Saw Zac Brown Band here on 6/22/13. Â We had lawn seating and arrived about 30 minutes after the doors opened and thought we had decent seats near the edge of the lawn. Â However, Merriweather sold enough tickets to fill every single inch of space in the lawn and then some and it was way too crowded. Â By the time the concert started we were squished against the fence and had zero view of the stage. Â I had multiple people opine as they tried to squeeze by to their 3 square inches of grass that Merriweather oversold by several thousand. We saw Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed and Stone Sour a few years ago at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta with lawn seating and the experience was much better. Â Even though that concert sold out we weren't stuffed in like sardines. Â I HIGHLY recommend the reserved seating.
Beers were $9-10 for a 24 oz. Budweiser. Â Didn't try the food but it was $7-10 for hotdogs, fries, etc. Â Agree that this was one of the easiest venues to get in and out of. Â We left after the last song and were out within 10 minutes of walking to the car. Â By the way, park in the mall parking lot. Â
The concert itself was great.
I saw The Postal Service here last night and they were amazing!! The show was great.
Rating MPP itself I would have to say it was fair. We must have walked the whole entire perimeter trying to enter. There was no clear signage from where we came in and when asking employees they were less then helpful.
The lawn is very sloped and doesn't have much space but sufficed. The food obviously was crazy expensive but you expect that. I opted for the $8 fries. Upon taking one bite of two fries I had grabbed I realized they were cold and decided that even though it is concert food and I may not be expecting gourmet I didn't want to pay $8 for cold fries. I asked for hot ones. I was given hot fries as well as a hard time but the worst part...?
My cold ones I had grabbed a fry out of where put back to sell. You would think considering the crazy mark up (in the real world $8 buys you a 10 pound bag of potatoes) that they could stand to toss those, but nope way to stick to your cost saving measures MPP!
All in all the concert was great and I am sure I will be back, because despite the complaints I'm not there for french fries I am there to enjoy some music with friends.
I like this place much better than Jiffy Lube. Â I live right around the corner from dip stick live, and I would rather drive to Columbia MD. Â
a. You can tailgate here, that's a no-no at the Lube!
b. It's much easier to park and get into the pavilion; you don't have to walk 3 miles.
c. When the concert is over, it doesn't take 3 hours to get out!!
d. The lawn isn't up that F$%^*#g hill!
e. The lawn view is much better!
f. There is a little tiki bar selling $5.00 can beers... which beats the HELL out of the $12.00 cans down near the concession stands!
Now... the cons...
a. I don't think Merriwether is as loud as Jiffy Lube. Â Some may be okay with that, but I just recently saw Marilyn Manson, Gwar, and Alice Cooper there... and if I am going to see bands like this... I want that s**t LOUD!
b. This may be my biggest gripe... you have to walk past a row of dumpsters to get into the main entrance. Â The best way to describe this little venture is playing in sewage. Â To add insult to injury, right after the row of trash, there is a lovely row of port-o-johns. Â Let me explain. Â There is nothing like the ripened smell of poo baking in the 97 degree heat. Â I would rather make out with death himself than take a big ole' whiff. Â Let me give you a little advice... when taking this walk over the bridge to the front entrance, when you see the first dumpster... take a big breath AND RUN! Â Don't open your eyes (no seriously, it's that bad it makes your eyes water), and don't stop running until you hit the wood walkway, or better yet, bring a clothes pin! Â You'll need it.
Four and a half stars. The only reason I can't give MPP five is because the bathrooms were a bit gross. However, Â this is still one of the nicest concert venues I've ever been to. The grounds and surrounding woods are beautiful and seem well maintained, there are plenty of stands for food and drinks, and the staff is helpful. We saw Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and GWAR here last night and it was truly an enjoyable time. The set up allows you to walk around and explore, unlike many outdoor venues that are basically empty fields. Also, getting there is super easy; coming from Southeast DC it's only about 45 minutes, and parking is great. I hope to see many more shows here!
