Solid Sound 2013

[Atticus]

I like to go to concerts because I love to see my favorite band through the phone of the asshole standing in front of me.

 

--Demetri Martin

[-seven]

Oh, I didn't notice they actually billed it as such.  Is that true?

 

"Jeff Tweedy doesn’t like music festivals. “I often say, sort of semi-jokingly, that I wouldn’t go to any festival unless I was getting paid, because it’s just not in my nature,” the leader of Wilco says, citing discomfort with crowd sizes as well as the distance between stages at the major festivals that his band plays. “Most of the time, it’s an in-and-out proposition, trying to minimize the misery.”

Solid Sound—a Wilco-curated festival in its third year at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art’s factory complex in the Berkshires—provides the exception. “If you go to a restaurant with a small menu and you can hone in on what you want, you always end up being a lot more satisfied, and that’s the way I look at Solid Sound,” Tweedy says. “It’s a lot more manageable, and it’s a festival that I think I would enjoy going to.”

 

http://www.improper.com/going-out/lofty-ambitions/

[thejokeexplained]

Like the legend of the phoenix

All ends with beginnings

What keeps the planet spinning (uh)

The force of love beginning

 

so i didn't know anything about this Daft Punk song wilco played, but after giving it a few listens i thought the first bit of lyrics in this tune were very apropos to the Xu Bing exhibit showing at Mass MOCA. I wonder if Jeff and the boys had a deeper influence and were giving a nod to the artist playing this tune, other then it's popularity with pop culture. 

[SarahC]

Listening to the all request show... hilarious. The "stump the band section" has be rolling. 

[Hixter]

Sunday's heat made Solid Sound Day 3 pretty uncomfortable. Think how people in Fairbanks must feel right now:

 

[rhino4evr]

I'm from Florida, so the heat didn't bother me too much. Was able to find shade in most instances. Saw lots of sunburns though!! Sunblock every 60-90 mins folks! Take it from a pro. Got no color what so ever

[Magnetized]

 

Got no color what so ever

Well, it WAS a Wilco festival. Remember what Queen Latifah said on 30 Rock: Whiter than a Wilco concert.

 

Heehee. But seriously, it is remarkable to look around and see almost no people of color other than red (sunburn). It made me giggle during the Relatives set when the singer was having us do that dip and sway move. I couldn't help thinking we looked like a pretty white crowd!

[tinnitus photography]

review of days 2 and 3, w/ photos:
http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/solid-sound-festival-days-2-3-featuring-wilco-yo-l/

[abbieroad]

I'm a lurker...

I just saw this and thought I'd share.  I did attend SS this year for the first time and had a blast.  My only issue was that they didn't have an area marked off in front of the soundboard for no chairs.

 

"The Good Listener:  When is it OK to Hold Seats at a Festival"

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/06/27/196261513/the-good-listener-when-is-it-ok-to-hold-seats-at-a-festival?sc=fb&cc=fbasc

[surprisetruck]

Like the person who posted above I'm a long time lurker and fan who went to my first SS and enjoyed the heck out of it.  Loved the setup, the people and especially MassMoca, easily the most wonderful museum experience I've ever encountered.  But the blankets and chairs situation was by far the only real downside and it was a big one.  I'm not normally a festival person but was drawn to this as a Wilco fan and with the idea that it wasn't really "festival-like" which it wasn't....except for the homesteading on Joe's Field. 

 

Loved the idea someone floated that they practice at Jazzfest - mark off a front section for people who want to stand and even move about a little and let those who don't care to stand occupy the rest of the field (sort of like the SRO pit tickets they sell at some amphitheatre shows.)

 

Otherwise it was great fun, great company, and even greater music all weekend.

[kidsmoke]

Welcome to Via Chicago, surprisetruck! Great username which must have a good story behind it. Pretty terrific SSF, despite the intense heat/humidity...I'm almost re-hydrated now!

I've got a lot of photos to share, once I get finished unpacking and all. Some are even in focus.

