Set List: Long Road, Corduroy, Hail Hail, Brain of J., Dissident, Given To Fly, MFC, Habit, In Hiding, Even Flow, Daughter/(Monkey Gone to Heaven by Pixies), Pilate, Off He Goes, I Got Shit, Do The Evolution, Alive, Black; 1st encore: Wishlist, Rearviewmirror, Better Man, Leaving Here; 2nd encore: I Am A Patriot (Ed)

Patriot sample: Kristina Corey Quintana

Kristina Corey Quintana (vitalogy@uswest.net)

Alright then: A Day The Life of a Pearl Jam Fan.

It's 7:30am on June 23, 1998. Whether you like it or not, you get to hear about my whole day. It's hard for me to say, ‘this was the concert and this is what they played'. It's not like that for me. There are certain things that you have to do to pay homage to a band, no matter who they are, or the kind of music they play. I can't just hand over a set list, I wouldn't feel right about it. I've been thinking about today all week long.

My homage started yesterday morning at about 6:00am. I started early this year. I never listen to music by the band that I am going to see live at least twenty-four hours before the show. So, I have not listened to anything by Pearl Jam, Brad, Satchel, 10,000 Gold Chain, Three Fish or Hovercraft (even though Ed isn't a part of them anymore.) This is my shameless plug for other music, I guess. It's good to listen to the opposite of what you are going to hear live.

Today, right now, at work, I am listening to The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from Romeo and Juliet, Volume 2. So far, I have had three people confirm with me that the concert is tonight, and one person ask to borrow my “Ten” CD to listen to the song “Black”. I didn't have the CD on me. I didn't want to tempt myself.

I have a couple of things on my mind right now: one, and the most important. I bought four tickets for the show tonight. I only have three people to go. I have an extra ticket. I placed a couple of phone calls this morning to see if there is any one that just wants to go. No charge, just go. I've had no answers yet. I may have to give it away at the door. Given. Not sell, give. I do not want this ticket to go unused. It kind of stinks, because the venue we are at, it is half seating, half lawn. I'm in the seats. No one may want just one seat next to a complete and eccentric stranger. Two: what should I wear?

8:10am. I am now listing to the Original Motion Picture Score to The X-Files by Mark Snow. Now, you are probably wondering how I can do this. I work for a cellular phone company's billing department. I sit in front of a computer and change account information. It's tedious work some days, like today. I have the British ‘Go' poster over my desk, with Eddie looking possessed. It's a reminder to me that things change. The last time I saw Pearl Jam, it was my first time. I never owned an album. I barely knew who they were. I was hooked. Now I get to see them for the first time as a fan, and I can't wait.

8:32am. I may have a taker for the ticket. He called me and is very interested in going. He's a friend from my last job. We see each other at least twice a month. He thinks he can get his hands on a DAT machine to record the show. Now that would be cool. I can leave my beater tape player, the one I booted Hovercraft in Phoenix with, at home.

9:01am I climbed on the Net. The local web paper has this to say:
Pearl Jam may have lost their battle with Ticketmaster and the alternative genre they helped define seems to be waning, but given the facts that haven't launched a full scale tour since 1996 and that their recently released "Yield" may be their best since 1992's "Ten", it's guaranteed that this show will more than make up for lost time.

10:14am. Another person confirms with me that the concert is tonight. My co-workers tease me in a loving sort of way that I can sing “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon” as it plays on the stereo. Which makes me think about the last time that Pearl Jam went abroad. So I climb back on the Net and read some fanviews from Synergy. I can only do this for a little while, I really should be working. 10:22am The music has changed to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits. I can't help but think about the cover of “I Won't Back Down” I've heard by P.J. I have to say though, I like “American Girl”. It would be one of my favorite songs. Mini Rock Out Session at the desk.

10:57am. Lunch was ordered, Thank Goodness. We are having Chinese delivered to the office. An interesting thought crossed my mind… is Pearl Jam in town yet? The way the city is setup, it might suck for them to get to the venue. Denver International Airport isn't in Denver, really. It's on the northeastern side of the city, closer to the city of Aurora, really. The venue is on the southwestern side of the city, in Englewood. The venue, Fiddler's Green is in the center of a business park. Not really a great location during the day, but great at night. They may not have flown, though.

3:40pm My mother calls, she saved an article about Eddie Vedder from the local paper for me.

4:39pm. Friend called, bailed out on ticket. Have this extra ticket again. Darn it! Had to find my tape player, blank tapes and batteries. Watched cartoons.