Review Source:Merriweather is just a venue. I have been here many times for different kinds of occasions. I was there to see Of Monsters and Men, the lawn was muddy from all the rain but we brought a tarp so that was fine. It did kinda smell though(mud) anyways, the music was excellent, but we had trouble hearing a mic or two I think due to sound guys ?? Anyways, I've been for wine in the woods and freefest, those types of gigs there are more fun in my opinion. It is hilly but walking around the grounds is fun, and large so its a good time. The food and drink is very expensive (beer 9 and up) a crabcake with mostly filler was 15- but you can bring your own food, I never knew! As long as its in a clear bag or prepackaged- I will be doing that next time.
Review Source:Love/Hate relationship with MPP. On one hand it handles huge shows like Virgin Free Fest with ease, but with smaller shows like Sweetlife, it really stinks. Mostly bc the lawn seating. It f'n STINKKKKS. It drops near the path, it's impossible to navigate and since the stage is covered you really can't get a good view unless you are in the lower 3rd. So if you're rolling here for a show, def rock the pavilion seating.
MPP still gets 4-stars bc although the view might suck sometimes (and they took away the large metal chicken), the bathrooms are easily accessible, it's easy to grab a 24oz brew or a burger and there is easy access in and out of the venue.
We ran the Dazzle Dash here for Christmas. Â I've also been here for many concerts and events. Â
Dazzle Dash-supports Howard County Hospital. Â You get to run through the light displays. Â It was only about a mile and some people walked. Â We would do it again, but bring a jogging stroller. Â The path was unpaved and very bumpy/rugged.
Concerts-The lawn is constantly over sold and gets insane. Â Pavilion seats are worth the extra money. Â Its a small venue so every seat is a great seat. Â
Wine in the Woods-Its my favorite event of the year. Â We love it. Â Go, just go!
I went to the Merriweather Post Pavilion for Virgin Mobile's Free Fest.
Between the overwhelming amounts of "herbal smoke," aztec print skirts (girls), tight knee-length denim shorts (guys), dancing, head bobbing and screaming, Free Fest was a hoot. MPP (my abbreviation for it) withstood all the craziness and crazy people that day and thoroughly managed the festival and the antics that ensued.
There were tons of food and drink options, as well as plenty of space for roaming around. The main "pavilion" packed up quickly and the security guards were good about not letting people in over capacity. Bathrooms are bountiful but not the cleanest. Also, there were ambulances on deck that unfortunately had to be used.
My experience at MPP was a good one and I am already looking forward to my next concert there!
Merriweather is a great venue for large-scale but still relatively inexpensive concerts. You have a great selection of possible levels of seating, with the lawn seats being the least expensive, then the stadium-style seats, then the standing area tickets. Â
I have not sat on the lawn because I am not good at dealing with the possibility of rain and it seems like it would be difficult to see much of anything, but in general it seems like a great cheap option. The stadium seats are all covered and you can get seats pretty close to the stage and this is certainly the most comfortable option; however, make sure not to get seats to far out on the sides because it's very hard to see. Â
Personally, I love being as up close and personal as possible on the rare occasions that I can make it out to a concert, so I opted for the standing area tickets. Â It was absolutely amazing being literally within reach of the performers, even in spite of the obnoxious drunk people trying to shove their way up front half-way through the headlining act. The stage is large and useful for a wide variety of setups, the acoustics are great, and they really know how to put on a good show.
As for all of the other amenities, they seem to really have a well-oiled operation in place. Â Contrary to what another reviewer stated, they do have real bathrooms right inside the gates that seemed relatively clean (for a concert venue) and spacious. There are rows of different types of food and alcohol stands so that you don't all have to wait in the same line for completely different things. Â Of course, the food is expensive, but that is to be expected at a concert venue, and it's understandable. The food is pretty decent, too, so at least you're not paying $5-$10 for something inedible. There is also parking right on site in a big lot out back, and though we waited to leave until after the performance was fully over, we still got out of there in a completely reasonable amount of time. Â To be honest, we were impressed with how efficiently the parking lot exodus was that night.
Everything about the place was well-organized and appealing. Â The only complaints I had were more to do with the audience members than the venue. Definitely consider this location for your next concert experience, especially during the nicer times of year when it's a joy to experience a concert outside!
I'd give this 2.5 stars if I could.
