Search - Pearl Jam :: 10/9/00 - Chicago, Illinois

Lay down your arms...

David R. Finnegan II | Rockford, IL, USA | 11/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This isn't a flawless set- the performance of Corduroy is lyrically flubbed, and Betterman is unremarkable, without the 'tags' that lend the songs personality live. However, I have yet to find a flawless Pearl Jam bootleg, and for those who collect them obsessively (like myself), there are few better from this tour. Several of the songs off Binaural are treated to passionate and spot-on renditions, most notably God's Dice, Grievance, and Insignificance. Several of the band's best live cuts, such as Release, RVM, and Evenflow, are also strong, backed by a packed Allstate Arena crowd. The show ends with a great performance of Baba O' Riley, with Ed exhorting the crowd to sing along- as if they needed the encouragement.



If you're only going to buy one bootleg from this tour, make it #72, the tour ender in Seattle. If you're getting any more, make this one a priority."

Warming up after Alpine Valley

M. Hendrickx | Chicago, il United States | 03/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After a very cold night outside at Alpine Valley the night before, Pearl Jam play a typically great Chicago show. Maybe it is because Chicago is Ed's hometown, or maybe it is because of the hero's welcome they always get from the crowd, but there is always something special about their Chicago shows. This is no exception.There are many high points to this show, beginning with the always gripping "Release" and the rarely played "Red Mosquito" early in the set. Toward the end of the set, we get a great segue from Lukin into Not For You, as well as the Pearl Jam Holy Trinity, Betterman, Leatherman, Nothingman, and only the second playing of "Parting Ways", even more powerful live than on the album.The encore has several ubiquitous cover tunes, like Crazy Mary and Soldier of Love and a supercharged Rearviewmirror--in my opinion the best rendition of this song of the tour.Introing "Soon Forget", Ed talks extensively about Ralph Nader's campaign, and he cracks several jokes about rich people. The show ends with Baba O'Riley, just as it did the last time Pearl Jam were in Chitown in 1998. This performance of Baba is slated to appear on an upcoming tribute album to The Who."

Full Energy in Chicago

DJK ver 2.0 | Richardson, TX | 08/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pearl Jam put together an incredible show for their Chicago performance. Coming off a show that nearly froze them and their fans in Wisconsn, and forced them to wrap things up early, the band went all out in Chicago. Eddie Vedder makes reference to the weather, although vaguely, early on, and promises to play for a while in Chicago.Whoever was working the sound board for this recording did an excellent job. Each member of the band is captured vividly. The crowd noise is just about perfect for this live recording. Their voices accompany Eddie at just the right volume in songs such as 'Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town', 'Release', 'Betterman', 'Black', and 'Baba O'Riley'. The audience participation goes a long way towards capturing the energy of the show.One of the highlights on the album was accomplished when the band played 'Lukin' as an intro for 'Not For You'. They didn't miss a beat, and the crowd,revved up by the break neck speed of 'Lukin', carried the energy right into the rebellious 'Not For You'.Although I don't all the official bootlegs from Pearl Jams last tour, I do own several. This is among the highlights of the tour."