Ed solo before opening band: I Am A Patriot, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Ed with Betchadupa: History Never Repeats
Set List: Can't Keep, Save You, Hail Hail, Corduroy, Grievance, Ghost, Cropduster, Dissident, Given To Fly, Even Flow, I Am Mine, Love Boat Captain, Wishlist, Thumbing My Way, Better Man, Lukin, Insignificance, Rearviewmirror;
1st encore: Bushleaguer, Daughter/(War by Edwin Starr), Black, Do The Evolution, Alive;
2nd encore: The Kids Are Alright by the Who, Yellow Ledbetter

OK, having had the weekend to reflect on an amazing live performance that hopefully we shared with all PJ fans around Aus (did they webcast?), there are some highlights that you had to be in the building to see! Firstly, everyone will have to agree that it was an amazing show, they always manage to ROCK extra hard for radio broadcasts. The 12,000 strong crowd was hyped and in a complete frenzy (or was that just me and my girlfriend!) for a special Valentine's Day performance. I got into PJ listening to their Atlanta '94 boot, and they still have the intensity (if not more) of that era (with less stage-diving and moshing from Ed, though :-P). Biggest coincidence of the night, my friends who we met before the show, and arranged to meet outside again later, ended up sitting one row and a couple of seats away, what a fluke!

Unfortunately we didn't arrive early enough to see Ed's solo (and I've been dying to hear Patriot!). I hope (but doubt) it'll be on the bootleg.

Mike McCready was absolutely ON tonight from the start, with blistering solos on Corduroy (the waiting drove us mad!) and Grievance, PJ went for 5 songs without pausing for breath, seamless transitions between Can't Keep and Save You. Mike was bouncing all over the place, waving to the crowd, throwing picks, star-jumping, leaping off amps, and even having time for a chat with Stone mid-song. I just love the way he jumps on his effects pedal and goes off into some kinda Hendrix trance.

Finally Ed spoke to us, telling us we'd be broadcast live (finally, it's me who gets to be at the performance, not listening on the radio!!!) and listed a whole heap of swear words he couldn't say on the air! He also gave a special mention to all the wives and girlfriends of the "Touring Band" for Valentine's Day. Then into new songs Ghost and Cropduster, with back-up vocals by the whole crowd. I've never been to a concert where crowd interaction has become an integral part of the music, and vice versa. Here's one we haven't done in a while...Dissident...Mike's wailing guitar opening, a personal highlight of a song I'd heard live so long ago, and never thought I'd see in the flesh - and didn't that set the crowd on fire! This song set the theme for the night - Ed and the band really pushing for peace and global understanding, and being outspoken about it. GTF was very melodic, a gentle song to lead into Even Flow. WOW! Have heard this song a million times, but this takes us back to the roots of rocking PJ, and the crowd was really into it. Spotlight on Mike for his solo, complete genius, that man is talented! There aren't enough superlatives to describe his countless, mind-blowing solos tonight. Band were really into it, big star-jumps from Ed, Mike and Jeff at the end of the song, and they threw their picks away in unison (how I wish I was front-row!)

Another pause, Ed introduced the band members, starting with Mike (who had the band in awe with his last solo) and ending with their newest member - Boom. Huge cheers as we knew this would lead into I Am Mine and LBC. "All you need, is love...love" was the perfect line for Valentine's Day, thanks Ed. I was really looking forward to hearing LBC, my favourite ballad off Riot Act, a gorgeous song, powerful, and so much meaning to the band and the fans. Ed changed the lyrics slightly, and we'll have to check to bootleg to pick it up. Wishlist was fantastic, shimmering mirror ball and nice solo from Ed using his slide thingy. Thumbing my way slowed it down for us, leading into Better Man. Great to hear a real band play it, not some drunk pub band who stuff the lyrics and riff, and never play a solo! Great crowd participation once again, Ed let us sing the opening verse, and we were so loud we forgot that he wasn't singing until we (barely ;-P) heard him join in - it's indescribable to be part of this song, and I will cherish that bootleg! Tempo was raised again with some Lukin, crowd expecting Not 4 U next, but were not at all disappointed with Insignificance. Great to hear my two highlights from Binaural. Last song before encore, another highlight, RVM. Having seen the passionate version on SNL '94 (days after Kurt's death) it feels like I've been waiting half my life to see this song! Ed rips into it, and Mike follows through with a massive solo, strobes closing off one of PJ's best live songs (and one their best live versions!). I'll have to check the bootleg, but at one stage all the lights were out and Mike was getting awesome feedback from the speakers, making those whale noises. I was beside myself at this moment - how can they give us an encore that topped their opening set?

The cynical Bu$hleaguer was a perfect song to begin with, Ed wearing the Dubya mask and Gold jacket, doing his best Pennypacker imitation, and throwing in some moonwalking too. Ed's charisma, and suave sophistication really shone through. This set the scene for some soap-boxing by Ed (a regular at Peace rallies and Ralph Nader rallies) who is genuinely concerned by the lack of representation (and the lack of understanding, compassion and massive public opinion) of the US, UK and Aussie governments. He told us to get out in numbers and protest (and didn't we?!) at Hyde Park on Sunday (turned out to be Australia's biggest peace rally, thanks to Bob Brown, John Pilger et al. for their inspirational speeches!). "The shades go down" led into the "War" tag, the crowd screaming "absolutely nothing!" at the top of our lungs - we're the vocal majority, not the silent minority - Howard, Blair, Bush I ask you this, has anyone ever protested in favour of war? EVER?? Actually, Nazi Germany were pretty keen for war, what a scary parallel.

After all that political activism, we took a trip back in time...Black. All the couples in the crowd embraced, dancing cheek-to-cheek from the opening chords. The flickering of our lighter's, combined with Ed's singing brought tears to the eye and lumps in the throat, in their most moving song of the evening, capped off by the most brilliant McCready solo, ending the song playing his guitar behind his head in homage to the only real God - Hendrix - with the crowd "dododododododoooooo"ing as the band watched him. Do the Evolution followed, nice solo from Stone, and great back-up vocs from the crowd "hallelujah!". The band then did something truly amazing, changing the set list, "doing something a bit different": cue Stone with the opening chords to Alive. With a massive roar, this really brought the crowd "alive," no one expected to hear it tonight, funnily enough a rarity at live gigs these days. Hearing this song live really cemented PJ's synergy, they love what they do, and are so privileged to share that with so many fans across the world.

Second encore break, and people are leaving! Oh well, it's their loss, as Ed comes out to a huge roar, smoking a ciggie and drinking his wine, talking about his friend PT (Pete Townshend!) and all the bad press he's gotten for fighting pedophilia and child abuse, and his bogus arrest for accessing child porn. For those "who" aren't aware, PT was abused as a child and has been his life-long pursuit to bring abusers to justice - hello, did the cops ever listen to "Tommy"??! Ed even gives us a reminder of the "windmill" that Ed, Jeff, and Mike were all doing throughout the night. A great solo version (best I've heard from all the bootlegs) of Kids are Alright, a few "Who" fans (myself included) yelled the "going out of my fucking mind" line. And to close, Yellow Ledbetter, house lights on, the whole band stopped to watch one final McCready solo. Ja Bless! Thank you PJ for the best Valentine's Day present ever, and extra thanks to Leils for sharing that night with me, making it the most special night ever!

Alex Flood