen it before, but it felt genuine.
But damn my knees and calves were killing me on Thursday for the toe tapping, stomping and some occasional jumping !
Like a couple of other commenters on here, I saw them back in '92 at Lalapalooza in Chicago (well, Tinley Park). The security there always insisted that no one in the pavilion stand on their seats, but Vedder incited the crowd, whose rushing the stage caused the security to lose all control for the remaining 5 or 6 acts (Pearl Jam played second, as I recall), which was great for us short people who (naturally) always get seated behind someone taller. I was never (and still am not) a huge Pearl Jam fan--I was always more of a Soundgarden or Alice in Chains guy, though I also liked Mudhoney, The Screaming Trees, The Melvins, and of course Nirvana--but I do like them and would definitly go see them again. Glad you got to!
Side note: I saw both nights of the Metallica show in Metlife Stadium in NJ and agree about the venue size. I'd seen them last summer in the Buffalo Bills' stadium (I'm a fellow midwesterner, from central IL, but moved to central NY to attend Daryl Johnston U., er, Syracuse University and stayed after meeting my wife here), and that show was much better in terms of energy, excitement, etc. I may try the 2 night Metallica experience again next summer in Foxborough and see what I think then.
Bob I’m not a soccer fan but like your soccer articles because they are good analysis. Same with baseball. But please don’t become Corby and talk about bands all the time. I couldn’t care less about any of them. Your articles are precious I hate to see one wasted.
Haha I could never be Corby. But I will definitely write about “whatever” once in a while. It won’t take the place of what I need to write and I even make it a free post. So plan on these periodically and ignore if you wish. It’s all good.
Love PJ and glad you got to check that box! Your joy really came through in this piece.