Went here on a Wednesday night. Â Leaving a little before 5:30pm, it took 1 hr 50 min to drive from DC to Merriweather b/c of the everyday commuter traffic.
There are no bathrooms, all Porta Potties. With no light, in the dark night, Porta Potties = a dangerous proposition for girls who cant see what they're doing.
There's only 1 food stand for the entire place so it gets crowded. Â Beer will cost you $8+, a glass of wine is $8.50, large mixed drinks are the same price as a glass of wine, which makes no sense to me. Â Hot dogs and the like are $6 a piece.
The seats are all metal folding chairs. Â If you get seats, DO NOT get seats on the side, you will not be able to see anything. Â The only seats that had even the slightest view of the stage were the ones directly in the middle. Â
We got GA Floor tickets, which if you A. don't mind standing the entire time B. don't mind people constantly pushing into you to try to get a better view C. don't mind pushing people back, this is the place to be b/c you are right under the stage with excellent views- so close you can touch the musicians. Â However, it will be about you and 300 people down there, so it's tight quarters.
Leaving the concert, there's only 2 lights in the entire parking lot, and none of the field has lanes or markers to help you find your car, so good luck, its quite dark and a general cluster. Â There's also no security or parking attendants, so it's every man for himself with people doing the craziest 30 point turns I have ever seen. Â Your best bet is to wait 20 minutes and not get involved with all the insane drivers.
This is a fun place to go, but if you're coming from DC, don't even bother unless you're coming on a weekend b/c you'll spend 3 hrs of your night driving/sitting in traffic.
I went there for the first time this past weekend to see  Bon Iver and it was amazing.  Great venue, easy to get to, and the parking lot wasn't near the ridiculous operation that one would expect from a concert venue. Â
We showed up early and scored VIP passes for free somehow, which let us get access to a bar and nicer bathrooms. Â Obviously, because with no lines at the bar you end up drinking more and then you need better access to bathroom facilities. Â So that makes sense.
The sound was solid and the concert was definitely a highlight of my year, will definitely go there again if the opportunity presents itself.
Second year in a row I traveled from jersey to come to this venue to see Jason Mraz. This is by far my favorite concert venue. And the food and drink stands take credit cards! (score!) ATMS all over as well.
I really love everything about this place. I probably only REALLLLY love it because ive always had a seat and not lawn tickets. However if you do have lawn seats it's definitely a great spot to sit back, relax & enjoy the scenery. I love waking around the venue and checking out everything around it. Stayed at the Double Tree down the road (see my review) and it offered free shuttle service to venue so I can't even complain about Parking or anything. Everything about the whole experience has been great for 2 years in a row!!!
I'm a big, BIG fan of Merriweather. It has significantly improved itself over the years. It's a beautiful setting and venue.
Lots of decent food and drink options. Clean. Easy to navigate. There's even a full sit-down bar and a small pinball machine section (with all of the games being music icon ones). It's a fun place to actually hang out before a show. And the sound quality is good too!
Personally, I prefer the assigned seating to the GA pit and the lawn. However, none of the sections are bad. But, trust me, the assigned seating is worth it if you can get it.
Parking is included in the ticket price, which is nice to not have to pay extra upon arrival. And the lot isn't too too painful to exit after a show.
Definitely get over here to see a show. You won't be disappointed.
This is an excellent concert venue. I've been here three times. Twice, I got lawn seats and the last time, I was fortunate enough to have pit tickets.
In both places, I had great sightlines, clear sound, and enjoyed both shows immensely. I would not hesitate to return here for another show even though it is a good distance away from home.
You can also have a decent tailgate in the parking lot in preparation for the show.
This is definitely a great spot to enjoy some live music.
Summer = Outdoor concerts at Merriweather Post (MWPP)
I just saw Sleigh Bells and Hot Chip, accompanied by James Murphy's DJ sets.
MWPP is one of the best places to see a concert in the DC Metro area. Â Wolf Trap is pretty, but a little stuffy. Â Jiffy Lube's parking is a mess. Â MWPP is always chill. Â Great beer, adequate food and cool places to hand out like the 9:32 club, and annex of the 930.
