All acoustic set: Surfin' USA, Brian Wilson with backup by Ed, Sheryl Crow, Neil Young.
PJ Set List: New Song, Daughter, Wishlist, Better Man, Off He Goes, Black, Last Kiss
End Jam: I Shall Be Released by Bob Dylan

A. Lee Dudley (leedudley@yahoo.com):
This was my first year in attendance of the Bridge School Benefit and I hope this is not my last by a long shot (especially when P.J. plays again)! The concert was the best thing I've seen in a long time, and I was glad to be apart of the whole incredible experience.

Before I get to P.J. I have to comment on everyone else who collectively played the most beautiful and inspiring music that you just can't find anywhere else in the music industry.

Emmylou Harris was a great opener, and she has a great voice.

THE WHO!!!! My God, they were incredible, and it was truly a once in a lifetime experience to see them. Pete, Roger, and John can still belt out the classics as if it were yesterday. I also liked it from where I was standing (dead middle, directly in line of eyesight from the stage) the sun coming from behind the stage shining on the Who almost seemed surreal. They closed with a very touching "The Kids Are Alright", which was most appropirate for the Bridge School kids, and them as well.

The half of the Smashing Pumpkins were really good, and Billy said it best jokingly with the title of their new song "Oh how do you follow the Who on a sunny afternoon." That, and they made a nice little comment "It's great sharing a stage with legends like The Who, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Pearl Jam...they're not legends yet but they will be." They introed two new songs, an Iha song, played a U2 song, and closed with Disarm for those interested.

Lucinda Williams was really good too, and she definitely has a great talent for songwriting. Neil, and Emmylou came out and helped her do a nice closing tune.

Brian Wilson was fun to see. He got the crowd off their feet to the familiar "Bee Bop" Beach Boy tunes. And I particularly enjoyed Ed and Roger who came out and helped sing Surfing U.S.A. - great stuff!

Green Day, who I was up to that moment trying to figure out how they were going to get away with playing acoustic - did an excellent job and a pleasant suprise. They just banged away and the crowd really got into them.

After the crew cleaned up Green Day's equipment it was time to start getting ready for "the boys!" I had seen them peek in and out on the right side of the stage all day, but seeing them take the stage was like seeing your best friend(s). Stone had on a rather "well crafted / engineered" turkey costume, and Mike had on a Phantom Mask (masquerade mask maybe, dunno). I enjoyed the fact that Ed told everyone to sit down, relax, and get into the mood. The new song was intriguing to say the least (By the way, not that I'm complaining but I'm still wondering how Mikey got away with using an electric guitar pedal for an accoustic benefit - but anyways). It was dark, slow, & Pink Floydish sounding song, really cool (and for all of those wannabe P.J. cover guitar players like myself it sounds like it was in Em, Chorus in C)

Daughter almost sounded like they intentionally slowed it down and sang out of time which was really cool. Wishlist was awsome, and Better Man definitely sounded dreamier than it usually does. Maybe it was just hearing it live acoustic - still, damn cool. Ed dedicated Off He Goes to the late great drummer Keith Moon of the Who.

Black was great and you could tell who the fans were in the crowd because they laughed when Ed sang "That was the wrong woooorrddd..." instead of "Why can't it be miiinnnee...." I think the moment that touched every heart in the audience (I think I started welling-up) Ed said that he made some friends along the four times they've played here previously, and he recognized one of the kids in the back that totally made his day. Then, Ed pointed out another girl and sang Last Kiss to her, and all I can say was that it probably made the rest of her life with the blazing smile she had on her face. And Ed, if you ever read this - that was a great thing you did for both of those kids, I'm sure it meant a lot more than you or I will ever know.

Afterwards, Sheryl Crow, Neil Young and the closing finale was great, but for me P.J. could have easily been considered the closing act. I guess this is the last appearance of the 90's for you guys and I hope there will be lots to come in the 21st Century. Wow, gives me chills just thinking about it. Take care all the fans, support staff for the band, and of course, Jeff, Stone, Mike, Matt, and Ed - thanks for the music.

HugePearlJmFan@aol.com:
I got to the Shoreline Amphitheatre at 12:00 P.M. because I had a general admission spot up in the lawn. I went with my dad and sister. We got a place to watch from an angle. I was overwhelmed with all the Pearl Jam t-shirts I had seen! I hadn't seen a Pearl Jam shirt on somebody else other than me since my Disneyland trip back in July when some old dude was wearing the "Music for Rhinos" shirt.

The concert itself opened up with some speeches but the music started with Neil Young. I am not too familiar with his stuff but I really enjoyed what he was doing. Eventually the Who came out and they were better than I thought they would be! I could see Eddie off to the side of the stage enjoying their performance. Eddie also showed up when Brian Wilson was "ripping the roof off this place" on "Surfin' USA". That Wilson guy was hilarious!

After what seemed like forever, Pearl Jam finally came on. Mike and Stone were into the Halloween spirit with Mike and his space-type mask and Stone with a dragon hat on that resembled that Spyro, a video game character. They opened with a new song that was really cool. Mike was doing good guitar work on that. Then they did Daughter and that was awesome and so was Wishlist. They did really good work on Better Man and Eddie dedicated Off He Goes to Keith Moon of the Who. Next they did Black and that was cool. The best song they did though that night was Last Kiss, the last song they did. Eddie, before beginning the song, introduced the crowd to Al who was in the back. He was one of the students on the stage. He was really excited and I don't blame him one bit. Eddie also introduced the crowd to a girl, but I couldn't really hear her name. He dedicated Last Kiss to her because it was her favorite song. It was an honest thing!

Neil Young finished out the show. He was great let me tell you! Between songs he'd take a swallow of an alchoholic beverage. He was getting the crowd into it. Eddie watched from the back with Al. After Young was done, Eddie along with Matt, Emmylou Harris, and Sheryl Crow sang a song together. It was all good that night. Then we had to drive 80 miles back home to Stockton. We got home about 1:00 and I woke up for school about 4 and a half hours later. It was great though and that should be about it. Later.