Set List:Of The Girl, Hail Hail, Breakerfall, Whipping, Corduroy, Animal, Small Town, Dissident, Given To Fly, Faithfull, Even Flow, Untitled, MFC, Light Years, Off He Goes, Insignificance, Black, Jeremy, Porch/(It's OK);
encore: Wishlist, State of Love and Trust, Go, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Daughter/(Wrong Child), Smile, Rearviewmirror

I'll never forget a moment of that concert!!!! I was relieved to find that the lawn section was much closer to the stage than I expected. Supergrass started very good, much better than I thought. But when Pearl Jam came out, everyone went crazy! They started off with "Of The Girl," which is now one of my favorite songs after hearing it live! It seemed that I gained a new liking for Binaural. Then they became a little more energetic and went into "Hail, Hail." Just after, Eddie made the hilarious comment "Welcome to the Ice Bowl." [mp3, right click, save as] It was definitely true. Alpine Valley is outdoors and it was very very cold!!! Then he said that if anyone ever got the bootleg to it, to go in a freezer in a restaurant to know how cold it was, or if they happened to live in Antarctica, just open the screen door. He then jokingly dedicated the next song, "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town," to anyone who lives in Antarctica.

Every song that I would have wanted them to play, they did. It seemed that I forgot all about the cold when they started playing!! I think everyone was very surprised to hear "Jeremy," and Everyone went crazy for "Animal," "Even Flow," and "Go." After a string of slower songs, they broke into Breakerfall which Eddie thought might warm everyone up. When they came out for the encore, Eddie put a sign at the front of the stage that read "Let Nader Debate." During the encore they played "Better Man" and "Daughter" right in a row! They soon after ended with "Rearviewmirror." There were also many guitar and drum solos in the middle some of the songs which were absolutely amazing!!! Although I had been told previous to the show that I was in for a great show, and a big surprise, I could have in no way been prepared for that!!! Thanks so much Matt, Mike, Jeff, Stone, and Eddie!!! The music has changed my life!!!

Nathan J. Bayer (nathan.bayer@milwlaw.com):

Wow..... it was cold.......

I've been to quite a few open air concerts over the years, but nothing quite as cold as what I experienced at Alpine Valley last night. The temperature hovered around freezing late in the afternoon, but at least the wind died down before show time, thankfully. In spite of the temperature, the band put on one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Perhaps fueled by the energy of the huge crowd that turned out in such terrible conditions, or more likely to just keep warm, the band was energetic and bounded around the stage. Mike McCready was in especially good form, and Matt Cameron pounded on the drums like the music was stuck inside them, waiting to be beat out.

An early set treat was "Whipping," with the band furious and tight. "Ten" anthems were trotted out, including a now rare Jeremy, and also Even Flow, Black, and a scorched earth Porch, a personal favorite. While the band has been playing these songs for years, however, they were each infused with a new energy, and included a new guitar signature here or there. I have heard Even Flow four times now, and can say it has never been the same way twice. The REM classic The "Wrong Child" was an aptly fitting tag for Daughter, and felt very appropriate for the song.

I wouldn't have changed anything about the set list, but there were some curious selections. Perhaps for the first time ever (as far as I know) they closed with Rearviewmirror. Also absent was Rockin in the Free World, Last Kiss, and the perennial set list closer Yellow Ledbetter (and no covers). They also did only one encore, when the almost always do two. However, I don't blame the band for this, since the first encore was incredibly long, and they still played for about two hours and ten minutes. Their fingers were probably freezing to their guitars.

The other thing that struck me about the show was the camaraderie. I met some great people in the parking lot and waiting in line, and I didn't see any pushing or shoving or any fights of any kind. Everyone was brought together by the music to share a great live experience. And that's what its all about, isn't it?

Take care all. See you in Chicago Monday nite. (Perhaps a "Baba O' Riely" performance? Please!)

Nathan J. Bayer
nathan.bayer@milwlaw.com