The lawn is great and in many cases preferred. Â If you are in love with the band, or worried about rain. Â Try to get an inside seat.
*TIP:  Don't get a seat on the extended left or  right sides.  You can hardly see and the sound is often muffled as it's normally directed back to the lawn.
If  your favorite band is at Merriweather, you will love seeing them here.
Great venue! This is the second outdoor venue I have been to, along with Wolf Trap.
I saw Def Leppard/Poison/Lita Ford last night (July 10) and got there pretty early. Show was set to start at 7:00PM ish and got there just after 6:00PM. It's super easy to get in to - I just stuck to the right as I exited from 29 and turned right into it. It's also not hard to park at all as they direct you. Walked in, sat down, show started.
The sound was awesome. I'm sure that the genre had something to do with it - crazy guitar riffs and crashing drums will literally make your chest explode! But it was great. The view was pretty good, especially since it seemed more sloped than Wolf Trap, from what I can recall.
So the show ended at around 11:00PM and we booked it out of there. I avoided tripping on the grass in the parking lot and was able to get out super-quickly since the car parked next to the one in front of me had left already and my small Beetle could fit! I was honestly expecting a disaster like Wolf Trap - I remember it was pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to get out of there! But it was so easy here, I just turned right out onto 29 and went (read: sped) home, getting there in about 15 minutes!
Great venue - would definitely come again if another good artist comes!
Summer nights at Merriweather are simply the best. One of the few remaining non-corporate owned amphitheaters that gets big names. Sure, it's a bunch of high schoolers running the security, but honestly who cares? This is why...
The parking, while at first seems unorganized, is actually easy to navigate. You can pregame in the parking area for hours beforehand, and the beer prices actually are not that bad once you get inside. I got a 24OZ. for $9, that's pretty cheap for a venue of this size.
After trying all the different seating options, the lawn is my favorite. It's cheaper, and you have more freedom to do what you please (dance, run around, lighten up). And yes a lot of people do stand up on the lawn during the show, so you probably won't get a good view sitting on your blanket or chair (who sits down at a show anyway?)
The sound is about as good as you can get for an outdoor venue. Some people do not understand that the acoustics of playing outdoors are never as perfect as playing indoors. But even for outdoors, it is amazing.
The ambiance is amazing. While the actual amphitheater is a bit dated, the natural surroundings compensate. Rain or shine, it doesn't matter. It's always warm enough on a summer night.
5 stars for sound, ambiance, parking, price, and cheap beer (compared to other large venue prices). It's the festival vibe without paying hundreds of dollars.
For a large outdoor concert venue, MPP is decent, but certainly subpar as compared to Wolf Trap. Â The lawn seats do provide a pretty good view of the stage, and the acoustics are fine.
A lot of their policies seem to lack logic. Â For example, they don't allow smoking in the venue, but since there's an arbitrary no reentry policy, there's no way for people to pop outside for a smoke, so the result is that people just light up on the lawn. Â Why not have a designated smoking area in the back of the venue so others on the lawn are not bothered by the smoke? Â Unlike Wolf Trap, which only allows high-back chairs in the rear of the lawn, MPP has no restriction, so if you plan to sit on a blanket, be prepared for a very restricted view. Â Apparently some shows don't allow any chairs, so check beforehand. Â The website and sign outside made a big deal that no outside drinks (except an unopened bottle of water) were allowed, but at my show, nobody was checking. Â It seems that from show to show, policies and/or enforcement can vary.
My overpriced bbq beef sandwich was pitiful and my friend's cheese steak wasn't much better. Â Even the kettle corn was so bad I returned it for a refund. Â Do yourself a favor and either eat beforehand or bring your own spread. Â One saving grace was the presence of the amazing Red Hook Lobster Truck, but don't expect them at every show.
The staff seemed very disorganized. Â Most of the employees are high school students, and while I'm all for summer employment opportunities, this staffing model does not promote efficiency or professionalism. Â Parking was pretty simple and free, and I was impressed at how easy it was to drive away after the concert.
As large-scale concert venues go, this one's a goody. For the main stage, you can get standing tickets for the pit right in front of the stage (most expensive), tix for a seat in the stadium seating rising behind the pit (people do stand up for the headline act, so you can dance a bit standing at your seat), or general admission tix for the uncovered lawn seating.
