The band was amazing. Scott continues to look great and healthy. There really seemed to be that special vibe throughout, knowing that this was a big deal. Tumble was AMAZING!!!! I just knew it was comin, can't believe it.
HOWEVER, aspects of the crowd unfortunately soured some of the show for my girlfriend and I:
SHAME ON ATLANTIC RECORDS. From the moment we got there, it seemed like the show was not presented as a special show for the fans, but moreso a party for Atlantic Records. With their own waiting line to shortcut their way in (not that big of a deal, I know it happens) and then see atleast two hundred suits standing around drinking Merlot out of dixie cups already in the theatre while I was maybe the 30th person on line outside.
Then, when the place seemed packed in. I'd say a good half the crowd just didn't look like they belonged, and when the band came on, seeing all of their disturbed and confused faces re: fans getting excited and screaming, like they didn't know people would be excited, like we were ruining their party. Why do I feel like if it was a Pearl Jam show, it would've been 550 fans and 50 suits, as opposed to 300 fans, 300 suits?
And finally, the clincher. We had one of these guys with his oh-so-posh girlfriend standing next to us while we were waiting to start, just dropping comments about his job @ Atlantic. This guy was easily mid-to-late 40s, definitely trying to hold onto some form of his younger days. Anyway, once Sour Girl starts he takes out his bowl and begins to smokeup through the entire song with his girlfrind and coworkers (I know it happens, but c'mon, almost a constant drag through a 4 minute song?). Then, the same thing goes down during Creep, but this time near the end of the song, someone in his entourage takes out a needle & syringe and they start giggling like a bunch of schoolgirls. Needless to say, we spent the rest of the show listening from the back of the auditorium. Now I'm not naive to the point where I don't think drugs and stuff go down during shows (I've been to many shows), but to have it be right on top of you, by people who made it clear they had no business being there with the mindset that STP is totally the place where they should shoot up?
