The Future of Solid Sound?

[worldrecordplayer]

I think many of us take it as a given that there will be a Solid Sound 2019. Every other summer. At least I have. My wife and I have been to all five of them, and we were at the Orpheum show where Tweedy announce it (I didn't know what the heck he was talking about that night). I did notice this year that Tweedy didn't say anything about being back in 2 years, but I have been telling myself not to read anything into that.

 

But now maybe I'm not so sure. Solid Sound posted this long message on its FB page. Is there reason to be concerned it may not be back? Or it may take a completely different form in a different location? Am I being paranoid.

 

Everyone can decide for themselves. Here's the complete post:

 

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Greetings everyone.

 

Now that we’ve had a moment to catch our collective breath post SSF, we should talk.

 

In 2010, when we started the thing we frankly had NO IDEA how it was going to pan out. Would anybody show up? Could we pull off what, at the time, seemed like a pretty ambitious idea in a place most of the “target audience,” not to mention artists, had never been or even heard of? So many unknowns. Well, it took a while, but we’re pretty sure it’s working out. We’ve found the sweet spots, have developed a great relationship with our friends at MASS MoCA and the entire North Adams community and have managed, with you, to create something pretty special in many ways. It’s an honor, seriously.

 

We have a lengthy list of people and organizations who are due thanks — here’s a start. First and foremost, you guys who spend your hard earned money and free time, buy tickets & venture to the Berkshires every other summer. In 2017 we had attendees from 47 states and 21 countries. Amazing.

 

There is no festival without the artists — we thank them all, along with the managers, agents and crews who make it all happen. SSF ain’t exactly Glastonbury or Lollapalooza but many, many artists have taken a chance on us and on a gig that is nobody’s best payday of the summer. Again, hats off to all for that.

 

The comedians and their wrangler/zen master John Hodgman - he’s been putting that thing together for us since 2011. The food and drink vendors. The festival volunteers. Our friends in the media — particularly our radio partners WRSI, WAMC, WFCR and WFUV. Our sponsors (see the list here and support! http://solidsoundfestival.com/our-partners/) and non-profit partners. North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright, the North Adams PD, Fire and EMT crews. The citizens of North Adams! MASS MoCA director Joe Thompson and his fantastic team. Wilco and their entire organization, TMM, Higher Ground Presents, Go4Dindas Productions, plus Mark Bittman, Monte Belmonte and Euclid Records. Undoubtedly there are others we’re forgetting. Regrets for that in advance.

 

Looking ahead, you’ll be hearing from us periodically with updates, news, ideas, early warnings and more as we ponder where to take it from here. Cheers to you all. Enjoy the rest of the summer — let’s all go at it with the same enthusiasm, joy and civility we experienced a couple of weeks ago in North Adams. In that spirit, so much is possible.

 

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It's the "ponder where to take it from here" that has caught people's attention.

 

 

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[choo-choo-charlie]

There's a paranoid thread over in the Shot in the Arm fan page on Facebook. I said I think they're trying to figure out how to take the event to new levels, particularly with Wilco's sets. After three special shows with unique "angles" such as all-covers, all-acoustic or albums-in-full, what's next?

[Yaz Rock]

Any real-life conversation that begins with "we should talk" is never good.

 

That being said, I don't think the sky is falling here.

 

At the 2015 festival, a Mass Moca staffer told me what I think was widely known then anyway, that there was a five-year contract with Wilco, starting with 2011, and going through 2019 (2010 was a one-off when it occurred).

 

The comment about Solid Sound not being anyone's best pay day suggests the event still doesn't make much money, and to bring in more people or to raise the ticket price exponentially would mar the goodwill the event has established. But to make it worth the band's, the other artists', the management's, and the museum's time and effort, they may do things a bit differently next time.

 

The statement "Well, it took a while, but we’re pretty sure it’s working out. We’ve found the sweet spots, have developed a great relationship with our friends at MASS MoCA and the entire North Adams community and have managed, with you, to create something pretty special in many ways. It’s an honor, seriously." and the lengthy list of acknowledgements suggests to me that many folks depend on this event and/or simply want to see it continue, and that the right people and right working relationships are in place to make it happen again. No sense turning the machine off now.

I agree with the how-do-they-make-each-year unique train of thought, C-C-C. Would people leave the 2019 festival saying "best one yet!" if Wilco just played two "typical" shows? Or are we the fans setting our expectations bar unreasonably high? Have we defined the festival solely by whatever Wilco does on Friday night now, to the disregard of everything else presented to us, and does it put the band in a box it really can't get out of?

As far as feedback for the next festival, If I didn't say so already, establishing a "three-point line" on Joe's Field for lawn chairs and blankets was the best decision ever made for Solid Sound. The folks who wanted to claim turf could do so, and the folks who wanted to be up front could do so without having to spend all day by the stage. Win-Win. I hope that idea comes back in 2019.

[theashtraysays]

 

As far as feedback for the next festival, If I didn't say so already, establishing a "three-point line" on Joe's Field for lawn chairs and blankets was the best decision ever made for Solid Sound. The folks who wanted to claim turf could do so, and the folks who wanted to be up front could do so without having to spend all day by the stage. Win-Win. I hope that idea comes back in 2019.

I wholeheartedly agree with this point.

[The Inside of Outside]

I'm with Yaz Rock  on all of it. Can't see this ending now, changing venues, etc. Love the three-point line for folks who like to be up front. I like setting up just outside of it. That line also means that there are folks moving in and out of the paint (sticking with the basketball reference) for the 1st band on Saturday; a few in our group did just that for Television, and had a blast getting close for that.