Wilco Solid Sound Festival

[Magnetized]

Am I picking up on a little dissatisfaction? Because maybe it's just me, but I am most definitely NOT disappointed in this schedule/lineup. This is not Lollapalooza, nor is it priced like that--not that money's the most important consideration. I'm envisioning a gathering of the Wilcohead community, with warm fuzzy feelings all around. Maybe there'll be a surprise or two coming our way, and maybe not, but I am more than thrilled about it, exactly as it stands! And in terms of bang for your buck, $90 for 3 days of bliss? C'mon, people!

[knotgreen]

Am I picking up on a little dissatisfaction? Because maybe it's just me, but I am most definitely NOT disappointed in this schedule/lineup. This is not Lollapalooza, nor is it priced like that--not that money's the most important consideration. I'm envisioning a gathering of the Wilcohead community, with warm fuzzy feelings all around. Maybe there'll be a surprise or two coming our way, and maybe not, but I am more than thrilled about it, exactly as it stands! And in terms of bang for your buck, $90 for 3 days of bliss? C'mon, people!

 

personally-- i think it's pretty weak to advertise a wilco festival, and then the band plays only 1 set. aside from seeing tweedy solo, the side projects don't really do anything for me. i suppose some of the other bands will be entertaining, but i'd trade it all for three days of wilco.

[faxman75]

I am not dissatisfied but I am disappointed just a tiny bit that the "feature" of the festival (their words, not mine) has been reduced to one performance. It was a bad idea to say two headline performances, then sell tickets for a month or so and follow it up with a final schedule that only has one performance by the band. I'm super excited about seeing Jeff solo again though and there is plenty of other stuff to do so it's almost silly to even use the word disappointed. I'm still excited about the set but come on who wouldn't rather have 2 performances? We all would and they advertised it as such.

[tinnitus photography]

personally-- i think it's pretty weak to advertise a wilco festival, and then the band plays only 1 set. aside from seeing tweedy solo, the side projects don't really do anything for me. i suppose some of the other bands will be entertaining, but i'd trade it all for three days of wilco.

 

there's more to music than wilco, and they are inviting you to listen w/ open ears.

[barbkm]

The baseball project! That is Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck, Linda Pitman and Steve Wynn. We should see some Minus5 action for sure! I just got more excited.

 

I'm thinking Peter B won't be there -- the ads just mention Scott and Steve -- but alittle Minus 5 action would be ideal. And I imagine that Scott will be part of the + in the Jeff Tweedy +. But, Peter B and JT on the same stage --- awesome. Even though Peter Buck's new page boy hair cut is just plain bad. The man's a millionaire -- how could he let someone do this to his hair?

[u2roolz]

Just throwing in my .02 cents.

 

I think it's pretty obvious that the possibility of a 2nd Wilco performance on Sunday is HIGHLY likely. I think that they want to keep it a SURPRISE and make it come off as improvised. People are going to be there to see Tweedy anyways. It's not like someone else is closing out on Sunday night.

 

I picture Tweedy doing his solo set then being joined by Nels, John & Pat, Glenn and Mikael (almost like David Byrne in Stop Making Sense or more accurately Sunken Treasure DVD) throughout his performance. I'm also hoping that they come out on songs that weren't performed on Saturday's show (wishful thinking ). Edit: Furthermore, describing this on a concert poster and/or website would be kind of sketchy (maybe not the best word), but Jeff Tweedy & Special Guests seems to me to be pretty obvious if they chose to word it like this.

[knotgreen]

there's more to music than wilco, and they are inviting you to listen w/ open ears.

 

 

i'm well aware, but i didn't pay for this service. instead, i paid for what i thought was going to be a weekend of wilco.

 

for the record- i'm stoked to be going.... i'm just saying....

[Chinese Apple]

i'm well aware, but i didn't pay for this service. instead, i paid for what i thought was going to be a weekend of wilco.

 

I was sure the Festival was announced as being "curated by Wilco" and not "only Wilco." I tell my friends that this is a "Wilco Convention," like a Star Trek convention -- where half the fun will be being among other Wilco nerds. (That means YOU.)

 

But that IS an interesting concept to have the band play for the whole weekend! I can't imagine any band having that kind of stamina, though. It was already pretty amazing to read about the 3 hour long shows some of you in the US got to see.

 

It would make an awesome performance art installation, to have a band "perform" for a whole weekend on stage, but where they play a little music, eat and sleep, read or watch TV, and be "normal" and talk to each other, answer their mobile phones, get interviewed, and tend to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. And fart around.

