Jean Parker has accumulated an impressive collection of stories over her years working at Merriweather Post Pavilion. She joined the staff in 1977, now serves as the venue’s general manager, and can recall watching President Jimmy Carter join Willie Nelson on stage to sing “Georgia On My Mind”, or that time when a mix-up resulted in her having to pick up Depeche Mode from the airport in her family minivan. However, one memory stands apart from the rest.
“The Grateful Dead story is the number one story,” Parker said in a recent interview with DCist.
The Dead came to Merriweather in 1985. In those pre-Internet/cellphone days, it was hard to get the word out about day-of sellout concerts. Seven thousand ticketless fans showed up and the staff had to work alongside the Howard County Police Department to find a way to handle the crowd. Step one: Reduce the price for lawn seats from $12.50 to $10 for the sake of efficiency. Step two: Set up makeshift box offices consisting of a staffer on one side of the fence and the fans on the other side. After collecting the money, venue employees or police officers would help attendees jump over the fence.
“In the end, we probably had about 25,000 fans at the show, but everybody was happy,” Parker recalls.
The Grateful Dead is just one of many legendary acts that have come through Merriweather, which is inviting many of them back this summer to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Sarah McLachlan brought her Lilith Fair tour to Merriweather in the ‘90s, and last month she shared a bill with Paul Simon, who regularly came through in the ‘70s. Steve Miller and Peter Frampton played a night in June, while Carlos Santana will pay a visit later this summer. The official 50th anniversary bash takes place on Saturday and features Jackson Browne and Willie Nelson.
Merriweather Post Pavilion was a central component to James Rouse’s vision for Columbia, Md., one of the the country’s first fully planned suburbs. Rouse expected the amphitheater, designed by Frank Gehry, to be an arts center that would showcase orchestras, ballet, and opera. The venue at one point served as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s summer home, but the pavilion struggled in the early days. Opening the doors to rock and pop concerts put it on firmer footing. Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Led Zeppelin all played Merriweather, including the only time the the latter two ever shared a bill. Jimmy Buffet made the shed a home-away-from-home and has played there more than any other act.
Despite a rich history (read The Baltimore Sun’s excellent account of MPP’s early years), Merriweather fell on hard times as the 21st century began. In 2003, development plans threatened to close the pavilion, which resulted in a successful Save Merriweather campaign. The pavilion got an additional boost in 2004, when I.M.P., the Seth Hurwitz-run company behind the 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre, and the soon-to-come The Anthem, started booking acts there.
“The venue never had any accolades and was never being touted or highlighted in the industry before Seth started working in 2004,” Parker said. “Since then, Merriweather is often near the top for ‘Best Amphitheater.’”
Ownership of the venue recently transferred to the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, a non-profit whose executive director, Ian Kennedy, was a driving force in the Save Merriweather effort. The DCACC hopes to expand the programming at Merriweather to include movie nights, the return of orchestras, speaker series, visual arts displays, and other types of events that need not turn a profit so long as costs are covered through the DCACC’s funding apparatus.
Credit for Merriweather’s rebound must also go to to I.M.P. and the ethos it brings to all of its endeavors. This has allowed the company and the amphitheater to thrive as independents in a concert industry that national corporations dominate.
“Live Nation is an 800-pound gorilla. They don’t just own almost every single amphitheater, but also have a management firm so they can basically tell artists where to play,” said Audrey Fix Schaefer, I.M.P.’s communications director. “We’re about creating the best possible experience for the artist that we can. It gives us a chance to get that artist to work with us.”
“When an artist is here, whether they’re a sellout show or nowhere near a sellout artist, everyone is treated here like a sellout artist,” Parker added. “It’s about treating the artist correctly and that’s what’s passed down to all of us from the top.”
I.M.P. recently signed a 40-year lease on Merriweather, which allowed it to invest heavily in upgrades. The $60 million effort includes a rotating stage for festivals, improvements to the amphitheater itself, additional parking, and the construction of vast backstage facilities for staff, artists, and VIPs. Most visible to concert-goers is the Chrysalis stage, a smaller platform that takes advantage of Merriweather’s wooded surroundings. Greensky Bluegrass will be the first Chrysalis headliner on July 22.
“There aren’t many venues with the environmental ambience that we have here,” Parker said of the new space. “The property is unique because of all the trees.”
While Merriweather Post Pavilion’s ownership and partners are taking concrete steps to move into a prosperous future, its success will largely hinge on the sound decision making of its past.
“Merriweather is located right in between two major cities, that’s not going to change. The seasoned staff is not changing, it’s only going to get more seasoned,” Parker said of Merriweather’s prospects. “Now the venue is owned by a non-profit, so that opens up the possibilities for more creativity.”
Correction: A previous version of this article indicated that I.M.P. had signed a 50-year lease with Merriweather Post Pavilion. The story has been updated to reflect that I.M.P.’s lease is for 40 years.
Merriweather Post Pavilion’s 50th Anniversary Concert takes place on Saturday, July 15, with Jackson Browne and Willie Nelson. Father John Misty opens the show and Grace Potter hosts the event. 6 p.m. $55-$125.
