After waiting from all the way back in March of 2020 to kick off this tour run, we have finally reached the end. Long Road is a fitting opener to reflect that. Thin Air is appropriately played in the high…
Main Set: Long Road, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Thin Air, Just Breathe, Present Tense, (Interstellar Overdrive)/Corduroy, Spin The Black Circle, Throw Your Hatred Down, Given To Fly, Who Ever Said, Even Flow, Dance Of The Clairvoyants, River Cross, Save You, Better Man/(Save It For Later), Last Kiss, Faithfull, Lukin, Rearviewmirror
encore 1: I Won’t Back Down, Chloe Dancer, Crown Of Thorns, Alive, Baba O’Riley, Yellow Ledbetter
After waiting from all the way back in March of 2020 to kick off this tour run, we have finally reached the end. Long Road is a fitting opener to reflect that. Thin Air is appropriately played in the high altitude, the third time it’s been played in the state of Colorado. Ed says he has two bottles of wine and one bottle of oxygen, and gives a shout out to a couple who got engaged at a Pearl Jam show years ago, saying there is a lot of power in that, before breaking out Just Breathe for the first time in 2022. Ed applauds Colorado for being in the top 10 in sensible gun laws in the country, then addresses a girl in a very sparkly shirt. He asks to borrow her shirt in the encore because they could ‘use a little Harry Styles.’ At the end of Throw Your Hatred Down, he throws her a tambourine. After Given To Fly, Ed commends a big guy up in front for letting a woman get in front of him on rail so she can watch the show. Who Ever Said needs to be stopped due to an issue in front, the crowd is asked to take two steps back and the fan walks away to safety. Ed makes a prediction that Mike McCready is gonna go off on Even Flow, and uses a Chris Cornell quote about him saying “he’s infected!” Mike fulfills the prediction and pulls out the usual tricks, like playing behind the head. Ed mentions that the author of Into The Wild and Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer, is in attendance. Ed heads to the pump organ, says we’re thinking about everyone in Ukraine and asks the crowd to light up their phones for River Cross. There is a “FCK PTN” shirt on his organ. After Better Man, Ed makes note that the big guy has been given his spot back on rail, calling it reverse chivalry, then says they’re gonna be chivalrous by turning around and playing to the back, which happens to be Last Kiss. Ed shouts out the people in front and commends them for their dedication, saying they will miss them after the tour ends, leading into Faithfull.
Ed comes out for the encore by himself with a guitar, and says there is only an encore break just for keeping up appearances. He mentions that it would be nice to play at Red Rocks again, and talks about playing in Colorado with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers back in 2006. He adds that he spoke with a father who lost his child in Sandy Hook who would later take his own life, and that his wife testified against Alex Jones in the defamation trial, and says he hopes they make an example of him. I Won’t Back Down is played in honor of her, her husband Jeremy and Petty. Chloe Dancer and Crown Of Thorns continue to tug at the heartstrings. The substitute teacher line is dropped from Crown Of Thorns. Ed mentions a show in Miami on the Lollapalooza tour in 1992 where a fan was hoisted up in a wheelchair crowd surfing to Rockin’ In The Free World, and says he’s in attendance. Ed invites Molly and Whitney from Thunderpussy on stage for Baba O’Riley. Tambourines are flying all over the stage as it turns into one big party up there. Ed thanks everyone for a great night and a great tour as Yellow Ledbetter ends a magnificent 2022 run. Ed introduces the band members before taking a big bow, saying:
“those are the people who love you.”