faxman75

We wandered around town Sunday night everything seemed closed, it wasn't going to stop raining so we went back and hurridly took down our site in the dark and rain, a few hours later I was asleep in my warm dry bed.

 

Were you in the site that had 5 or 6 tents pitched in it across from the bathrooms?

We only had 2 tents.

Here's a link to the pictures I took over the weekend.

http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff98/faxman75/Solid%20Sound%20Fest%202010%20Wilco/

Camp

Were any of you fine people part of the gathering / singalong that took place on the final night at the restaurant next to the Holiday Inn out on the patio? We walked up on you folks and watched and hung out for a bit as the place was closing that night.

Our historic valley/windsor lake camp spot was pretty quiet. We were camped next to the playground and near the office and showers. We had a neighbor who also attended the show and shared a beer. My crappy tent completely flooded on the final night when it was raining and soaked all of my clothes except what I was wearing so I slept in the car trashed the tent and checked all the wet clothes in the tent bag and washed them when I got home. All was well lol.

If anyone hears of booking there prior to first of the year let me know. I don't want to get left without a spot at that campsite.

if there are more people, they need to figure out a better system for funneling people from the gift shop/lobby area out into the patio/deck/courtyard area.

Agreed.

So, I just called about a camping reservation for Windsor Lake Campground where I camped last year and the lady says "no reservations for 2011 until January".

I was looking into some bed and breakfasts too and while they aren't all that expensive, they are most likely still out of my budget. The campground was perfect last year and part of the fun so i'm going to wait and stay there again.

My concern is the crowd was a perfect size last year. I feel if it sells out it's going to feel a bit over crowded. We'll see how it all goes though. I really liked every aspect of the fest last year from the venue to the city and people. It was nice to camp as well.

Awwee hell here we go again. I think I have to be in for this. I'm a day late you crazy fools have booked up the whole town already...save the campgrounds I hope.? I'll be giving them a call tomorrow unless I decide to live it up and stay at a B & B or something.

This is going to be another expensive flight and I somehow have to pull this off a month after I go to Spain for Primavera Sound?! Ugh life is rough lol.

Someone mentioned Coachella and Bonnaroo. Coachella gets a lot of people from So. Cal but it does pull from all over the country, it is a destination festival just as Bonnaroo is.

The Eagles are washed up, IMO, but if you haven't checked out The Black Crowes' live show in awhile, you might want to consider it before you write them off, especially the acoustic sets they've been doing on their current tour and their new "acoustic-live-in-the-studio" career retrospective, Croweology. For me, the three best live bands in rock today are The Black Crowes, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket (highly subjective and indicative of my taste for roots-based, soulful, 70s-ish ensemble rock music)

 

I'm looking forward to checking out Calexico. I've never seen them, even though they are from AZ where I live right now. I'm not too into Balkan/Eastern European folk rock, but maybe Devotchka will surprise me.

Devotchka might surprise you and I can't argue with your live bands in rock. If anything I would add bands to that list. Not many, just a few.

Nevermind Walsh, Frey or the Black Crowes. The lineup you have for the day Wilco is playing is phenominal. Calexico opened up for Wilco on the Ghost is Born tour and I have become a huge Calexico fan. They are absolutley fantastic live. I also see Devotchka on the list. Another unique band who plays awesome indie folk music. They are from Colorado and they are multi instrumentalists as well. An aboslutly fantastic bill! If I was going I would just be seeing those three bands lol.

South Adams? lol

I had something kinda weird happen. I was discussing my love for The National's music with my new friend from the board Jeff before the Jeff Tweedy solo show started on Monday. We had a good conversation about how relationships with bands are similar to women. I was telling him that the Wilco show the night before felt a lot like goodbye to me. It was kind of sad to come to this conclusion in the middle of the weekend but it didn't change the appreciation or love I have for the band, just that I felt I was moving on and that my new love or obsession musically was in fact The National.

Less than 30 minutes later Jeff Tweedy starts to banter with a fan near the front (not me) and I was standing there, watching like, holy shit, how the hell did he know? It was really funny. I especially liked when Jeff said "it happens".

That said, I absolutley loved the solo performance and decided after that speech and the craziness, of me just having that conversation, I was going to force this relationship to continue despite initial judgment.

I will be seeing The National 3 times in October lol. I will also return to N. Adams to see Wilco if they do in fact sign the contract and of course whenever they roll through my state. It was just so surprising to hear this conversation within the hour of having it with someone else. I assumed from the tone of Jeff that he just pulled The National off the top of his head too, I don't think the guy/gal or whomever in the audience mentioned them but I was on the opposite side of the stage and back a bit so I dind't really hear.

