To truly understand the enjoyment/thrill/experience over the past two days from Pearl Jam's stop in Chicago, you need to think about the hobby/music/sports team that you would most want to see/experience and then have that experience deliver everything you were hoping for. It certainly doesn't compare to the joy from life changing experiences like engagement, marriage, or receiving your degree, but from a pure hobby/interest perspective you can't top what I just saw over the past two days. This tour was my first opportunity to utilize my ten club membership. I'm way out towards the back of the line was a two year member when some were charter members before I hit double digits in the age category. There are even some holdovers from the Mother Love Bone era. Chet and I were absolutely psyched for Sunday's show as we were wondering about our seats, but generally just excited that the boys were back in Illinois. As one of the rare US shows this year, Chicago was absolutely packed with ten club members and we got 300 level seats. We were at the curve with good sight lines and second row. We were determined to absolutely enjoy the show, and we did just that.
We were together at our first Pearl Jam show in East Troy in October 2000 for the non-infamous Ice Bowl. You have no idea how big that show was until long time ten club members ask you about it from all over the US. We had a great time at the preparty, which was packed with ten clubbers. I even won a t-shirt in the raffle. We hit the merchandise stand, then hung out with Kurt and Patty (another Ice Bowl attendee in Kurt) then got ready for the show. Bad Religion opened with some tasty punk licks. PJ then entered to Long Road, which is an opener that long time fans covet. It was my first time hearing it live, and it was a welcome change. That would not be the theme of the evening, as they worked the crowd into a ferver most of the night with hard rocking anthems. We were lucky to avoid the huge commercial hits and really get a diverse setlist. The new songs off the upcoming album were outstanding rockers. They played a number of somber songs for a friend that recently passed. We had a crowd singalong of Happy Birthday. Why Go was probably the best rocker of the evening, and Man of the Hour was a very rare treat. The first encore really was special for me with two Who covers: Love Reign O'er Me and The Real Me. Rear View Mirror was an unbelievable version as well as Alive. What a great show.
It will always be a great show. It didn't top the Ice Bowl, but what a performance. Well with that said, I had no idea what I was in for on the following evening. I skipped lunch to get done with work early, then hit my inspection in Sugar Grove before I began the trek into Chicago last night around 3:30. I beat all the traffic and parked a little after 4. Chet, my fellow night one attendee, had just called to see if I was at the stadium yet and implore about tonight's seats. Night two was an added show with not quite the ten club turnout. I was hopefully of a possible move into the 200 level. I remained on the line with Chet as I waited for my tickets tonight (ten club tickets are only sold in sets of two and only available at will call the day of the show as floor rows 1&2 and 9&10 are a random lottery, the rest are distributed by seniority). It took a minute or so, then the tickets were handed over. I was searching for the 300 number again, but I got flustered and couldn't find the seat location. I finally saw the section and it said 3 with no zeros after it. I double checked the seating chart, but I knew that was the floor, then I saw row 2 and I had to fight off a blackout and throwing up. I wandered around aimlessly trying to convince Chet that I seriously won the ticket lottery, but alas I had to text message a picture of the actual ticket. I scurried back to my car before screaming the excitement since I didn't feel like getting jumped.
Kurt was my guest for night two as he was the man who bought his own seats for the first night. Another Ice Bowl attendee deserved a chance at ten club seats, but we had no idea what we were in for. He thought he might be slowed in arrival, but was there before five and the waiting game was on. We were in the venue as soon as they let us, a quick pit stop, then down to the seats for the rest of the night. Bad Religion is certainly more exciting from two rows deep. I had sent a text message to Kurt before the Sunday show asking which song he would like to hear as I said I hoped to hear Hard to Imagine or In My Tree. Two of my personal favorites that I hadn't heard in my previous seven shows. Hard to Imagine opened the setlist, then a stirring version of Corduroy, and you guessed it...In My Tree for the first time on any tour since 2006. I don't know what I did to deserve such a reward, but holy mackeral my friends. Not only were the seats great, but for a big time PJ fan the setlist was epic. Six songs off Vitalogy including Not For You, Nothingman, and Last Exit. Huge versions of Alive, Betterman, and Daughter with a tag of Another Brick in the Wall. 29 songs in total spread over 2.5 hours. Every time you thought the show was over, it kept going. Too many great songs to name, but many were high energy like Do the Evolution and Grievance. Another go-around of The Real Me and an awesome version of Porch. Black was powerful as always, but the final two tunes with State of Love and Trust followed by Fuckin' Up by Neil Young just like on Live of Two Legs. (Technically, Yellow Ledbetter was the final song after those two, but that was bonus coverage). Both nights ended with Mike McCready (the most underrated lead guitarist in rock n roll) playing the Star Spangled Banner by himself on his guitar with the bandmates looking on. I was fortunate enough to obtain my guitar hero's pick as my ten club neighbor got an extra and handed it over to me. There were tambourines thrown into our section as well as drumsticks. At one point Ed Ved was playing tambourine litterally three feet in front of us. I'm sure I left out other highlights, but just know that is was an epic performance and a truly memorable experience. I hope that this story turns at least one more person on to Pearl Jam as they are truly the greatest rock band of my generation. Every other influential band is long gone, but they continue to get better in their performances and put out great new music.
Digital Ditty
This section will continue the Pearl Jam love. While I wish I could dedicate this section to vinyl like Sunday night's Spin the Black Circle, I'll stick to downloads that I know you folks love. First off if you're between the ages of 13 and 40 you should already own Ten, but if you don't make sure you have Black and the newly released Brother. Vs. is another must have album, but get you some Rear View Mirror. Vitalogy can be summed up in Not For You. In My Tree of course is my pick for No Code, but you really need Present Tense as well. (Quick side note: Present Tense and Brother were absolutely awesome live songs on Monday, just need to throw that out there.) I'm one of the few big fans of the album Yield, so I would suggest In Hiding for your listening approval. Sticking with that notion, Binaural is an underrated album with Of the Girl being a key component to a PJ library. Riot Act could be left out, but Save You is a decent listen. The self titled album rocks hard and Life Wasted is probably the best tune. If you really want to get saucy, make sure to add Hard to Imagine off Lost Dogs. That pretty much covers each of the studio albums. You do really need State of Love and Trust off the Singles soundtrack too, but I digress. Go buy rearviewmirror, their two disc greatest hits album, then fill in the blanks with my suggestions. Once you're caught up, make sure you get your ass to a show when they do the world tour in support of their new album coming out next month. You'll never find a better way to spend some entertainment dollars, I promise you that. You might love going to see your favorite team play, but there is never the chance that you go home a loser after a concert.
Check out all my photos from the show here:
If you want a rough sounding 3 minute video of Daughter, you'll have to send me an email because it is too large to upload.
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