"Heaven"
August 18th, 2000
Deer Creek Music Center: Noblesville, IndianaMain Set...
Interstellar Overdrive, Corduroy, Grievance, Spin The Black Circle, Dissident, Brain of J, Animal, Given To Fly, Nothing As It Seems, Even Flow, Pilate, Lukin, Light Years, Romanza, Better Man/Save It For Later, Leatherman, Not For You, Black, Insignificance, Go
First Encore...
Throw Your Arms Around Me [Ed solo], Do The Evolution, State of Love and Trust, Crazy Mary, Elderly Woman, Last Kiss, Rearviewmirror
Second Encore...
Indifference, Rockin' In The Free World
10 Day Trip Journal: Day One
//Day One (08.18.00)//Day Two (08.19.00)//Day Three (08.20.00)//Day Four (08.21.00)//Day Five (08.22.00)//
//Day Six (08.23.00)//Day Seven (08.24.00)//Day Eight (08.25.00)//Day Nine (08.26.00)//Day Ten (08.27.00)//
Ryan and I set out for Deer Creek about 9:00 in the morning on the day of the concert. We figured if we left at 9:00, we gained an hour and we would be there in a decent amount of time so Ryan could wait in line for his Ten Club tickets. We made some pretty decent time...stopped in Fort Wayne to eat at like the best Pizza Slut EVER.
The drive was pretty uneventful...that is until someone passed us and honked their horn...I turn to check it out, and it's two guys in a purple Neon and one is shoving a Michigan license plate in the window for us to see, "PJ 10." Obviously they had seen my licensee plate:-) Ryan and I were so stoked...I was especially stoked to actually see another Pearl Jam Michigan license plate...because when I went to get mine, every single fricken thing I wanted was taken and I have NEVER EVER seen a personalized Michigan Pearl Jam plate. We were keeping up with each other, but then the Pepsi I drank at Pizza Hut was REALLY getting to me so I had to have Ryan stop...we thought they would follow us to the rest stop, but they didn't :-(
We arrived at Deer Creek around 2:00 Eastern Time. We found the venue really easily since we got off at an exit that waslike RIGHT to the venue. Upon our arrival, we discovered that even though we needed to be at the box office by 3, they would not allow us to park in the lot. Ryan drove the car to this little area on the venue's property where a bunch of other obvious Ten Club members were waiting. We parked the car by all of them...and chilled by this little pond. A bunch of people decided they were going to walk over to the box office and wait in line. My job was to watch/guard my car and move it when they decided to open the parking lots at 3. While a bunch of people headed off to the box office, I sat and shot the shit with a bunch of people. Two of the guys...I can't remember their names, but they were from northern Indiana and the other kid was Brad Comer's friend. As we were talking, the two guys with the "PJ 10" license plate came and introduced themselves...both were named Matt...so for the rest of the trip, Ryan and I referred to them as Matt². Turns out they live in Rochester...which is where my roommate, Liz, is from...and it's only like 10, 15 minutes from my house. Rad.
Around 3 o'clock, a worker from Deer Creek came and told us they were opening the parking lot...we all caravan to theentrance and I notice that a bunch of cars are lined up to enter at what appears to be an entrance. So I continue on and discover the stupid kid that told us the parking lot was open was a complete moron. I parked my car on the side of the road...got my shit together as best as possible...and headed towards the box office. Before I even reached the box office, I was ready to kick myself in the ass for not grabbing a bottle of water. The sun was just beating down and making me sweat like Pearl Ham!
I found Ryan in line at the ticket booth window...and discover that the Ten Club...even though it was well past three...had not started to hand out the tickets yet. I believe it was quarter after three when they finally began to hand them out. Ryan scored us some "eh" seats on Mike's side (I'm not trying to sound like a snobby bitch, but if you've sat anywhere in the front like I have for Pearl Jam, being further back than four rows is just an "eh" seat....LOL). I was really pumped about being on Mike's side because Mike is my hero! Mike is EVERYONE'S hero!!!
While waiting in line, Ryan had been talking to a bunch of people as well. We were all going to head to Wendy's...but after a lot of hemming and hawing, we decided to just move my car into the parking lot and chill at the venue. The Matt² Faction came with Ryan and I to move our car...and I still am baffled by how they managed to fit in the back seat! Just ask anyone who knows me...how much shit I brought with me on this trip...and you will understand...
