reviews

neenerbean - Pearl Jam in Milwaukee - July 9, 1995

Here is my review of the 7/9/95 Wisconsin show Pearl Jam did. I wrote this in the fall of 1995 for my high school newspaper. I've edited it *slightly* to sound a bit less, oh, I dunno, 16 years old!

Pearl Jam!
IN MILWAUKEE
July 9, 1995
Marcus Amphitheater

Well, it all started something like this… April 18, 1995 (approx. 3:20 pm) I find an envelope addressed to me from a strangely familiar yet out-of-reach address…P.O. Box 4570…Seattle, WA…98104…Ten Club…Vitalogy Health Club…PEARL JAM FAN CLUB!!! This rules even though I do not yet know what is contained in that sacred white envelope! So I open it (of course, for I can no longer stifle my eager curiosity) and find…A PIECE OF PAPER!!!! But not just ANY piece of paper. Noooo. A SACRED piece of paper (but, you knew that already, so I continue) which states: (impromptu version of letter, shortened) "The Christmas single will be on its way to you soon (blah, blah, blah). We've already got 9 shows scheduled for our summer tour (blah, blah, blah). Here they are (and they list them…and the last one is…MILWAUKEE!!!!)." Hey! I can go there! I am now enlightened with the possibility of seeing my favorite band of all time. This makes me jump up and down. Then I call Nikki Knight (#1 Pearl Jam Fan #2) and rub it in her face (haha!) I fill out the form, send in the check via connections that gets my entry in before anyone else's and PRESTO! Front row center tickets to see Pearl Jam!

May 20, 1995 (approx. 11:15 am) I have been calling this 1-800 number for 15 minutes with no luck. All of a sudden…a computerized ringing fills my ears. Just that funny ringing thing you get in your ears sometimes? NO! It's the special ETM (telephone concert ticket-selling network) ringing! I'm in! I give my information, hang up, and FREAK OUT! I call my boyfriend (who happened to be going to see HIS favorite band, the Beastie Boys, that very night), but he wasn't home. So I told his sister (very loud and fast, might I add). After 15 minutes of freaking out, I try again. What the heck! I got nothing to lose! Then, at circa 11:45 am, I hear that strange yet familiar computerized ringing…YES!!!…I got through AGAIN! I am the luckiest woman alive!!! To make a long story short (too late!) I invited my friend Leah to both shows, and my friends Jill & Nikki to the Chicago show.

July 9, 1995 - Leah & I head out on the road to Milwaukee. $20 in munchies, $20 in gas. 2 near-brake failures on the way there. Singing Hole at the tops of our lungs, with lyrics such as "…he only loves those things because he loves to see them BRAKE!" Very hyped up.

The Frogs and Bad Religion open up. Eddie Vedder (singer of Pearl Jam, otherwise known as GOD) sings a tune with The Frogs. He comes out with a silver suit, black wig, and sunglasses on, and even I don't know it was him until he starts to sing. He takes off the wig, lets down his hair, and sings in that voice that makes me melt sometimes (all right, ALL the time). Heaven is mine.

Bad Religion played their set (and rocked some punk rock a**). We hear the usual between-sets tunage, then a tribal drumming begins. This lasts maybe 15 minutes. Believe me, you get sick of it. Then one by one, the members of Pearl Jam disperse onto the stage. First, Jeff Ament (bassist). Then, Mike McCready (lead guitarist). Next, Stone Gossard (rhythm guitarist). Jack Irons takes his seat at the drums. Then Eddie Vedder (native of Evanston) strolls up to the microphone.

They jam through nearly 2 dozen numbers and 2 or 3 encores. This is the best night of my life, may I add. Mike does an amazing guitar solo and when all's quiet I scream "Go Mike!" at the top of my lungs (although he is less than 10 feet away from me). He looks in my direction and puts his hand up. His little way of saying, "Thanks Amy, you #1 Pearl Jam fan you!" Well, maybe not that precise, but the first part is almost definitely true.

During their hit "Alive" the whole amphitheater erupts in unison and sings along. The first time the chorus plays a few people including me put their arms up in the air in the shape of a "V," imitating the little stick figure on the cover of the song's single. The next two times we look back and the entire stadium has their hands outstretched to the night sky (2001 update - I always believed that the lyric "50 million hands upraised and opened towards the sky" in Wishlist refers to this phenomenon). People watching from the bridge nearby must have felt so lucky to have witnessed such a monumental show of togetherness. And it was all started by me. Yes, me. At least, I was one of the 2 or 3 people who did it first. Seriously, I'm not lying. What? You don't believe me? Ask Leah. As a matter of fact, ask Pearl Jam, they saw the whole thing.