who's better live....U2 or Pearl Jam??

[anitram]

Well it conversely rewards fans who've stayed loyal to the band for 14 or 15 years. And it gives younger fans the opprtunity to get good, probably not great, seats without fighting during Ticketmaster on sales and hoping to get anything before the show sells out.
And if she's never been on the floor, I doubt she's been in the club as long as 7 years, while that kind of seniority won't get her right down front, it would get her decent seats, and in some cities with less fan club members attending (that means not NYC, Seattle, Boston or Philly) she would have very good seats.

She has been a fan club member for that long.

I asked her what is the closest she ever got. It was in Montreal a couple of years ago, row 22 on the floor. This Canadian tour, she saw them 3 times, never got on the floor, closest she got was 15th row on the side. And that is because of the huge influx of American fans who were coming up north with their seniority. The PJ fan club does not reward regionally b/c they allow you to buy tickets for infinite numbers of shows. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the U2.com thing is worth it at the moment, but at least restricting you to 2 shows means people are most likely to use those tickets for their home cities and get great seats there (ie. floors), rather than out of towners constantly swallowing them up.

 

[Mrs. Vedder]

Of course, all of this discussion is opinion based...isn't that why we're here?

Yes it is. However, I was just reffering to when people start talking like it's fact instead of saying "that's how I feel.." I guess that's where I have a problem sometimes. But then again it might be the fact that PJ is my fav band, and its hard being a PJ fan in a U2 board; I mean U2 is my second fav band. Does that make sense? I'm sure some of you would understand if you were in another band's forum and they were talking about how U2 is this and that and they were stating it like it was "fact."

Blah.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

Also when it comes to passion in the shows, I guess you had to be there at The Gorge last month to see Ed coming running out and jumping during Given To Fly or Mike doing windmills while running on the stage. There is nothing like them totally going off! And they definetly haven't lost the passion.

I was at that show! I live in Seattle after all and I'm a big PJ fan.
You're right, it was a good show but I just don't get the feeling I used to at the PJ gigs. The Gorge show was a very good show.
I've seen others in the last ten years that felt flat as a pancake.

And Mrs. Vedder--It goes without saying that this is all my opinion. There are lots of people who don't like any U2 album since Joshua Tree. I think they're nuts.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

I love the last few albums. Of course, all of this discussion is opinion based...isn't that why we're here? Personally, I think Ten was over-produced, and overplayed, which means for the casual fan, PJ gets stuck in a flannel time warp.

For what it's worth I haven't listened to Ten in about three years. My favorite PJ album is Vitalogy followed by Vs followed by Yield followed by Ten. I'm not lost in a flannel time warp. I'm just not that impressed with Binaural and Riot Act.

 

[mkdominatr]

Well i am seeing pearl jam tomorrow. But somehow i feel nothing will beat U2, unless Pink Floyd comes around...

 

[angelordevil]

For what it's worth I haven't listened to Ten in about three years. My favorite PJ album is Vitalogy followed by Vs followed by Yield followed by Ten. I'm not lost in a flannel time warp. I'm just not that impressed with Binaural and Riot Act.

I didn't mean you, specifically. Now that I'm reading my own words, that flannel time warp seems like it would be fucking scary place...millions of people wearing flannel at once

Vitalogy is my favourite, as well...I think that's when the band were at their most 'dangerous' musically.

Getting back to Ten, I was always convinced that it was over-produced...and it's interesting how three songs from that album were remixed for the greatest hits record...they were the only ones to go through a new treatment.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If you'd seen early Pearl Jam you wouldn't have to ask that question. I've seen PJ live about 13 times. That's more than I've seen U2. It's more than I've seen any band. They really do mix it up in a remarkable way but they've lost that indescribable...something that makes transcendant rock and roll.
I can mark the spot where they lost it too. I saw them in Augusta, Maine for the No Code tour. The band raged. Dennis Rodman rushed the stage and carried Ed Ved around on his shoulders. The frat boys punched their fists in the air. But I felt nothing. I've seen PJ several times since then on each of their tours. It's just never been the same. Sure they mix up the set list. Sure Mike solos his ass off. But a varied set list and guitar solos are not the reason I go to a rock show. Is that all you guys want? Really? I want the magic. I want the feeling I get during the intro to Streets. And PJ hasn't generated that kind of magic in years.

As for the deluded PJ fans who think the reason they're not selling a lot of albums is because "they don't feel like it." Well, you're nuts. The songs just aren't that memorable anymore.
It's not easy selling a lot of albums consistently over a decade and a half. Even bands who work hard at it like U2 screw it up from time to time. You can't really believe that the songs on Riot Act or Binaural are great. Can you?

thanks... i did see PJ in the 90s, and i've seen them recently... maybe you just don't like them as much as you used to, or perhaps you're just seeing them in the wrong places, 'cause i certainly still feel the "magic" when i go to see pearl jam play.

and as for the delusion... pearl jam writes the songs they want to write. they always have. they don't change with the musical trends just to stay on the charts. if a single hits the charts? great... if it doesn't, no big deal. it's not that they're purposely trying to write radio unfriendly songs, like radiohead does... it's just that they don't really care either way.

and yes... save you, all or none, i am mine and thumbing my way off of riot act, and grievance, soon forget and parting ways off of binaural, for me, are all great tunes that rate up there with their "older" stuff.

 

[angelordevil]

and yes... save you, all or none, i am mine and thumbing my way off of riot act, and grievance, soon forget and parting ways off of binaural, for me, are all great tunes that rate up there with their "older" stuff.

Ya man...that's right on. Those in the know, know that PJ is better than ever right now. The new album will be killer, I'm betting.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

Ya man...that's right on. Those in the know, know that PJ is better than ever right now. The new album will be killer, I'm betting.

Believe it or not I wish I felt the same way. I really love Pearl Jam but I'm just not feeling it on the last couple of albums.
I do LIKE some of the new songs but they don't grab me by the throat the way older songs like Corduroy, Daughter, Last Exit, State of Love and Trust, Porch and even covers like Crazy Mary do. No Code and Yield stretched PJ's sound in a good way--Hail, Hail, Off He Goes, Sometimes, In My Tree and Lukin are great songs. So are Faithful, Given to Fly, Low Light and In Hiding.

I'm just not impressed by the last two albums.