I really like to see the band and be bombarded by sound waves, so for me it's all about one of the first two options, but the lawn seating has the benefit of more of a festival environment. Bring a blanket, pack a picnic (or buy one there), and snag some space amongst strangers to kick it. And though you can't really see the band on the stage, there's screens for your viewing convenience!
Also, I always smell weed and never see anyone get busted, so, there's also that.
I've been there on two occasions: once for Virgin Mobile FreeFest (Sept. '11) and then fairly recently to watch Arctic Monkeys/The Black Keys (May '12).
While both were incredibly different, the one constant thing I noticed was that the workers actually have no idea what they're doing. It's like you're at a summer camp and this could probably be your camp counselor's first time there and they're just playing by ear/following what all the other counselors are doing. But even then, those guys are just making it up as they go.
For TBK, we had lined up at around noon to get front row in the pit, but thanks to a lot of poor communication about their pre-show event we managed to get effed over and had tons of people get in before we did. Told many different stories by different people - and even had "security" tell us to "just run as fast as you can when you get in" - but really? I understand how massive this place is, but considering they've been putting on shows here forever the organization of things was a little messy.
Regardless, we ended up meeting some nice people who let us up on the barrier to see Arctic Monkeys play (as we were there for them mainly), which was what the 6 hour waiting was for.
Another observation: While lawn seating is considerably cheaper, I can't imagine not even being able to actually see the band play. The quality of the video projected on the screens is top notch, but aren't you there to see the band, and not necessarily watch a screen to see them? Perhaps just my own preference to being at a show.
Overall, a really beautiful area of land and a great place to hear music.
Merriweather is where I saw my first concert, way back in 6th grade. Eventually sometime in the 90's I swore it off entirely because it is in the middle of nowhere Columbia, and the sound was horrible. There were plenty of folks that I wanted to see that I passed on  because of the venue. I even passed on things like Virgin Free fest because it just didn't seem worth it.
Last year my partner in crime really wanted to see the Decemberists so we made the trek out to Columbia and I was really surprised at how pleasant it was. You still might as well be watching a movie if you are on the grass, but from inside the pavilion it isn't a bad space at all and they have definitely improved the sound. I went back for Virgin Mobile fest.
So right now it is probably the best outdoor venue in the area and a decent place to catch a concert on a nice summer night, as long as you are in the pavilion.
Parking can be a nightmare, and it is still in the middle of nowhere (though there is tons of "stuff" around it) but it is decent for what it is and if Leonard Cohen comes back this time I'll be there.
I wanted to get my review for M3 2011 up before I went back for M3 2012.... How did I get all of these drafts??
During the day it was sunny with occasionally rain so it was interesting to see the different reactions as the rain started to pour. There were a few stages set around the perimeter that fill up fast so if there is a band you like... get there early.
"The Good"
- Open pavilion stadium with lawn seats as well... pray for good weather.
- Outstanding view of the stage from the entire pavilion and even the lawn.
- Various beer and food stands scattered around the entire area.
- Video screens had a live twitter feed for those that are into the tweets...
- The music is good and loud. If its too loud... well, you're too old.
"The Meh"
- All the extras are actually expensive, not the normal ok I can deal with paying that for a beer but going up with a $20 and coming back with two beers and not being able to leave a good tip for the bartender kinda expensive...
- Long walk from the parking area to the venue... even worse when leaving as there is no clear way out... just follow the red tail lights of the car in front of you.
-The food lines are long and the food is not the best, but you are not really there for the food.
- The one goofball that has the desire to stand during the entire show in the pavilion... yeah he will sit in front of you.
"The Bad"
- Nothing really bad to comment on... I had a blast and will come back.
Writing my reviews for other music venues made me realize there are a lot I've left out, so I am catching up. Â Going to concerts is more than a hobby of mine, it is my life. I am so proud to have seen all of the music I have and at some of the best venues in the nation. Â Merriweather is one of my favorite.
