Wilco Returns to Mass MoCA June 24 to 26
Second Annual Solid Sound Festival
By: Charles Giuliano - Dec 22, 2010
Just as we have been predicting Wilco and the Solid Sound Festival will return to Mass MoCA in June.
Recently, as we reported, during a reception for retired State Rep. Dan Bosley, we asked Mass MoCA director, Joe Thompson, not whether Wilco will return to North Adams, but if they will come in June?
Joe turned a few shades of red and did confirm that negotiations were continuing with the Chicago based rock group led by Jeff Tweedy. In June? I repeated but Joe wouldn’t budge.
Still won’t it seems.
But the cat is out of the bag. The Solid Sound Festival is a lock for June 24 to 26. An official announcement and schedule are pending.
On every level this is great news and the shift from mid summer, as was the case during the festival’s launch last year, makes great sense.
Shifting the Wilco inspired Festival to June 24-26 insures that it will be the dominant season launching Berkshire Event. Last year, during high season, there was competition.
Tanglewood will fire up with a soft launch of Mark Morris in Ozawa Hall on June 28-29. Followed by James Taylor and the Pops on June 30, the Garrison Keillor and three Taylor concerts over the Fourth of July Weekend.
By the Holiday Weekend Wilco and Friends will have come and gone.
It is also significant that all of the media frenzy and tourism will focus on Northern Berkshire County for the first time upstaging the usual hoopla for Lenox.
Last year with the launch of the Wilco event there was a daunting learning curve. There were considerable startup costs to develop what has come to be known as Joe Thompson Field the primary stage where the band performed for thousands of enthusiastic fans.
There were also concerns about security, parking, lodging and feeding an influx of rock fans. Although there were issues about getting visitors off the MoCA campus and into North Adams bars, restaurants and shops the logistics were mostly positive. Much thought and planning is focusing on improving the event this time.
Most significantly while Wilco drew fans from all over the nation there wasn’t that much of a local turnout. The success of the first event should increase its local appeal this time.
While we will have to wait for the full details it seems that, just as we predicted, June is Busting Out All Over. Here is North Adams, Mass.
Rock.