Set List to be confirmed: Sometimes, Do The Evolution, Animal, Hail Hail, Dissident, Faithfull, Even Flow, I Got Shit, Corduroy, MFC, Improv Intro, Habit, Daughter/I feel it..., Nothingman, Given To Fly, Leatherman, Rearviewmirror, Wishlist; 1st Encore: Once, Alive, Better Man, Immortality, Black, Baba O'Riley

Nicole Martel (nmartel@telusplanet.net)
Hi Guys! I have a little story I wanted to share. It's about following your dreams, believing in yourself and finally getting to watch five incredibly talented guys play two wicked shows in Perth, Australia. I hope you enjoy - It was and continues to be a pleasure to share this experience. Life continues to be good...

I'm more afraid of living, than I am scared to die....... I'm more afraid of falling, than I am of flying high... Ben Harper - Glory and Consequence

During Christmas 1997, a Christmas card arrived from my cousin and his wife, who recently relocated to Perth, Australia. They were busy settling in, weather's nice, like it more than Vancouver, work's going well - too bad Pearl Jam wasn't stopping there on the spring tour. Too bad, would have been a good show...

Events unfold, things change, time passes, a petition is passed around, a show is planned and events continue to click into place.

I finally get my new computer up and running, complete with internet access (welcome to the 90's!). I hear about the Perth show and frantically send off an e-mail to my cousin desperate to hear if he managed to get tickets. Did you get tickets? How are your seats? Have you ever seen them live? I haven't. For the past six years I have been hoping to see them, but I've been too busy fitting in. I've been too busy accomplishing all the goals which society dictates I achieve. Perfect wife, well educated, immaculate, creative, employed - now all I needed was a couple kids and I gain full acceptance. Over a decade in the making and I'm almost there. I am jealous though, how cool it would be to see a PJ show, but life moves on and events keep falling into place.

February 15th, I finally receive an e-mail back from my cousin and he doesn't make this easy on me. Of course he got tickets, yes they are excellent seats, the venue is really small (seats @ 5,000). To top it all off, his wife doesn't care if she goes or not - hence, I had an invite. My life unfolded from that point forward.

On Saturday, March 14th, I stepped on my first of several planes to start a journey which would take me halfway around the world. I would fly for over 27 hours, visit six airports and spend a night in Singapore - for my very first PJ show. This was way too cool but, try explain that to all the fine people continuing to follow the guidelines of social acceptance. My sanity was often questioned. I was scared though, this was not normal, rational behavior after all. The world is a scary place and you are often encouraged to fear it. I could get attacked, mugged, lose my luggage, get lost. Somehow, it didn't matter though, because there was a ticket to my first PJ show in Perth waiting for me and life is too short, it is just way to damn short...

I let go. I let go of my fear and I did it. On Monday, March 16th, I arrived in Perth, Australia and it was beautiful. Hot, humid, muggy and almost as far away from home as I could get. I loved it, this was my dream and it was finally coming true. I was completely hyper, energized by the whole experience, but I had three days to wait before my first show. There are tons of things to do in Perth. Its a beautiful, but strange place. Prostitution is legal, abortions aren't. My own province is quite politically backwards, so this didn't really unnerve me. Sad, really, because it should.

The days flew by, and before I knew it, it was March 19th - tonight I would get to see the music which accompanied me for over six years. You have no idea how nervous I was. I played concerts in my mind for so long and I was worried that the band wouldn't compare. My expectations were way too high....they couldn't pull it off....could they? Nerves, nerves, nerves.

My cousin and I made to the Perth Entertainment Center in one piece and as we walked to the entrance I looked up and in lights it said "PEARL JAM TONIGHT." I just about lost it. This was so completely unbelievable. I was actually fucken there and I was in shock. Sometimes you wish for something so long that the reality of it escapes you. I was there.

Shudder To Think opened the show. I was curious about this band which PJ had chosen to travel and share the stage with. I wanted to like them and I did. Craig Wedren - lead vocals, has an incredible voice, he is no Eddie Vedder, but his music pours from his soul just the same. I found it odd, however, to watch Nathan Larson (guitar) smoking away while playing. He seemed way too relaxed for my state of mind.

The crowd really caught my attention. Watching the mosh pit from a safe distance was initially amusing. Bodies would all of a sudden get pushed to the top, flail around and invariably they would go down head first! How bizarre to spend money to get dropped on your head. I know my age is showing here, but really folks, I traveled a long, long way to see this show and the thought of even missing one second was just too much. The mosh pit soon became distracting, taking some of the attention away from the stage. Sorry, but I still don't get it. I mean, I wouldn't even have a drink for fear of having to go to the bathroom during the show... chewed gum, though. Just about choked on it when PJ walked on stage.

It was incredible, but surreal. I was trying to calm myself down the whole time. Just breathe...inhale, exhale, quit shaking, but they sounded sooo good. It broke my heart and made me fall in love all over again. Life is so precious, so short and so beautiful at times. I won't run through the entire set list, but it is such an amazing experience to hear song after song which you not only love, but recognize. I was completely wrapped up in the experience and the best part of it all was knowing that we had tickets for Friday's show as well. I know, I'm blessed. Life is good and it was about to get a whole bunch better.

Find Nicole's Second Show here.