At 11:30 p.m. Friday night, Seaweed took the stage in Tacoma for the first time in far too long. Aged like everyone else who remembers the band and packed into Hell's Kitchen to see the first of two Tacoma Seaweed shows this weekend, Tacoma's favorite sons proved exactly what guitarist Wade Neal proclaimed earlier this week.  Seaweed hasn't changed.

"We're still, basically, loud."

Neal wasn't lying.

As the sound man pointed out an hour and a half later, after a sweaty Seaweed pounded out the final notes of an amped up version of Fleetwood Mac's "You Can Go Your Own Way," Friday night at Hell's Kitchen was like a family reunion.  As Neal had foreshadowed earlier this week, the set was heavy on the old and debatably obscure.  Seaweed easily drew from a career's worth of material, utilizing the Weak record to perfection, and getting a frenzied crowd reaction from songs like "Star Girl" and "Baggage."

As expected, Seaweed's long awaited return to Tacoma brought out a who's who crowd.  I found myself in the back corner of the room, which is fairly typical form me as I'm far too young to mosh and I don't like the feeling of other people's sweat.  I saw Natasha buzz by with a pack of her friendly socialite companions, and the Tribune's Ernest Jasmine stood next to me for a song and a half before he realized he needed a better view and hoped up on the bench along the wall.

At 2:09 a.m. my ears are still ringing.  In my book, that's a good show. Now that they've played Tacoma, Seaweed is officially back.  It feels good right now, and even though I'll no doubt have a headache in the morning, it'll feel good then, too. If you missed Seaweed's Friday night show, do yourself a favor and make sure to catch them tonight. â€" Matt Driscoll