 

And we get to watch everything (except toilet breaks, etc.) Like a reality show, but LIVE! On stage! I think it would be a comment on the voyeurs we've all become. It would be ART. I would call it "Rockstars, in Captivity."

[Wise Enough]

I was sure the Festival was announced as being "curated by Wilco" and not "only Wilco." I tell my friends that this is a "Wilco Convention," like a Star Trek convention -- where half the fun will be being among other Wilco nerds. (That means YOU.)

 

But that IS an interesting concept to have the band play for the whole weekend! I can't imagine any band having that kind of stamina, though. It was already pretty amazing to read about the 3 hour long shows some of you in the US got to see.

 

It would make an awesome performance art installation, to have a band "perform" for a whole weekend on stage, but where they play a little music, eat and sleep, read or watch TV, and be "normal" and talk to each other, answer their mobile phones, get interviewed, and tend to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. And fart around.

 

And we get to watch everything (except toilet breaks, etc.) Like a reality show, but LIVE! On stage! I think it would be a comment on the voyeurs we've all become. It would be ART. I would call it "Rockstars, in Captivity."

 

Regurgitator went that route. Wikipedia sums it up better than I can:

 

Regurgitator created and participated in the Band in a Bubble project in 2004, a new reality TV-inspired media stunt sponsored and broadcast by Australian music channel, Channel V. The band entered a small glass recording studio, built in Federation Square in the centre of Melbourne, to record their new album. Pedestrians could look into most rooms of the "bubble" and could watch the band work, or tune in to a 24 hour digital cable television channel and watch their work on that. Nobody could enter or leave the bubble, a la Big Brother. In addition to the three band members, Australian producer Magoo, engineer Hugh and Channel V host Jabba were all also locked into the bubble with the band. This project resulted in 2004's Mish Mash!.

[Chinese Apple]

Regurgitator went that route. Wikipedia sums it up better than I can:

 

Regurgitator created and participated in the Band in a Bubble project in 2004, a new reality TV-inspired media stunt sponsored and broadcast by Australian music channel, Channel V. The band entered a small glass recording studio, built in Federation Square in the centre of Melbourne, to record their new album. Pedestrians could look into most rooms of the "bubble" and could watch the band work, or tune in to a 24 hour digital cable television channel and watch their work on that. Nobody could enter or leave the bubble, a la Big Brother. In addition to the three band members, Australian producer Magoo, engineer Hugh and Channel V host Jabba were all also locked into the bubble with the band. This project resulted in 2004's Mish Mash!.

 

 

DANG! A day (or six years) late and a dollar short, again.

[Wise Enough]

DANG! A day (or six years) late and a dollar short, again.

 

No no... this was a 'media stunt'. Your idea is 'art'. I say we go ahead.

[park]

Don't forget that the space itself is a feature of the experience. It's a whole campus. We're not going to be spending the entire time on the "field" waiting for the headliner. Mass MOCA, North Adams and Wilco are actually an amazingly good fit, in the same way that I can only imagine Chicago as Wilco-home. I can't quite describe it but the character of this town is like a working class kid who got a scholarship and made it through art school...a feeling I get from their music at times when they'll take a folk song structure and let the edges bleed into abstraction (best I can say it right now). There's an airstream trailer in the air you can climb up into and upside down trees to welcome you out front.

 

Concerts don't take place outside at MOCA all that often but when they do, you can hear it all over the Main Street area. When Patti Smith played, I remember driving around with the windows down and listening to a lot of it. If there's a group you feel like you don't need to stare at or hear each nuance, you could always take it downtown and explore. Being set in a valley, the city holds sound pretty good.

 

 

I too was bummed at first that they weren't playing twice but even if it is just pretty much a Tweedy solo set, I'm psyched now. To be fair I've never seen him solo live. I'm sure various band members are going to show up various places. Tweedy just produced the album right, I can't imagine he's not going to come out and pick up a guitar for a Mavis song. Those are just my thoughts. I do understand why some are let down.

[willywoody]

http://i30.tinypic.com/2zxv7ev.jpg

 

I was hoping for at least some of these people to grace the stage.

[LouieB]

I can't believe people are bitching about this. Wilco and the other members bands are playing, Mavis Staples and a whole bunch of other cools stuff. This isn't a residency, it ia a fest that Wilco is helping to curate. How cool is that??

 

LouieB

[tinnitus photography]

http://i30.tinypic.com/2zxv7ev.jpg

 

I was hoping for at least some of these people to grace the stage.

 

that would be cool.

 

 

two weeks after the SSF, i'll be at ATP to see SY play, Lee w/ Text of Light, and Steve w/ Michael Rother as Hallogallo, playing Neu! songs.

