Set List: Wishlist

Photo credit of the band heading into the show: David Zar (evzar10@aol.com)

It's the Late Show with David Letterman...

My nine hour drive from Chapel Hill, North Carolina to New York City was happily uneventful. I arrived with three full hours to relax, totally refresh and dress up for, 'The' main event which began in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater at 1697 Broadway. I walked there from my hotel, which was just two blocks down the street and around the corner.

There was a good size crowd gathering already. Claire, the wonderful lady who arranged for my ticket by phone only weeks before, instructed me to arrive at 6:45pm sharp. I was a little early. When I got there, she said to give a Page, wearing Ed Sullivan Theater jackets my name and they would instruct me where to wait in line after giving me my ticket.

There was a purifying energy pervading the whole scene in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. Wishing hearts poured in as each hoped to gain entrance into the theater to see not only the 1000th Show of The Late Show with David Letterman at CBS, but they were also here to see my beloved Pearl Jam Ecstatic Guys. In fact the many gathered, donned various Pearl Jam T shirts, from past concerts, including one with a set list on it.

Many folks already had their tickets. The process of arranging and seating the audience went on in a manner I still do not understand. There was significance in the letters and numbers on each of our tickets as we were ordered to various corresponding lines and entrances. Some of us were lined up on the 54th street entrance. Others were sent to the 53rd street entrance and I was sent to the front entrance under the Late Night with David Letterman Marquis. We stood there watching groups of people and individuals being taken inside. The activity of the pages was energetic as they organized us. I watched their eyes counting us. One page came out around 7:30pm to tell us how to applaud. He requested that we not whistle because of the sensitivity of the microphones. No howling. Basically he demonstrated to us how not to be kicked out of the show! :) He told us we would have a warm up session and then David would come out at talk to us. All this wonderful preparation before the show started, made us feel very 'special,' :]

This waiting in line was almost agonizing, as it took about an hour to finally know that we would be seated. I saw more people lined up than the theater would hold. I wondered how they would seat everyone of us who showed up....hoping I would still get in.

We were finally lead in to our seats. I ended up in the middle of row eight, seat 104, almost center stage. I was amazed at how clean and sparklingly perfect the whole studio looked. This was the mark of an excellent studio crew. The stage was elaborately decorated in soft pinks, light greens and beige colors. The George Washington Bridge theme was depicted in the backdrops with lots of tiny lights lining a Hudson River skyline. You see this every night when you watch Late Night, but it really looks much prettier seeing the set, first hand.

My eyes traveled over to the band set. I wondered where Pearl Jam would be. I made the initial erroneous assumption that they would be to the stage right of Paul Schaffer's keyboards. When the warmup session began the warmup comedian made us laugh, and instructed us to applaud with energy and enthusiasm throughout the show, especially in and out of breaks. Then he introduced the CBS Orchestra, who picked up their instruments of charm at the very spot I thought Pearl Jam would be performing. I realized later that, Pearl Jam would have to be set up in the middle somehow. The Pearl Jam audio crew would have their work cut out for them...Fast work as the breaks were only two minutes long, except for the 'midbreak,' with an extra two minutes after a bumper. Maybe that would give them more time. Along, with the help of the Letterman crew this could be done quite efficiently as most of the vital elements were prearranged and tested and lay waiting behind another facade of the Late Night set.

Dave was impeccably keen and in top form with his particular brand of humor. He's been my favorite late night host for many years now. It was such a treat to see him do his job from the eighth row in the famous Ed Sullivan Theater. I thought about The Beatles playing here in 1964, as I was entirely too filled with anticipation of my Glorious Pearl Jam Darlings.

Dave's Late Night 'open' rolled and we knew the actual taping had begun. Tons of applause from us and a hilarious Dave Letterman monologue followed and of course, video bits followed that and a great Stupid Human Tricks segment!! Norm MacDonald was hilarious and I thought of Donut, my dulce, when he did his bit about Kreulers(sp?:). The music was superb as usual. I have always admired Paul Schaefer's musical talents. We were pleasantly surprised by the abilities of the CBS Orchestra as well. I was well entertained and comfortable but very much enthralled by the inevitable, thrilling entrance of Ed, Mike, Jeff, Stone and Matt. The entire show was smoothly produced with the highest level of professionalism. I have never seen such a great production crew at work. Having been on crews in large and small markets and seeing this one in action was the BEST I have ever witnessed and been a part of!!!!

Here Comes Pearl Jam...

Finally, after about five segments and maybe forty five minutes into the show, I watched as one of the stage producers began to bring out specially wrapped cables and audio plugs to the center of the stage after we went to another break. Here at the end of the show was the 'midbreak,' with its bumper on Dave and an extra two minute break. Dave had promised the home and studio audiences that Pearl Jam would be back in the next segment!!!!!! Paul Schaefer and the CBS Orchestra began to play 'Hail Hail' during the breaks. Lots of activity on stage. Some very familiar faces from the Maui concerts appeared. There had to be about five or ten people moving specifically designated pieces of Pearl Jam's equipment and instruments out to their blocked stage areas. Then Ed appeared. He entered stage right. I waved and was almost overpowered by the urge to get up, walk over to him and 'shake his hand' or something like that...but of course I contained myself. He was only about thirty feet away from me.....I remained seated like a good little girl.....I hit my friend Jimmy's number on my cell phone and the line was busy....tried one more time...no answer!! busy next try...oh well.....