Had a great time! Would do again....and again....and again. It exceded my expectations and whatever the final attendance was should be the cap. 8,000 people would not have been a comfortable experience. Everything went really well. Camping was fantastic, made some friends and had a killer breakfast at the Hub each morning. On the last night it was cool chilling with the sing-a-long crowd at the bar on the corner (Holiday bar, maybe?) accustic guitars and such outside. Great, great weekend!

Wilco Stage

So what's with the barricade and the room betwen the stage and the barricade? Boooo. Were there VIP tickets sold to this thing?

I have a 6am flight from Phoenix with a two hour and ten minute layover in Atlanta and arriving in Hartford at 5:35PM. Hopefully we'll be at the event by 9pm after checking in at the campground. I feel like i'm flying to China.

 

I wonder where they got those stats from? Perhaps?

I was wondering that as well since the thread you just linked has nowhere close to 40 states accounted for.

I called MassMoca about suggestions for how to get to the event from the campgrounds and they didn't seem to have any ideas. The best suggestion they had to offer was to drive to one of the satellite parking lots which are on the map and a bit out of the way. She said you can walk there but again stressed it was a pretty steep hike. Then she said there was a shortcut but it was even steeper lol. She said some of the hotels or campgrounds might be offering their own shuttles but they didn't have the resources or think about that campgrounds. I then called the campground and they don't currently plan on running any shuttles but she forwarded me to someone with the city and I left a message for somebody. I guess we'll see if I get a call back and if any other ideas are offered.

I think we'll have space in our camping spot. You just have to get to Windsor Lake campground. We have two tents at this point but they reserved us an RV spot which they said has more space so it would be fine. You would just have to find a way to get there as we are flying into Hartford and arrivingi Friday night around 8ish or later.

Well that's some good information. I did read the parking and shuttle information as well. I might try the phone call tomorrow if I don't get a response. A campground shuttle sure would be nice lol.

I sent an e-mail to the SolidSound to ask about the possibility this late in the game for shuttles to and from the campground since it would be ridiculous for all of us campers to drive 2 miles to already over crowded parking lots. We'll see if they reply in the next day or so. I'm hopeful. At the very least I asked for suggestions regarding the best way people camping can get to the fest. I'm told that hill is very very steep and it would be a work out of a hike and I don't think I can pull that off after walking around Mass MoCA all day.

I can seem to find if INS/OUTS are available. Also, if I want to smoke a cigarette, it says no smoking, does that mean there won't be a designated smoking area either? Luckily I don't smoke very much as it is but i'm curious as I do tend to socially smoke or take a break when at a fest.

Historic Valley aka Windsor Lake? We are staying there as well. They should totally be running a shuttle back and forth. I'm fairly certain my reservatoin is for Windsor Lake but everything they sent me might say Historic Valley. So confusing. I'll just follow the map they sent lol. I think we are at site 6.

Are you guys excited or what? It's finally hitting me how awesome and intimate this weekend with Wilco is going to be. A truly one of a kind experience surrounded with so much art, comedy and a whole museum to roam. I didn't think I was going to have a problem with any conflicts but I already see a couple of instances where I will want to be two places at once. For instance i'm not even a guitar player but the Nels clinic seems to be a priority for me to watch but it means I have to miss Vetiver who I have heard a lot of good about and On Fillmore. Such is life I guess. Sunday however, seems cut and dry. Wouldn't it have made more sense to put the clinics on one day and the comedy on Sunday so there were always alternatives? The way it stands Saturday has music, comedy, clinics and art. Sunday seems to have some films and music? Eh, whatever it's going to be great! That's my point. I'm ready!

A preview from Lolla with Mavis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk-AeafGm-s

Pretty awesome that this weekend is just about upon us! I'm excited and half of it is for camping in another state lol. I have never been to Mass and it's been years since i've been east of Chicago for anything more than an airport layover.

I actually welcome the rain too. I'm coming from Arizona so i'm sure you understand.

That forcast is starting to look a bit wet. A weekekend of rain may be in our future.

Nice. What was it about 06 and 07? I missed them those years as well.

I bet there's a chance we hear "Comment (All Men Are Truly Brothers)"

Right? Right!

Choo choo, you're right, that was an awesome moment. How about the weather that night, perfect just for the show but before and after lots of wind and rain! I went camping in the mountains that weekend with some friends. Great weekend.

How was the Savannah gig Woody? I have been wanting to go there for quite some time and concidered that show but already planned for other things.