Pete Townshend with Ed & CBS Orchestra
Set List: Heart To Hang Onto, Magic Bus (not televised)

It was a waking dream, come to fruition, with seeds planted in the brain by Jimmy..alias Danger Boy of the Raleigh Durham Airwaves. And I was soon to wave at Eddie again, on behalf of many of my friends who love him, the soul of Pearl Jam and very much so. ...for Jimmy who loves Ed....A waking dream come true it was, since I am now sitting down and remembering it. Accounting for those precious moments, to share with you. A dream visualized just one week ago....how I would get there to carry it out... to reach out to a certain Heart....An Eddie Vedder heart, although he may be weary from the burden of all of those opportune moments.

Meeting up with Sam who had some confirmed information from an insider source, I learned that Eddie would join Pete Townsend after Letterman at the Supper Club. I also learned that we would not be so fortunate as to attend. No matter, just being close by and seeing them perform on Letterman, as a participant in the audience, would be more than fulfilling.

Needless to say, we got into The Late Show audience and were lead inside to wait in a line before being seated. Sam was overjoyed to be there and was a the best of company. We talked with other fans in line about bootlegs, the other guests who would be talking with Dave, Samuel L. Jackson and Rita, whose last name I have forgotten, sorry Rita. She is Tom Hanks wife, that I remember. Anyway. Sound checks had begun and we hear Eddie singing and guitar playing.....Pete singing? We couldn't see and were not to leave our positions. ....but something came over Sam and he got out of the line and walked up to one of the doors and opened it...letting the sound out to us in the lobby. He almost got kicked out as the usher came up and motioned him away from the door saying.."That is very fauxpah (sp:)" I was just glad Sam composed himself and got back in line and wasn't escorted out!!

At 5:00pm, we were finally lead into our seats and if there was any reason to be disappointed it was that we were put up in the balcony....and later on we would really be ready to shed tears when we would see how obscured our view of Eddie's performance would be by the lighting that was suspended from the lip of the balcony.

It was great to see Dave again. And I loved his segments and the live feel of the show. The whole TV studio scene was a familiar one for me, however, I was not very interested in the guests other than Eddie and Pete. The best was saved for last. And despite that we could not really watch them live, we had monitors to watch them from our 'bad' seats. The performance was superb and extremely touching.

After at least four segments with guests and Dave's funny skits, the break finally arrived when Ed came out, blonde hair flowing wearing his olive green jacket. He was wise to bring it as it was very cold in the studio. He looked very calm and ready to get down to business. Pete followed, armed with his guitar. Paul Shaffer was set up at a separate keyboard that they added to the set in front of the Late Show Orchestra set. He had sheet music spread across the top of his electric piano so he could accompany them. Such a pure musician is Paul Shaffer. He can play ANYTHING!!! And he rocks and jams with the most talented pop and rock musicians....

I should never complain about anything I experienced at this venue, so I will just tell you that, at that moment when we saw Ed take his place on the far stage right, we knew we'd not be able to watch him live unless we really stretched our necks and pushed our heads out into other people's view. The ushers watched Sam and I, probably anticipating that we might stand up or something and that was a NO NO....I was sure tempted, since the year before, I was in the eighth row back with no obstructions and a perfect view of Ed, Stone, Mike and Jeff. I couldn't see Matt as well since he was behind Eddie.

They performed Heart to Hang On To, from Pete Townsend and Ronny Lane's Rough Mix and hearing this was the one of the sweetest performances I have ever heard Eddie do as a singer. His voice was just suspended in tremulous tenderness as he dueted with Pete's very sweet voice. Giving and affecting the love that perhaps the song was meant to project to the kids being helped at Pete Townsend's Maryville cause. Pete joined him with his guitar and lyrics. I can't give as much detail about Pete for I was enthralled by Ed's performance. I really noticed how blissed out Eddie seemed to be, being on stage with a man who he holds in such high regard and who was obviously a man who had become a dear friend and even a father figure to Ed. So kind of Pete to let Ed into his personal life, as not many of us could earn such a great fortune as to have our love for someone we idolized and looked up to as a kid and then earned our place in their hearts as an adult, because of a common karmic role in the scope of things in general. I hope Ed doesn't mind my sharing that perspective on his relationship with Pete.

Since television is so timed to the precise moment, the break was cued at the end of 'Heart To Hang On To,' for the folks watching at home. But the concert went on for us in the audience. Pete Townsend segued into 'Magic Bus,' with Eddie accompanying and with the back up expertise of the Late Show Orchestra.

We were all jamming to the music, though I must admit, I would prefer to have heard more Eddie Vedder music. Though I fully realize this was a Pete Townsend gig as the focus. And it was pure joy, I'm sure for Eddie. A dream come true for Eddie. He truly did a most loving rendition of Pete's music. Again...what a spectacular voice Eddie has with the a unique and delicate capacity on the opposite spectrum of his regular Pearl Jam work.

The show ended after Magic Bus. We watched Dave take off his jacket after shaking hands with Pete and Eddie and cueing credits to roll. The show was great. I haven't had time to watch it yet on my VCR since, I had to fly home on a delayed flight that night from LaGuardia. I didn't get to see them at the Supper Club, though I went right up to the Q104 van and asked for a pass to get in. They smiled and said, sorry only certain Media have been invited and winners of their contests. There was a big line down the 47th street entrance to the club with police hanging around to direct traffic. We had jogged from Letterman on 53rd and Broadway down to the Supper Club hoping to see them arrive there. Knowing I wouldn't get in and it was 6:45p, giving only an hour to get to my plane, I bid my fond farewell to Sam, my blue eyed Pearl Jam Letterman buddy and I ran all the way back to the Late Show and noticed no one had even left yet as Eddie's limo was still waiting and the fans were thick outside the door WAITING for their next New York Minute with Eddie.....or Pete......I kept jogging one more block down Broadway and down 55th a few more blocks....to my car. Maybe I'd make the 8:10pm flight back to Raleigh Durham.

I love driving in New York City, as fantasies of cab driving haunted my thoughts....but I made my flight back to RDU with plenty of time to spare as it was delayed in arriving on the runway and for take off later in a traffic jam.....until midnight......Whew....what a day.. Love that Eddie Veda!!!!!. The worst of it...bad seats in the theater...and air traffic control delays....but who am I to complain........at least I was jamming in first class!!!!!