A couple months ago, I entered a contest through Pearl Jam's fan club. They had a list of all of the dates on Pearl Jam's US tour. You could choose the shows that you would most likely be able to attend, and be entered for the contest for a chance to go to those shows. I clicked on Charlottesville, VA, because it was the closest one to home. I didn't expect to actually win tickets to that show, but, low and behold, I won two tickets to see Pearl Jam on October 29, 2013 in Charlottesville, VA.
I've been a huge Pearl Jam fan since 1991, back when music was good. I had to find someone who was as big a Pearl Jam fan as I am to go with me. The obvious choice was my buddy, Seth, from the band Curmudgeon.
The show started at 7:00. We had a six-hour drive ahead of us, so we left around 11:30 on the morning of October 29. We made it to the John Paul Jones Arena a little after 5. There was a big, red merchandise tent set up near the entrance, and we could hear Pearl Jam inside rehearsing such songs as Smile, Daughter, and Even Flow. We sat around, and talked to some of the other fans for a while, and the gates finally opened at 6:30.
The band walked out on stage around 8:15.
Pendulum
Release
In My Tree
Corduroy
Go
Why Go
Lightning Bolt
Mind Your Manners
I Am Mine
Swallowed Whole
Faithful
Wishlist
Sirens
Jeremy
Grievance
Glorified G
The Fixer
Down -- Two guys in the front row started fighting when this song first started. Eddie Vedder stopped the show, and made security break them up. He said, "That was just a little speed bump. Life is full of speed bumps. That's all that was, just a speed bump." Then, they started the song over.
Rearviewmirror
Then, the band took a little break, and came back for their first encore -- with acoustic guitars! They did the following acoustic set:
The End
Thumbing My Way
Sleight Of Hand
Footsteps
Future Days
Mother -- Pink Floyd cover song!
They went back electric for these songs:
Given To Fly
Whipping
Big Wave
Sad
Porch
Then, they took another break, and came back for a second encore:
Breath
State Of Love And Trust
Alive
Baba O'Riley -- The Who cover
Little Wing -- Jimi Hendrix cover
This was my twelfth concert, and the best one yet!
