Episode 307: Denver, CO – 10/22/2014

Happy 34th birthday, Pearl Jam! This week we are celebrating the anniversary of the band’s debut show from the Off Ramp back in 1990 by covering the show that happened on the last time they played the anniversary date in 2014. There are certain shows that are highly praised in their catalog for being marathon shows playing upwards of nearly 40 songs in a set. State College, Mansfield and The Spectrum are a few by name, but the tour closing show in Denver had a whopping 38 performances that could put this show in the neighborhood of the others previously mentioned.

Does this show belong among the classic marathon shows? That will be a topic for discussion here as we have tons of material to break down. What’s interesting to note is that this show features six of the eight songs that were played in that Off Ramp set, including Release as the opener. While the band may not have recognized the significance of the date prior to the show, they certainly rise to the occasion to make it a special night for their audience. It was a great show for deep cuts such as Ghost, Of The Earth, Don’t Gimme No Lip, My Father’s Son and Sleight Of Hand, and to really give the crowd something unique, Lukin is played with a slow burn intro.

As mentioned, there’s 38 songs at play here so there’s a lot to pack into this episode!