[faxman75]

I can't believe people are bitching about this. Wilco and the other members bands are playing, Mavis Staples and a whole bunch of other cools stuff. This isn't a residency, it ia a fest that Wilco is helping to curate. How cool is that??

 

LouieB

 

 

It's beyond cool, in fact it's effing awesome! That doesn't change the fact that they announced 2 headlining performances by the band and then put tickets on sale only to later announce it was only 1 full band performance and 1 Tweedy performance. I get it, things change but what kind of fan wants to settle for less Wilco that was originally promised? Especially when this isn't a huge Lollapalooza type festival with 130 + bands to make up for the glaring omission. What if Radiohead announced they would be headlining a 2 day Red Rocks music festival with a handful of other bands and art and then decided well after tickets had gone on sale that night two was no longer going to be Radiohead, but Thom Yorke solo. Some people are going to be a bit disappointed. That's all we are saying.

[knotgreen]

I was sure the Festival was announced as being "curated by Wilco" and not "only Wilco." I tell my friends that this is a "Wilco Convention," like a Star Trek convention -- where half the fun will be being among other Wilco nerds. (That means YOU.)

 

But that IS an interesting concept to have the band play for the whole weekend! I can't imagine any band having that kind of stamina, though. It was already pretty amazing to read about the 3 hour long shows some of you in the US got to see.

 

It would make an awesome performance art installation, to have a band "perform" for a whole weekend on stage, but where they play a little music, eat and sleep, read or watch TV, and be "normal" and talk to each other, answer their mobile phones, get interviewed, and tend to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. And fart around.

 

And we get to watch everything (except toilet breaks, etc.) Like a reality show, but LIVE! On stage! I think it would be a comment on the voyeurs we've all become. It would be ART. I would call it "Rockstars, in Captivity."

 

when a band like phish headlines their own festival, they play two full sets a day, each day of the festival... at least..

 

and louie b, if your comment was directed at me, you're misreading. i'm not bitching, just saying i think at least 2 wilco performances would be more appropriate than the 1+ solo acts. whatever, change of subject...

 

should be wonderful, i've never been to mass moca before, and appreciate any excuse to hang out in western massachusetts!

[willywoody]

that would be cool.

 

 

two weeks after the SSF, i'll be at ATP to see SY play, Lee w/ Text of Light, and Steve w/ Michael Rother as Hallogallo, playing Neu! songs.

 

I was just thinking as Thurston and Kim are in Northampton and Nels has collaborated with Thurston and Lee before, etc, etc.

 

Not complaining about the line up LouieB, but a boy can wish can't he?

[Chinese Apple]

when a band like phish headlines their own festival, they play two full sets a day, each day of the festival... at least..

 

 

Collectively Wilco would probably have put in the same stage hours over the weekend.

 

I didn't see the "2 headline performances" announcement before buying my tickets so I see how you would be disappointed about getting half of what you'd hoped for.

 

But I look forward to seeing the members of Wilco perform in their own projects. It'll make me listen to Wilco differently, to hear the parts that make up the whole.

 

I'm always surprised to see how many Wilco fans come here to complain about Wilco not doing things right, everytime Wilco does something new. But I enjoy reading it too.

[knotgreen]

I'm always surprised to see how many Wilco fans come here to complain about Wilco not doing things right, everytime Wilco does something new. But I enjoy reading it too.

 

righto, all i do is complain. it's settled, you're a better fan than i am.

[Chinese Apple]

Not you or this topic in particular, and I'm not saying the complaints are invalid. But everytime there's some new Wilco thing, there are people who feel disappointed. I actually feel inferior as a fan, like I should be wanting much more Wilco than what Wilco give. I wonder if my own Wilco threshold is too low.

[park]

Good information here.

[Cam Jones]

this sounds like so much fun. I wish it wasnt so far away and had to play a show the day of. It'd be fun to see all this stuff.

 

I saw Brenda (one of the bands thats playing, they're from Portland) and they're a pretty good live band. Just not crazy about their music. they came out of no where and suddenly they're the best thing in the Portland, Maine right now. Its twisted shit.

 

Have fun!

[knotgreen]

Good information here.

 

 

thanks for the link. for whatever it's worth, the article states: "the main stage where Wilco will perform Saturday night and Sunday afternoon is a grassy glade next to the train tracks. "

[Magnetized]

Here's another article--don't think this has been posted yet: http://berkshireonstage.com/2010/06/26/mass-mocas-solid-sound-weekend-adds-acts-releases-schedule/