Making of a Moment – Phoenix, AZ 10/21/2000

We’re still in our run up to Pearl Jam’s 2022 tour on the podcast, just about a week away now! Last week on the show, we covered Phoenix 2000. This show, on the eve of the 10th anniversary show in Las Vegas, is very good in its own right. For my #3 Moment this week, I’m choosing something a little more light-hearted than usual. In the middle of the main set, they break out a cover of The La’s “Timeless Melody”, and it’s fantastic. Pearl Jam can be an amazing pop band (see: Better Man) and this fits right into that canon.

Moment #3

It looks like Ed’s playing a Rickenbacker, something I don’t ever remember seeing before. It gives it that extra jangly, early R.E.M. sound. This one is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and start your week off right.

Moment #2

I Got Shit is my #2 Moment from this show. It’s prefaced with Ed acknowledging the 10 year anniversary, he sounds incredible on the first verse, and listen to Mike’s tone on the solo starting at 1:14, it’s got the Nothing As It Seems effects pedal sound, giving it an otherworldly sound. Matt’s doing a lot of intricate things here as well, lots of little accents and fills. The ending soars, Mike’s tone is back and Ed is adding something extra to his singalong part at the end. It’s near perfect.

Moment #1

There’s a feeling that I get when I hear the beginning of Given to Fly, it’s hard to explain, it’s a mixture of anticipation and relief and familiarity that can really get to me if it hits me in the right mood. The way that Mike opens this version has all of that. Matt is giving the Jack versions a run for their money here as well, you might think it was an early 1998 version. Right before the chorus builds, Ed says “Here we go…” He knows what’s coming, he’s hunched over and shaking his head, losing himself in the music for a moment. This version is outstanding, so much so that it’s making me think about moving GTF up to my #1 favorite PJ song right now.