September 25, 2011 in Live Music, Music, Seattle Bands, Uncategorized

09.25.11 Pearl Jam (Vancouver, CAN)

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(Check out more pictures from the show by clicking the image above.)

I was never a big Pearl Jam fan. Okay I admit it, I was never a fan at all. I know they are an iconic band from my home state no less but I just couldn’t get into them. So when a friend who had just recently moved to San Diego called and asked if I wanted to go with her I was hesitant, but I could tell she needed someone to go. The need was that she had no car in WA and her friend who was supposed to go with her had a DUI. Did I mention the show was in Vancouver Canada? That’s right, this show was going to involve a passport and border crossing which does not happen when one has a DUI. Obviously I said yes, free Pearl Jam Concert with tickets that was “fan club” seats…I would have had to be an idiot. Plus it was with one of my best concert buddies. So was it all a music lover could have imagined? Hell yeah it was! I love going to shows and bands tend to win me over best that way. Plus, I felt kind of like a traitor living in Seattle and never seeing Pearl Jam live.

We arrived late thanks to an awesome (read: horribly slow and long line) experience at the border crossing, so we missed the opening band. Turns out the opening band was Mudhoney, Doh! Oh well, I’ll be seeing them next week so that will make up for it, I mean the real point was to see Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam fans are “into it” to say the least. They know every word and immerse themselves in the experience. I was a little afraid I wasn’t going to like them and then my friend was going to murderize me on the way home…I needn’t have worried. I LOVED THEM! They were so much fun, tons of energy and outstanding stage presence. Plus Mike McCready was in front of us almost the entire show and he is like a one man entertainment show himself. He really gets into it and does all he can to bring the crowd along with the ride.

It was a little loud so I couldn’t understand all the words, but when I wasn’t taking pictures I was jumping and dancing with everyone else. Nowhere near the same enthusiasm as my friend, but she had been in the fan club for over 17 years and I was a noob when it came to the band. I also realized while I thought I wasn’t a fan, I knew a lot more of their music than I realized. I even sang along to a few of the songs. Score, maybe I wasn’t as out of loop as I thought I was. Traitor status was slowly diminishing to just stupidly out of touch. As expected Pearl Jam won me over. I also realized that even though Vancouver is only 2-3 hrs away the fans might as well have been light years apart from Seattle fans. These fans knew how to get down and party and show their favorite band they were enjoying the ride. At one point Eddie mentioned to the people in the front row he would have preferred that the people in the back had those seats because at least they would be into it and getting crazy. He then remarked that they must have been from Seattle. I would take offence but its true. Seattle fans tend to go all zombified spectator at shows.

Alicia was most definitely not a zombie and neither were those surrounding us. The trick to a enjoying a Pearl Jam show is no different than enjoying yourself at any show…just go with it and enjoy. Let the music take you where it wants and you will never be sorry (well unless it takes you to a horrifyingly humiliating place where you recount the entire night of awesomeness to the band… but I digress…). Go see Pearl Jam if you ever get the chance, they are bucket list worthy to say the least.

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