April 19th, 2003
Hi Fi Buys Amphitheater
Atlanta, Georgia
Sparta

Main Set...
Love Boat Captain, Corduroy, Save You, Hail Hail, Grievance, Elderly Woman, Even Flow, 1/2 Full, Thumbing My Way, I Am Mine, Insignificance, Glorified G, Present Tense, Animal, State of Love and Trust, Blood
First Encore...
Crown of Thorns (w/Brendan O’Brien), Black, Alive, Porch
Second Encore...
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away [Ed Solo], Crazy Mary, Baba O'Riley, Yellow Ledbetter

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After Nashville, I was hoping the band wouldn't peter out and put on a so-so show in Atlanta. I thought Nashville was over the top---how could you top it? Funny, cause everytime I get that thought in my head, the band DOES put the smack-down and kick my ass again!

I ended up front row...again...at this show. Pretty much center...just a seat or two left. I still can hardly believe I was lucky enough to sit front row two nights in a row. On top of that, I was seated next to Rich W. and the Bowman. Unreal.

We all went to watch Sparta at their debut performance. I don't have much to say about them because I don't like rock music (see my Nashville recap). I was ready to cry because the lead singer was shaking and he looked scared shitless. It was making ME nervous...

Before the show, we took a shot at ideas of what the opener would be. It seemed easy to say it would be Long Road...but I told Rich W. that I just wasn't feeling the Long Road vibe.

I guess that "vibe" I was feeling was right on...Jesse was walking around with the setlist and so we could glance at it if we want. Some people are really anal about that stuff [not seeing the setlist before the show] but I saw the setlist before the Detroit 2000 show and it did not ruin the show for me at all. All I could see was that they were going to open with Love Boat Captain and the second song would be Corduroy(!!!!!). Bowman and I got a look and I'm not sure who else did but Dolin was shouting some stuff to us about it. So I tried playing charades to tell him and Rich G. that Corduroy was going to be 2nd. I kept pointing to Bowman's pants (cause they were corduroy) but Dolin just wasn't getting it. And I was all into it and said in effort for him to read my lips, "Corduroy." Wasn't really paying attention to the fact sound came out of my mouth and I ruined it for Rich W. Heh, I'm sorry. I just got carried away. I was excited.

Yeah, so Love Boat Captain to open...and then CORDUROY. I'm sorry. I don't know what it is...I love that song live. And I'm disappointed they aren't playing it at every show like they used to :-( But I am not in Pearl Jam and I do not make such setlist decisions...so I can not really complain, can I?

Save You came next. Rock on! And then...woo! Hail, Hail. I had my secret wishlist. Corduroy and Hail, Hail were on my secret wishlist. So I was a very very happy person.

Set continued to be really NICE. And Stone was oh-my-gosh...shaking what his momma gave him. I don't think I have EVER seen Stone more animated! I spent like 3/4 of the show looking at his goof-ass.

The point where I was continued to geek was when they started playing Glorified G. That, too, was on my secret wishlist. I was screaming/singing so hard for that song. Man. I thought I was going to scream out a lung. And Stone's vocals were on target. Woo.

Then came...Present Tense!!!!!!!!! I love that song...I love that song live. It just rules! The most memorable Present Tense for me was Chicago 1998...and anytime a song brings me back down memory lane...I get goosebumps. It was so great seeing it performed up close.

The set closed with Blood...and then the unimaginable happened.

They started playing Crown Of Thorns...and I look up and see Brendan O'Brien on keyboards. Never ever ever in a million years did I ever think I would see this song again. Never in a million years did I think they would play it after the 2000 tour. The song...man. I seriously was crying. LOL, I didn't tell anyone that after the show...bad enough I'm outnumbered by the boys...but to talk about how I got over-emotional during that song. I felt like such a sap...but that song gets me in the heart. And it was beautiful.

Most noteable part of Stone's action during this show took place at the beginning of Alive. He totally bombed playing it. He's a dork...but I love him.

Porch was AWESOME. Mike switched the solo into the hands of Stone (since he apparently became Mr. Rock Star at this show). Stone was whoopin' some ass. And there was also that whole thing were Ed took the four guys wearing the George W. Bush masks on-stage. I seriously was holding my breath the entire time they were holding him up---it looked like they were going to drop him! Really! I was just envisioning the newspaper headlines in the morning...

For the second encore, Ed came out with his harmonica holder thingy and an acoustic guitar. Rich and Bowman were convinced it would be Drifin' but Ed was thinking different and sang You Got To Hide Your Love Away. Nice!

I'll go out of sequence and talk about the closer...Yellow Ledbetter first because I like to save the best for last...
ok...there really isn't anything much to say besides they closed with Ledbetter;-)

I lost it when they started Baba O'Riley. I freak out for that song---it is my FAVORITE cover that Pearl Jam performs. I just can't help myself when I see it live. AND I was in front row...so I lost it even more than I probably normally would have. I was jumping up and down so hard I got such intense stomach cramps. I kept telling myself, "Jess, it's Baba...it's Baba don't think about your stomach." But I had to stop jumping because I felt like I was going to fall over if I continued any longer. Yeah...I love that song!

This show kicked major ass. Nashville and Atlanta were a great combo of shows. Good sets. The sets just BURNED. REALLY. I never have recalled a Pearl Jam show passing by so quickly as these two.

Needless to say...I'm hooked on this band again...in a bad way:-)
 
 

04.20.03

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