The roof of beloved Columbia, Maryland concert venue Merriweather Post Pavilion collapsed while being raised Saturday night. In a public statement, the venue said that the roof “was being hydraulically lifted 20 feet over a period of months.” The statement continues:
“The roof was in its near-final position and the next anticipated step was to secure it permanently. However at around 2:30 this [Saturday] morning, the roof unexpectedly fell. Thankfully no one was injured, which is the most important thing of all. There is a team of experts assessing why the roof fell. Of course we will rebuild—and the 2018 season will start as planned.”
A regional favorite among residents of Baltimore and Washington D.C., the venue was the inspiration for Animal Collective’s 2009 album title of the same name. Last year, we wrote about their particularly stacked 1973 schedule, which included performances from Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Glen Campbell, Arlo Guthrie, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, Al Green, Cheech and Chong, George Carlin and the Beach Boys. Read the venue’s full statement, as well as a few remarks from venue operator and I.M.P. chairman Seth Hurwitz, below.
