The best trip of my life occurred this past week when my husband and I traveled to Montreal, to see Pearl Jam live, at Centre Bell on Wednesday, September 7th, 2011.
Now, Pearl Jam is, (pun intended) one of the 'jams' that keeps my husband and I sticking together. We listen to their albums day in and day out, on car trips, home sound system and iPods. We sing, hum, drum and air guitar to every song, every day. We have, more than once, been criticized for not having a more expansive taste of music.
You can appreciate then, knowing this fact, that this was my first Pearl Jam show.
The energy of the crowds when the band first came on felt like experiencing love at first sight. The heart starts racing, ears ringing; you don't know whether to shout for joy, throw up or kiss somebody.
We were sitting in the 100s, stage left. Corner of the stage. Eye level WITH EDDIE and the gang.
We saw every guitar change, every drink they swigged (Vitamin Water, Corona), and every butt they hacked.
Pearl Jam opened with Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.
This song means the world to my husband and I.
A single tear rolled down my cheek as I realized that this concert was just what we needed to escape the stresses of living a middle class life. It felt like our soul energies were recharging throughout the whole show.
One of the things that struck me most about this 20 year old band was the connection Pearl Jam has with their fans. Several times, the house lights would rise so that Eddie, Mike, Matt, Stone, Jeff and even Boom could take a look around and into the faces of the people cheering, clapping and shouting their lyrics.
During each of these times, when Eddie would scan the crowd to stage left, I would make some noise and give him a thumbs up. I was positive that he was looking our way, but Hubby wasn't so sure...
That was, until the band came for their first encore... to even louder praise than before.
("My god it's been so long... never dreamed you'd return".)
Eddie gazed around, taking in the fans, the people that have allowed him this job for twenty years.
He stared straight at me, straight at my up-thumbed hand...
("But now here you are... and here I am".)
... And matched my thumb with his own, returning the smile plastered giddily across my face.
(I know you don't believe me, but that's ok. My husband witnessed this moment and was just as awed as I.)
Now I could end the story there, but there are a few other instances of fan appreciation I would like to note.
- The tossing of tambourines, perhaps. The fact that Eddie aimed the instrument right at a hardcore, long haired bearded man a few rows down from me. That man, with his collection of PJ shirts, posters and a new tambourine, can now die a happy human.
- The sharing of wine, specifically to the most intensely passionate fans in the front row. These people got to drink wine, with Vedder, at a PJ concert! This also equals dying happily.
- The display of both a 'Lukin' license plate and a Canadian flag, (albeit a 'fake' pirate one'). Eddie held these fan items up to the crowd and acknowledged their existence to thousands of people.
- Countless thrown guitar picks
- Mike allowing people to touch his guitar whilst maintaining fingering/strumming tempo
- Pointing out at specific fans
And, oh yeah, A THUMBS UP (to me)
("I just want to scream: HELLO!!!!!!".)
Later on, my husband says, "Well babe, he wasn't expecting to see a thumbs up at a concert."
To which I replied, "Well I wanted to let him know that it was ok that he forgot the lyrics to Sleight of Hand!"
** I do not own the rights to this photo
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