Being from Edmonton, I was freakin pumped to see PJ come in and rock Rexall, especially after the jaw dropping show they put on in Calgary. If you were there...you know what I mean. I hate to admit it but the Calgary fans were outstanding and I do think that they had more energy than Edmonton (although I was personnally louder!). Thats not to say that Edmonton wasn't loud...it hasnt been as crazy in there since the Oilers playoff games!
I couldn't believe we got Release to open...when I saw that they played it in VAN, i was sure I wouldn't get to see it on my three stops (CAL, EDM, SASK) and then to blow the doors off the place with go, save you and stbc I was on my way to thinking this was gonna top Calgary. But as the set continued, I was getting the feeling that it was almost a greatest hits show! The majority of the songs played were "singles" (a loose PJ term...I know!) which definately was appreciated by the Edmonton fans who havn't had a PJ show since 93'.
It did feel a little short (I guess only 23 songs)...jeez too bad, only 23 with two encores (sarcasm-we PJ fans are getting too spoiled maybe!!!). i heard a rumor that they were under curfew of 11:00...might have had something to do with Labor day. Either way, I met up with some of my friends who had never been to a PJ show before and were absolutely awe struck (so many songs, so much energy,etc)...add them to the 10c member list! I said, you aint seen nothin yet!
All and all...a unique PJ experience for me, the closest I have been to the stage thus far and with the "greatest hits" feel to the show in my home town. I hope that saskatoon is even more different from calgary and edmonton. I don't really care if we get new songs cause I will just be catching them on the next tour anyway!!!
Definate highlights:
-pre/post party at stonehouse
-Mike vs Boom in Crazy Mary was well....crazy
-loved NAIS
-nothin to wish for in wishlist
-lost my voice during the end of Jeremy!
-row 5 on floor in front of Mike-----------------
crazy mary jam had Mike over right beside Boom up on the riser jammin away with him. the two were really feeding off one another! the same thing was repeated later when Jeff was over beside Boom during the beginning of YL. the two seemed to shake hands at the end of their little jam, when Mike began to do his thang
Ed had the mirror above his head during Porch bouncing light onto difference parts of the crowd. he wanted to do it at the beginning of the song, but the lighting tech didnt see him pointing up at the light. real great jam during porch, the song was probly 8 minutes long, right on the whole time, wonderful drumming.
at the end of the show all the drum sticks were thrown behind the stage.. maybe no so lucky with the view for most of the show, but some were rewarded in the end.
fuckin up was nice, havent heard it played in a while (personally). Ed talked about how it was a Neil song and something about someone from our country had written it.
someone else posted about the crowd not being quite as into it as in Calgary the nigth before. i agree, but that doesnt mean the crowd was laxed.. the band was once again on fire-----------------
For the record, Edmonton destroyed Calgary.
Missing the 10c sale was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I ended up having to fight for Ticketmaster tickets, and I was sort of disappointed by the fact that my tickets said "Behind stage." I griped about it for months, and even considered buying better tickets from scalpers tonight.
Well, it was good that my ideals got the better of me, because my tickets ended up being right behind Matt in the third row behind the stage. Not too shabby for missing the 10c pre-sale, the local TM pre-sale, and then the first day of the public sale. I was even eventually able to snake my way down to the first row behind Matt. Right from the get-go, I was really, on one hand, in awe, and on the other, excited as hell that I was finally attending a show. I honestly had no hope for a Release opener, because obviously, they had just played it in Vancouver only two shows prior to Edmonton. Well, guess again, because look what ended up happening! Straight into Go, Save You, and then finally, another one of my hopes, Spin The Black Circle. As if it couldn't get any better from that point, Ed introduced Mike, and the band launched right into Nothing As It Seems, followed by Daughter, which made an early appearance in the show. Then the magic really started happening, because on Even Flow, Ed walked behind all the amplifiers, and jumped onto the drum riser to sing. It was unbelievable. Better Man made another early appearance, which was then followed by I Am Mine, which is a severely underrated song, in my opinion. I didn't think they'd play it, so I was pleasantly surprised. Grievance, a song that I've never really been into, was quite the attention catcher, because of the band-jam breakdown part that gets played around Matt's kit. Again, completely awesome! Ed spoke a few lines and then him and Stone delved into Small Town. The band then resorted to pulling out some oddities, and played Sad. I was glad to get to witness Sad, especially considering Calgary got Alone. Enter Corduroy; another tremendous performance. Another magical moment occurred on Given To Fly: Ed again, came behind the amplifiers and sang a large portion of the song facing us. Wishlist was completely awesome, especially during the unique solo, because of the huge whirling mirrorball hanging from the lighting assembly. Edmonton was then crushed by an Animal, and then subdued by Do The Evolution. The band made a quick escape, but returned promptly to Love Boat Captain sans organ intro from Boom. (Sort of odd, considering he co-wrote the song.) Boom redeemed himself completely on Crazy Mary, as he and Mike faced eachother off in an epic organ vs. guitar duel. Being behind Boom, and watching how much energy he puts into playing the keys really gave me a new perspective on his role in the band. For the first time on the tour, Canada got to hear Jeff's well-known intro to Jeremy, complete with all-round audience participation. Ed started Porch off with a guitar. By the time Porch had ended, Ed had swapped the guitar for a mirror, while the rest of the band continued to pound away on the ten minute version. Ed used the mirror to reflect the intense spotlight all around the upper level of the arena, as well as the floor and mid-levels. It was sort of touching in a way. All too soon, the band left the stage and returned with an unexpected rendition of Neil Young's Fucking Up and the inevitable closer, Yellow Ledbetter. Even though the show was a mere 23 songs, I was completely blown away by the energy everyone seemed to have left at the end of summer. (Also considering most post-secondary school's in Edmonton start tomorrow.) From the band to the audience, it was apparent that everyone showed up at Rexall to lose whatever energy they had left. My throat was sore, and I could barely speak or hear after the show, but it was so worth it. I only have more respect and admiration for the band now. I can't wait for Pearl Jam to pop up to Edmonton again, because I will definitely be in attendance no matter what tickets I have. I just wanted to thank all the awesome out-of-town Jammers in attendance for upping the energy of an already electric city and venue. No one was disappointed!