When we got to the parking lot, we were getting our stuff situated, and this girl that was with two other girls next to us (in a Malibu, too!) came over and asked me if I would like to sign her banner which said, "Pearl Jam Tour 2000." So I was like, "Hell yeah!" I signed it "Jessica Gates Royal Oak, Michigan PurlJamJes@aol.com" Well, the girl recognized my e-mail address, and she introduced herself as Sarah Miller...whom of course I remember because she is one of the cool people that has joined Pass It Around (I remember just about every person I add onto the page...mental problems here!). We talked for a bit and I discovered she had done a couple of shows with Europe and a bunch of other stuff:-) We were also introduced to her travel partners, Carolina and Traci. The three girls hail from Toronto. Pretty kickass! After getting all our shit together, we all decided to head on over to the gate. I was all about the shade, as were Ryan and Matt². But first, we noticed the lovely signs the venuewas posting. We all got a nice laugh out of it. Funny, didn't see the same signs at the other venues...I guess Pearl Jam got them printed up special for Noblesville;-)
While lying in the shade, I attempted to nap...I suspect this is where I got sunburned, because I wasn't completely in the shade...the boys all were. While sitting in the shade and talking to Matt², these two guys next to us piped up and were like, "Geeze! How many shows have you guys seen?!?" Turns out, the two fellows were from Kentucky...and I started to talk to them because Dave, the guy who used to live with us, was from Kentucky as well. Shot the shit with them and found out they LOVE Taproot. Kickass! While I was talking to the Kentucky boys, Skadrums came and found me. (Sorry Eric, life is just a lot easier for us all if we refer to you as Skadrums.) Skadrums could not stay long because he had to go into the venue. Not much later, Ryan, Matt², and I decided to head in, too. I should have just stayed out of the place. Especially since I really had one thing at the top of my mind: merchandise!!!
I wish I could have had a video camera in the venue to document my purchase. It was funny. I get up to the front of the line and I am like, "Yeah. I want A, B, C...wait, I just want all the Pearl Jam shirts in the smallest sizes you have. The two hats. And three of the sticker sets." (At this point in my trip, I refused to pay the crime ridden price of $10.00 for a pair of socks.) Man o man. The merchandise guy did not know WHAT to do with himself! It took him forever to gather the shirts. He comes over with my shirts, and I knew it was missing the pineapple shirt, and I was like, "Um...you're missing one...the pineapple shirt." Haha! Ryan got a kick out of that. Then he trails off, gathers the visor and bucket hat...and attempts to count out my sticker sets. He must have tried 5 times to figure out the stickers. I won't complain, I ended up with 5 of each sticker...6 or 7 of some, and I was only charged for the price of 3 sets:-) The guy gave me my grand total, and I almost fell over laughing. He's like, "Uh...do you want a bag?" So they scrounge up some Hot Topic bag that was wet...but hey, I can't bitch. So then I called my mom and made her guess how much I spent. I could imagine she was rolling her eyes at me.
Our seats were very nice...but Matt² got some awesome seats! I was so happy for them, I even took a picture! :-) Proof that they were that close for everyone that didn't believe them;-) I tried to chit-chat with the girls next to me, but they were not reallyinto that...but we found out they were Pearl Jam virgins...and I tell you...they got an excellent first show!!! It was also Skadrums' first show...and oddly enough...his seat was RIGHT next to Ryan's. Small world!!!
I do not think the entire time I was out on the road seeing PJ...that it really actually HIT ME that I was seeing the band live. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that when I was younger, I had it fixated in my head that I would NEVER see the band live. EVER.
Deer Creek. Indianapolis...Noblesville. Heaven on earth. Ryan and I had been half-ass guessing all day about what the band would come out and play...the forever going fear of...oh no! Long Road! ;-) (note: I do not hate Long Road...Ryan does not hate Long Road...but we all know how common of an opener Long Road is...) Never in a million years would I have guessed that the band was going to come out with Interstellar Overdrive! I can not help but think back to the second night at AlpineValley when they came out and baffled the hell out of me with it! Of course, when you hear Interstellar...you know Corduroy is going to follow:-) Not that I can complain (there were many conversations on Leg One regarding the fact that Corduroy is played every show...and no one seems to be sick of it! Ahem...Better Man...LOL).
