So here's a little hypothetical scenario for you.

You're at another Pearl Jam show. You're happy to be there, but can't quite muster up the excitement of the early years. Perhaps you've seen them one too many times, perhaps you're getting older... for some reason, you're not as holy-shit-I'm-losing-my-mind excited as you clearly remember being several years ago.

The intro music starts playing and the band walks onstage. They get into their usual positions. There's Mike, there's Jeff, there's Ed, there's Matt and there's... Stone? Is it Stone? He looks... different. It's someone else. You faintly recognize them (you don't have the best seats in the house) but can't understand what they'd be doing in Stone's place.

Before the band starts playing, Ed steps up to the microphone.

"Uh... hello. Good evening. We have some songs to play for you tonight, and we're going to get to that in a minute but first uh... first I thought I'd acknowledge... you might notice our guitarist, Stone Gossard, he looks a little different tonight. Actually Stone is, uh, sick, he is recovering from a bad case of the flu and he couldn't play with us tonight. In his place, we asked a friend of ours to join us... some of you might recognize them... please welcome ___________."

What name would make you lose your mind with excitement?

Let's keep it within the realm of plausibility. No dead people, of course. It could be an old associate of the band or it could be someone new. It could be a man or a woman. Think of who could bring something interesting and new to the songs, or just someone who it'd be cool to see up there.

Looking forward to reading your choices.

TL;DR: If Stone was sick and someone had to step in for him for a night, who would be your dream choice?

Didn't a very similar scenario actually happen when they supported The Who in 2002 or thereabouts? I may not be remembering this correctly, but I think they had a cardboard Stone in his place.

Anyway, it's hard to say. Nels Cline, I guess, but I'd prefer that it was Mike who was unavoidably absent.

/thread

Lock 'er up. IBTL

Guys i understand why Mike is the go to target here but....lets just take a step back and think about what he has offered up over the past 20 years...

Some pretty incredible moments that have had to of brought you boys in to the fold? No?

Or are we being jaded dicks here?

In that case....

Bring me "insert favorite guitarist i love but would not mold with what pj ever was or will ever be but im totally into this guitarist right now so i will state his name here to be awesome"

Jay z

That happened and they didnt replace him...i dont think i want to see some other guitar player with them.

i would like to hear some side band with Ed, Jack, Mike Watt and Jim O Rourke.

I would care a lot more about a stand in on an album, rather than a show. For a show it tends to be mike's work that stands out to me.

Yeah, that's what got me thinking about this. In that show they simply played without him, which resulted in a bunch of songs where Ed played rhythm guitar. I was wondering what it would be like if Pearl Jam got someone like Carrie Brownstein or even Dave Grohl stepping in on rhythm-guitar duties for a show.

Man, that was horrible when stone was gone though. Eds guitar tone these days is just brutal for him to be the main rhythm layer. Oof.

James Hetfield

that one poped into my head too, but i dont know that i would like it, just be cool to see someone that different

Neil Young because Neil Young.

This made me appreciate Stone. He's got a feel all his own. Very difficult for anyone to step in and it be convincing. You can find a Cready on any street corner.

Ed O'Brien might bring something new.

But, it would suck to have this happen. Would much rather have a sub for Mike (Frusciante), Matt (Irons), or Boom (Elton John).

Realistically it would be the guitar tech and they would stand him next to Boom in the back.

Paul Stanley. Questionable sexuality still intact.

In before Jack Irons.

Pete Townshend would probably get the band pretty excited. They might be on their best behavior and deliver a fantastic show if he stepped in.

Warren Haynes

...and Derek Trucks replacing Mike.