1 post tagged “best performance”

School play or Broadway musical... What's the best performance you've ever seen?

Pearl Jam.  Bonner Springs, KS.  June 2003.

Ever gotten stuck in torrential rain?  The kind of rain that you're pretty certain IS actually coming down in solid sheets, not distinguishable drops?  Like someone is pouring the bottomless bucket of water over you?  I have never before, and never since, experienced a rainstorm that had that kind of heavy rain for the extended period that it did that night in June.  We still call it "Kansas City rain".

There we were, 10th row center - in an outdoor amphitheater.  The rain had started while we were outside in line, waiting to be admitted.  My husband - and some friends of ours - tried to bring umbrellas in but, of course, being dangerous weapon-like objects that they are, umbrellas were not allowed.  There was never any question that we'd endure the weather.  Our tickets blatantly read "Rain or Shine" in all caps at the top.  Ironically, we'd sat for hours in the sun with our fellow fan club compadres earlier that day to get those seats.  This was one of three Pearl Jam concerts that we went to that summer.  We thought of it as our mini-tour with the band.  Three concerts probably doesn't seem like much, but it was a big money commitment for a bunch of college students.

So when the rain started, we went from "Crap, this is inconvenient" to "Dude, this really sucks" in no time flat.  My husband (well, not at the time I guess) took off his button down shirt for me to shield my face to try and prevent my contacts from washing out.  That quickly soaked through.  My hair hung in thick wet ropes.  Our friend, at one point, took off his hooded sweatshirt and rung out a couple gallons of water and commented that he felt about 20 pounds lighter with the sweater off.  I took off my boots and poured a bunch of water out of those.  We all agreed we'd have been dryer if we'd jumped into a swimming pool with all our clothes on.

The concert was delayed for about an hour.  So for an hour stood in this.  More and more concert-goers abandoned ship as the time drew on.  Finally, Eddie walked out on stage and started singing "Release," the powerful closing song from their first album.  When he sang, "I see the verse... in the rain" the entire crowd erupted in an absolute uproar.  When Ed continued with "Oh dear Dad, can you see me now?" A HUGE bolt of lightning webbed the entire sky and a crack of thunder followed suit.  Ed looked up and said, "Hi Dad."  How do you recount a concert?  It's been quite awhile since, but the four of us were all in agreement.  Of all the times we've seen Pearl Jam - before and since - it was the most impassioned set list we have witnessed.  The crowd was entirely comprised of their truest fans, and the band fed off it. 

The most apropos song was played halfway through the set.  "Whipping"... "Don't need a raincoat, I'm already wet." 

Release

Don't need a raincoat, I'm already wet

Sing it, boys

Mike playing for the soggy commonfolk