Ed solo: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away before opening band
Set List: Long Road, Breakerfall, Corduroy, Animal, Save You, Given To Fly, Cropduster, Even Flow, Small Town, Love Boat Captain, Ghost, Whipping, Untitled/MFC, You Are, 1/2 Full, State of Love and Trust, Alive;
1st encore: Last Exit, I Am A Patriot (reworked), Better Man, Down, Glorified G, Do The Evolution;
2nd encore: Daughter, Yellow Ledbetter, Baba O'Riley

This show was absolutely fantastic from "Long Road" (which I wanted to hear a lot since seeing it in Virginia Beach in 2000) to "Baba O' Riley."

Some noteworthy moments (I thought the whole show was great, but this might be a good reference to people interested in the show):

Ed Vedder solo
1. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away -- This was a great treat! Ed knows this song hands down and had no trouble singing and playing it. It was really, really good.

Sleater Kinney-
1. These girls rocked. I liked the fact that Matt was willing to play tambourine on a song for them as well. I like the mutual efforts between these bands. I don't know too much of their material, but I'll try to pick up "Dig Me Out" at least.

Pearl Jam
1. "Animal" -- I heard this one hadn't been played live much since this tour started. Great version with Ed actively counting the fingers at the end. The band really has worked this one out very tightly.
2. "Save You" - Ed's screams at the end certainly delivered. I would be scared into, if not inspired, by the man screaming, "Help yourself!" 3. "You Are" - The lighting and atmosphere to this song is incredible. Fan club members really sang this one.
4. "1/2 Full" - Ed let us know that he did say the words before about the middle, singing "Someone said it before" and then he shrugged and mouthed "me." Also, Ed's use of reflecting the light with a mirror on the crowd, while wailing away the end no less, was very effective and cool. They are really use lights to their benefit this tour, I feel.
5. "State of Love and Trust" -- When someone threw up their cell phone towards Ed (he motioned for it beforehand), he sang a chorus to someone lucky out there in the world. He then didn't know what to do with it -- put it in his breastpocket for a while --, and then tossed it gently to the person he got it from. All of that action is such a fast song! Great!
6. "Alive" -- A great version. It had a great introduction about a friend Ed made last time they were in West Palm Beach. Apparently, this friend had cancer and was going through chemotherapy at the time of the last shows in West Palm Beach. He mentioned they had a full head of curly hair now and they were doing very well. Great performance. Mike's solo was great. I'm very happy that they've given this song a rebirth this tour. It sounds fresh.
7. "I Am A Patriot" -- I love the re-worked version that Ed and Matt did together. Ed emphasizes certain lyrics (his work with the word "freedom" is nothing short of amazing) and it sounds really didn't from the way he used to do it. I also appreciated and agreed with his arguments about what makes this country good (free speech) and that it isn't about tax cuts for the rich and Wal-Marts on every corner.
8. "Better Man" -- a tight version, but I was really happy when Ed sang, "President Bush, President Bush!! Dick Cheney!! Colin Powell!! DON'T LET US DOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWNNNNN!"
9. "Down" -- It was very well played and sounded better than the studio cut for sure. I was happy Ed does his vocals at the end (except your can hear them better live.)
10. "Glorified G" -- What can I say that won't be said? Almost six and a half years passed since this song was last played, but for a song that Ed supposedly hated, he nailed it and so did the band. Sounds like they could easily bring this one out more regularly again.
11. "Do the Evolution" -- You know, Ed talked a little politics, but it was really in the music with this song and "Glorified G" and "Patriot." Great version. I think every scream was nailed and Stone's solo was out of this world.
12. "Daughter" -- A strong performance on this song. I loved the call-and-response section with the audience. I loved Ed's funny, sensual dance moves. I loved him going down as the purple lights went down. "Dig Me Out" was a great tag too.
13. "Yellow Ledbetter" -- As always, a great song that is often used to close the show. Ed changed some lyrics and related them to the current war. This song is just so poignant. Mike McCready can definitely make me cry.
But this wasn't all...
14. "Baba O' Riley" -- A song that I've always loved on bootlegs and now I've heard it for the first time in person! Pearl Jam nails this song now! It was a fantastic version, with at least the fan club sections singing loudly at the quiet part. Thank you, Pearl Jam.

The show was very active. Ed jumped around. Mike nearly did splits on some songs. Stone was grooving. And Matt and Jeff brought the thunder! They need to get a light on Jeff though when he's doing his thing in "Save You" -- the bridge part of the song! I'm going to Tampa and I'm sure that'll be a great show, but West Palm 2003 will be tough to beat. I love how they're pulling out older songs, and I love how they're sticking true to their politics despite some bad press. I'd love to hear "Bushleaguer" and "In My Tree" sometime this tour. I guess I've got about 4 more shows to see, so here's hoping. Wish I could've gotten tickets to the House of Blues tonight, but I'm sure I'll have great shows still to see. :)

Thanks.

Traveled from Clearwater to hear the band in the beautiful Coral Sky Amphitheatre (refuse to call it the Sound Advice Amp.) Beautiful venue to hear great music. Ed treated the early arrivals to a solo rendition of You've Got to Hide Your Love Away before he introduced Sleater Kinney who absolutely rocked! They are an awesome band - these girls can rock!!! Matt played guitar and tambourine on one of their new songs off the One Beat album (sorry - can't remember which cut).

Then PJ came out - opening with Long Road. Mellow opening to a very aggressive show. Mike was on fire as usual and Jeff and Stone seemed to be enjoying the show and the venue (great weather!!). Breakerfall was nice to hear live as was You Are. Ed mentioned that someone in the crowd was holding up a picture of the American flag and proceeded to speak about what a great country the USA was (him and Matt being able to graduate from menial jobs and do something they love for a living) but that the country is really great because we have free speech not Super Wal-Marts. Crowd couldn't agree more except for one jackass who kept screaming "Just sing!" Well, he did just sing - right into a moving rendition of I Am a Patriot. It no longer sounded like a sweet patriotic song but rather a punk statement on freedom. (Worth getting the CD just for this). Other standouts were Down, Whipping, SOLT and DTE. Ed threw three tambourines into the crowd and also grabbed someone's cell phone during MFC (?) and sang a verse into the phone. Entire band sounded great. Seemed appreciative of the crowd mentioning it was one of the best so far on the tour. Can't wait to see them in Tampa on the 13th. Hope the crowd is even better - us Floridians have some making up to do!

Peace,
Francine C.

After about two and half years since Pearl Jam has been to South Florida, it feels like they never left. Eddie lit up the night sky in West Palm Beach this Friday night. Opening up to "Long Road" would have never been expected from anybody. I was shocked because that is one of my favorite songs. That was a great way to start the concert. It was awesome. I ended up driving from Aventura leaving at about 5:00 and arriving just in time as Pearl Jam took the stage. These concerts get better and better every time. This is my third concert. Anyway, I need to take a breath and come back to reality after an awesome night.