real quick gremmies. we’ve uploaded night I from the Bridge School Benefit. Can you find it here. We’ve wrapped both nights into a single zip file. the quality of both nights is good, particularly night II. however, we are working to get better copies posted within the week. Enjoy. [UPDATED, 11/1: we have uploaded better quality copies of BOTH bridge school nights. each show was ripped directly from the Pearl Jam XM radio feed. thanks bsbeamer.]
TFT Notes: This is Pearl Jam’s Eighth Bridge School Benefit appearance, and fourteenth performance. Although acoustic, all members are standing during their opener, “Last Kiss” dedicated to Bridge School Alumni – and current UC Berkeley Graduate School Student – Maricor. Stone is jumping, energized by “Unthought Known”, and Boom is with the band on grand piano. Ed acknowledges the band’s 20th Anniversary and says they “wouldn’t have made it past the first five or six (years) without Uncle Neil.” “Santa Cruz”, although played by Eddie Vedder before on his solo tours, is a full-band debut. Santa Cruz, CA is located less than an hour south of Mountain View. “Dancing Barefoot” is a Patti Smith cover from her 1979 album Wave. “Better Man” gets the treatment with a new arrangement. “Walk With Me” is the opening track on Neil Young’s latest album Le Noise. “Just Breathe” is played with a String Quartet, affectionately introduced as “four classically trained geniuses. “Black” also gets a new arrangement, this version at a faster tempo, ominous strings, and a new bassline. The band close to standing applause, Ed saying he feels “like the Bridge School is more of a school for us because the band have learned so much from parents and kids.” Ed and Jeff join Neil Young for the day’s finale, “Rockin’ in the Free World”