Can a casual fan enjoy a Pearl Jam show?

[Tymaster]

Serious question.

[Mister Freeze]

I saw a setlist posted the other day. There were a LOT of songs I didn't recognize. And I'm pretty familiar with their first three albums and any singles that came afterwards.

"Even Flow" and "Yellow Ledbetter" were the big hits saved toward the end. Maybe one or two other songs from the debut. No "Alive," "Jeremy" or "Black".

I know they're trying to keep things interesting for themselves and the hardcores. But I wonder if they did a straight-up, no-filler greatest hits set, would it actually shake things up more than anything else, because it's so unusual for them.

[Tymaster]

I saw a setlist posted the other day. There were a LOT of songs I didn't recognize. And I'm pretty familiar with their first three albums and any singles that came afterwards.

"Even Flow" and "Yellow Ledbetter" were the big hits saved toward the end. Maybe one or two other songs from the debut. No "Alive," "Jeremy" or "Black".

I know they're trying to keep things interesting for themselves and the hardcores. But I wonder if they did a straight-up, no-filler greatest hits set, would it actually shake things up more than anything else, because it's so unusual for them.

That's what I'm thinking. I get and appreciate what they do but I also wonder if they don't keep some people scared away.

[SterileEyes1]

I’m a fairly casual fan and honestly I didn’t enjoy it the one time I saw them (LA Forum with X opening). This was 1998 but ever since they’ve still always kinda struck me as more diehard fan oriented. No disrespect to them either, just wasn’t my thing beyond the 15-20 songs of theirs that I truly enjoy.

[Tymaster]

I’m a fairly casual fan and honestly I didn’t enjoy it the one time I saw them (LA Forum with X opening). This was 1998 but ever since they’ve still always kinda struck me as more diehard fan oriented. No disrespect to them either, just wasn’t my thing beyond the 15-20 songs of theirs that I truly enjoy.

That's just it. They're still a bucket list band for my wife and I but everytime I see a setlist, I only know 5-6 songs and those ticket prices are crazy.

[SterileEyes1]

I’m a fairly casual fan and honestly I didn’t enjoy it the one time I saw them (LA Forum with X opening). This was 1998 but ever since they’ve still always kinda struck me as more diehard fan oriented. No disrespect to them either, just wasn’t my thing beyond the 15-20 songs of theirs that I truly enjoy.

That's just it. They're still a bucket list band for my wife and I but everytime I see a setlist, I only know 5-6 songs and those ticket prices are crazy.

Exactly, and that’s 5-6 songs out of, like, 37 songs or however long their usual setlist is

[uwec95]

I'm a diehard Pearl Jam fan that has seen them close to 30 times, but I do think a casual fan would still enjoy the show. The tour they are on is much more heavy on 90s songs than in the past. I just saw them two weeks ago and at that show they played a ton of stuff from the first 3 albums. In looking at Setlist FM, 9 of the 25 songs they played were from the first 3 albums, and three of the other songs were covers from Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, and Prince.

[Love_Industry]

I saw a setlist posted the other day. There were a LOT of songs I didn't recognize. And I'm pretty familiar with their first three albums and any singles that came afterwards.

Guess I was lucky then. I only saw them once, in 2014, and they played 9 songs off Ten and 6 more from Vs. That's almost 50% of the setlist. And they are a great live band.

[tooth]

I'm a casual fan, have seen them several times over the years & the answer is "no". They have been adopted into the "jam band" scene & the shows are as such. They play way too long & cut deals with the venue to not bust people for smoking pot & cigarettes. You stink like weed & butts and your eyes are burning within the hour. Add to that they are boring live & they have zero stage dressing, lights etc. The only remotely cool thing is Mike McCready & Stone Gossard. Two great guitar players that play well off of each other within the context of a song.

[Anthrax442]

This was the setlist when I saw them in 2008:

Can't Keep
Why Go
All Night
Hail, Hail
Sad
Severed Hand
Red Mosquito
I Am Mine
Even Flow
Off He Goes
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
Present Tense
Whipping
I Got Id
Army Reserve
Glorified G
Do the Evolution

Encore 1

Inside Job
Given to Fly
Education
W.M.A. (reworked version)
Better Man
Save You
Porch

Encore 2

No More
Footsteps
Alive

Encore 3 (House Lights were on)

Indifference

So, if you're a FAN, you'd totally get your money's worth, but casual fan? Eh. It was a decent show, and clearly Gossard and McCready had more chops than they tend to show off during their own material. Seemed like the crowd was VERY Bro-ish, Fraternity types, but this was 15 years ago, and the show was on a college campus, so not sure how much that skews things.

I'd say to go just for the experience if you can get reasonable tickets, but def don't mortgage the house or anything.