Setlist: Long Road, Hail Hail, Animal, Spin the Black Circle, In My Tree, Corduroy, Not For You, Jeremy, Red Mosquito, Black, Habit, Rearviewmirror, Beginning of Immortality/Better Man, Whipping, State of Love and Trust, Alive, Blood; 1st Encore: Who You Are, Even Flow, Daughter/"Politics"/WMA, Mankind, Leaving Here, 2nd Encore: Wash, Yellow Ledbetter

Review of Post Pavillion
by: fuscoj1@lasalle.edu

I had tickets for the Sat. show in New York and couldn't wait. My friend (Colin) and I had been waiting since we first heard "Ten" four years ago to see this band. Then the day before the Washington show a friend of mine (Kerry) stopped me in the hallway and asked if I wanted to see Pearl Jam in D.C. I asked her if she wanted me to drive.

We piled into the car and met another friend (Joe, sorry no Soundgarden tickets) and the four of us (Sorry Dana, didn't mean to forget ya) headed south on 95. We left around four and got into line for parking around 7:30. About 8:45 we got a spot in some parking lot. As we headed across the lot we heard the opening chords of "Long Road." We broke into a sprint.

Oh my, there was a crowd of hundreds waiting to get in. I try to stay patient but I can hear them slam into "Hail, Hail." Damn they sound so good, I have to get in there soon. "Animal," "Spin the Black Circle," sound good from out here but I have to see this band. People are starting to yell and shake the fence. They're scanning tickets one at a time! Some cops brush past me. Finally the gates are opened and here comes the flood. My hand gets crushed against a fence, ow. Oh well it was worth it.

(All the setlists swear they played "In My Tree," but I didn't hear it.) We find a spot on the lawn with an okay view. They're playing "Corduroy." Joe is happy. They play "Not For You" and Eddie says during the slow part, "If I forget a lyric or a verse tonight, I hope, uh, you'll forgive me. It's just that I got a lot on my mind. Like right now, I'm uh, wondering if you people know this song is NOT about you." (Cheers!) They finish and go into "Jeremy" and the crowd sings along enthusiastically. "You know that album we did last year, it had a song called "Song X" on it? (Sparse Cheers) This is "Song X's" cousin," A nice version of "Mosquito" followed. Then the opening chords of "Black" float through the night air. I stare at the almost full moon over the field, beautiful. (NRT) Great version. Now I'm happy.

Eddie dons a guitar and they play, "Habit" and "Rearviewmirror." We get T-shirts, etc. and settle in right after the first verse of "Better Man." Everyone must've been mailed a copy of the lyrics because everyone is singing. "Whippin'" follows and Eddie puts the guitar away. "State of Love and Trust." The crowd instantlly recognizes "Alive" and sway in unison. It's over too quickly and they slam into "Blood." They leave the stage for a short time. We muse over what they'll play for an encore.

They take the stage and the radio familiar drums of "Who You Are" start playing. "Even Flow," and then "Daughter" with some musings on politics and then wrapped up with "W.M.A." Stone asks if the crowd wants to hear him sing. (Cheers!) "Mankind" is played, cool song, go Stone! A huge mirror ball is lowered and Eddie introduces the High Numbers/Who song, "Leaving Here." I tell some fans it's on the "Home Alive" compilation. Great version. They leave the stage and we wait again. They sound so good we hoped they'd play all night.

They return. Eddie says, "Well, I see all these signs up here. You've got requests of some rare songs. Well this is your rare song for the night." They play a great version of "Wash." Man, it can't get any better. (Sorry Col) I didn't think they played it anymore. Someone asks me where the song is from. I can't believe people haven't heard it. The house lights come on and Eddie says goodnight as Mike starts a nice version of "Yellow Ledbetter." We head to the car happy. Great show guys, good memories, see you in New York, I think to myself.

Thanks for reading, questions?: fuscoj1@lasalle.edu