chris b

I'll be bringing these local Texas beers to Solid Sound if anyone would like to trade for their local craft beer or just help me drink them. Either way, they ain't going home with me.

 

check your pm for possible beer trade.

Coming from Hartford for SS III i took 91 N to 90 W then to MA 7 N to Williamstown. Is it faster to stay on 91 and take RT 2?

About the same as raspberryjam already posted, Rt 2 may have a little less traffic.  Both are scenic, Rt 2 is a little more spectacular as you get close to N Adams if you are driving while it is light. 

Urgent travel message: If there are folks traveling from the Boston area down Rt 2 West to N Adams please be aware that that the exit onto I-91 S that most on-line navigators will send you is closed for repairs!   It is a long detour to get back to Rt 2 West if you follow the navigators (google maps, yahoo maps mapquest etc.) as they are as yet unaware of this closure!

Instead, take either the MA 2A W exit (French King Highway it's a left at a traffic light) or the next exit for US Rt 5/10 to downtown Greenfield. (It's a right exit) Both will take you to downtown Greenfield where you will take a right back onto Rt 2 W (Main St in Greenfield). Traffic is always pretty light going through downtown Greenfield so no worries and the bonus is you get to go through a real old school New England downtown where there is a co-op (Greenfield's Market), The People's Pint Brew Pub (which is awesome), a great beer store (Ryan and Casey Liquors) and lots of other local businesses and restaurants. The Rt 5/10 exit has more options for gas stations, drug stores etc. 

Hope this helps.  See you there!

Great show, great people, great setting.

However, we were horrified by the complete lack of recycling. The trash situation was inexcusable. You've got the money to do a lot better than that Brewery Ommegang.

NWS Albany forecast for Cooperstown area:

• Saturday Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 9am, then scattered showers between 9am and noon, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
  
• Saturday Night Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  

There shouldn't be any prolonged periods of rain and the chances of heavy are much better early in the day so just plan accordingly if you are camping.

Couldn't be any rainier than Solid Sound II lol.

I just spoke with an Ommegang admin. She said camping is mostly open field and about a 3-5 minute walk from parking. No assigned sites etc. No fires.

Bathrooms are close by.

The only issue is the parking lot filling up. If that happens then an overflow lot in town is used and shuttles run folks back and forth. Not ideal if you are camping. She said try to get there by 5pm to avoid being sent to overflow.

There are food vendors aplenty and lots of Ommegang Beer. Most of their beer is 7% or stronger and Belgian yeasts can leave you feeling a bit ragged the next day if you over consume.

Yup, starting to get pre-festival butterflies!

Thanks for the great pics above. Helps bring perspective to the set up.

Hope some folks can post pics, reviews etc tomorrow night.

We can't wait.

To everyone going in friday night have fun!

We'll be there as early as possible on saturday.

Yay!

If anyone has questions about W. Ma., logistics, roads etc. I'm sort of a local. (Greenfield)

Been waiting all summer for this weekend! We moved to western Ma. 3 years ago but this will be our first visit to Mass Moca and what a way to do it!

We are so excited about the bands, the art, the comedians, the fans and everything else.

New camping and hotel info @ http://solidsoundfestival.com/location/hotels-lodging

Odd that they did not list Savoy State Park? It's much closer than some of the campgrounds that they did list.

Clarksburg SF is definitely better if you plan on biking. Savoy SF has more to see and do as it is a huge park. The biggest waterfall in Ma. is located in a gorge on the south side of the park and there are 2 ponds near the tent sites. Luckily the camp sites are on the north side not too far from MassMoca (10-15 minute drive max.) You don't want to bike back and forth to Savoy on RT 2! Steep and well traveled road with some pretty good cliffs and corners.

For you camper types the Savoy State Forest is beautiful has tent sites, rv sites and showers and the campground loops are on the north side of the park so they are only about 10 miles to N. Adams. Tons of hiking, swimming, canoeing etc. Nice place.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/svym.htm

Great show tonight!

Looks like there are a couple of very nice $175 rooms here along with a few pricier ones.

 

http://topiainn.com/

 

It's about a 10-15 min drive from the venue but this place is really nice - if it's in your price range I would move quickly on this one. I heard from a friend today that most of the cheaper Williamstown hotels are already sold out.

 

The only walking distance hotels are Holiday Inn and the Porches - both sold out.

From my snooping today around it seems that almost all hotels are booked, cheap ones and expensive ones.

We might go with the camping option.

Worst case we live 30 miles from there so we drive.

Try Pittsfield. I reserved a room at the Crown Plaza ($200/night for 4 people). The Ramada Inn was $169

Plenty of camping in that area.

I live in Greenfield which is exactly 40 miles east of Mass MOCA on Rt 2. Gotta' decide, get a room or save $ and do the drive.

There is good camping out that way also.

Just checked StubHub and 220 of all available Orchestra tix for the Boston show are already up for re-sale!

SchulbHub makes it too easy to become an ticket pimp in the comfort of your mom's basement. As with sports, it's just one more reason to stop being a music fan (at least of bands they reach that level). Of course, sports teams actually encourage it - I'm guessing they get a little taste, as well.

It's actually shocking sometimes to see the # of tix available to sold out shows.

Hey there, first time poster here.

Saw the show last night and was so impressed with how well Jeff can hold a crowd with his singing, playing and bantering. A true showman and a gifted artist. Heard many songs I've not heard live.

I'll agree with the poster above that Jeff and Wilco play some great shows in Northampton and now that their manager is setting up shop there maybe we will get another Pines Theatre show this summer!

Ended up upgrading my tickets right before the show (9th row!) and hooked up this nice couple outside with my balcony seats.

Can't wait for a Wilco tour...