The cameras had dollied to their positions for this part of the show, with one of the cameras positioned in the center. I wondered if I'd be able to see Ed during the song now. Ed walked around some amplifiers and fold back speakers, over to the usual place where he picked up his guitar. He did this same entrance in Maui. It was the same basic set up. As this break progressed, with Paul Schaefer and the CBS orchestra, wailing on Hail Hail....Ed took his place to his left of the center camera and he took a quick look at the audience. He seemed relaxed. His eyes scanned and I waved. His eyes stopped.... maybe he saw me? He was standing there looking my way in his black jacket, brown jeans and black t-shirt, wavey dark locks down to just below his ear lobes and jawbone and long in the back. "Oh, Ed you are looking the epitome of fabulous, focused and enthusiastic..."

Dave was seated at his desk. Ed noticed him and waved as he said 'hello' to Dave. Dave readied himself to do the introduction at his desk. But he did walk over to return Ed's hello, shake hands and stuff... before the break was over. "Cool!"

There was Ed, armed with his guitar, Stone and Mike arrived with Jeff and they too looked very hip and well readied, just kinda looking around before they picked it up their instruments of charm. Paused momentarily, they were, to listen to the CBS Orchestra, who were really groovin' to their own efforts at Hail Hail minus Ed's vocals. So Ed began to pick at his guitar strings, still listening to Paul Schaefer and his band in Hail Hail...I watched Stone gaze at the CBS Orchestra and I remembered how close I had been when he played a Brad concert in Raleigh last fall, wishing I could stroll down to his pedal board again and take my place... :)

They were right there, my beloved Pearl Jam Fantastic Guys...so close to me and NO MOSHERS!!!!! Ready to play. No broken barricades and a great audience with respect, appreciation and love to give them, as they sat happily by, to listen to them. The audience continued cheering, applauding at various moments as Jeff and Mike moved closer to Paul's band and watched them at first. Then they picked up their instruments of power and joined Ed, who was already playing along....

From audience's left, right center stage now, was Mike, looking very hip with his new short hair cut...new since I saw him in Maui with longer hair. He was also wearing a gold earring that caught beams of the lights from the intricately lighted Letterman set...Stone had on his dark gray mohair looking v-neck sweater and comfortable jeans. He wore his glasses..He looked the picture of suave and savvy in his element.

Jeff's on-stage presence was sure and very focused on his teammates. He wore a light gray colored plaid summer shirt and khaki shorts. His matching hat was light colored and had a black band. Not knowing much about hats, I am sure I could find much better words to describe this style, if I knew them. So, there was Jeff with his bass guitar, projecting a calm anticipation of a great performance. I didn't get to see Matt very well.

The break ended, we were cheering and howling (couldn't help ourselves!!) and we were 'back,' as Dave began to intro Pearl Jam from his desk with his copy of the Yield CD. From that moment the band struck the familiar serene beginning riffs of 'Wishlist.' Lights came up behind us. A pretty light blue hue was effected, making me feel as though I was up in the sky listening to Pearl Jam. Ed was looking at me and singing the words to 'Wishlist,' as I sang along with him, thinking, "Right back at you Ed!" He looked away and closed his eyes and sang on. He looked up into the balcony then those blue eyes returned.....I could only see Ed for most of the show for his eyes perhaps could see mine as well. The audience was dark for most of the show, but lighted for this part of the show. What a great lighting crew they have, of course. Lost in these moments, I felt a deeply gratifying level of fulfillment as Ed and Stone were so close. Mike and Jeff were right there only a few feet away. It was more pleasing than anything I have ever experienced before. I can now die...

I missed Jack Irons very much but not because Matt was lacking in any way. He did a great job filling in for Jack. The former Soundgarden drummer was taking Jack's seat at the drums for this and the summer tour as he assisted Pearl Jam in a most memorable and captivating performance of 'Wishlist.' "Wishlist,' a true crowd pleaser, is about to be released as a single, next Tuesday in record stores, with 'U' on the b-side. I have been dying to hear that one myself. I have been finding myself writing 'U' instead of the word you in my letters of love to my most favorite DJ, Danger Boy, to Donut and in my emails to Kat!!!!! Kat!!! And to My Beloved Pearl Jam Gorgeous Guys!!!!!! I love 'U!' I hope 'U' caught my wave....even though I only did this with my eyes...did you feel my wave :?

When 'Wishlist,' with Ed's last verse.."I wish I wish.....I guess, it never STOPS!" ended, Dave cued the last break of the show and after the fade to black, the studio crew and Pearl Jam's road crew struck their equipment rapidly from the set, as Ed reluctantly walked off stage right along with Stone, Mike, Jeff and Matt. All within an ocean of happy howls, cheers, applause....That was it!!! As I expected, we were out of time, as it goes in the TV biz!!!.....Moments so precious, now history!!! So fast, so pure, so ecstatic!!!!

Yes a picture is worth a thousand words.... and so hearing Pearl Jam and seeing them is certainly a gift that we, as fans, crave. This 1000th Letterman Show was perfection and would serve very nicely as a music video for all those who need to look at Pearl Jam when they perform. I hope each of you gets a good copy from your VCR to save in your collection.

I must drive home now so I can record my copy of this once in a lifetime event. I will savor these moments with my Pearl Jam Precious Guys and all lovers of Pearl Jam.....yes, with all of 'U' forever!!!!!

I hope you'll forgive my self indulgence, here, but I can only write my best when I write from my heart. .....By the way, Ed, you have now stolen my heart for I have now seen your eyes and you perhaps you have seen mine, perhaps....So now I see your beautiful eyes and they are true blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-with all my LOVE...from....Elsa within Om and more in love now with Pearl Jam......