Last night in Camden, I noticed something that bothered me. During the final encore, the band started playing RITFW and people started filing out. Not just a few here or there, but A LOT. Then during Yellow Ledbetter (realize these were the final two songs...yet again), even more people started leaving before the show was over.

One could argue that these people left because they wanted to beat the traffic, but nonetheless, I think this is a sign that the band needs to change up their closers. For a band that mixes up its setlists so much, it's just kind of sad that their final encores are so predictable that people know when a show will be over. But maybe, just maybe, people weren't leaving to beat traffic, but instead leaving because they're bored of the same fucking songs night after night to close the shows.

I'm not complaining, because I love the band, especially in a live setting. But where is the spontaneity? I also understand that the band has attracted new fans with its latest release, and I'm not saying that RITFW or YL should be retired (the fans new to a PJ concert deserve to hear these songs, I think). But can't we change it up just a little fucking bit?

Imagine if they opened with the same song every night. After a while, people would take their time getting to their seats because it would just get boring. And I wouldn't blame them.

All I'm saying is that a band like Pearl Jam, with such a big and diverse catalogue, have the ability to make their final encores a bit more memorable. It'd be nice to see no one leaving the show until all the lights are on and the band have walked off-stage for good.

It is either because it's pretty much the same shit every night or because they wanted to hear the old crap from the first two crap ass albums and they didn't

You make a good point, and I agree. That was me in Hartford when Mike started YL.

i think it's crazy that people would leave early.

I think it's crazy too and i certainly wouldn't do it, but i am also bored stiff with RITFW and YL so i guess i can kinda understand. I'd like to see them try to work in some new closers as well.

yep. good post though dirtyfrank. It depends on how often you have seen them live as well.

i have never heard either of them and would love too. heres hoping they dont rule them out as closers.

You know what I was thinking the other night? I think they have a standard set of closers for a reason...so that people know the show is over. You know how Pearl Jam fans are...they will stand there and chant for 5 hours as long as the songs keep coming.

haha! this is true.

I don't think it's any different than people who leave after the 8th inning of a baseball game. And I see people like this at every single game I attend, regardless of the score. I do think it is primarily to beat traffic. One inning or one song isn't worth it to them.
Personally I don't get people like that. You made the effort to go to a show and watched it for 2+ hours and you've going to leave before the big finish?

not so much

"keylie , lights"

and there is always a song that signals the crew to pack it up. exit music.
sound of carpet
straight to hell

i haven't heard what it is this year

but if your going to every show on the tour then YL is not gonna be the 'big finish'. saying that i would never walk out of a show early.

i was at the josh rouse gig last monday and there were loads of people left when he did his encore. he came back and played about 3 songs! i couldn't believe that.

I agree with this.

I also like it better this way. In Albany this year, they played Alive, with the house lights still off, to close the second encore. I was 100% sure they were coming back out for a third encore after they left the stage becaue the lights were still off. A minute later, the lights came on and the show was over. I have to admit, it was a bit of a disappointment. It's kinda like having the rug pulled out from under you when you don't totally expect the show to be over. Who doesn't want to savor those last few minutes? The other three shows I went to this tour (Chicago 1 and 2, Grand Rapids) they ended with Baba/YL, RITFW/YL, and Baba/YL, respectively. To me, these were much better set closers because I knew the show was coming to an end. Besides, no matter how many times I hear those songs, I can't deny that they're great, classic Pearl Jam live songs that always come across great and send the show out on a good note every single time they're played.

I don't want to offend anyone and I know it's been said before, but I really think some of you guys just ask way too much of Pearl Jam. They try so hard to be such a great live band and put on a fantastic show every single time they perform... and you guys always complain, no matter what.

word
thanks for complaining for me so i don't have to

My original post wasn't a complaint; nor do I ever complain about the band because I'm grateful of all the cool things they do for us as fans, both in concert and out of concert. I'm merely suggesting that if they change their final encore up a bit (which is not a difficult task), their fantastic shows would be ever better. Ultimately this band has never been predictable, and I love them for it. So why be predictable for the final portion of their shows?

it was like a mass exit for the doors as soon as RITFW was played last night.

i left right after rockin' at chicago 2 because if i didn't, i would have had to sit for an hour longer to get my train, and i didn't want to do that. plus, i saw yellow ledbetter the night before.. and every show i've seen before that, so it was okay.

depends on the circumstance.

I was at that Albany show, too, and it did feel really weird when they didn't come out for a third encore, but I don't know how much of that is because they ended on Alive and how much is because the house lights were off. I think if they played Alive with the house lights on, especially if there was any kind of precedent for a show ending on something other than Ledbetter, then it would have been fine.

I'm pretty much ambivalent on this. On the one hand, the standard closers let you know that the show's over, so you don't sit there hoping for another song and get disappointed. On the other hand, if they do come out and play another song, it's just going to be Yellow Ledbetter, which is almost just as disappointing. So they're damned if they do, damned if they don't. If we really didn't want one particular aspect of the shows to get repetitive, though, we could always just limit ourselves to one show per tour. If that's the alternative, then I'll gladly listen to Yellow Ledbetter every night.

posters???

swag???

has anyone thought about that angle??