No Longer a "Jeremy" Virgin

You read it right. I am no longer a "Jeremy" virgin. On Tuesday night, May 16, 2006, I was honored to be in Row 2 of Section 102 at the United Center for the first of two Pearl Jam shows at the United Center in Chicago. In addition to "Jeremy," PJ played an awesome set that included about half of Ten (1991) and a little sampling of each of the four subsequent albums - Vs. (1993), Vitalogy (1994), No Code (1996), and Yield (1998). They skipped over the next album - 2000's Binaural - and played one track from 2002's Riot Act, the awesome rocker "Save You." It sound fresh and fast and furious and made me wish that they would've brought out a little more from the "dark" era between Yield and Pearl Jam. Speaking of their latest release, PJ of course performed a number of songs from their self-titled disc. They all sounded great, especially the hard-driving "Comatose" and the opening track "Life Wasted." And there were the requisite off-album tracks such as the excellent "State of Love and Trust" and "I Got Id" as well as some covers, including "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" by the Beatles and "Baba O'Riley" by The Who. The only thing I really hoped to hear was my old college favorite "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In a Small Town" but I can't be too upset as I've been able to sing along to this one at previous concerts.

Overall, a great experience and PJ can be assured that I will be returning again. Now that I'm a member of the Ten Club, I'll be sure not to let my membership lapse so next time I can get some better seats.

I have already ordered the official digital bootleg of the show. It should be available shortly. Perhaps after I have a few listens I might provide more of a play-by-play of the concert. Of course, now that I've typed that, you know I won't do it.

Here is the complete setlist:

Set 1
Release, World Wide Suicide, Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Comatose, Given To Fly, Low Light, Corduroy, I'm Open, I Got Id, Even Flow, Unemployable, Daughter/(W.M.A.), Present Tense, Do The Evolution, Jeremy, Save You, Porch

Encore 1
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Better Man, Come Back, State Of Love And Trust, Black, Alive

Encore 2
Go, Blood/(Atomic Dog), Indifference, Baba O'Riley, Yellow Ledbetter