COLUMN: PJ IN MT

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was in the ninth grade and my friend Paul handed me a CD that he insisted I borrow for a few days. It wasn’t uncommon for him to turn me onto different kinds of music, but this day was different. He insisted I go right home and listen. He said to skip homework, chores, or whatever else I needed to do because these 11 songs would change my life.

Little did I know, but Paul was right. His kind gesture of letting me borrow the album “Ten” by Pearl Jam has given me over 20 years of enjoyment. Pearl Jam’s music and words have meant more than I could possibly imagine and have often times been a light when my world was a bit dark. As a teenager this was quite often because between being grounded and trying to deal the awkwardness of being in high school, I spent numerous hours sitting alone in my room with Pearl Jam and this made everything all right. The first job I had was at Wendy’s and at the time I was listening to Pearl Jam hours a day and the words of the song “Black” helped get through my head that the girl who worked the drive thru only liked me as a friend.

Pearl Jam had a meteoric rise and at one time would become the most popular band in the world. It went from a time when I would talk about them and nobody would have a clue who they were to seemingly everyone listening to them. No matter how big they became, it didn’t matter to me.

They always were something special and that is all that mattered.

At their peak of popularity, I was able to see them twice in a six months span, the first a special show they played in Wyoming. It seemed a bit weird one of the biggest bands in the world would be playing in Casper, but they wanted to send a message to the major ticket companies that they could sell their own tickets for a major arena tour and start it wherever they wanted to. It was a magical experience I will never forget. I sang along word for word and wasn’t able to talk for about a week I yelled so loudly. A few months later I was able to see them in the fourth row at a show in Salt Lake City and it was every bit as much fun as the first.

Over the next few years my taste in music would change, but I never forgot about the band that meant so much to me. When XM radio gave Pearl Jam their own channel, it was like a rebirth of all the songs that played while I was growing up. With each song I heard it was like going back and at the same time making new memories with their music.

I tried to go see them live a couple time over the years, but things never worked out and I wondered if I would ever get to see them again. I would find out this would be the case last April, and it would be closer than I could have imagined.

While walking down the street in Missoula, I turned around and saw Jeff Ament, the bass player for Pearl Jam. It was a surreal experience as I thanked him for everything and we spent several minutes talking. He didn’t treat me like I was a random fan; he was actually a great guy who didn’t mind spending a few minutes of his day talking about music.

It was during this conversation he told they had planned to play sometime in 2018 in Missoula. I have been patiently awaiting the news of a show because them playing less than two hours from my house seemed like it had all come full circle since my late friend Paul had given me the CD. I would finally be able to see them and do so in my new home.

I started to hear rumors early next week the show would take place in August, and it was confirmed on Wednesday they would be playing at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on August 13.

I get a ton of press releases on a daily basis but to see one announcing the Pearl Jam show made my day.

I’m already planning on closing the office at August 13 at Noon and am going to get the best tickets possible.

Seeing Pearl Jam again has been on the bucket list for years, being able to do so in Big Sky Country is icing on the cake. Thanks for the CD Paul even if it did make me a bit of a recluse in high school, I’ll be thinking of you August 13.