Monday, October 12, 2009

all becuase of a grandma named 'pearl'

My dad and I experienced the most amazing concert of our life compliments of Eddie Vedder's grandma. Without grandma Pearl, their would be no PEARL JAM. Luckily Grandma Pearl along with the idea of the band JAMMIN the name became Pearl Jam. October 9, 2009 will forever be etched in our souls. We got to the venue early. Had some dinner at the college cafeteria and sat in the grass people watching for hours. Little did we know the intense - high energy - amazing show we were about to enter into. Ben Harper opened and only 2 songs in all of a sudden we hear - da da da da da da da ...........and again..........da da da da da da da..........Ben was about to perform 'Under Pressure' by Queen. As he started to sing dad and I were overwhelmed and had no words. Suddenly I realized Eddie had joined him on stage to sing the song together. We werent prepared. All we could do is listen, sing and fight back the tears. It was so fucking cool.
Pearl Jam came on almost immediately following Ben Harper. No hoopla or trying to be the band that comes on late. They just came right on out and killed it with CORDUROY. Every person in the arena was on their feet - screaming - dancing and thinking the same thing we were. Damn were glad we cancelled our trip - our dinner - our anything to be here.
The entire concert (32 songs) was an experience of a lifetime. We weren't sure if it was the fact that we new every song, every lyric or every tune.........but with every word that came out - up came a memory that included Pearl Jam playing in the background. Driving to Mex back in the day, a warm summer day at home with all the windows open, whatever the memory it was all coming clear that Pearl Jam has been a big part of our lives.
Scott and Rebecca were a brother and sister sitting behind us but not long after Pearl Jam came on stage did they hop over and join us in our row. They had just been to the show in LA and drove from Orange County for more. They really sealed the fun for the evening cuz they were just as huge of fans as we were. The more the merrier right? Hell YES!
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Their were so many little things that happened throughout the concert that we are still remembering moments that were beyond epic:
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~Eddie talking to the crowd about the day one of his roadies daughter LuLu was born and how just as they left the hospital it began to rain. His buddy had gone to sign off on the baby being released and his buddies wife was trying to put LuLu into the car. She couldnt do it with the baby in her arms so she handed her for Eddie to hold. He explained how the rain was falling as he cradled her in his arms......the feeling he had was overwhelming. "Well" he said, "16 years later - its LuLu's birthday, so LuLu come on up!" she came up on stage, they had a cake for her and 11,000 people sang her Happy Birthday as she blew out her candles.
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~Eddie talked about his life, his jobs, his bosses and how one boss in particular allowed him to work part-time and shave his head into a mohawk in order to be in a band. Now 20 years later he said thanks to his former employer who was in the audience. NO FUCKING WAY!
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~They thanked their first music instructors for all of their mentoring and brought up Matt Cameron's drum teacher and Eddie's guitar teacher. We all screamed and cheered but that wasn't the coolest part of it. They had them sit in and play a song for us! I mean cmon. How rad.
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~All the songs they played that we all know - Severed Hand, EvenFlow, Daughter, ReviewMirror, Why Go, Black, BetterMan, Alive.........it was all over the top. They had the crowd sing a lot and they interacted and the entire time we felt like we were experiencing something that us and only 11,000 others were experiencing on this night. Never to be repeated again. Chills chills and more chills every time the next song would start.
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After they had their 3rd encore the guitarist, Stone Gossard stayed on stage. The lights were up but we knew something big was about to happen. Why else would he be up there still?
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Jimi Hendrix 'Star Spangled Banner' began to play........I think me and dad bout' passed out from disbelief. Here is dad at attention for Jimi, for Pearl jam and for his country:

That was it. We gathered our things. Said our goodbyes to our new friends Scotty and Becca and started headin to the car. We realized not long after that we didnt exchange info so we could send them pictures. Total bummer.............but as luck would have it - in a crowd of 11,000 people exiting we ran back into them and were all so happy we were able to say bye again and give them dads card. Perfect ending to a perfect experience. Thanks grandma Pearl.........we'll never forget this.

3 comments:

Melissa said...

Sounds soooo amazing!! I got chills reading all the stories he told...he is one of the coolest people I know!! Do you have the Into the Wild soundtrack? You have to get it if not..it's one of our faves and all written by Eddie Vedder just for the movie.
And how cute you and your Dad...you two go to all kinds of events together...now that is rare!

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