[Cold as Gasoline]

Welcome, abbieroad and surprisetruck!  Glad you both enjoyed your first SSF as much as I did.  Agree that the chair/blanket situation in Joe's Field seems to indicate that a new system is needed. On Saturday night I was standing behind a family with little bored kids sleeping in lawn chairs, right up front, which was really awkward for those around them and frankly not very fun for the kids.  At Telluride Bluegrass Festival a few years ago I recall some kind of tarp system that meant you can put down your tarp, but if you're not there, others are free to take your spot.  That seemed to work ok.  

[twoshedsjackson]

Welcome, abbieroad and surprisetruck! Glad you both enjoyed your first SSF as much as I did. Agree that the chair/blanket situation in Joe's Field seems to indicate that a new system is needed. On Saturday night I was standing behind a family with little bored kids sleeping in lawn chairs, right up front, which was really awkward for those around them and frankly not very fun for the kids. At Telluride Bluegrass Festival a few years ago I recall some kind of tarp system that meant you can put down your tarp, but if you're not there, others are free to take your spot. That seemed to work ok.

Agreed. I consider it very poor etiquette to put chairs or especially blankets anywhere NEAR the stage, and flat-out obnoxious to not put them away before the show starts.

I love standing up front and always try to, but this was our first show with the kids in tow, so we stayed back up on the hill with most of the other families. It was a nice change, actually.

[rhino4evr]

It should be ok to camp out for the show as log as you pack up when the show starts. We set our stuff down before Neko's set, and had a decent view, but we also packed our stuff up when the show started...but then again, we only

Brought blankets. I think chairs in general should not be allowed...at least not up front

[Magnetized]

I really like the idea of a roped off area at the front (Joe's Field only) where no blankets or chairs are allowed. Perhaps they could even charge a small premium for access to that area. I would make an exception for HowdaSeats and the like--the ones that are basically two lightly padded squares with adjustable straps on the side and that sit directly on the ground, since they really take up no more room than the actual person and can be rolled or folded up easily when the show starts. I think this could work really nicely.

 

Behind the roped-off area, blankets could be allowed as well as small chairs, but the blankets should be limited in size (like the size of a beach towel) and the chairs should sit low to the ground and have low backs.This could be a secondary restricted area for those who want a little more comfort but still accept being crowded.

 

Beyond that larger chairs and tarps would be fine.

 

I think it would be good to have something that covers these ground rules and basic concert etiquette written up and handed out to festival goers when they first come in the gates and also post it at places around the museum. It would be easier to speak with people who are violating the rules if there's something written that you can point them to.

[Hummingbird]

Can't wait to see your photos Kidsmoke! oxoxo

[dorisey]

I'm a lurker...

I just saw this and thought I'd share.  I did attend SS this year for the first time and had a blast.  My only issue was that they didn't have an area marked off in front of the soundboard for no chairs.

 

"The Good Listener:  When is it OK to Hold Seats at a Festival"

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/06/27/196261513/the-good-listener-when-is-it-ok-to-hold-seats-at-a-festival?sc=fb&cc=fbasc

That was my letter!

 

looks like there's a variety of opinion. personally, i wish the organization would divide off the chairs/no chairs area, because it's hard to know the line otherwise of where would be acceptable to picnic and where wouldn't be. someone can always drop a blanket in front of yours if you start far back. i think that the front should be allowed for standing only, starting with any band opening. it seemed that people felt comfortable leaving their chairs open for the relatives & neko case and closed them up for wilco proper, but i don't know why we're sharing room with folded up chairs in the pit anyhow. i think the headliners should be treated as normal concerts, and anything at that stage similarly so - if you're in the front, you stand. that's where the energy is emanating from. short of the festival stepping in, tho, i really liked stephen's answer.

[Yaz Rock]

I view an unattended blanket as an invitation to occupy. I mean, a couple people can't take up an entire blanket, and the crowd as a whole is going to push forward anyway once the set starts. So get there a respectable time before the band starts and just move up as close as you can without getting in the space of someone who has been standing there for hours. The blankets and chairs do not bother me at all - but the people who try to sneak up front after the set has started and get into my personal space are the worst.

[stevelknievel]

I've been to festivals that had no chairs past this point signs up and that helped avoid some of the issues people have mentioned.

