Set List: Release, Go, Last Exit, Spin The Black Circle, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Whipping, I Got Id, Dissident, Even Flow, Deep, Jeremy, Glorified G, Daughter, Animal, Habit, Lukin, Not For You, Small Town, Immortality, Alive, Porch; 1st Encore: Everyday People, Let My Love Open The Door, Better Man, Rearviewmirror, Black, Blood; 2nd Encore: Yellow Ledbetter

Patrick Russell (photoqlz@fgi.net)
Let me preface by saying this... With this show originally being cancelled then put back on again, it made it especially good.

When the show began I was at about the fifteenth row on the field and was oozing excitement. Then Otis Rush came on and rocked the place which was surprising because of the young crowd, but everyone was moshing and crowd surfing and the whole nine. Next was Bad Religion which was amazing and I was moved to about the eighth row or so. Then after a short wait...Pearl Jam!

The band came on and opened with Release which was amazing aside from the fact that there were a group of schmucks moshing around me and it was making me sick. Now, I could run through the listing of the whole show, I have the video and the CD, but I'll give you what I consider the highlites and a cool thing that happened to me. First the cool thing that happened to me.

During the first two acts the people around me were trying to get me to crowd surf and I resisted because of my great spot. Well, during Even Flow I decided it was time. So, I told those around me that they could pass me but only forward. As I was riding the wave, I fell and was lifted back up going forward again. I finally came to a stop in the second row, totally in awe. I wasn't there for very long. I started to think, "You know if I got pulled out of the crowd right now I'd be even closer", because there was a five foot wide ramp between the stage and the crowd. So, out shot my arm, reaching for the sky. It was grabbed by a burly security man, and he started pulling. They were having a hard time pulling me out because of the crowd's surge, and me being in the second row. Let me also say here that my jeans were not on very tight.

Having said that, as they are trying to pull me out, my pants were sliding down my leg , and I had to be pulled out by my underwear. So there I am standing with my pants at my thighs in front of "50,000 hands upraised and open towards the sky", and the security personnel trying to get me off the ramp. So, I said, "Hey! Let me pull my pants up!" Fortunately for me that my pants weren't fitting well that particular evening, because just as I was pulling up my pants, I looked up and there was Eddie belting out Even Flow at the top of his lungs and there was I pants around my thighs with the biggest goddamned grin anyone has ever seen! Soon after I was rushed off the ramp and I went to the back of the crowd, my night was complete!

The rest of the show was just as good. After hearing astounding versions of Corduroy, Habit, and Porch, the encores came. The first encore started with two great covers of Everyday People and Let My Love Open the Door and then later we were treated to Blood...one of the most intense versions I have ever heard of any of their songs. It was around fifteen minutes long and consisted of Eddie smashing his black guitar with the 'Skateboarding is not a Crime' sticker and throwing it into the crowd and then, grabbing a mic stand and trying to smash it. After that he attempted to climb the scaffolding, but thought better of it because a Chicago Police Officer stood nearby. As the song ended, Mike started throwing his Mr. Potatohead collection into the crowd which made the ending so great.

The very last song was their second encore and it was Yellow Ledbetter. Eddie began first by thanking Otis Rush and Bad Religion for "sticking through this whole aborted not aborted tour" and they played the song with the house lights up and 50,000 people on their feet. Looking up from the field and seeing the enormity of the whole spectacle was humbling. When the song ended Eddie said, "Thanks a lot Chicago. We'll see ya' again next time." Eddie I'll see ya' there June 29, 1998 United Center. Thanks.