The Mighty Pearl Jam

"I just wanna scream 'hello.' My God, it's been so long, never dreamed you'd return, but now here you are and here I am. . . " Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Pearl Jam

Been adding more songs to my iPod recently. Bought the thing last fall and have been steadily working through my CD collection (which numbers nearly 1,000) and ripping songs from the discs to the computer. Not putting every song on it; just the good stuff for the most part. So far, I've ripped about 2,100 songs.

Got to the P’s the other night and was working through the numerous Pearl Jam discs, rediscovering the true power of Eddie Vedder’s intensity and the sometimes-thunderous rage that comes through in his voice. As I worked through the pile, I came across a three-disc set and, almost instantly, I was transported in time back to 1995. . .

It was July 11, 1995 and Jen and I were heading into Chicago to see Eddie and the boys at Soldier Field. It was during the height of their battle with Ticketmaster and things had been heating up as they were fighting the monopolistic tendencies of TM and their control over major concert acts. Needless to say, we were knee-deep in our Pearl Jam phase and were very excited about the show.

As you’ll recall from an earlier post, I was not nearly as comfortable in Chicago back then as I am now. The area around Soldier Field, and of course the stadium itself, was much different than it is today. So, we bravely battled the traffic in my little Honda Accord and ended up parking south of Soldier Field near the old Donnelley Building and then walking through some questionable areas just to make it into the stadium.

Weather was hot but the energy of 70,000 people waiting for Pearl Jam was incredible. Our seats were in the east stands around the 30-yard line closer to the stage, which was on the north endzone, so our view was rather good. They played a 2.5 hour show and it was amazing. Played all their hits from “Ten” and “Vs.” and riffed on some Pete Townsend and Bob Marley as well. Even led the crowd in a 30-second chant of “Ticketmaster Sucks.” Seems trite today, since they essentially lost that war, but it was interesting at the time.

Some months later I caught wind of a bootleg three-CD set of the show that had been recorded directly from “the board” at the show and began my hunt to acquire it. It took a while, as good CD hunts often do, but I struck gold a year later or so when I found it at a used CD store in Madison, Wis., and picked it up for a cool $65. It was worth every penny and is still bringing back memories for me even 11 years later. . .

My Kind of Town

John Hancock Building & Friends

Looking northwest from the Oak Street Beach

Chicago, Illinois

July 9, 2006

1:30 p.m.

Back home yesterday after a weekend in Chicago for Jen's class at Northwestern. Always end a visit to Chicago with the same phrase; "we should go into the big city more often."

Really experienced some of the best the city has to offer in only a 48-hour period. Stayed in a nice hotel in a great part of the city (near Streeterville, for those in the know). Hung out at a great park near the Museum of Contemporary Art. Ate at a nice Italian place in a nice neighborhood north of Wrigleyville. Spent two really relaxing hours hanging out in the shade at the Oak Street Beach. And, all this was done in the company of a five-week old little girl.

Somewhat hard to come back to work after a weekend like that. Back to the routine after being among the diversity and energy of one of the world's great cities. When we first moved to northern Illinois in 1986, I was pretty nervous each time we went into the city. A somewhat high-strung high school student convinced that one wrong turn would send me down Hogan's Alley, lucky to emerge from the hail of gunfire that was sure to follow.

In time, and after many visits, I began to be more comfortable. Ventured into town during college a few times each year, learning a little something new with each visit. During my first real job, I was drafted to attend a early-morning news conference at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers on behalf of our organization. What happened next became known as "The Wrong Turn."

Left at 5 a.m. just to give myself time and made it there with plenty to spare. After a successful event, I headed out for the return trip, feeling confident that I knew how to return.

Didn't take long for me to get completely turned around down in the depths of the skyscrapers in River North somehow and, there I was heading down the wrong way of a fairly major one-way street, with a huge line of cars waiting half a block down for the light to change. After a few panicked expletives, I was able to gun the car into a parking lot and grab my bearings. It was not a pretty sight. Looking back, it does seem trivial. However, I can still remember feeling that "it's possible that I might never make it back home."

Today, years later, I've mastered the El, Metra, the bus system, cabs and Chicago, to me, is now filled with a million interesting things to do and no longer is the big scary city on the lake. Still have friends and family who rarely venture into the city. For various reasons, I suppose. "It's too big." "I'm not driving in there." "Take the train? Are you kidding?"

Too bad, really. They're missing out.

I'll Give You 50 Cents to Use Your Phone

Museum of Contemporary Art

Chicago, Illinois

July 7, 2006

7:45 p.m.

"Excuse me. I'll give you 50 cents if I can use your cell phone to call my husband." ----Tarot card reader on Michigan Ave. to a number of pedestrians before someone finally agreed to her request.


I continue to be amazed at the incredible contradictions around us every day. How I can walk down Michigan Avenue in Chicago, one of the priciest streets in the world, and see every variety of downtrodden people creatively asking for spare change and just a little gas money to "get them back to Dallas." How people driving huge SUVs and commuting to their jobs 30 miles each way complain about rising gas prices. Little things like that drive me crazy.

We're in Chicago for the next two nights as Jen attends a weekend seminar at Northwestern University. We're staying just a few blocks from NU near the Streeterville neighborhood. Our son is at his aunt's while I will be watching our daughter as Jen attends class. Nice to be in the city with no agenda, no time constraints, no plans, nothing to do but take care of a little munchkin. Goes quite against my control-freak, must-have-a-plan-for-everything nature.

Drove in to Chicago today for the first time in probably five years. We've become such fans of Metra and the El that driving into Chicago rarely makes sense. However, with the Normandy-invasion level of gear that you need for a 48-hour stay with a five-week old, driving was really the only option.

Incredible level of congestion going into the city at about 4 p.m. on a Friday. I don't envy those who commute in heavy traffic every day. Did a country-road, 60-minute each way, commute for about six months during the first year of my first real job and that was about all I could take. Can't imagine doing it in every day in heavy traffic.

Planning to meet my sister and her husband on Saturday at some point just to hang out and maybe have dinner. Should be fun.