 

The other thing that would help, but would probably take too much to enforce would be a no chair or blanket aisle.  At busy festivals including this years SS I've seen the same vicious cycle.  Some people are rude and will just elbow through at the last minute to move forward, spilling beers, knocking people over.  So then people with chairs start trying to protect their territory by tying chairs together around blankets making areas impassible.  Now people who are trying to be curtious who want to use the facilities or go for a beer are either stuck or they have to be more forceful even if they are saying excuse me.  Then the chair barricades get reinforced...then people have to push more to get through, etc. 

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

It would be cool to see them do a lottery for spots down front. 100 ticketholders could be drawn at random, and each winner could bring one person with them. They could rope off the area and open it half an hour before the opening act. No chairs or blankets, and no camping out. People would only find out when they arrived so winning tickets couldn't be scalped. It would add a little more excitement to arriving for the festival, and it would mean some people who probably wouldn't have the chance to be down front for whatever reason to see the band play up close. 

[linclink]

Beyond my wildest expectations!!! I got quite sick starting around Thurs (another member of our team was descending illness wise, but was still sick the whole time too), & it absolutely peaked on Saturday, but I was able to make it through & then some...Tom Waits once said of Keith Richards, something to the effect of- sometimes I think all that's holding him up is the music...and so it was...well that & a little help from my friends (two-legged animal kind, & plant-herb kind as well- thanks Marcus, wherever you are for your amazing herbal jazz ciggies & for the special green lollipop)
It truly was like a cross between Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory & Pepperland after The Beatles help defeat/transform the blue meanies.
And...not only did they play one of my two major requests (the other was "It's All Too Much"- on tap for Solid Sound IV), "And Your Bird Can Sing", but they played it twice in a row, & then it was like The Avengers joining forces with The X-Men as my two favorite bands in the world, Wilco & Yo La Tengo, teamed up on both "Tom Courtney" & "Roadrunner!!! Honestly, just like the song goes...who could ask for anything more.

[surprisetruck]

Welcome to Via Chicago, surprisetruck! Great username which must have a good story behind it. Pretty terrific SSF, despite the intense heat/humidity...I'm almost re-hydrated now!

I've got a lot of photos to share, once I get finished unpacking and all. Some are even in focus.

Well, a Camper Van Beethoven fan will obviously recognize the handle!  In fact, aside from a fairly miserable Austin City Limits festival several years ago (100 degree temps and nearly that high a humidity reading, along with almost 70,000 attendees) my main festival experience has been the first three Camp Out's that CVB and Cracker put on every September in Pioneertown, CA (about 1000 people) and one of the Old Town School of Folk Music's festival's in Chicago about 10 years ago.

 

And I'm on the Texas gulf coast so I was actually in a cooler and drier climate than I travelled from!

[Papillon Parade]

This was my second Solid Sound and had a great time again.  

 

Highlights:

- Xu Bing's Phoenix / Cig rug (it changed color as you walked around it!)

- Dinner with Wilco Saturday night - although we only saw the band as they walked by, and I believe Jeff left after he hi-fived everyone, the dinner itself was great.

- Reggie Watts!

- The Festival Guide - can anyone confirm if this was a Field Notes Brand?

 

Lowlights:

- The chairs/blankets in Joe's field - Friday we took a spot in front of two vacant chairs for quite a while.  Once Wilco came on, a guy and his kid came back and pushed us out of the spot.  On Saturday, a couple in front of us had TWO blankets spread out, each of them sprawled out and then got annoyed when one of them stretched out and hit my foot...c'mon people.  Definitely a need for a designated area.

- Samosa Man - They were hit and miss this year.  First one was great, second one was tasteless and full of grease, dripping actually...not good.  

- Sunday heat! - We left after the AD show also and went back to our motel for a swim.

 

We then went on to Salem, MA and met Damien Echols and Lorri Davis on Monday, making this an unforgettable trip all around.

[-seven]

 The Festival Guide - can anyone confirm if this was a Field Notes Brand?

 

I believe it was designed by Lawrence Azerrad...inspired by the Field Notes brand.

He posted something about it here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152007032414418&set=a.10150716768059418.499198.679529417&type=1&theater

[sterno1]

What a great weekend!  Here are some photos!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sterno1/sets/72157634236869711/