I love the pavilion but I love the lawn more. Â The sound is decent no matter where you are, but obviously it's better in the pavilion. I honestly prefer the lawn. You can dance, sit down, lay down, roll around! Â It's a great place to be with a big group of friends. Â There is no need to worry about room. Â We took lots of blankets with us and staked out our claim for the evening. Having such an awesome home base allowed for exploring. Â There are concessions and bathrooms towards the back. Â There is also a lot of space to wander around if you choose to take a break from the music.
The parking lot is somewhat of a walk to the venue. Â The lot has always been fun. Â I remember when you could camp there, too bad that doesn't go down anymore. Â Having Red Rocks in my back yard is fantastic, but I have missed the lawn at Merriweather. Â I have so many memories that I will forever cherish from this venue and hope that someday soon (perhaps Phish this summer) I will be back and doin it up again!
Despite being all the way out in Columbia Maryland (30 minutes from everywhere) I prefer this place over Wolf Trap or Nissan Pavilion, any day. I'm sorry, "Jiffy Lube Live." Whatever! Â I resent the selling of naming rights of gathering places to Corporations. I believe that localities should retain their original namesake, because naming rights are not something to be sold, so that everywhere we go is Corporately named. ie FedEx Field (which sucks when compared to RFK, just ask Troy Aikman) But I digress....
Merriweather Post Pavilion (MPP) was designed by award-winning architect Frank Gehry and opened in 1967 for the National Symphony Orchestra to play in the summer. It has excellent acoustics in a comfortable sized Pavilion, with a lawn. The current capacity is listed at 19,316. It has a long list of legends who have played here over the years including: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Grateful Dead. In 1969, The Who performed at MPP with Led Zeppelin, and it's the only time these two bands have ever appeared on the same bill.
Jackson Browne recorded his certified platinum album, Running On Empty here in 1977. It is Browne's best selling album to date. <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRunning_on_Empty_%28album%29&s=48e0d55598752201480ad2fc567f96a3596b1e06037b0e344f2d250ec2e60444" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/…</a>
For me, the best part is the ease of access. I always park in the Columbia Mall parking lot and walk through the woods. Don't waste your time with their parking lot.
I've seen everything from REM's Green Tour in 1989, to The Strokes & The Decemberists in 2011. So, this place holds a lot of nostalgia for me.
I remember hearing rumors back when, the 25,000 capacity, Nissan Pavilion first opened up. Rumors saying that it would render MPP obsolete, and thus force it's closure. I'm so glad that it hasn't. I hope that Merriweather Post Pavilion will always retain it's original name and that it never closes.
So, pick at least one concert on their summer calendar and make the trek to Columbia, MD. Good Times.... Good Times.....
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.merriweathermusic.com%2Fabout%2F&s=0c957d065dae803f00fcccc02605fc02ac5fc6f1ba831c47a6d5edb0043a7a2f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.merriweatherm…</a>
I've experienced one show here and I very much enjoyed the venue and show. I'm a huge fan of this type of setup, as it reminds me of the Mann Music Center in PA. The parking was very easy and free ("included in the ticket price") and although signs prohibit tailgating, pretty much everyone was enjoying some beers and food. It was the TAMEST parking lot situation I've ever encountered.
Inside, I noticed there was all types of food and drink choices. I'm not going to complain about the prices because I wouldn't expect anything to be cheap.
The majority of the staff looked super young, which was unexpected but fine.
I had a decent seat and the view was fine. It was helpful that if someone needs to pass in front of you to go to their seat, there is adequate room so they don't have to squeeze and step on your toes or bag. The sound was excellent.
I have to add that the crowd in the area surrounding my seat was super annoying and corny. The people behind me talked the whole time. My favorite discussion was the one where they compared Bryan Adams and Ryan Adams. Also, I learned that drunk texting is known as "drexting," or so the baby boomers behind me announced. Annoying fans have been the norm at any show I've seen in MD, so hopefully they will stay home if I go to another show in the area.
