in some ways it is the visual equivalent of the bootlegs that have been released in the past year,... a basic document of what may occur at any given pearl jam concert. so already we establish that it may be for those with an acquired taste. it is long, as our shows can sometimes be,....//a number of years ago when tickets were hard to come by and so much work had been done to organize the venues, security, porta-johns etc., it seemed strange to stop playing after the normal hour and a half when you were at the peak of the journey,... everyone standing in their seats, amplifiers plugged in and working, and half a bottle of wine let to go,... the perfect atmosphere to break out an obscure b-side!

so what you have here has that element to it,... in the least, it is complete, being that there are 27 songs and then some,... I had a realization that this format might satisfy those who at some time during one of our live shows have felt the need to;

one thing I was reminded of while watching, and what we may find most exciting is the non-traditional, almost grass-roots way in which it came together,... what you are seeing is basically 3 people from the touring crew who would finish their regular duties by showtime, then grab cameras and become a documentary film team. it was all very Bruce Wayne or Klark Kent,... I recall conversations like, "How are the voter registration tables going?,... Did my friend Jack get on the list?,... Oh, and did you film that version of Leatherman from last night?" to use a Mike Watt term, it was "ENCO",... (mind you, there are 3 or 4 semi-trucks with sound and light equipment, so its all relative,...)

the closeness we share with those who are on tour is what makes the experience truly worthwhile in the end,... it was interesting to see footage of Europe and how well it had been going, when all we seem to have remembered is how it ended,... There was a pivotal moment watching Sonic Youth open the first show back in the states... all the questions, doubt and despair were all laid to waste by the power of the sound and those who were making it,...

if there is anyone out there, as we have been graciously told a number of times, who feels that for whatever reason some of the music here has helped you work through a few things,... (or dance and sing on top of them), we can relate,... and to those who were in attendance at any of the shows, your presence helped to lift us and provide a sense of worth in what we do,.. thank you.

enough said. hope to see you again.
and please,.... turn it up.