Pearl Jam fans: Are they going to start playing Brother live?

Seriously here. The best song they only played twice in the past. Will they start playing it prominently? Why the fukk not? I don't listen to FM radio, but supposedly, FM radio is playing it as often as it played Alive and Jeremy in 92. Playing a few shows in the Midwest in late August, new album coming out in the fall, major league full kick-ass tour to happen in the fall as well, playing the first new Conan ever. God, I'm so fired up right now to hear Brother played live, even if Ed can't break out the old school scream like he used to.

So let's hear it, PJ fans! Are they going to start playing Brother. My vote is...YES! They started breaking out old school tunes they stopped playing for a decade: Blood, Rats, Satan's Bed, Why Go, WMA. Why would they stop the karma there and not play Brother! And then they'll play Alone, and then bring back Let My Love Open the Door, and then to finish it all off, Ed will come back to play Angel solo and leave it at that.

I'm so fired up I can hardly sustain myself. Pearl Jam rules. Forever and evah.

 

The re-issued Ten includes a version of Brother with lyrics. So maybe.

 

That's what I'm saying. I'm praying.

Sonic reducer...ain't no loser.

 

I don't listen to FM radio much, though I had heard it a couple times, but last month I heard the remastered version of Brother played between innings at a Royals game. I was shocked and immediately called a Pearl Jam obsessed co-worker...he was not surprised, saying it had been getting huge radio play.

I'd vote yes that it does get played on this summer mini-tour...but still doubt it becomes a regular staple of live shows. I would nearly guarantee it gets played one of the two nights in Chicago.

Having said that, aside from the "holy fuck, they're playing an old song for the third time ever" moment, I'm not sure how much I look forward to possibly hearing it. All the Ten era stuff seems to be so hit or miss now with them live. Eddie doesn't have the voice to pull some of the stuff off and they seem flat bored to play other stuff. Even Flow should be a highlight of every show, but now it just means a piss break for the crowd and a smoke break for Eddie. I saw them play Jeremy in 2006 and it was lifeless...same with Garden. Meanwhile, a solid second encore performance of Black is worth the price of admission, the reversed Mamasan Trilogy is amazing and Why Go has become one of my favorite live songs after they opened Lolla with it in 2007.

Now, what I'm very excited about seeing is the new song they played on Conan earlier this week, as well as that song they apparently filmed for a Target commercial.

And I'm more than excited to head to Nashville in less than two weeks for back-to-back Eddie solo shows at Ryman Auditorium. It could be a very, very special couple of nights.

 

Even Flow should not be a highlight of every show. They've only played it about a million times since the band's inception. There are so many other awesome songs you don't get to hear often where I would actually prefer they didn't play Even Flow so we can get those rare gems in more often. I wouldn't break a sweat if they didn't play Black either, but if the band wants to, no big deal. Sorry to hear you felt the Jeremy version you heard was weak, but that happens. Maybe next time you'll hear it, it will be epic. It took until my 6th time seeing the band before I got to hear Jeremy, it was just great to hear it in general.

Sure, Ed doesn't have the pipes to pull of the original Brother vocals, but that doesn't mean the band can't break out the same sick guitars from the original B-side. I've become accustomed to not worry if Ed can do the vocals, he'll put out the best effort he can, and the fact they'll be playing Brother, after years of not playing so many of their epic old school songs (not the radio singles), I'll more than appreciate it.

Would you have a problem with Wash? What about I Got Shit? Those are the songs I want to hear instead of Even Flow.

 

Even Flow = bathroom break.

There is sound reasoning behind that.

 

I like that Even Flow is the token jam song. I saw Matt Cameron do a 2-minute drum solo during it last year. And the crowd re-join of the chorus is good. I've heard Wash and I Got Shit multiple times - see them enough and you'll see it all. My bathroom break is Unemployable or Gone - not a fan of the slow rockers off Avocado.

 

Even Flow is a fantastic song...when they care. And don't get me wrong, Pearl Jam is my favorite band x 1,000,000...but I've also seen/heard them enough to tell when they seem to just want to get through songs. When Eddie is taking a smoke break mid-Mike solo, it's obviously not a priority. But, for giggles, go listen to Live on Two Legs or a boot before that. Even Flow was played a touch slower and was a fantastic live song.

Would I love to hear Wash or I Got Shit. Sure...and add Hard to Imagine to the list. I saw I Got Shit and Hard to Imagine in D.C. last year. It was fanfuckingtastic.

But I also understand there will always be people there interested in hearing the hits. So, I'd like for Even Flow, Alive, Corduroy, et al. to have that same conviction that drew me to Pearl Jam in the first place. Meanwhile, Jeremy used to be my favorite song on Ten when I was young and didn't know enough Pearl Jam. Now, it's near the bottom. That could have influenced my feelings about hearing it live. But, at the same time, it was a pretty dull version and one of those songs that I could definitely go a long, long time without ever hearing again.

Like I said, Ten era stuff seems to be sort of hit or miss. Sometimes, it just doesn't seem like they're that into playing it...like they're over playing it live for that matter, but feel compelled to do it to appease those in the crowd who have been too dumb to listen to anything after that album. Other times, they just don't have that youthful edge to quite pull those songs off...again, my opinion. So, I guess that's where I stand right now with Brother. I'm excited to hear it...but, not sure I really want it to be a staple of live shows until I hear it and now how they're going to play it.

Having said that, when they get serious about playing the old stuff...there's nothing better. WMA in Camden last summer was a highlight. Just a great performance of something they hadn't been playing much in nearly a decade (ok, not a decade...but a few years).

Pearl Jam discussion....keep it going. I'm always ready. Meanwhile, listening to one of the Seattle 2000 shows right now. Just opened with Long Road....I'm in a great mood.

 

I was there in DC and also in Camden when they broke out Rats (of all songs). My friend and I always try to guess the opener and list the dream tour song. I hit on Rats. His was Light Years, and we got that, too, that first night across the river from Philly.

My experiences with Even Flow have been pretty good, and I usually see multiple stops per summer.

 

I doubt they are actually going to play "Brother."

Ed hates it.

But what do I know?


ALSO: For those interested, here is an extra, web-only song from Conan. I'm sure you've all heard it before. But not with Ed playing guitar.

http://www.thetonightshowwithconanobrien.com/video/clips/pearl-jam-bonus-song/1119282/

 

I don't know you. I don't know what the future holds for you.

But, as someone who saw Ed solo in LA last year, I'm going to make a prediction: This will be the highlight of your summer.

So fucking good.

 

Saw PJ for the second time in Detroit in the 00s. Made life worth living when they played In My Tree.