Pearl Jam 2011

As you all know, I've been looking forward to the Pearl Jam concert for quite some time.  I had the opportunity to get tickets through Ten Club for both nights.

Saturday afternoon, I went to my brother and sister-in-law's house to drop Olivia off.  She was staying there for the afternoon and night.  Then she was going to Grandma and Grandpa's house until Monday afternoon.  I am so grateful that they were able to take Olivia so I could enjoy my time at Pearl Jam.

Mike and I gathered our things and headed over to pick up his friend Mike.  We went down to East Troy, Wi.  The Schrieber family was my family this weekend, as I stayed there the whole time.  We had a few beverages with them and then proceeded to Alpine Valley, minutes away.  We also had a preferred parking pass in hand.

We were all ready for the rain that was there all day.  Prepared for a mud bath.  We were very lucky and it only sprinkled for a while. No mud.

We pulled into the parking lot of 30 or so cars and started our walk.  We came upon a girl in a golf cart.  I asked her if she was going our way by chance.  Well, yes she was!  She picked us up and we were on our way to the concert.  We were coming in the back part of the stage.  Instead of going right to go in the concert, we went left on the road and ended up going through where all the Band trailers were!!! I couldn't believe my eyes.  On a plain piece of paper on white trailers were, Mudhoney, Queens of the Stone Age, The Strokes and Chris Cornell.  Standing next to us on the path was the lead singer of The Strokes.  Crazy!  The rumors were true about Chris Cornell being there.  AMAZING!  I leaned over to Mike and said, "I don't think we are supposed to be back here..."  We weren't.  The girl pulled up 2 feet away from the ticket office for us 5 minutes later.  I felt like s celebrity for a few minutes.  Just a few. 

We then met his other friend Mike there.  Yes, 3 Mike's now.  We then went into the venue.  In about 5 minutes, Mike had lost Mike and I had lost both Mike's.  Really?  It's starting to get dark, I'm kind of drunk and now I have to find 2 Mike's?  So, I walked around and then low and behold, I literally ran into my brother.  Geesh!  So we then got our beers and got ready for the concert.
Mike's brother-in-law, Mike, Mike, Mike

Mike and I before the concert

My 100 oz beer.  I will tell you now I didn't need that beer.














Mike showing off his rain gear

Mike showing off his beer drinking gear

Mike and Mike. 

My brother and I during the concert.

The other Mike and I.


All I have to say is AMAZING!!!  It was so awesome.  It was great to see my brother's reaction, as this was his first Pearl Jam Concert.  He had so much fun.



http://www.pearljam.com/tour/show/alpine-valley-music-theatre-sep-03-2011






























We then drove back to the Schriebers, after only taking minutes to get out of the parking lot.  It was awesome.  The Mike's drove home and I was up until 3 or so on a Pearl Jam High.

The next day I got to lay around on the couch after Rese made me breakfast and coffee.  It was pretty sweet.  I was missing my little O.  No snuggler:(

Then Shawn met us to go to the concert on Sunday.  Adam, Shawn and I met some friends there with the Montags.  We had a great time before going into Night 2 of Pearl Jam.  Now, Night 1 was absolutely phenomenal, I couldn't imagine how Night 2 would be....


 Shawn and I took advantage of the Ten Club area.  Faster service for beers and bathrooms.  We also went by the Pearl Jam museum and signed the wall.  That was pretty cool.

10 Club area

My signature

Shawn signing the wall.


Well, they topped themselves! It was the best concert and experience I ever had.  Unbelievable.  They played every song I wanted.  It's like I wrote the set list.

http://www.pearljam.com/tour/show/alpine-valley-music-theatre-sep-04-2011

 Shawn and I cried a few times, I bawled during Just Breathe.  It was very moving.
Shawn and I during the concert.

Spray paint art work on a billboard





2nd to last song. All of the bands from the day and PJ playing Rockin' in a free world.


Both nights we were blessed to have Chris Cornell in our presence.  He is amazingly talented.
They played for over 3 hours.  I still cannot stop talking about how good it was.  Rave review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT



Shawn and I left with Adam and went back home.  As we walked into the house, Rese was pulling a pizza out of the oven.  Really?  Talk about timing. 

I was very lucky to attend the concert with my 2 brothers.  Lucky to have my sister-in-law and parents take care of Olivia for the weekend.  Lucky to have great seats.  Lucky to see both nights. Lucky to have a parking pass.  Lucky to be able to spend the weekend at the Schriebers.  Lucky to be able to experience the most moving thing in my life.  Beyond Patrick and Olivia, this is my number 2 best experience in my life.  I'm lucky to have Pearl Jam affect my life how it has for the past 20 years.  I'm lucky that Pearl Jam is still together after all these years.  I'm lucky.

So, as for the days that followed the best experience ever....

Tired.  I didn't get much sleep after drinking 3 days in a row and staying up late.  Last night I went to bed at 8:30.  Pretty sad.  Thank you coffee and Mountain Dew.  I loved you as much as Pearl Jam this week.



Comments

  1. How wonderful! I am so happy you had a great time at Pearl Jam!!! Much love to you!

    ReplyDelete

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