Sep 16th 98
set: Throw Your Arms Around Me (Ed solo before Ben Harper); Release, Brain of J, Hail Hail, Given to Fly, Dissident, MFC, Corduroy, Wishlist, Even Flow,
Faithfull, Spin the Black Circle, I Got Shit, Improv/Habit, Off He Goes, Present
Tense, Black, Do the Evolution, Porch
enc 1: Go, State of Love and Trust, Betterman/(Save It for Later),
Rearviewmirror, Alive
enc 2: Last Kiss
notes: Opening music is 'Aye Davanita' and *not* 'The Color Red!' As is typical, the second show at the same venue is the best! 'GTF' and Dissident are extremely emotional; it appears as though Ed is crying, and as a result, he flubs a few
words. Before 'MFC' he says he had to compose himself before going on. Before
'Even Flow,' he comments, "It's take no prisoners time;" he gets the words right
and laughs about it. The 'Habit' saying is "Speaking as a someone who pahked
the cah at the Gahden," (a reference to the Boston Garden) delivered with an
exaggerated Boston accent. Before "Present Tense,' Ed says he was reading this
thing in the hotel room, and he wanted to see if it said anything about the concert
coming up, and he pretends like he's reading this pamphlet, and says: "As yet
another summer of drunken musical orgies comes to a close at the Great Woods
Amphitheatre ... Pearl Jam and Ben Harper: sold out, SUCKER ..." During
'Porch' Ed comes into the crowd, telling people not to pull on him. Right before
'Go' he says, "It's coming to a close ... if this was my summer, this is what I'd be
thinking." 'Last Kiss' is started and stopped, with Ed noting, "They've got it now
... same drums though." The show is closed with, "Have a nice millenium; until
next time." This is one of the finest shows of 1998, with excellent versions of
songs and the band in great spirits.