Set List: Why Go, Deep, Jeremy, Breath, Even Flow, Alive, Porch, Rockin' in The Free World

Jesse Aalberg (AALBERGJ@post.uwstout.edu)
I would like to submit a piece of artwork inspired by the works of Pearl Jam and here is the story that goes with it:

In Febuary of whatever year Ten was released, I saw Pearl Jam in Milwaukee, WI for $5 in a place that held 300 people.

In 1992 I saw them at Lollapalooza in Minnesota. Boy how times have changed.

I had worked dilligently for 2 months on my banner for the Lollapalooza show, and the day had finally come. I had managed to keep a hold of my bedsheet-sized tapestry all the way into the festival grounds, and now I just had to find a way to get it signed. An MC was on stage talking to the crowd as I strained to try and find a way into the secured area. Time passed. While weaving through the throngs of people I happened to bump into that very same MC. "Can you help me," I stuttered? "I made this banner for the band and I really want to get it signed. Can you help me out?" I felt like I was going to get reprimanded for asking such a favor.
"Let's see it," she replied.
I unfurled the huge piece of cloth and paint in the midst of being knocked into by the steady sea of people around us. "Very nice...tell ya' what: Meet me over there by the concessions in 1 hour and I'll see what I can do."
"OK" I chirped.

The minutes seemed to drag on for days. I watched a performance or two, then headed over to the designated area about an hour later to await my savior.

She was nowhere to be seen. Tensly, I questioned strangers, asking for the MC desperately. Nothing. Then finally she showed up. "Ok, I've got a pass from last year, but I'll see if they'll let me back there. You wait out here, I'll be back as soon as I can." She took my prized posession and left, easily getting past the security guards.

I stood by the gates and tried to calm my heart. Soundgarden played and I missed the entire show, not wanting to ruin my good thing. Then, some 15 minutes later, she appeared with a smile on her face. I couldn't believe it. "He wants to meet you," she grinned. I could have exploded right there!
"What? When?" was all I could stammer out.
"He'll be coming out a little later. Just hang out by the gates. Oh, and he wrote some stuff on this for you." She handed my tapestry back to me and I opened up my prize.

The painting shows the screaming face of a troubled man, angry at life and looking for release. Pointing into his waiting maw is the barrel of a pistol, shining nicely in the light. The standard Pearl Jam logo covers the top of the makeshift canvas, with the ghostlike words "State of Love and Trust" shimmering in the black void the entire image is set against. Written vertically up the M of Jam is scrawled the words "Thanks a lot guys. Means a lot to me." An undecipherable signature is evident on the purple tongue of the tortured soul, and a verse from the song now adorns the barrel of the gun. My toil has not been for naught.

"He took two polaroids of it - one for him and one for Cameron Crowe," the MC explained. "Stick around, he'll be looking for you". She left.

My prize in hand and my soul filled with glee, I waited for the man they call Eddie to appear. I waited for a long time. Two men were playing pass with a football some ways off in the field behind the fence. They seemed to be getting closer, but not in too much of a hurry. One had had a thick black beard, the other was sporting a shiny metal helmet. They continued to come closer to the fence where I was waiting, joined now by twenty or so other fans. As the two came closer, I realized it was Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Eddie Vedder playing a little ball, as well as playing with the emotions of their fans. Their game ended as they reached the fence. Eddie at once began signing ticket stubs through the fence. I was a little way out of his direct line of sight, but I had my "masterpiece" half open so he could see it if he tried.

"Where's the banner guy? Where's the guy with the banner?" He was yelling for me!
"Right here! Over here!" I seemed that I couldn't be heard over the din of the growing crowd. Eventually he spotted me.

"I want to shake your hand" he said as he jammed his finger through the linkwork fence. I immediately reciprocated. Here I was, shaking hands with Eddie Vedder, in front of everyone! I could barely think. "You want me to sign your ticket or something?"

"Oh, yeah, thanks! I just want you to know how much I appreciate your work and the songs that you write." I sounded like a yammering idiot. Like he hadn't heard these things a million times before. I felt tears starting to well in my eyes. Why should I be crying? I didn't want to do this in front of EDDIE of all people. I faught them back.

He handed me my ticket stub and looked at me again. "Stay Alive." His words barely entered my ears when I repeated, obviously for lack of something intelligible to say, "Eddie, you stay alive." His signature-in-progress stopped as he looked up from his metal headgear. He met my gaze, and we stopped there, me being somewhat of unsure of what was transpiring.

Feeling that this was the end, I backed up and walked away, hoping that he would take those words to heart, even if they had been his very own.