Pearl Jam Concert Chronology

1999

October 30, 1999 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA, USA (Bridge School Benefit) (Acoustic)

soundcheck: Wishlist, Thin Air, Daughter, Nothing As It Seems, Soldier Of Love, In Hiding, Last Kiss, Elderly Woman...
setlist: Soldier Of Love, Wishlist, Thin Air, Elderly Woman..., Footsteps, Last Kiss, Yellow Ledbetter

The band takes the stage to rabid applause, Eddie walking along the back of the stage and greeting the Bridge School students sitting there. For those who care about these things, Eddie is no longer blonde (more of a washed-out brown), Mike has the spikey blonde thing going again. "Soldier Of Love" is solid, followed by a nicely done "Wishlist". Mike's eyes are closed and he sings along to himself. "Here's one... you know the last time you got a new pair of shoes" and proceeds to tell us that they have a new song they're really excited about. "Thin Air" is a great song that reminds a lot of people of "Off He Goes". Lyrically it is an obvious love song. "Here's another ditty that was written over there", Eddie says, gesturing northward, as they launch into "Elderly Woman...", with Matt playing bongos for a different feel. Eddie's eyes are closed, Stone looks down, Jeff is in a fuzzy hat (actually, it is the "evil goat hat" from the Ten Club). Eddie then relates a very amusing story about being at Neil's barbeque the previous night and Neil taking him aside, out into the woods: "Eddie, there's something I always wanted to tell you but I never thought the time was right... Eddie, I am your father" (for those of you keeping count of Pearl Jam/Star Wars references, add another one). Eddie: "So I said, ah, can I move down and stay in your house, and he said no... so this is for dad and all my new brothers and sisters", and launches into a hauntingly beautiful "Footsteps", beginning with a nice bluesy harmonica solo. Mike's solo is eerily echoey, sparse, spacy. "Last Kiss" is bearable, bringing the crowd to it's feet with dancing and singing. The stand-up bass is brought out for "Yellow Ledbetter", with a great solo from Mike (as usual). All of the band returns at the end of the night for the final jam on Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", Mike and Jeff playing with The Who's John Entwistle, Eddie taking a few verses, and Matt on drums in the back. An AMAZING day!

October 31, 1999 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA, USA (Bridge School Benefit) (Acoustic)

setlist: Nothing As It Seems, Daughter, Wishlist, Better Man, Off He Goes, Black, Last Kiss

The band takes the stage with only Mike and Stone festively attired for Halloween (Mike in a silver Lone Ranger-type mask and Stone with a turkey hat). Eddie asks everyone to sit down: "We'll be here a while, here's a new song...", and launches into the second brand-new song in two days, the incredible, bluesy "Nothing As It Seems". A slightly different "Daughter" follows, very boppy; Eddie uses his fist to create a megaphone effect at the end of the song but never gets to a tag. The band are much, much more comfortable and confident tonight, much eye contact with the audience, smiles from Eddie, Jeff even looks up from the floor. During "Wishlist", instead of the "14 million hands upraised" line, Eddie sings, "of 14 childrens' hands upraised" and turns towards the Bridge students at the back. Eddie looks up at the sky, probably looking for the moon, during the "Camaro" line. Mike takes all the solos during "Wishlist". Eddie's voice is just great. After "Better Man", Eddie tells a story about "it's really touching and incredible to be around all the... John, Pete and Roger from the Who... sharing stories... mostly listening to theirs... and they'd talk about Keith Moon, and it was almost like he was still around (Mike starts the "Pinball Wizard" riff and Eddie tosses a pick toward him)... it reminds us of how fragile life is", and dedicates an incredibly beautiful "Off He Goes" to Keith Moon. Eddie miffs the lyrics to "Black" and laughs it off, making a joke about it singing, "I know I taught her the wrong words...". During the "kids at play" line, he turns again to the Bridge students. Fucks up the lyrics one more time and laughs it off with, "It's been a while!". Finally, Eddie talks about how after four times performing at Bridge, some of the students have become friends, and dedicates "Last Kiss" by special request for one student in particular, and sings the whole song to her with tears streaming down his face.