Pearl Jam Home Shows 2018

Probably about a month ago we went to see a vintage movie at the Rio; "The Song Remains the Same" featuring Led Zeppelin. In recent years I've come to appreciate their music a lot more than I did in high school. Back then I thought only the stoner crowd listened to them, and that's not who I wanted to be associated with. Different story now of course (not to say that now I do want to be associated with the stoner crowd; no. It's just that now I crank up their tunes when I hear them on the radio). We'd already bought tickets for the upcoming Pearl Jam concert in Seattle and I wanted to compare the live experience of decades past against now.

Being rock 'n roll I knew some things would remain the same, especially guitar solos. Although I was honestly hoping there would not be a drum solo. Admittedly John Bonham is a highly regarded expert drummer; however, those solos just aren't my thing.

Pearl Jam was indeed an experience. We got to Safeco Field far too early; about 3 pm. We'd gone to see U2's Joshua Tree tour recently in Vancouver and security was unexpectedly very tight. Well not that unexpectedly I guess, acknowledging the state of the world at the moment. But there were many people that missed the opening act, Mumford and Sons, because they were still in the line-up outside. We didn't want to have made all this effort to see Pearl Jam in their home town only to miss some of it. In the end our line-up was very short and I think were in the stadium by 5:10 pm. Plenty of time to hit up the merch kiosk, having bailed on the 3 hour queue (in the hot afternoon sun) at the tent set up outside.

And again thanks to Shauna scouting out our seat location early, she informed me of a much shorter merch line upstairs, closer to our seats. By 6 pm I had my concert T. Truth be told, I don't usually splurge for a shirt. I guess I figure I'm too old for that scene, but I made an exception for The Tragically Hip's final show a couple of years ago, and somehow this show seemed big enough and important enough (donations and recognition of Seattle's homelessness issue) to warrant tailored proof of attendance.

Evidence was everywhere that this appeared to be the event of the year
in Seattle.

I would have loved to score one of these posters, but
apparently so would everyone in Seattle. At least I
managed to photograph a reasonably complete one.

Here's us in front of the image that I'd wanted on a concert shirt. I still haven't
seen such an example so perhaps they never produced one. 

We did some brainstorming and realized the last time we'd stayed over in Seattle was in 2011. A lot's changed since then; Seattle's Great Wheel for one. Last year in London we rode the London Eye, and I've since learned there's a similar one in Singapore (btw, we saw "Crazy Rich Asians" last night). Prior to our concert weekend I wasn't clearly aware that yet another was erected in Seattle in 2012. The image displayed on so much advertising for Pearl Jam's Home Shows featured the iconic Space Needle, the Seattle Wheel and Mount Rainier. Perfect except for the fact I didn't see it on a t-shirt. Maybe copyright infringements might have been activated, I don't know.

This is how crazy-early we were.

We were early enough to see the retracting of the roof;,which seems to travel at a
walking pace. 

It finally started an hour after the ticket said it would; 8:30 pm.

3-1/2 hours worth of music. Quite unparalleled in my experience. No
opening act.

A sea of "lighters".

And also not unexpectedly, as well as being billed as a fundraiser to combat homelessness in Seattle, other political undertones were present. In quite an emotional tribute, Eddie lead the crowd in a sing-along to Tom Petty's "We Won't Back Down" illuminated by about 45,000 smartphone flashlights.

All in all it was an awesome spectacle to behold, well worth missing the last express bus back to our hotel in Bellevue. The $40 ride in a shared cab with a couple from Philadelphia is another story in itself. Turned out well; let's just say it was entertaining and leave it at that.