Awesome outdoor venue, but I am a bit bias, since I grew up going to shows here. My 1st show ever was pearl jam fall of '94 Â and every show since has been just as amazing! Â
Pros - you can bring lawn chairs, blankets and 2 factory sealed water bottles to most shows. Â
Cons - the staff is mostly young kids that think this is the most important job in the whole world and are on serious power trips, Â they can be total pricks! Â I had pavilion seats for a show and no one gave me a stamp that I apparently needed when I entered through the gate so when I presented my ticket to the child at the pavilion entrance to get a wrist band they informed me I needed a stamp, went back to the teenie-bopper at the gate who told me I couldn't get a stamp because my ticket had already been scanned, yeah by you idiot! Â Eventually it all got straightened out but the whole thing was a total buzz kill on an otherwise killer show. Â
Most of the concessions are over priced but that's to be expected and hit up the ATM before hand because the ATMs are a rip off. Â
They sell big beers which at least makes you feel like it's worth the wait. Â And there are tons of bathrooms so you can usually find one without much of a wait.
p.s - park over at the mall for a quick exit strategy.
Is it me, or does the air at Merriweather always smell a bit, fragrant? Herbal almost...
Whether you're spread eagle on a picnic blanket on the lawn or singing word for word by the stage, Merriweather will make for great memories.
I hadn't been to a show here in years, so it was with open eyes that I took in my most recent visit.
I love that parking is not a pain here. The huge, open lawn serves for the parking lot where plenty of people hang out by their cars for hours before a show.
For the first time I had the chance to go backstage and check out where the performers hang before the show. Had no idea there was a basketball hoop back there and plenty of room for tour buses.
I even decided to partake in an adult beverage for the first time here. Although a frozen margarita ran me $12, we convinced the bartender to make it a stiffy...and he did not disappoint. I had to nurse that sucker.
Just make sure you bring cash. The ATM charges there are pretty insane and most of the pavilion vendors take cash only.
One of the coolest venues I've ever been to!
The first time I went here was my first time ever in Maryland. This was last year's Virgin Mobile Freefest. I remember being in awe of all the trees and forrest-y feel to the space, especially for music festivals.
I came back last weekend for this year's Freefest and something that I noticed this year is that they keep the bathrooms fairly clean! Major plus considering music festivals tend to be disgusting.
What I like most about the Merriweather Post Pavilion is that it has different pockets of places that make it feel almost amusement park-ish but without being all amusement park-y. You can actually find spaces to relax and take a breather.
At night, it's beautiful. I've never been to summer camp, or camping at all but I imagine it would be something like this...without the fear of a bear coming out to attack.
"Yo, turn out your pockets" barked the roided 9:30 club bouncer working gate security. His eyes twinkled like his zirconia stud earrings when he made me throw out my Zantac pills lest he have them "tested". The concert prognosis went instantly south considering the wings and beer I had just polished off. The coup de grace was when he made me put everything from my pockets into my baseball lid and raise my arms which sent my cell phone flying to an asphalt explosion.
If it was any consolation, the rest of his meathead pals bullied everyone else while stealing their contraban.
Merriweather is a run of the mill outdoor venue with decent sound. Two stars for convenience. Vile bathrooms include the men's dreaded house o' troughs. Managment that tolerates ignorant thug security behavior deserves to lose the big acts that routinely bypass MPP for Nissan.
This is the coolest venue I have ever been to.
My sister and I came for Virgin Mobile's FreeFest. With the random art as the backdrop and the three large stages, it was great. Also, the structure that covers the seating of the main stage is awesome, it's perfect for the randomness in weather.
Tips:
-Bring a bottle of water or an empty reusable bottle
-Bring walking shoes, the grounds are huge
-If you have lawn seats bring a blanket, sheet or mat
Jason Mraz....on our list of "must sees" appeared on the MPP (Merriweather Post Pavilion) schedule and we snapped up tickets - on the lawn. Â Since we are from VA typically Nissan is our outdoor venue of choice, but you go where the artist is, right?
Merriweather is an older, somewhat dated outdoor music venue. Â It is smaller than Nissan or Wolf Trap for that matter. Â The irregular walkways make navigating when your shoes are soaked a bit tricky. Â The lighting in the parking area could be a bit brighter when trying to avoid broken glass as well. Â Speaking of parking - tailgating is one of the best parts of the festival style music experience...and we had great food, cool mixed drinks and ice cold specialty beer to wash it down only to have the lot attendants but the oncoming cars not 3 feet from our bumper! Â WTH??? Â Come on folks, it wasn't packed by any means even 30 min prior to the first act hitting the stage!
