Ed solo before opening bands: Dead Man, Throw Your Arms Around Me
by Hunters & Collectors
Set list: Breakerfall, Last Exit, Save You, Do The Evolution, Even Flow, Light Years, Sad, Not For You, Whipping, 1/2 Full, Bleed For Me by Dead Kennedys, Blood;
1st encore (acoustic): Millworker by James Taylor (Ed solo), Small Town, Footsteps, Masters of War by Bob Dylan, Crazy Mary by Victoria Williams;
2nd encore: Given To Fly, Daughter/(Song X/War), Insignificance, The New World (by X) with Tim Robbins, Kick out the Jams by MC5;
3rd encore: Alive, Yellow Ledbetter

Arriving in Grand Rapids we headed to the venue to see if we could walk it from our hotel...
Airplane hanger???? WOW - Toledo was a small arena but this place looked like a metal box. Ed talked about this which was funny because I'm sure we all thought it and as someone who checked it out on the net first... THEY LIED.

The preset was fantastic - two songs beautifully sung and once again Ed's voice made the room that much bigger.

Throw Your Arms Around Me - the original was always a favourite of mine and Ed seems to have added a new intensity to his version of it and as for Dead Man I was thinking is it Osama? or maybe Bush?

Gob Roberts was hysterical and amazing at the same time - brought back memories of Beef getting zapped in Phantom of the Paradise TIM ROBBINS ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (so does his band!)

Death Cab for Cutie left me speechless (but not danceless) - I can't even describe their sound - heavy and light and rocking and hypnotic and beautiful all at the same time

WARNING - MAXIMUM ENERGY REQUIRED
The first five songs were so high energy - Breakerfall set the mood and by the time the band finished Even Flow there wasn't a soul in there not covered in sweat and smiles.

Light Years was dedicated to Johnny Ramone - I think it was a very special moment - I think Ed allowed us all to use this song at this time to think about somebody we had lost and following it with Sad was like a little bit of healing.

I was amazed by the whole set list and the energy of the crowd and the band. I hope they keep some of the new covers around for a long time.

Seeing Ed draped in the American flag and demanding it back was pretty powerful - I'm a voiceless Canadian in this cause, but for THIS vote you have the world's proxy - we all have a vested interest in peace - PLEASE VOTE (do it for yourself and for those who can't)

We had two absolutely CRAZY nights - this band is insane with energy and validity and beauty. MIKE McCREADY IS A WILD MAN ON FIRE. Thank you Pearl Jam and friends for another incredible experience (and can we thank the people of Toledo - they really made it a special time for all of the fans that stayed there)

Sharon and Neil

Grand Rapids was my third show in three nights and when I walked into this venue I was shocked to see it was basically my high school gym times two! Questions then popped into my head.....How loud it is going to get in an "arena" this small? What are the acoustics going to be like? What time is the high school basketball game starting? Well during the show Ed echoed what a lot of people were thinking when he said "It was the most unimpressive building I've ever seen" and "It got worse when I got inside." Then he said something pretty profound "It's not about the building but the people inside of it." Perfectly said because there was a lot of love in the building that started with the opening chords of Breakerfall and continued throw the show.

The first set was about 50 minutes or so and it was honestly one of the best sets I've ever heard. 'Not For You' was incredible, the best version I have ever heard them play. They also dedicated "Light Years" to Johnny Ramone. Third time in three nights he mentioned Johnny Ramone, you could tell he was on his mind a great deal.

One of the great things about the band is that they'll change a line or two of a song they wrote 'X' amount of years ago to a view/belief they think today. During Blood they changed "Painted big, turned into of his enemies" to "turned into the President." Then during 1/2 Full after Ed sang "Won't someone save the world?" he sang "Yes I would," "Yes we would."

All in all a great show, about 2:10 - 2:15. It was good to see the boys back together, hopefully a tour in 2005.

Vote!
Kevin
Rochester, NY

Another fantastic show by one of the greatest live bands in the world!!!! We arrived a little late and noticed that the venue looked like a warehouse...very ugly and non-descript which Ed even commented on during the show. We missed Gob Roberts and saw the end of Death Cab for Cutie who were pretty good. Anyway, to the main attraction...the band came out blasting with Breakerfall, Last Exit, Save You, Evolution, and Even Flow!!!!! The whole first set just burned....with only one slow song (Light Years). Great energy from the crowd. After Light Years, the band kept up the high intensity with songs including Not for You, Whipping (!), and Blood. The band was in great spirits throughout the night. Eddie seemed possessed, Mike was really animated, and Stone was even doing his patented turtle-head bob.

After the main set, I figured they'd come out with the acoustic set and they did. Didn't know the first song which was good (cover by James Talor). Footsteps was really nice to hear live (I'd like to have heard more from Lost Dogs, though - oh well, can't get everything you want). Then, Masters of War really rocked!!! What a powerful anti-war song!! Crazy Mary finished out an outstanding 1st encore.

2nd encore featured a couple sing-alongs (Given to Fly and Daughter). Having Tim Robbins come out was pretty cool, too - wow, is that guy tall!!! He probably towered over Eddie by a foot or so! The show finished with Alive and Yellow Ledbetter.

Overall, a wonderful show with great fan reaction. Other interesting points included Ed taking out a mirror and shining the crowd ala the MSG DVD (I think), Ed doing a toast with the wine bottle for each Vote for Change artist, Ed draped in an American flag, and Mike jamming out beside Boom during Crazy Mary.

You're in for a treat if you've got tix for upcoming shows!!
Rock on, Jammers.