Set Lists to be confirmed: Ed solo: Throw Your Arms Around Me, Trouble, Last Kiss
Ed with C Average: Watch Outside, Driven To Tears, Got The Time (Joe Jackson), Running Out Of Time, Diamonds In The Rough, Love/Building On Fire, Corduroy (punked version), Naked Eye, I Am A Patriot, Soldier of Love, I Can't Explain, That Feel (Tom Waits)

Second Show: Ed solo: Long Road, Bobbie Jean (Bruce Springsteen), So Sad About Us (The Who)
Ed with C Average: Love/Building On Fire, Driven To Tears, Watch Outside, Running Out Of Time, Diamonds In The Rough, Naked Eye, Got The Time, Corduroy (fast version), The Good's Gone (The Who), Ship Song (Nick Cave), I Am A Patriot; Encore: Tattoo (The Who), Against The 70's (Mike Watt), I Can't Explain, Last Kiss

Laura (longbourne@aol.com):
This review is dedicated to my friend KJ, because she's the one who told me about the show--I would never have known about it otherwise.

Second show:
On Saturday, June 26, I came home from running errands about 1:30 in the afternoon. There's a message on my voicemail from KJ, telling me about 2 shows that night in Encinitas. I call back and learn that Ed is playing with C-Average at 8 and 11. She had been at the Palladium show the night before and found out about it from friends of hers, not sure how they knew. KJ couldn't go but wanted to be sure I knew, since I live in San Diego. I admit that I hesitated for a few moments before deciding to get tix. I don't know why, I think I was just overwhelmed by the idea and didn't think it was worth trying because stuff like this never happens to me. But I thank her for the info, call the La Paloma to get details, and head out the door at 2. Tickets go on sale at 2:30 and it takes about a half hour to get to Encinitas from my apartment. During that drive it dawns on me just how much I want tickets for this show and how I would never have forgiven myself if I didn't at least try. I panic briefly looking for a parking space, hit a car's rear bumper guard (left a note, never got called), find a space, get in line. Just after 3, I have 2 tickets for the 11 pm show. I read later that both shows sold out by 4:15, would have taken less time but the lines moved really slowly--only 2 or 3 people were allowed up to the ticket booth at a time. Some kids behind me needed one more ticket for 8 pm, so they gave me 10 bucks for that as well. Put the tix in my jeans, drive home, because I have plans to see the Padres that night with people from work. Have barely enough time to make a couple phone calls, can't find anyone to go with to the show but that's OK, I ended up selling the spare at face value.

My plan was to leave the baseball game early. As it turned out, we all left early but that's another story : ). I drive back up to Encinitas and get in line. The show is called for 11 but we aren't allowed in till a few minutes past. I go to the concessions, buy a bottle of water I never touch, and then go inside and grab a nice seat on the right hand side, about 1/3 to 1/2 up the aisle. Seats fill up beside me, I chat with my rowmates for a bit. Beautiful old theater, built in 1928, I can understand why Eddie has wanted to play there before. I don't think there is one bad seat in the place.

At 11:45, Ed comes on stage alone. Everyone rises to their feet, some people walk down to the space between front row and the stage. He opens the show with a gorgeous rendition of Long Road. I've been to concerts where that's been the first song, but I don't think I've ever heard a better version. The song seemed to take on extra meaning because it was written (to my understanding) after the death of the drama teacher Ed had when he went to high school in Encinitas. Wonder if any of the man's family was in the audience. During the first 3 songs--all solo--Ed has on this wonderful wine/white striped jacket, fitted, buttoned up. After that, a short-sleeved beige buttoned shirt and a brown t-shirt, just the t-shirt at the end. And I have to say, the blond hair looked very nice : ). Much better than in the photos I'd seen.

After Long Road, and a song by Springsteen and the Who (the first of 5 Who songs, I think Ed knows more of them than Pete Townshend LOL), C-Average was introduced. Started with an intense version of Love/Building on Fire by the Talking Heads. The main set lasted about an hour, highlighted by incredible and punky renditions of Corduroy, Driven to Tears and Patriot. It was like seeing a very talented garage band do their favorite covers, the lead singer and guitarist just happened to be Eddie Vedder. Just 3 guys rocking out and having a great time (toward the end of the show, C-Average thanked Ed for letting them be a part of things the previous 2 weeks). To be honest, I only recognized about half the songs he and C-Average played, found out what the others were when I got home that night. And I have to admit my metalhead roots. When they played Got The Time, I didn't associate the song with Joe Jackson, but with Anthrax's cover, which the trio's version was very reminiscent of.

After "Patriot," Ed and John and Brad leave the stage but of course no one moves. They return for a 4-song encore. Working from memory here, but I'm pretty sure it was Tattoo, Against the 70s, I Can't Explain (John of C-Average taking lead, Ed doing backup, wonderful version of the song, Ed just kicking back and drinking a Heineken and singing) and ending with Last Kiss. The show ended at 1:05, 80 minutes of music that I'd have gladly paid more than $10 for. He and C-Average hold hands and bow twice for us, then depart. I drove home in a dreamlike state, the experience was so surreal and remains so even today. This show really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I'm so grateful it worked out.

But what was almost as good as the music was the vibe of the show. Just a warm, fun feeling. Everyone there was friendly, I think because we all knew how special this was. Most of the people I talked to got tickets because they happened to be driving down Highway 101 at the right time. Others, like myself and the guy in front of me in line whose friend's mom is friend's with Eddie's mom, were tipped off. It's a miracle this show stayed under wraps until the last minute, the San Diego Reader reported that the guy in charge of La Paloma knew that Monday but he kept it a secret. This must have been what it was like for the people in Rome who were at the Goa Club show. I have an incomplete tape of the Goa Club show, the quality is spotty in parts, but it's one of my favorite concerts to listen to because you can hear how much Ed loves to sing these covers.

I don't remember exactly what Eddie said, but he was in a great mood during the show. A couple of people he had to tell to settle down--"We're all friends here, let's take care of each other,"--but otherwise there seemed to be a lot of mutual appreciation. I think this is the most respectful audience I've ever seen at a show and I really liked that--we were all enjoying the songs, dancing, but not getting wild and preventing others from having a good time. Ed didn't give any long speeches, just bantered with the audience, reminiscing about growing up and going to the theater when he was 10 and telling us how there used to be beds along the walls and people would bring pillows and comforters. He told us how he always thought it would be a great place to see a show and that he had wanted to play there before but things hadn't worked out. "Now I still don't know what it's like to see a show here, but I hope you enjoyed it."

I think I can say that I and the other 389 people there--and the 390 people who were at the 8 pm show (and got to hear Throw Your Arms Around Me and Soldier of Love, which must have been wonderful)--can say that yeah, we did : ).