You know your risks when doing lawn seats, but the weather was beautiful on Saturday.....till we stepped our first toe on the lawn. Â Can you say MONSOON??? Â Soaked isn't even the right word to indicate how wet we were when the rain came pouring down. Â Regardless we held tight - shivered even through the blankets we had as a make shift shelter. Â The lightning was a bit nerve racking - and tell me again why they don't have policies around that?? Â They close pools, golf courses, etc. but not wanting to refund any little piece of a ticket they say "rain or shine"...but Lightning folks is not rain, its dangerous.
The acts - Eric Hutchinson (only caught the end and sorry we didn't hear more!), G. Love (ok, but not great) and then Jason Mraz (entertaining-love his songs, but Mr. AZ - stop with the heyyy, hooo audience participation). Â It was a good time, not 100% comfortable, but loved who we went with and glad we hung in for as long as we could!
Thanks to the merch center for having a hoodie left as we headed out - so soaked to the bone it was all I wore home! Â To the love of my life ... yes, I will dance in the rain with you anytime!
Death Cab for Cutie Concert - 6.9.08 - was my first time ever at Merriweather. The concert itself was amazing. They played just about every song I was hoping they would.
We had covered seats - Row T - smack dab in the middle - and it couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was ridiculously hot and humid and I did stick to my seat a little bit...but it was awesome. I'm glad we didn't settle for lawn seats.
The video screens in between sets were pretty amusing. You can text messages to a number and then they scroll along the bottom of the screens. There were countless marriage proposals and declarations of love. Very entertaining to see what would pop up next.
Lots of places to get food and drinks. I left my purse (with my ID) in the car so I didn't drink any alcohol. I opted for the shaved ice which I devoured pretty quickly - given the ridiculously hot evening.
After the show ended, we managed to get out of the parking lot in under a half hour which my friend and I thought was a pretty good feat. Be sure to remember which number you parked near - because the parking area is pretty big and it'd be easy to forget. Â
Great concert, great venue, looking forward to many more concerts here.
I saw Wilco at Merriweather last night, and it was incredible (3 encores and they actually played California Stars!). I've been to Merriweather before, but this experience was completely different because I was on the floor rather than the lawn. Seriously, if you can get tickets on the floor, DO IT. You are so incredibly close to the stage and its not super crowded, even for sold out shows. The one improvement would be to make the floor 21+, or even 18+, as the drunk highschoolers next to us were not so cool.
It's a haul to get up there from DC, but I think it's totally worth it. Traffic can be a pain getting out of the place, but if you do some creative off-roading, you can get out of there in 15 minutes or so. They have 24oz. of Stella for $9, which I think is a pretty good deal (especially when they're selling Bud/Bud Light for $8). The food selections kind of weirded me out and the fries were pretty gross and soggy. We tailgated in the parking lot (again, recommended!) so I didn't eat any of the other food in the complex. They have a large bathroom facility on one side of the stage but on the other it's just 3 stalls! Not nearly enough.
I hadn't been to Merriweather Post Pavilion for about 17 years so my memory of the place only extends to the band I saw there way back when.
I was there last night for the HRC True Colors tour and had a good time. The variety of vendors was nice, although to agree with Angela N., there's something very wrong with selling Sushi at an outdoor venue during the hot season... wrong on so many fronts!
My main complaint is that people who opt for the lawn should not be allowed to have stadium style chairs... totally blocks everybody's view! Â Rude! Â Low beach type chairs are fine, but the why can't they make the tall chair bringers set up on the sides or back of the lawn area? Â Why? Â Tell me :) Â Oh, bring bug spray too!
It is unfortunate that there is no public transportation available to get there. Â Parking can be a headache if you have to park in the main lot. Â We parked in a lot maybe a 100 yards or so on the left coming from 29, had no issues entering or exiting... it was worth the short hike to the Pavilion area for that convenience.
All in all, it's a decent venue for concerts.
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