....so I just got word from one of my friends who's a manager for a restaurant in downtown Seattle, and according to her email:

"Friday, August 17th is the 100 year anniversary party for Pike Place Market. They have planned 6+ bands to play that evening in Victor Steinbrueck Park. Just got word that PEARL JAM is the headlining band and it is all free!"

...again, I haven't heard anything 'official' on this or who the other bands are, but just passing on what I just found out. Hope it's true

Cheers~Boboli

p.s. anyone have any good photo's/vids of PJ (or The Black Keys) from Lolla ?

http://www.myspace.com/marketparty
it's only Mike...still, wish I could be there..

This "park" is smaller than most yards and is in a severely congested area.

There's no fucking way.

this is from the metroblogging seattle website:

Finally, a Market party in Steinbrueck Park from 6 to 10 p.m., including appearances from some of Seattle's best-known musical talent: Guitarists Dave Dederer and Andrew McKeag from the Presidents of the USA, Posies and Fastbacks drummer Mike Musberger, Presidents of the USA frontman Chris Ballew, Mike McCready, Pearl Jam guitarist, Sean Nelson, lead singer of Harvey Danger, etc.

At the bottom of the Web post, listing the events, are these special little words:

And other surprises, guests, and special happenings...
AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCES BY LOCAL FAVES

Well, well, well. Could this "special performance" include Pearl Jam? Mike McCready is already on the bill, so it wouldn't take much more for the band to show-up and put on a hometown, UNCENSORED-by-Bush-loving-weirdos concert.

Who knows. It's just speculative. But, I'm for sure showing up, just in case.
****
i doubt very much that pearl jam will play - this park is almost smaller than my apartment. however, the "party" on friday night sounds really cool regardless.

Someone just sent me a text about this...so I came here to confirm with RM and it sounds legit.

Is this "park" the little place at the North end of the market with the totem poles next to Cutter's restaurant??

Just checked out the Seattle PI...sounds like the plan is for MM to close with the Star Spangled Banner. I wouldn't hold my breath for a PJ concert.

modest mouse is awesome!

star spangled banner, eh?

Grab a seat...

So I left my dad hanging in the third inning of the M's game last night to grab a bus from Safeco Field up to Pike Place Market (5-4 M's by the way). Felt kinda bad, but I told him ahead of time so it was kosher.

Anyway, I got over to the "park" around 8:30 and there was quite the crowd on hand. All the way from the stage, stretching up the hill on Virginia (or was it Stewart? Don't recall exactly) to 1st Ave. (By the way...on the corner of Virginia & 1st rests the Virginia Inn Cafe', made famous in Singles - this is where the two main characters met for a glass of water and were seated next the couple making out in the booth). I digress....I'd guess that there were close to about 5,000 people in attendance - maybe as low as 3,000 but still quite the gathering.

The music had already started when I arrived and throughout most of the night there was a backing band (including members of The Presidents of the United States of America) highlighted by special guest performers. This included, among others, the lead singer from Harvey Danger, Artis the Spoonman of Soundgarden fame, Shawn Smith the lead singer of Brad, and of course Mike McCready. One of the highlights of the show was the performance of Soundgarden's "Spoonman" with Artis doing a ridiculous spoon solo (they totally botched the song, by the way =). For those of you familiar with the lyrics to the song and/or Seattle's Pike Place Market, you will recall the line about "all my friends are indians...all my friends are skeletons." This is in reference to the riff-raff that make this part of Seattle their "home." Indians being the Native American winos, and skeletons being the drugged out junkies who are thin as a rail because they don't eat (pardon me for any insensitivity there...just relating the song to the situation). Anyway, the Indians & Skeletons were out in full force, and in full-on Hippie mode dancing around with smelly clothes, crazy eyes & bright pink scarves. I'm sure that's what Woodstock would have been like...

...And speaking of Woodstock that leads me to the cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" performed by Mike McCready, Shawn Smith...and special guest Stone Gossard! It was really cool. The rumor around town was the the entire PJ band would show up to play, but I wasn't holding my breath. Stone turned out the be the special guest and I was more than satisfied. 40% of the band showing up at a free concert that I heard about just yesterday morning? I'm not complaining. They also played "The Day Brings" by Brad (one of my faves) and a few other tunes I can't recall at the moment. The grand finale was "Louie Louie" sung by Chris Ballew of PUSA, then the Star Spangled Banner by MM, then a' capella versions of Happy Birthday (Pike Place turned 100 years old) and "Peaches."

All in all, it was a great night. And as advertised, they wrapped things up by 10pm. I missed a great M's game, but how often can you see Mike & Stone jam for free? After I walked my friend back to her car I headed back down to the market to meet my dad who was picking me up after the game (thanks dad). I walked past a pay parking lot and who do I see at the gate paying for their parking? Mike McCready driving a black SUV (maybe a 4Runner or a Pilot?). The car is full...somebody riding shotgun who I didn't recognize (maybe the drummer for the evening) and another guy in back. And of course, Stone in back of the car. Stone didn't get shotgun. Stone always plays second fiddle (but I don't think he minds). Seeing as how I already have both of their autographs, I didn't go all "crazy fan boy" on them. But don't think for a second that I didn't have a sharpie and a photo of Edward Louis Severson III in my pocket ready for a signature if I had seen him last night (the only PJ autograph I don't have yet...aside from Irons, Krusen, & Chamberlain). I was about 5 feet from their car and just gave them a little "Great job tonight guys, I really enjoyed the show!" They all waved and said thanks. Nice guys.