cracked & hooked

Words fail, but I can tell you one thing for sure - this is a new Wilco. This was my 23rd show and I have never seen them bring so much power, so much presence to the party. New songs exploded, old songs reborn. Balls-out wall of sound. Tight, tight, tight. LOUD, LOUD, LOUD. Cool to see different members shine a bit more than usual. Wonderful, quiet, respectful crowd. I could kiss you all on the mouth! Jeff asked them to say something in French to which he replied "Sexy! I'm blushing... This is me blushing...that's how white I am." Other banter, for those so inclined: not a ton: Um,

I went in feeling similarly, but I was happy to be proven wrong. It was captivating and I was amazed at how they held the room through it. In fact, I think there were more people heading for the bathroom in the beginning of it than towards the end. I don't think it ran the full 12-minutes - I think they shortened the outro a bit. The song has been slowly growing on me and hearing it live pretty much sealed the deal. It was very cool to see/hear how everyone contributes to it - much more apparent live than on the album, at least to me. It was fairly stunning, to be honest.

Yowser. You may have just made up my mind. We had been looking forward to a long weekend in Montreal all summer, but a bunch of stuff came up this past week that made an extended trip this weekend impossible. Our only remaining option is to make the 6 hour drive up on Sunday, back on Monday. I had been couching the decision in terms of "Is it crazy to drive 12 hours round-trip, crossing international borders, just to hear Art of Almost?" But you make it sound like we'd be getting so much more, so much more of what we're looking for. I WANNE BE HAMMERED AWAY AT!!! The Wilco you describe is t

OK all right OK all RIGHT! After a skim of the comments brought (happy) tears to my eyes, I've caved. I'm going in... Why am I nervous?

Ack. Argh. What to do, what to do. I have always been a die-hard hold-out for record release day. Love cutting out of work that morning and rushing to the record store like I'm on a secret mission. Coming home that night for first listen with my baby. There's something magical for me about waiting. The anticippppppation. (I'll never forget the day YHF was released, still unheard by me. Walked in to the record store first thing that morning and it was playing. It felt like everything in the world.) But, but, BUT - this time around I have already heard some of the new stuff - at Solid Sound

I found out that the sister of an acquaintance of mine was there working with a filmmaker and that she "interviewed the band for a project that he was working on." That's about all I could get out of her - it might be something different, not sure.

Finally got my Solid Sound flickrs up. It was another magical weekend. They found ways to improve on last year in ways that I didn't think could be improved. It was chockfull of coolness. Personal highlight for me - the band doing the Split Enz' "I Got You' with Neil Finn himself. My husband and I nearly lost our minds - it's one of our tunes, and they rocked it. Topped the time we saw Golden Smog do it at Bowery Ballroom. Can't wait 'til next year! Right?

I had to do something with all the cool little trinkets and keepsakes from last year.

Happy Birthday! What a perfect way to end it. (I woulda done the same thing.)

Yeah, they beat the shit outta that song. My fave live song and maybe the best I've heard it. Bring that to SS2, please.

Turned out all I needed was a shot in the arm.

My beloved Wilco in my beloved NOLA. It's an amazing broadcast and they sound so great, but I am so, so sleepy. Trying to hang in there. Love this close-up look at the whole operation.

Wilco and Lucinda and Willie and Wyclef all in my favorite city? I must find a way. Unfortunately (and fortunately) I had planned on being there earlier in April for rebuilding work. And then there's Solid Sound.... Too much Wilco and not enough scratch.

Thanks , but I think I said it better here: ~~ It’s just like if Wilco invited you over to their house to hang out on a sunny late summer afternoon. You know it would be some cool, funked out industrial playground of a space. Art everywhere. Their generous and fun-loving spirit would make you feel right at home but at the same time you’d be awestruck at your dumb luck. Nels would be stringing together some noisy loop of pedals in the basement and he’d let you play with them. Glenn would be tricking out these crazy drum heads and would want to show you how they work. You’d eat falafel an

My favorite band in my favorite place in the world? Yeah you rite!

Oh believe you me, I felt very nice. Everything was perfect. There was just such a sense of collective awe and wonderment from all involved, bands and participants and volunteers, about how amazingly cool it all was. How could it possibly have been so perfectly cool? I walked floated away with a shimmer and a shit-eating grin, realizing I had just experienced something very special, that we all did. I think maybe I just felt like I needed to be debriefed about it all or something. Maybe a tattoo parlor on the way out is what I'm looking for.

I would think so. If the countdown clock is accurate, the festivities begin Friday at 5:00. Seems like that would be in line with a Friday night Wilco show. While the Tweedy show solo was so beautiful last year, it was kind of a weird way to end such an extravagant weekend. It felt odd to just walk away from all that. I hope they do something this year to put some closure on things, iike maybe a group hug or something. Something to help us come down from it all.

I adore the countdown clock on the Solid Sound site. Now I don't need to do that math in my head!! And

Sorry, it was here. I do believe they had initially announced two Wilco spots last year, too. I hope they hold to it this year! And

Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival – an intimate three day celebration of music, comedy, art and community – returns to MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA June 24 – 26. Envisioned by Wilco and presented in collaboration with MASS MoCA, America’s largest center for contemporary art, this year’s festival boasts two headline concerts by Wilco, a comedy cabaret hosted by John Hodgman, the new Solid Ground tent site for nearby camping, a Euclid Records pop-up store, a wide array of all-ages programming and much more. Tickets are on sale 11am EST this Friday, Jan. 21 through the festival’s official website Soli

You mean in case it's Nels? Good thinking.

How will today's announcement arrive? Tweet, email, a knock on the door? I'm ready!

The Blisters!

I just got the last room at Blackinton Manor, 2 miles from MassMoca. Yeeeeeeow! Minorly bummed that we won't be at the Holiday Inn again, but so psyched to be celebrating our 12th anniversary the Solid Sound way!!! Now I just need to cancel the HI rooms I had reserved for every weekend in August...