Using this column to highly recommend that you attend this year’s Solid Sound Festival — an event that, at press time, is completely sold out — might seem pointless. Or cruel.
But the biennial music and arts festival curated by Wilco, happening June 28-30 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, is so well organized and thoughtful that they’ve even figured out a way to maybe get you a ticket after all, via their unique ticket exchange program.
So why the big demand for the Solid Sound experience? Why would you want to go?
It’s a festival lovingly put together by lifelong music and art fans for like-minded curious folks, with a diverse live lineup of critically acclaimed performers, cult favorites and rare collaborations.
That would be enough of a draw, but even if the live music component of Solid Sound disappeared completely, it would still be an inspiring, must-attend event, thanks to the other artists on hand (comedians, authors and more) and the creative activities happening all over the buildings and grounds of the MASS MoCA campus.
Wilco are the hosts and headliners, playing two full sets (one of which is their “Live Karaoke with Wilco” show), and other big names include Courtney Barnett (Australian singer/songwriter/rocker), Tortoise (Chicago’s trailblazing “post-rock” band that will play a full set, but also perform a live soundtrack to Chris Marker’s film “La Jetee”), The Feelies (jittery and jangling New Jersey legends), Jonathan Richman (who needs no introduction), and The Minus 5 (led by Young Fresh Fellow and R.E.M. auxiliary player Scott McCaughey).
Also appearing in the high-quality lineup are the unique Welsh singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon, Saskatchewan indie band Foxwarren (led by the great Andy Shauf), Lithics (taut and tense post-no-wave pop from Portland, OR), Buck Meek (member of Big Thief), Alabama-born artist and musician Lonnie Holley, Chicago multi-instrumentalist duo OHMME, Tuareg singer/songwriter Mdou Moctar, The Julian Lage Trio and too many others to list.
Many of the weekend’s performers will also do pop-up performances around the MASS MoCA campus during the day.
Comedian and author John Hodgman is a big presence at the festival, hosting an “Authors In Discussion” presentation with Cheryl Strayed and Nate Chinen and also co-hosting a comedy stage with Jean Grae, which will welcome such guests as Rhea Butcher and Aparna Nancherla.
Want more? There will be a performance of “Fishing,” featuring director/choreographer Danielle Agami, actor Jon Hamm and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. The main building’s lobby basement is being turned into a musical instrument that visitors can play (through their movements, but also good old-fashioned knobs), and that’s just one of a few immersive sound installations that will be on site during the festival.
Also happening at Solid Sound: Yoga. Mad Libs. Axe throwing. Hiking. Huckleberry Elling’s mobile fiber art studio. A showing of William Ferris’ films from the 1960s and ’70s that document Mississippi artists and musicians. A demonstration of poster silkscreening. A top-notch pop-up record store run by the fine folks at Euclid Records (from St. Louis and New Orleans). And of course lots of good eats from New England food trucks and vendors.
Florence musician Max Germer bought his tickets last year, long before the participating artists were even announced. “You put some faith in Wilco to curate a great festival,” he said. “They always do.”
Germer has brought his son along to every Solid Sound since its beginning (except the one year he couldn’t make).
“One of my favorite shirts I see at Solid Sound is a kids-sized tee that reads ‘Raised on Wilco.’ Our 14-year-old has seen Wilco every other year since he was 5 — and sets by NRBQ, Yo La Tengo, Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson, Kurt Vile, Bill Frisell, and Television, to name a few. What a musical education!”
For a detailed schedule, further info, and to request tickets, visit SolidSoundFestival.com
Ken Maiuri can be reached at clublandcolumn@gmail.com.