Set List: Sometimes, Breakerfall, Corduroy, Gods' Dice, Do The Evolution, Red Mosquito, Wishlist, Small Town, Untitled, MFC, Given To Fly, Daughter/(The Wrong Child/Androgynous Mind), Even Flow, Present Tense, Animal, Once, Of The Girl, Better Man, Insignificance, Rearviewmirror;
1st encore: Last Exit, Go, Jeremy, Smile, Leatherman, Soldier of Love, Porch
2nd encore: Yellow Ledbetter

I was on my journey to the AmSouth Ampitheatre to see my 3rd Pearl Jam show, (I saw them twice during the Yield tour). The roads were congested, but my friend Dave and I made it to the venue around 5:30pm. We parked right by the fan club ticket office. I knew my seats weren't going to be in the first few rows, due to my new Ten Club status. But I was very happy with 9 rows back (Thanks Ten Club).

In no time, Sonic Youth came out and played a very good set. I wasn't surprised, but I didn't think I'd enjoy as much as I did. After that, The crew began to get the stage ready and before long PJ made their way out. Ed went to the mic, then grabbed a guitar, so I knew it wasn't going to be Long Road or Release (the 2 ones at the other shows I made). Instead, it was a delightful surprise, "Sometimes" hit the loud speaker and sounded great. They then went into "Breakerfall," which flat out rocks. "Corduroy" came next, and all of Nashville started feeling that this was going to be an amazing show. Continuing the rocking, "God's Dice," a surprise for me, came next. It sounded like Ed was forgetting the words, and was singing some Red Mosquito lyrics instead. Mike was having a great night with the Ten Club fans at this time. He was posing for pictures, and throwing out tons of guitar picks. "Do the Evolution" was another loud rock song, that sounded even better than it did on the Yield tour.

Ed then started talking to the crowd "Hello Tennessee, if it was 3 degrees hotter, you'd think it was hell, well, at least it's not Arkansas." Then the best song of the night "Red Mosquito" hit the speakers, a surprise for me and something I really wanted to hear. Fans started the "Eddie Eddie" chant, a smiling Ed said "Don't piss me off," the chant stopped immediately. Then came "Wishlist," and the mirror ball came down with it. I think this is a song that should make every setlist. "Elderly Woman," The Untitled Improv, then "MFC" came quickly. A fan favorite "Given to Fly" was next and sounded great. "Daughter" was just on fire tonite, and I didn't know the tags. But I did find out it was Wrong Child & Androgynous Mind. Then the biggest and loudest rocker of the night "Even Flow" was next. Mike was absolutely kicking ass on the guitar in this one. Once he gets in that spotlight, he is just amazing. Then Eddie dedicated the next song to someone, and was absolutely the biggest surprise for me. "Present Tense" with Mike and Ed playing the first part by themselves, and a great transition when the other band members joined in. PJ started rocking again with "Animal" and "Once." Then a great jam song was "Of the Girl." "Better Man" was next, followed by an all out "Insignificance." To end the first set, they played an amazing "Rearviewmirror" with an extended outro.

It took about 5-10 minutes, but the band came back, as Ed jumped off a speaker onto the stage. He said "We're halfway" as he smiled, then shook his head to tell us he was kidding. "Last Exit" came followed by "Go." A great version of "Jeremy" was then played. And right after that Ed said how he visited the West Memphis 3, and how his mind was still in prison. He saw a guy on crutches and decided to bring him up on stage. He said he was "Andy, from Cookeville." The crowd started chanting "Eddie Eddie" or "Andy Andy," whatever it was, Ed said "Yeah, Andy Andy" and did it with them. Ed pulled out his harmonica, so I knew it was "Smile," but Jeff still had the his bass, and Stone was still with his guitar. They all looked confused, but Ed told them to switch and they did so. Ed told Andy to help sing because his throat was hurting. Ed said "say 1-2-3-4" but Andy wasn't doing it right, so Jeff and Stone made us think he wasn't. On Andy's second attempt at it, Jeff made some awful noise come thru the guitar. And he started smiling and laughing. So Ed said "let me help...1-2-3-4" and that got Jeff to get it right. Ed kind of smirked when he heard Andy's voice, but the duet was still neat to see.

"Leatherman" was a nice song to hear live, a good surprise for me as well. The cover "Soldier of Love" then came followed by a kick ass version of "Porch" with Ed just leaning on the right side of the stage, watching Mike do his thing under the spotlight. And that finished the second set. But in less than a minute, they were back out taking requests. The fans were yelling "Yellow Ledbetter" and Ed must have heard it. So it came as the finale, and it was a great version. At the end, all of the band finished up except Mike, who was just wailing away. Stone was smiling at him, probably in amazement like the rest of the crowd. Ed said "thanks and goodnight" and it was over.

The Yield tour kicked ass, but this tour just seems to be twice as good. Nashville was great, and now I get to go up to Indy to see them. Pearl Jam is definitely at the top of their game right. Thanks Pearl Jam for the great shows. And synergy, you guys also rock, thanks for all the info on the shows.

Adam Schenkel
Bloomington
pj_rocks@yahoo.com