Post subject: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:43 am
Got Some
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:19 am Posts: 2405
First, I wasn't there. Just followed the sets as they happened over at the official board. I have no idea which show was really the best. The overall consensus seems to be Amsterdam 2, but I liked Berlin I on paper best.
Sounds like Eddie was on and off sick the entire tour. I smoked for 7 or 8 years. It make you more susceptible to illness and the illness harder to shake. I think Ed needs to quit smoking if he wants to continue performing their older material well. And it seems like they are becoming a band that understands that performing their old material is what the majority of people are expecting. Check it out:
Ten - They played all of it. Oceans showed up once, but everything else made multiple appearances. Vs. - If you count the WMA tag, they played all of this too. I have no idea why they abandoned the 08 version. I loved it. Vitalogy - Aside from the filler, they played all but Tremor Christ, Whipping, and Satan's Bed. I think Whipping is the only surprise there. They really need to consider Tremor Christ a bit more. It's an interesting song, and it would be appreciated by many. Satan's Bed is for collectors only. No Code - Everything but Who You Are, I'm Open (never really been done properly anyway), and Around the Bend. Ed plays that last song solo enough now, but it would be nice to see Who You Are pop up occasionally. Yield - I don't think we'll see No Way (only non-Red Dot song not played) played again until PJ30. Nice to see All Those Yesterdays played. Is Push Me Pull Me becoming common so Ed doesn't have to sing?
2000 and beyond: Binaural - It's a fan fave, isn't it? Yet only 5 of the 13 tracks were played, and aside from Insignificance, which was done twice, those were only played once. Really too bad. Riot Act - Only 6 of 15. Even if you eliminate Arc (that's an Ed solo thing now) and Bushleaguer (Jeb needs to run for this to happen), it's less than half the album. By the way, why do they never play Get Right? It's been nearly a decade. Avocado - They played 7 of 13. Sadly, they didn't play the album's most interesting tunes - Marker and Army Reserve. I was shocked that Gone didn't get played. Backspacer - They played 7 songs from it, but 2 of them only got played once (Supersonic and The End) while the other 5 were played at either every show or every other show. I'm fine with SoS being an Ed solo thing, but why no Force of Nature, Johnny Guitar, or Gonna See My Friend? Is the Fixer half as good as any of them?
As far as Lost Dogs go, they played Hitchhiker for the first time ever the second night of the tour, then never revisited it. Alone made an appearance thanks to Brian. Other than that, nothing exceptionally rare. I guess they did some neat covers, if that's your thing.
The positives: The sets are still varied 13 shows, 94 Pj songs, 25 covers. Not too bad. From the reports, the band seems to be having fun. It's fucking Pearl Jam. The negatives: All but abandoning the last decade of work, though that might be in the positive column for many. Too much predictability. I'm looking at you especially Just Breathe. Elderly Woman as an opener. Just fuck that. Not because it's a bad song, but because in that spot, it's taking the place of a better song. Let Elderly Woman bat 9th, where she belongs.
Finally, will anything be played at the 4 US shows that didn't make an appearance in Europe? I feel like there is a shot at Big Wave in Florida. Maybe Force of Nature. With a 10th album in the near future, it seems like some of the white whales some of us are chasing are just never going to be caught.
Pearl Jam shows: Champaign 4/23/2003 Chicago 6/18/2003 St. Louis 10/05/2004 Portland 7/20/2006 Gorge 7/22/2006 Ridgefield 9/26/2009 Philadelphia 10/31/2009
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:01 am
Former PJ Drummer
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 3:00 pm Posts: 19826 Location: Alone in a corridor
Speaking as someone who was actually there for 3 shows:
- There are more video camera's filming the band during Just Breathe than any other song. People really love that song over here, want to hear it and I understand them for playing it virtually every time. A lot don't seem to realize the majority out there does not attend more than 1 show. Remember when Light Years & NAIS were played pretty much every night? Save You? WWS? It's not a "Backspacer" tour anymore, but it's still their last album. Have some patience. - It really seemed to be a tour about the band showing their full appreciation for a brilliant European fan community which is seemingly growing ever bigger. More & more people get along, buses are being organized from one city to the other. I mean, even Mirella, who plays a vital role in keeping the Euro's together for the last 20 years, has gotten Eddie to talk about her. - I' fully realize I'm going to be very much biased for quite a while, but I really really loved it.
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:08 am
Johnny Guitar
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:44 am Posts: 129
Good. - the bands energy and still love playing live is obvious - diverse setlists (hitchhiker bugs alone) - footsteps becoming a regular part of encore - mother - fans creating setlists
Bad - No new material (selfishly) - ritfw still being covered . Why??? - yellow Ledbetter closing 90% of sets
What's next for the guys. Back to the studio ????? Was "of the earth" played ??
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:04 pm
Got Some
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:07 am Posts: 1632 Location: Seattle, WA
got some wrote:
What's next for the guys. Back to the studio ?????
I think Ed's in Europe through July, then a few PJ shows in Sept, then Ed touring again through the end of the year. I'd be surprised if they hit the studio at all from here til New Years unless it's October
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:30 pm
Master of Meh
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 11:00 pm Posts: 13226 Location: Adelaide, AUS
bodysnatcher wrote:
got some wrote:
What's next for the guys. Back to the studio ?????
I think Ed's in Europe through July, then a few PJ shows in Sept, then Ed touring again through the end of the year. I'd be surprised if they hit the studio at all from here til New Years unless it's October
Any bet the real purpose of that Florida jaunt in September is to head into the studio with Brendan in Atlanta to do some more recording, it just seemed like a good idea to do book a couple of easy shows down there too.
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:14 pm
Got Some
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:07 am Posts: 1632 Location: Seattle, WA
spenno wrote:
bodysnatcher wrote:
got some wrote:
What's next for the guys. Back to the studio ?????
I think Ed's in Europe through July, then a few PJ shows in Sept, then Ed touring again through the end of the year. I'd be surprised if they hit the studio at all from here til New Years unless it's October
Any bet the real purpose of that Florida jaunt in September is to head into the studio with Brendan in Atlanta to do some more recording, it just seemed like a good idea to do book a couple of easy shows down there too.
Yeah, not a bad theory. Although Jeff might be a little reluctant
Post subject: Re: European Tour 2012 - It's Over. Thoughts?
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:03 am
Got Some
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:21 am Posts: 1909 Location: The Jungle
Its hard to judge these last 2 years really, being such short tours, added in with festival sets. It'll be sad when the next album comes out, watching Binaural and Riot Act really get squeezed out though... Insignificance seems to be the only Binaural song that shows up at all. and what happened to Sad??? it had a nice lil run in 2004-2006 (32 times) but only showed up 13 times over the next 6 years now thats SAD!
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