Set List: Of The Girl, Breakerfall, Corduroy, MFC, Once, Animal, Gods' Dice, Given To Fly, Evacuation, Pilate, Daughter/(WMA), Even Flow, Wishlist, Timeless Melody, Off He Goes, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Nothingman, Leatherman, Porch;
1st enc: Last Exit, Do The Evolution, Black, Crazy Mary, I Got Shit, Last Kiss, Baba O'Riley;
2nd enc: Yellow Ledbetter

Photo credit: David Harris

I get to the show at 6 pm right when the gates open to avoid traffic. My friends and I mill about for about half an hour, and I buy myself 2 shirts and a poster. SY comes on right at 7:30 and plays a killer set of all the songs I wanted to hear (Teenage Riot, Kool Thing, Bull In The Heather) and some new stuff. First great moment of the night: I get one of Mr. Lee Renaldo's guitar picks!

And then..... Pearl Jam!!!!! An odd choice to start off w/ "Of the Girl." I thought for sure they would come out rocking. It was just the calm before the storm. They rip into "Breakerfall" then into "Corduroy," "MFC," and "Once." The band was on fire. I was right underneath Mike the (mere feet away!) and he was blazing on all his guitars (especially the ratty beat up one, his favorite I'm assuming). "Given to Fly" sounds as pretty as it ever does, but w/o the cloud scene backdrop of the last tour. "Pilate" was a surprise... and I got Jeff singing back up right in front of me. Eddie announces it as the wrong song, he said something about a 12 foot eagle off the coast of Florida. He meant to intro "Even Flow" which was still 2 songs away. The whole evening was such a rush, I can't remember the order in which events occurred.

Eddie lights the cork of his wine bottle and then uses the cork to black out under his eyes during one of the songs. "Wishlist" is done real nice, mirrorball and all. And we got all 3 of the MAN songs: Better Man, Nothingman, and Leatherman (quick note: Eddie and my friend Chad "share a moment," if I may quote Chasing Amy's Jason Lee). Eddie gives my boy Chad the "OK" sign during "Leatherman" because he knew all the words. The first set ends w/ a blazing version of "Porch." The crowd is absolutely nuts now and mere moments later, the boys reappear. "Last Exit," "DTE," and "Black" set the way for the covers. "Crazy Mary" (which I was hoping for) and Eddie prefacing "Last Kiss" by saying "This is a singalong.. pretend there's a big campfire...pretend no ones dead." EVERYONE is singing along.

Second GREAT moment of the night: BABA O' F*CKIN RILEY!!!! I have wanted to hear this song live soooo bad. Eddie brings out the tambourine and rocks it Roger Daltrey style (sans the mic cord swing). During the "Don't cry... " part, EVERYONE is singing along. Simply put, the musical highlight of the night. Second encore is Yellow Ledbetter, the seminal PJ show closer. Mike goes nuts on the solo at the end, playing for about 5 minutes by himself w/ the other guys just watching him. Third Great Moment of the Night: Everyone I went w/ got a Pick. Me and my boys up front all got a Mike pick and my friend somehow got one of Stone's picks thrown quite a distance considering she was in the 20th row.

Only downer... Didn't get "Grievance," "Insignificance," or "Thin Air." Oh well... 3 more reasons to see PJ again next time!

IHPEBBLES@aol.com:

Photo credit: Ilene Hechtman

This was my 6th PJ show and I was so happy and lucky to be first row. Or need I say how lucky I was to throw Eddie a lighter to use on a cork bottle during "Porch." He went behind stage and came back out with a lit cigarette. He threw me back the lighter and his cigarette to finish! I took it willingly and danced like a maniac to the first encore of "Last Exit," "DTE," "Black," "Crazy Mary," etc. The entire place was on it's feet during "Baba O'Riley." It was introduced as a song we can all sing around the campfire. Mike was playing awesome as usual and had a very intense solo at the end of "Yellow Ledbetter." Eddie introduced "Pilate" but the rest of the band decided to play "Even Flow" instead. This was an awesome show and I can't wait until Tampa!!!!

Ilene
Ft Lauderdale, Florida