Merge intern Dianna here, checking in while everyone in the office is getting caught up after XX Merge (you may have seen me hanging round the front merch booth selling shirts and posters). If I had to sum up Merge’s 20th anniversary festival in one sentence, it would be: Well, that was a hell of a ride.

But one sentence doesn’t quite cover it! All manner of insane and awesome things went on this past weekend, both during the shows and behind the scenes. In the past five days, I saw (nearly) thirty-three amazing bands, had both a film crew and an impromptu Built to Spill sing-along in my living room (although not simultaneously), watched a band play in an alley five feet wide, and met scores of kind, wonderful people. It’s very humbling to be the 21 year-old intern at the record label’s 20th birthday party, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it all.

Enough gushing, though! My place at the front merch table afforded me a great view of everything going on onstage, and so I bring you, in no particular order, a few of the many highlights of XX Merge:

- Lambchop! No joke, I had heard a few records, but I was not expecting to be totally and completely blown out of the water. I especially loved the “Once in a Lifetime” cover.
- Phil Morrison’s extra-large Conor hat, which really brought the laughs. Also: Phil Morrison’s beard.
- Michael Lerner of Telekinesis playing with Ivan Howard (the Rosebuds) and Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) after just one rehearsal, and TOTALLY nailing it.
- Superchunk’s fantastic set on Thursday night. The atmosphere in that room was amazing – it was obvious what everyone had come for.
- The Broken West covering Teenage Fanclub’s “It’s All in My Mind”
- The Magnetic Fields cockroach incident
- And last but not least, seeing super-lovely Wye Oak play to the 1500 capacity Memorial Hall. This duo can hold their own.

My tenure at Merge is coming to an end as I prepare to embark on new adventures, and I can’t thank Merge enough for letting me be a part of it. See ya next time, dudes!