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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When "epic" isn't strong enough, July 17, 2003
The members of Pearl Jam have earned their money and their credentials in the studio, but it is on the road that they have cemented their place in history. Known for giving fans their money's worth both in time on stage and effort expended while they're up there, Pearl Jam has established itself as one of the great live acts in rock history. From the early Lollapalooza shows, through Red Rocks, Madison Square Garden, etc., they have provided ample fodder for argument as to what is their best show ever. But with State College 2003, they may have put that argument to rest in a marathon show featuring 36 songs that cover the full spectrum of their catalog, while offering nods to numerous musical influences. At the same time, the fans deserve some credit for the success of this show as they displayed a tremendous energy and a passion for Pearl Jam.There is so much material on these three discs it's hard to digest, and it would be impossible for me to recap every song, so instead I'm going to try to lend some context to the show by breaking out the songs played by studio album, in the order in which they are played, and touch on my favorites in the process. "Ten":
Release: An absolutely beautiful rendition, Ed's voice is great and the band is really tight.
Even Flow: Features an extended jam with some interesting distortion and progressions that aren't harmonic in the traditional sense; clearly Hendrix inspired.
Jeremy
Black: Beautiful, slow rendition with a superb exit solo from Mike.
Alive
Porch: A 10.5 minute version that is as much a feat of endurance as it is a musical accomplishment "Vs.":
Animal: Stone's fingerprints are all over this one as he dips and swoops around Mike's lead. We also hear the first of several great sing-a-longs from the audience.
Elderly Woman...
Rearviewmirror: Over the years, RVM has become my favorite song for extended solos/jams, and this version is particularly good. Stone and Mike take a more `delicate' approach than normal that somehow works in what is usually a pretty hard driving song.
Daughter (Highway To Hell)/(Another Brick In The Wall): "Highway To Hell" isn't really a true cover so much as it is Ed's commentary on the state of the country. "Another Brick In The Wall" features another great sing-a-long, and Ed modifies the chorus to "Politicians leave these kids alone..."
Blood: Funky version with the best drum work of the concert. "Vitalogy":
Corduroy: Great version! Mike's solo is ridiculously tight.
Nothingman
Lukin
Whipping
Last Exit
Betterman (Save It For Later): Great version with the crowd again getting in on the act as they sing the entire first chorus. The "Save It For Later" (by The English Beat) tag is great with Ed adding some new lyrics, and absolutely belting out the "Don't let go..." part; he actually gave me chills!
Satan's Bed: This one is preceded by some hilarious (and unprintable) give and take between Ed and the audience. The song itself is a little rusty, but an interesting change of pace. "No Code":
Mankind: After a false start, Stone offers up a great performance with some tongue in cheek jawing at the end. My only regret about this show is that there is only one offering from No Code, which is, to my mind, Pearl Jam's best album. "Yield":
MFC
Do The Evolution "Binaural":
Grievance "Riot Act":
Save You: This one is played machine gun fast and is a nice contrast to Release.
Cropduster
I Am Mine: I'm convinced that this song is much better live than it is on the album. Ed's voice is perfect here, and the guitars have a subtler sound that really highlight what a beautiful song this is. B-Sides and other projects:
Breath ("Singles" soundtrack): Pearl Jam almost never plays this one, and half the fun when they do is Ed inevitably forgetting the lyrics. This time is no exception, but the audience bails him out. Stone also helps out on vocals.
Down ("I Am Mine" Single): Ed prefaces this one by saying it should have made the last album, and he's right. A great bluesy tune with some tremendous lyrics; one of the highlights of the show.
Yellow Ledbetter ("Jeremy" Single): Ed tells a story about a member of the lighting crew who had been sent to Iraq with the reserves a few days prior, and then reworks the bulk of the lyrics to tell his story. Very poignant and a great capstone to the night. Covers:
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles): Ed acoustic ("for the Amish") and solo. He flubs the lyrics but the audience helps him out.
Gimme Some Truth (John Lennon):
Leaving Here (Eddie Holland): Incredible version! Ed is on fire and the rest of the band is really tight, at one point each (including Boom on keyboards) playing a solo in succession.
Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams): Generally not one of my favorite PJ covers, but Mike and Boom tear up the extended exit.
Fortunate Son (CCR): On the surface this doesn't seem like a song that would be conducive to Pearl Jam's sound, but it's actually really good. The band manages to put their own spin on it even as they remain faithful to the original song.
Rockin' In The Free World (Neil Young): Improvs:
Improv #1: Instrumentally, at least, this sounded as if it had been worked on prior to the show. Ed's lyrics are simple and poignant, speaking of living life for your self. Pretty strong for an improv, I wouldn't be surprised if it popped up in a revised version later on.
Improv #2: Rawer than the first improv, this is a pretty little song about loss. What else can I say? This was one of those nights where everything came together and something special happened. This is a must have for Pearl Jam fans, not to mention any fan of meaningful, powerful music. Jake Mohlman
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by Pearl Jam 
