[Originally posted on Wed, 14 Jul 1999]

Okay, I knew for sometime I'd write a review, I just didn't know for which show I went to. Well, a few days after the fact, I've decided that Merriweather was the money show.

Limb by Limb opened the show. I hadn't seen this song open a show since 6-30-98, which was incredible so my hopes were high. Unfortunately, Merriweather Post has a horrible angle, so I couldn't see the band, but I guarantee they were jammin, cause everyone around me was -forgive me- bouncing around. Farmhouse is a great song I never mind. The jam is tight, the changes are simple...it just was surprising since they played that at Merriweather last year. Get Back on the Train is one I don't quite care much for yet. I liked it better acoustic, and it's one I need to learn to like. If there was any doubt, it vanished when I heard that open A chord of Divided Sky. The last Divded I heard was flubbed so badly they ditched it in Barcelona last year, so this version swept me away. Train Song, a great, sweet breather, was the worst version I've heard. I've seen it a bunch of times, so this version did nothing for me. Finally, I see Llama. This was my first Llama, and according to ZZYZX, the odds of that were about .04%. I rocked out to it, as did everyone around me. Driver is nice enough, but I was thinking to myself, "C'mon guys, kick it up a notch." They must have heard me, because Runaway Jim was on fire.

But that was nothing compared.

They returned with PYITE, one of my favorites. Yes, this song seems to follow me around, but I'm not complaining! That was a fun jam, nothing particularly stands out as monumental, but it got me dancing good. I was much more excited about Free. My last Free was Fall 96, and now that Free's radio airplay has calmed down, I was glad to see it again. I love the way they keep the tempo so steady. What's the Use is real out there. It's kinda spacy, again....pick up the energy level. I must admit the show I caught were definitely spaced out by many slow-it-down songs. Then it was time for the Meatstick. This song does shock my brain. I loved it on the Bearsville tapes, and I loved it the night before. Though caught off guard at its second appearance in 2 shows, I wasn't upset at all. What could cap this night off better than Mike's?? Another song abandoned in Barcelona, this version tore shit up. I feared they might kill my energy again by segueing into Sleeping Monkey or Swept Away or something, but fear not: My #1 wish list song: Twist Around. I had a minor stroke or something for a second, I went nuts, and loved this awesome version of Twist. They came a little bass intro to a totally smokin Weekapaug.

How can they top that I thought? Encore: Harry Hood. Now Hood is the most common song I've seen, but unlike, say Character Zero, I can't seem to dislike it. Everytime it blows my mind. And this was no exception. I'll have to hear the tapes to see if 98 Merriweather was better, but this version, though shorter, was fantastic. All in all, Merriweather was a great time. Other than the fact that these MD schmucks cannot seem to handle parking, this venue gets the band playing their best. Have fun on tour!