Late last night, my friends in Tollbooth Willie, channeled Pearl Jam once again. This time by performing PJ’s album VS. Last January Tollbooth did TEN start to finish, check out the post here. I am a huge Pearl Jam fan and I love TEN, but I love VS just a little bit more. It is an album that fits that time period where music is a soundtrack. I was working at Newbury Comics when it came out. I was running the store for the midnight on-sale on October 8th, 1993, it was a huge event. We played it in the store all night, I played it in the car on the way home from the store, played on the way to college the next day, back to the store, on and on. The album never left my player for weeks. Last night was the first time I had ever seen these songs done live, in person and it was awesome.

Tollbooth Willie, Ray, Todd, Kieth, Kev and Mark, you guys out do yourselves with these shows. TEN, the Unplugged Show, and now VS, so much more than a cover show. These are one of a kind events, the love you have for this music come across to every person in the audience. W.M.A. was insane, dueling drums, haunting vocals, we were not in the Tradesman it was the highlight of the night – I put the camera down and just took it in. Same with Rats, where else and I ever going to see that song performed?  Go, Rear-view, Elderly woman, all of them… incredible jobs guys. I say each time I get to photograph you, thank you for letting documenting these shows. And Eddie, Mike, Jeff, Matt, Stone, if you happen to read this… big fan – drop me a note here, I would be happy to snap some photos for you too.

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Last night my friends Tollbooth Willie played Pearl Jam’s album Ten, start to finish. Something I wonder if Pearl Jam has even done. It was awesome, congratulations to Ray, Keith, Todd, Dave and Mark, they had an idea and made it happen. Pictures do it no justice, but that did not stop me from trying. Added are my favorite 20 from the show and you can see the whole set here.

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Spent the night hanging with the band Tollbooth Willie. Took some photos and got to hear some great Pearl Jam music. They rehearsed for the upcoming “Ten” show at the Tradesman in Milford, where they play Pearl Jam’s Ten start to finish – January 9th. Check out the event.

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