Hey guys, as you know PJ are playing the Big Day Out festival next year. They've been promised a 2 hour set, and they're not doing any of their own shows on this tour. The sets on the American tour so far have been amazing and loooooong. Just wondering how much bang for our buck we're gonna get for a 2 hour set, under 20 tracks probably?

the shows have been 3 hours or so. They got 20 songs in under 2 last night.

Cool, very jealous that we don't get the whole experience like you guys. Let's hope they play a very diverse 2 hour set, and not just a standard festival crowd-pleaser

I'm expecting the most vanilla Pearl Jam sets imaginable. That way, anything slightly interesting will be a pleasant surprise.

I think we'll get a main set with one long (6-7 songs) hits-heavy encore.

Yeah I don't want to be disappointed but I've got a feeling that's what it'll be like. Pity considering the American sets have been sooooo amazing

they have been, but even so the highlights of the show, when you are there, are still the songs you are likely to be top heavy with. And they are playing the shit out of them

Yeah that's good, I won't be complaining but it'd be great if they'd bust out some gems instead of just running through the hits

After finally getting Hard to Imagine a few years back, I've stopped worrying about what they'll play. For this show I just wanted to hear a few cuts from the new album. And we got, what, six? Turns out they were the six I most wanted to hear. So I was completely happy. The fact that we also got Wash, Immortality and All Those Yesterdays was just icing. I was in the room for the LB songs.

Agreed. The LB songs worked really well with everything else.

The one thing that's a nitpick with me is the fans who are saying some songs "fell flat." I don't agree with that. Not every song requires people to scream at the top of their lungs with Ed. Its nice to have some songs you can just chill and listen to them play. They're pulling everything off so well right now, its nice to actually hear the band during these quieter parts of the concert.

Instead of traveling to see them in the States during the Fall, my wife and I decided to make our first trip to Australia for the two (now one) Sydney BDO shows. Any advise for a first timer in Australia and a first timer at BDO?

I agree. I love the ebb and flow and the more chill moments. And they are pulling everything off. Or, they did in Brooklyn a couple of nights ago, anyway.

But there were definitely some shifts in energy in my section a couple of times. You could feel people pulling away from the show. Folks dug our their cell phones and checked Facebook or left to get a beer or whatever. It's not the band's fault. They worked their asses off and you could tell they were feeling it the whole night. But, at least where I was sitting, there were some dead spots in terms of crowd energy and response. And it was different than chill. There were plenty of times that they band slowed down (the opening run is perfect example) and the crowd wasn't screaming but they were focused and completely invested.

Those are good points, actually. I think that's just the difference in going to a concert now versus 10+ years ago. I just hope the band doesn't take that as a "we better change our setlist to keep the anthems rolling."

I don't think they will. And I'm not sure Ed could handle it.

He looked so whipped by the end of the show. And not just drunk. He looked spent. They fucking earned it that night. I love this band so much.

I wouldn't say that but certainly infallible seemed to pull the rug out from under the energy. That could just be me.

I get that part. I think I was just making a point that the energy is allowed to subside once in awhile at a show. Not every song is going to be met with a huge reaction. And, to me, that's fine. I just hope the band doesn't read that as "we better not play this song because people aren't jumping around." People are so wired in these days, that disengagement at just about any event - concert, sports, etc is common, unfortunately.

Anyway, DcT made a good point that the band will probably keep these slower moments going just so they can breathe a little themselves.

Oh yeah. It's a total breather for them.

Pj sings that suffer midtempoitis(Orherside, FON) all serve that purpose. Great sings but they're placement and the purpose is often very apparent.

If it's not too hot, get there early. That'll be your best chance of seeing how big the festival is, seeing a few random bands, and not just hanging at the main stages all day. Head to the main stage reasonably early just to check out the scope of it. Usually you can tell how packed the D ring will be for the big bands early in the afternoon, when I saw Soundgarden it was pretty easy to get in. Take lots of water, it's going to be fucking hot I imagine, last year Sydney's BDO was the hottest day recorded in Sydney's history (something fucking ridiculous like 48 degrees, which is like 118F).
Other than that, if you have time to travel and see the rest of Australia I'd highly recommend it. Sydney I'd say is an amazing place for a tourist though. Get on the ferries and go check out Manly and the surrounds. I'm from Tasmania, which offers a very different perspective of Australia too if you wanna come check us out!

Thanks, we are spending 5 days in Sydney and 5 in Cairns so we will be sure to check out the area and ride the ferries.

I lived in Sydney for 30 years and its a great place but the BDO can show the bogan thug side. Lots of shirtless flag waving macho guys. Just take lot of water and try to avoid those guys. It should be a really good day.

Other things to do - book a bridge climb. It is really awesome. The festival of Sydney is on then too so you may catch a nice show at the opera house. A good day is the bridge climb and a walk around the harbour and the Rocks (check out the Australian Hotel for good local beers and tasty pizzas - kangaroo, crocodile etc). You could do a day trip to Katoomba in the blue mountains. Def catch a ferry to Manly. It's a seaside suburb with all that goes with that (like Brighton in the UK and I assume the Jersey shore).

I had 4 days in Cairns a few years back. It takes care of itself really but do hire a car. The Daintree is great and a reef tour is essential. There's a croc farm if that's your thing. Plus there's heaps of other tourist shit. We didn't stay in cairns, stayed in Palm Cove. Cairns is apparently a bit of a hole.

Have a great trip and feel free to ask any questions. Maybe meet up at the BDO for a beer.