Tanglewood and Mass MoCA Butt Heads
Wilco and Earth Wind and Fire Conflict on June 25
By: Charles Giuliano - Jan 19, 2011
The good news is that Tanglewood has added two rock bookings to its summer program in Lenox. Perennial chestnuts Earth Wind and Fire as well as Steely Dan will harmonize on the hallowed grounds in Lenox.
Be still dear heart.
A couple of summers ago Wilco blew the roof off of the Koussevitsky Shed.
Last year, Wilco partnered with Mass MoCA in North Adams to create the weekend long Wilco Solid Sound Festival.
This week Wilco and Mass MoCA announced that tickets are on sale for the second annual festival from June 24 to 26.
But nobody appears to have phoned Mark Volpe the managing director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Why on Earth Wind and Fire would he book that act on June 25, the Saturday night of the Wilco Festival?
While many regret the paucity of rock bookings in the Berkshires suddenly it appears that we have too much of a good thing. It will be a tough decision for fans whether to check out EW&F at the Wood or hunker down with Jeff Tweedy and his pals at MoCA.
Since both rock acts draw on largely the same Berkshire fan base what is the wisdom of butting heads?
Hints of conspiracy theories abound.
Tanglwood has had boffo business with James Taylor and Carole King. The Berkshire based troubadour, Taylor, will croon in Lenox with three gigs the following Holiday weekend.
Arguably, Volpe and the BSO respond to the lure of big bucks as a prequel to yet another Taylor windfall. JT and CK sold out last summer. This time Taylor will go it alone for two dates and walk on with Pops on Friday night. Will that be enough to sell out three shows? On Saturday night Garrison Keillor will appear in the Shed. Taylor will perform with the Pops on Friday and then headline Saturday and Sunday.
It begs the question of whether Taylor has been overexposed. Just how big a factor was Carole King last year? Without a co star is it expecting too much for JT to sell out the Shed yet again.
Perhaps the BSO feels that MoCA has taken a bit of their thunder by acquiring the Wilco franchise. They did, after all, appear first in Lenox.
While MoCA is only planning that one weekend with Wilco a lot is riding on its success. There were steep startup costs and hopes to improve on the 6,000 it drew. In launching the event the North Adams based museum lost money. Attracting 10,000 weekend ticket buyers is a reasonable target. That compares to a single concert sell out of JT at 15,000.
If Mass MoCA succeeds in firmly establishing the festival it will be good to go for years to come. If Tanglewood relies on Sweet Baby James to fill its coffers then MoCA is establishing its Wilco franchise.
Last summer Volpe told me that he sees not more than five or six non classical bookings in the Shed. An appearance by Simon and Garfunkel fell through when their tour was cancelled.
If the Wilco Solid Sound Festival takes off, however, there is nothing preventing Mass MoCA from booking other rock acts and festival like events during its summer season. That, down the road, may create real competition for Tanglewood.
As Chuck Berry would say “Roll over Beethoven.”