7:35pm. Got to Fiddler's Green. Frank Black and the Catholics were already head strong into their set. The music and the people floated around the venue. There were ticket scalpers (disgusting) and fans alike. I wandered around with my younger brother while my friend parked the car. I wandered around for a while, looking for someone that looked like they needed a ticket. Finally, I went to one radio station booth and offered the ticket. The lady was not on her rocker because I think she missed what I said. I wanted to GIVE it away. So I went to a second booth, for KTCL 93.3. He took it. He told me that was totally cool. I told him that I didn't have the heart to sell it to some bleep e d bleep. Before I walked away, he gave me a station T-Shirt. Neat. I felt better, because I knew that they would take care of it. I bought my red bird T-shirt and we went in. I get to get my backpack searched and they tried to take my tape recorder away. I screamed bloody murder and demanded to speak to a Promoter Rep. I got in, and the security people shot me dirty looks. Heh heh. My friend that parked the car made it to our seats about 8:00.

8:40pm Pearl Jam made it on stage. To the other reviews I read, I was expecting something heavy to open. Nope. Never say that you expect what Pearl Jam will do. They opened with “Long Road”. One thing I noticed right away, Eddie sounded kind of shredded. It went away as he swung in to the show. It was startling to hear. Next, he eased into “Corduroy”. Then we pick it up with “Hail, Hail”. I would like you to note that by this point, Eddie is starting to sound better. I notice that Jeff looses his had, and Mike keeps playing to his amp instead of the audience. That's okay. Then they RIP into “Brain of J”, and I have to say, it is the best version of the song I have heard in a while. “Dissident”, a crowd pleaser, by far. Ed then jokes about us being a mile high, with loose minded people and that we “can all stand to get a little higher.” “Given to Fly” was next. I look to the left and there he is, a fifteen year old kid, filling the seat. Very cool. Then one of my favorite songs, “MFC”. Then “Habit”. They slow it down a bit with “In Hiding”.

9:16pm. My trusty tape recorder eats a tape right in the middle of “In Hiding”. Darn it! “Even Flow” breaks in. The whole crowd is singing along. It's great. I never really enjoyed that song before this evening, but now, I do. Then we were knee deep in “Daughter”, and all the lighters came right out. It was an extended mix, but I can not make out on my tape what the lyrics were. Then wandered into “Pilate”. Then into “Off He Goes.” Please note, I have never seen people mosh to this song. However, there was a group of people moshing to this song. “I Got ID” and they were not afraid to use it. A group of people in the back whipped out their sparklers for that song. Neat! “Do The Evolution.” Ed was doing this monkey thing. I'm not kidding. Then this thing with his hands. I can't explain it. It was cool. Ed then made a speech about how people identified with his songs, and that there were bad fathers in the word, that the next song was dedicated to the good fathers in the world. “Alive”. The whole place sang the song and roared all over the place. Then they faded in to “Black”. Then they wandered off stage.

That was it! NOT! Chanting; “Eddie,” “Eddie”! These people with fireworks down front, Roman Candle I think they were, holding them and waving them around. The disco ball comes out. The band comes back out. “Wishlist” plays. I'm spoiled, I can't listen to the song on CD anymore, it's going to have to be live from now on. Then “Rearviewmirror.” Ripping, baby, absolutely ripping. I loved the fadeout in the middle. Very long, and the only thing you could do, I did. I looked into the sky at the stars. Then “Better Man”! Phew! I thought the show was going to go without that song. Another “Pearl Jam Sing-Along.” Can't find a better man, better band, Vedder man, whatever! It was all good!

Ed speaks. “You were charged .50 too much.” Something about doing the math. “Something about a extra parking fee. No no no no. We didn't agree to this. So, uh, they were nice, we thanked them, it all worked out great. We're donating it. So, uh $ 8,550 of your money is going to the Gateway Battered Women's Shelter.” Crowd goes nuts. “So thank you…” Something to the girls about knowing were to go (meaning Gateway, I think) “Coincidentally, the song is about that issue, it's called Leaving Here.” They rip into it again, someone missed a solo, but they all got their chance to play. “Have a great life.” Ed said. When they piled off stage, Ed dropped his guitar.

That was it! NOT! More chanting for Eddie. There were these people that were holding up this sign. “Play Patriot” I think is what it said, I did not get a good look. Eddie comes out alone, with a new guitar. “All right, these people are holding up a sign bigger than uh…. Can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes... if you try sometimes you just might find a singer… who gives a fuck.”

Patriot was beautiful. That was the sign off. Goodnight folks, and stay true to what is in your hearts.

I Am A Patriot sample - [aif] [wav]

10:42pm. Almost. I had a gift for the band. After fighting my way up front, which was a fight because I kept asking for a Band Rep and the Fiddlers Green people were pissed. They were no help at all. I finally charmed my way down there, and found someone with the band. It was a CD, and a note. The CD was of Hovercraft in July of last year. The note, to Ed & Crew, the ending said this (the rest is personal) “You gave so much to us and you didn't have to.” Bye bye.

11:13pm Home and into bed. Oh, who am I kidding. Home, listened to the concert, checked my e-mail, passed out onto the floor about 12:55am.