Why do all trips feel like last minute ideas? Packing only takes me five minutes. Shower, dressed, coffee takes another ten. Still, I always feel rushed.
Landing in Philadelphia was smooth. Getting to my Air BnB, not so much.
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Note to all travelers passing through this airport, do not try to get an Uber to pick you up. Apparently it is a much contested issue and the cabbies aren’t happy, so no one is happy.
Just after placing my bag in the trunk of my Uber, I was approached by two undercover police officers telling me to come with them. I explained that this sounded like a terrible idea. After reassuring me that I was in no trouble, they retrieved my bag and getting my information, I was walked to a cab stand and let go. The officers were overly polite, but the idea of stopping a person from using a legal service for transportation seems faulty.
Rant over.
Pearl Jam is always on fire in Philly. In 2009, they played the last four shows ever inside of The Spectrum over Halloween. I was there and it was spectacular! This year was no different. Two nights of pure adrenaline driven rock and roll poured out of the Wells Fargo Arena. And as always, the boys brought a ton of surprises and rarities with them.
Night one (4/28/16)
Thursday is cool and wet here. Even so, the Rittenhouse Square area is warm and inviting. If you are coming to the city, stay here (link to BnB). There are more restraunts than you can possibly visit all within walking distance. The strrets a picturesque and tree lined.
The line outside of the arena takes about 30 minutes and then we are in. Floor seats tonight mean I’m more excited than usual. As it turns out, they are the last row of the floor (back row = best row?!?).
You can always tell a show is going to be a heater when they come out loud. Once>Why Go is a sure sign of big things to come. The first set was a blur of sing-a-longs and wild dancing.
At the start of the second set, which is traditionally much more subdued in its beginning, Ed told us that a couple in Box 25 had just gotten married. The happy cpuple made their way into the spotlight and Ed serenaded them with “Picture in a Frame.” This had happy tears running down most of our faces.
Oceans was definitely a highlight. It has only been performed 88 time before. When you look at that over a 25 year period of constant touring at 27+ songs per night, that’s a big deal. Check out the video below.
The last set ended with Fucking Up (Neil Young) and “Indifference,” both of which are also extremely rare. The guys beside me had never heard Indifference live and this was their 25th time watching the band.
*Note to travelers, when riding the last train on the subway, stay with the pack. Or don’t. Maybe you find yourself in a long tunnel, wreaking of urine and full of sleeping people curled into corners. Maybe your GPS doesn’t care about this. In any event, wear comfortable shoes.
(Setlist.fm)
Night Two (4/29/16)
The rain let up and the party responded with livened exuberance. One beer? How about 10? For most, the latter made much more sense.
The lines were about the same, but tonight I was joined by two long time friends, Anne and Alex Brenner. The last time we did a Pearl Jam show together, the band played “Alone.” Even Eddie said, “This is one for you collectors.” Their luck continued with front row seats (of the upper balcony). But still, front row seats. Let us have our moment!
And then what happened?
TEN. The guys performed their first album, Ten, in its entirety for the second time ever (Last time was 3/13/1992). This was done to honor the banner that was added to the
arena marking their 10th sold out show in Philadelphia. It hangs beside Bruce Springstien’s 56 sold out shows and Billy Joel’s 48 sold out shows banners. Check out our video of “Just Breathe” below, which brought to an end the performance of Ten. Eddie’s banter is hilarious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVHL8p4DBw%20
Where to go from here? Up!
To say thanks to WMMR 93.3 FM for the many years of playing their music, the band performed “Let the Records Play” and “Spin the Black Circle.”
The next two sets read like a dream. “Bee Girl,” “All or None,” “Sonic Reducer” and “Baba O’Rielly (The Who) would be enough to disconnect your jaw from your face, but no, they weren’t finished. Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd) has been somewhat prevailant this tour, but tonight was performed in honor of Roger Waters, who wrote the song in The Spectrum.
The exclamation mark was when Ed ran around the stage telling the rest of the band that there was an addition to the setlist. “Throw your Hatred Down” is a Neil Young cover that had only been performed eight times before. Vedder said “Leash,” which was performed prior, reminded him of this song and thus the welcome addition.
As always, I encourage you to heed the call to Go See Live Music! It will add fulfilment to your life. It will add a sparkle to the light, a shine to the dingiest of things. Put on ypur dancing shoes and get out there. I’ll be the tall guy with the long hair and a beard, grining from ear to ear. The one who bear hugs you when we meet. Don’t fight it. I’m great at hugs. Hugs and naps.
(Setlist.fm)