The song that followed...amen...was a Binaural diddy...Grievance...which I think is one of the most kickass songs off Binaural anyway. So...my first in-person-live-Binaural-tune was Grievance...not too shabby;-) The first portion of the setlist just totally kicked all our asses...was WAY rockin'! Spin the Black Circle...Dissident (ok, so that song isn't that hardcore)...Brain of J...Animal. When Ed said, "Thank you, I don't know much about Indiana and didn't know this...last night in Nashville felt like hell...so Indiana feels like heaven, but heaven is debatable." I knew that the night was going to be something special...Mr. Ed appeared to be in a pretty good mood! :-)
I was more than thrilled to hear Given to Fly on the set...since that song...live...has this special place in my heart:-) The next Binaural tune was Nothing As It Seems...which I think is a most excellent live song! Even Flow was next...and then...PILATE! Woo hoo!!! Ryan must have brought some good luck from his Western 1998 tour! At that point, I was probably ready to fallover and be out cold for the night! Friggen Pilate!!! Lukin...Light Years...and Ed's little intro guitar diddy that had all of us confused...that we later learned was called Romanza. Beautiful little guitar diddy...for those of you who didn't catch it on the 1st leg...wait until you hear it...beautiful! During Better Man...I had a feeling...I get these feelings sometimes that something is GOING to happen...the song just seemed...from the beginning...that it was going to go into Save It For Later. And what do you know? They went into Save It For Later! Hehe ironic how I do not share this shit with anyone...and it happens...hmmm...what other shit should I conjure up in my head for next leg? ;-)
Leatherman was a pleasant surprise...I really thought this song was going to be put on the shelf for the 1998 tour...guess I guessed wrong! Not For You came with the "seats just one" lyric. For the rest of the main set...I must say I was most impressed with Insignificance. I think Insignificance is a great song anways...but it is totally rad live! The little pause...the intensity! It's just GREAT!!!
Right before the encore, the square root of Matt² came up and handed me his stub to go down closer...but since I had so much shit with me (IE purse, camera, and bag full of goodies) I handed the ticket to Ryan and Matt stayed in Ryan's seat. Ed came out for the encore...and I didn't see the rest of the guys...and I was thinking, "Oh shit...oh shit...solo song...solo song...?!? Throw Your Arms Around Me! Nah, he hates me and will probably play Patriot...not like that's a bad thing...butfucking Throw Your Arms Around Me is ALL I want!!!!!!!!" Then Ed was all like, "My brother is here tonight, and I haven't seen him since we got back from Europe, so its nice to get to see him again, so I dedicate this song to him, because life is short, sometimes too short." I was like "Fuck! No Throw Your Arms Around Me! He wouldn't dedicate that to his brother!" OHMYGOSH. Throw Your Arms Around Me! That song was the ONLY song on my secret 1998 tour wishlist (it was all in my head, baybee, never shared with anyone!)...it might have taken me two years to get it, but I fucking got it! At that point, I would've been a satisfied customer if they ended the encore there...but nooooo...it's Pearl Jam and they are too fucking bad ass!!!
Of course the other highlight of the first encore was a complete rendition of Crazy Mary. Ryan was freaking out because Crazy Mary is one of his alltime favorites...and since they started playing it this year...he'd really been hoping they'd play it at one of the shows we are going to. Haha boy did he freak out!!! I wasn't about to tell him to "Chill, it's no big deal." ;-)
Indifference. Wow! I had not heard Indifference live since 1996 in Toledo...so I was just purely AMAZED! Indifference into a totally rockin' Rockin' in the Free World!
Indianapolis was DEFINITELY a great start to the 2000 tour for me (I was not fortunate like Ryan to see Bellingham or fortunate like Carolina and Sarah and see some European shows...)! Definitely a way to pump me up and make me greed-i-er than I already am when it comes to catching the band live;-)After the show, I lost Ryan, but Matt² were really cool and they stuck it out after the show to make sure I found Ryan ok. I bought some posters, too...and eventually headed to the car...where Ryan ended up being. Carolina and Sarah were at their car so we chatted for a bit since the parking lot was jammed...and Carolina snapped a pic of Ryan, Matt², and I. Man, we all pretty much look like we just got the SHIT beaten out of us! Haha and this was only the FIRST day;-)
09.09.00 JNG
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