For the release party for emmet swimming’s third (and last) album on Epic, they threw a festival in DC that they headlined. You got a free VIP pass if you bought the ticket at a local record store, so of course we did.
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The early ending to the show on Saturday was a slight disappointment, but they certainly packed the bands in on Sunday to make up for it. I really enjoyed Radiohead (Michael Stipe joined them during their set) and Pearl Jam. We left at the end of Pearl Jam’s set, so didn’t see the Red Hot Chili Peppers pick up their instruments and play another three songs.
Washington Post review
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I was excited to introduce Melanie to Dave Matthews Band, but both days of the Tibetan Freedom Concert looked great, and we bought tickets to both days. Dave Matthews Band played second after we arrived, ending with “All Along The Watchtower” joined by Warren Haynes (lately of The Allman Brothers Band). We weren’t much into Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, but didn’t have much time, as a storm blew in and at 3:45 p.m. the first lightning bolt hit and struck a George Washington student. That was it for Saturday.
Washington Post review
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Melanie’s first HFStival, and we stayed all day. Semisonic and Fastball were great, but Barenaked Ladies was the band for us, apparently performing “One Week” live for the first time.
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I had started dating Melanie, and took her to see The Excentrics as I visited Nick’s for the last time.
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I was back living with my parents in Annandale, so Springfield was an easy trip to see Dream Theater in a club.
This was definitely Heather and mine’s last show as we broke up the next night. Maybe it was good it was at a loud venue. 1997 was also the year I left the record store business. After Digital Exchange made it through our three year lease, Eric and I faced the music and knew we weren’t making enough to live on, so we closed down the store and sold off everything to pay the remaining bills. I started working for the Waxie Maxie chain, starting in Springfield as an assistant manager then moving down to Potomac Mills for the horrifically busy holiday season. In 1997 I got my own store in Bailey’s Crossroads, but that was closed in the fall and I went to Crystal City only to be faced with a micromanaging district manager who used to run that store. He came to the store everyday and criticized me, but I got my revenge: I handed in my notice the day after Thanksgiving. No more free concerts after that, though.
Save Ferris was a fun ska group with a killer cover of “Come On Eileen”. Also really cool of them to bring The Specials out with them. Everclear was always good to see, while Sugar Ray and The Verve were new to me, but played their hits (well, except Bitter Sweet Symphony). The last band to play was The Cure, and I insisted we leave. I cannot stand Robert Smith’s voice.
By this point, I just couldn’t get enough of The Wallflowers or The Jayhawks. Funny that The Wallflowers played only 3 more songs than when they were an opener in August.
Washington Post preview
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I loved Līve’s first two albums. I didn’t love Secret Samadhi as much, but this show featured plenty of Throwing Copper. I also like Reef’s bellowing singer.
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