Set List: Corduroy, Hail Hail, Brain of J., Dissident, Faithfull, Jeremy, I Got Shit, MFC, Wishlist, Last Exit, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Daughter, Footsteps, Alive, Go; Encore: Nothingman, Better Man, Do The Evolution, Smile, Rockin in the Free World

Leon Peterson (covax@lisco.net)
I was fortunate enough to get front and center seats to the PJ show in Kansas City. I must say it was a night that I will never forget as long as I live. I have been a Pearl Jam fan for a few years now and dreamed of one day seeing them in concert, and I finally got to and it was better than I had ever imagined. They played great song after great song. I was screaming my lungs out and jumping up and down with each one, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better...Wham! The boys would play something even louder and more exciting than before. I'll never forget turning around and seeing thousands of people screaming and jumping and waving their arms in the air at the beginning of songs like Alive, Even Flow, Hail Hail, Go, Do the Evolution, and Rockin' in the Free World. Corduroy started things off, Eddie just came onto the stage didn't say a word and started playing the intro. That's when I knew it was going to be awesome. Also, I won't forget the sight of nearly everyone holding their arms up during Given to Fly. I loved watching Eddie communicate with the crowd while he sang and danced and when he would talk to us. It was the most awesome night of my life and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Eddie stepped to the front of the stage, wiped his face off with the T-shirt he was using for a towel and threw it to me. I must say the show was complete then. The only possible fault in the whole thing was that they didn't play Yellow Ledbetter. As I walked with my brother and some friends out of the Sandstone Ampitheatre, ears ringing, I thought about what I had just seen. It was something that I definetlly want to see again even if I won't be so lucky as to get front row seats to see the greatest band in the world next time.

jmcd.pj@mail.utexas.edu
Okay, I knew it was going to be good, great, awesome, the best I'd ever seen. Pearl Jam has ruled my musical world for going on six years now. They are the ones that showed me how much music mattered, and how much it could all mean. They convinced me to pick up a guitar and begin to teach myself. I'd seen them on the 1995 Vitalogy tour and thought I knew what to expect live. And I was still completely blown away, left in awe, glassy-eyed and shaking my head in amazement.

Our 5-day, 2-show Pearl Jam trek began in Kansas City, and it truly began about four hours before that show started. Our cab dropped us off in an empty parking lot at the venue and as soon as we opened the car doors, we heard music. It was Pearl Jam sound-checking, doing the Split Endz' "Frightened"...we all got shivers. Then we danced around in the parking lot near the gates as Last Exit echoed across the sky...then the waiting began...

We got inside, found our seats (second row, stage right), and began waiting. I got more and more pumped by the minute, and couldn't believe how close we were, for, as ed would tell us two nights later, dreams are contagious. The Murder City Devils came on, and I was admittedly apathetic. Their lead singer made some comment that smacked of ass-kissing, like "I was talking to Mr. Eddie Vedder backstage and he said Kansas City was the most rocking town in the country." Well, about two songs later ed comes out and says something like, "I just heard you tell these people that you talked to me. I haven't even seen you today." He seemed to be pretty upset. Pointing at the crowd he said, "Don't fucking lie to these people" and threatened to kick them off the tour. There was an awkward moment of silence before ed burst into a big grin, gave the guy a hug, and said, "No, these guys rock. See you guys in a few minutes." I laughed all the way up until Pearl Jam came on.

Okay, this is getting long, so I'm going to hit the high points of the PJ set. For me it was all like a religious experience. "Hail, Hail" made me angry as I screamed along. "Wishlist" sent giant chills down my spine. "Nothingman" made my arm hair stand on end. "I Got Shit" provided a combination of all of the above.

On the encore, I saw ed with his harmonica and stone with a bass and knew what was coming. But first Ed had to talk about the Presbyterians and how they are debating whether God made the earth in 7 literal days. He concluded that "the real question isn't how long it took God to create Man but how long it took Man to create God." I stood there waiting for a bolt of lightning, but none came, and the band played "Smile", which nearly made me cry it was so touching.

"Better Man" completely jammed, more so than I'd ever heard before, and the final song of the night, "Rocking in the Free World" completely threw me for a loop. Stone tore up the main riff, and Mike was utterly awe-inspiring. It was a great closer.
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