Set List: Last Kiss (Ed solo before the Monkeywrench), Sometimes, Grievance, Corduroy, Hail Hail, Animal, Dissident, Nothing As It Seems, In Hiding, Even Flow, Thin Air, Habit, Untitled, MFC, Off He Goes, Daughter/(I'm a Boy), Not For You, State of Love and Trust, Immortality, Rearviewmirror;
Encore: Light Years, Do The Evolution, Last Exit, Small Town, Black, Alive

John Mulkern (mulkern@hotmail.com):

SOMETIMES......................................

It has been an amazing few days in London. The weather was cold, "everything" was expensive, but this time something was different. Pearl Jam was in town and despite anything cold or expensive, there was a positive force all over the city - as the "boys" were in town and I was here to see them!

After an incredible first show that left the blood in my veins aching for more PJ, I felt that the second show was going to hold something more than special.....and I was right!

The opener was "Sometimes," a call that I made early in the day as there was no appearence of "No Code" the previous night. This song fit perfectly for the London setting and I could barely hold my thoughts of the set to follow:

The entire set flowed and I was privy to "Dissident," "Habit," a killer "Untitled/MFC,".......then one of my favorites, "Off He Goes"......'said I'll see him on the flip side' - with the crowd singing every note with Eddie. Next up was Daughter/I'm a Boy. Daughter brought everyone in the house to their feet and kept us standing for the remaining of the the show, but the boys were just warming up....but what next?????: NOT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,...... the crowd was grooving and there was no turning back ......and as always, a trance-like ending that left Eddie crouched on his knees on the stage playing his Fender Strat. Then the crowd went mad when the first notes of State of Love and Trust echoed through the arena. But they didn't stop there, Immortality was next up to bat with Eddie forgetting lyrics - (something that leads me to believe is slowly becoming part of the song as he has missed the lyrics many times on this number)........but there is no complaints here as this is Pearl Jam, man!!!!!..............'saw things clearer, in my rearview mirror', ending the set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The encore was Light Years, Evolution, Last Exit, Elderly Woman!!!!!! and the first closing song of the tour that was not Yellow Led Better - ALIVE!!!!!!.......Eddie said at the beginning of the show that they were going to do a little things different and he saved the best for last. We all could have kept going, including Eddie who stayed on the stage longer and kept thanking the crowd and repeatedly returning to the mic to say more - with Eddie finally expressing what words cannot describe the energy that was present at the moment by waving his hand as if to say ".....I wish we had all night.......save it for later!!!!!!"

Thanks to all my good friends who made the trip here to England or are living here: Gabe from Buffalo, Lianna from New Zealand, Paul, Caryl, Damion, Tarnia and the little nipper from Southhampton England.

Thanks to all my new friends: Allen from Denmark (few minutes later and we would have sat together), Oscar the mad man of Pearl Jam from Boston- enjoy the rest of the Eurpean dates bro..........and to all my PJ friends that could not make the trip, Jim White, Hooch-man, jokerjg and Joe.....I was thinking of you!!!

I'm on to the USA coming from Sri Lanka taking a well needed dose of PJ in London.......Off He Goes.......I'll see you all on the flip side........but SOMETIMES I wish we were all here and there to witness the PJ, together!!!!!!.......but the summer is nearing and PJ will be in the USA for all of us to see!!!!!!

Bharat (bmoney1021@aol.com):
It was great having the opportunity to see PJ in London. Both shows were amazing. I had reserved seating for both shows (of to the side but near the front - great view)

The second night definitely seemed to have a lot more energy from the crowd and the band put on one of the best shows ever. You know you are in for a treat when you see Eddie come out and sing Last Kiss to warm up the crowd before the show. It brought back memories of the second night Boston show I attended in 1998.

Hearing them open with Sometimes put a smile on my face (as I think No Code is their best album). Grievance was incredible, it really fires you up and hearing it live rules! It was nice to hear Dissident and In Hiding. I thought the album versions for both these songs were better but it was nice to hear them live as well. In Thin Air was nice to hear and I loved the part towards the end of the song, right after "taking on...on...on." It was definitely a strong good version of Habit, with Jeff and Ed having an incredible amout of energy. Untitled was a great song and segway into MFC and Off He Goes (which ruled). Ed was amazing singing the end of Daughter/ I'm a boy. It was cool to hear State of Love and Trust. Immortality was a nice suprise (it was played great - Matt was amazing in the end - the entire band stared at him towards the end of the song and recognizing him for his talent). It was nice to see as this was a consistent theme during both shows as Ed and Stone did the same for Mike during the end of 'Black' .

Rearviewmirror ruled and hearing it live was amazing as the band is really into it. Hearing Light Years was beautiful as I think its one of the best songs on Binaural. Elderly Woman was a nice suprise and also beautiful to listen to. Black was as always unforgetful (one of my favorite songs ever) and Alive was a perfect song to close to.

So what an incredible night in London, actually both shows were amazing. I can't wait to see them again in the US. Thanks.