come with me

According to this blog, I last saw Wilco two years ago at -- drumroll, please -- Solid Sound. As I recall, we knew Wilco was going on a break after the festival, but I'm not sure we expected to wait a couple of years to see the band again. You can imagine how gratifying it was to realize that the festival was not only Wilco's return but also a reintroduction and unofficial launch of their new record, coming this fall.

Solid Sound Festival, June 28-30, 2019

In fact, there was a listening party for the new record in one of the exhibit halls in the museum over the weekend, but I didn't make it there. Actually, I didn't make it to most of the engagements at the festival. I admit to becoming jaded about MASS MoCA. Can you blame me? This was my seventh trip to the site. Also, our group of friends had grown more lackadaisical about arrival times, now that we no longer stay in town. But in the end, I was the schmuck who wandered down to the field and grabbed a spot where I could find one at the barrier. Fortunately, the crowds weren't oppressive, and group traded shifts, so we were able to maintain a presence without much stress. We did fine for the main stage, but at least for me, I sacrificed the supplemental festival acts.

On Friday, that meant I finally got to check out Courtney Barnett. It's no secret that (1) I'm a venue snob, (2) I've become incredibly lazy about seeing shows in recent years, and (3) I'm simply not as informed on new acts as before. Thus, despite many friends' recommendations, I've regretfully missed all of Courtney Barnett's shows in the Bay Area, and at this point, she may have grown out of the clubs I prefer. Thankfully, Wilco helped right that wrong.

Not that I can say much new about Courtney at this point. She was fab and fun and cheeky enough to throw a few classic rock poses while playing her indie rock tunes. The crowd near the front seemed sufficiently supportive, and a good singalong broke out to what I think was "Depreston." A tiny part of me hoped that she'd do her cover of Gillian Welch's "Everything Is Free," but a person can hope for only so much at her favorite band's festival. I was overdue to become a fan, and this show clinched it.

On Saturday, I managed to wander off to see Ohmme in one of the courtyards. Of course, I've seen Sima Cunningham on tour with Tweedy, but odds are low that her band will make it to the West Coast soon. I had to take this opportunity while I could. I was pleased to see they're a rocking combo, with both ladies on guitars. Sima's sweet vocals are apparent with Tweedy, but she and Macie Stewart kick out the jams with punk energy. They also covered the B-52's "Give Me Back My Man," which I'm old enough to -- er, never mind. I'd gladly see them play out here, and I hope they can book a date or two in town in the near future.

Saturday also brought both heat and rain. Because of the former, I chose to skip the Minus 5 in Courtyard D, but I've been fortunate enough to have seen various incarnations of the band a jillion times. Still, it would've been nice to see Scott McCaughey in his continuing recovery (though he made an appearance on the main stage on Sunday). Because of the latter, the schedule was slightly trimmed on the main field so that only Cate Le Bon and the Feelies played before Wilco.

Cate Le Bon was a mixed bag for me. About half of her songs were instantly appealing (for what it's worth), while others were perhaps a little too esoteric when you're standing in a field. In a different setting (say, Cafe du Nord), I might've been able to better appreciate the nuances.

However, Jeff did join the band for a couple of songs: "Strangers," the Kinks cover that Jeff occasionally rolls out, and "I Couldn't Say It to Your Face" by Arthur Russell. (I don't actually know the latter, so you can thank Paul for that info.) Jeff and Cate don't seem like a natural pairing, but that's one of the pleasures of self-curated festivals. You get a view into the entirety of a band's interests and influences. It's not so surprising to learn that Jeff enjoys and shares influences with British art folksters.

It goes without saying that the Feelies are American indie rock pioneers, and it was immediately apparent from the first notes of their set. I instantly recognized the guitar style that influenced about half the bands I heard tuning in to KSJS as a teenager. I love masterful production as much as the next person, but that spare, unsullied sound will always get my attention. Jeff also joined the Feelies onstage, this time for Neil Young's "Don't Cry No Tears." (You can thank Paul for that info as well.)



Sunday brought the most emphatic storm warning of the weekend. We didn't arrive at the museum until past noon, so we didn't have to evacuate the open areas and take cover in the museum halls to avoid the thunder. (However, we did end up sheltering and eating BBQ in the car until the festival staff gave everyone the green light.)

Jonathan Richman was the sole opener on the main stage. He too is a Solid Sound repeat performer and a longtime Wilco favorite. Several members of the Wilco entourage took in his set, even singing along to his tunes. Jonathan pulled out his signature moves, tunes, and musings for an appreciative crowd. I think we were more surprised by his trusty drummer Tommy, who sported a more rugged and rockier look than I recall. Their light, breezy set was a nice intro on this closing day.

Now for the Wilco content! Friday has always been the looser Wilco set. In previous years, we've enjoyed the all-covers show, and last time, the band did a couple of albums in their entirety. This year, we watched Wilco karaoke. Personally, I'm open to these one-offs, and on the whole, the singers did well, even if a few needed a bit of direction from Jeff. I counted at most two clunkers, and a number of the guests were likely in bar bands or had their own YouTube channels. Our group seemed to agree that Bailey from South Bend, Indiana, took top honors with her plaintive but soulful rendition of "True Love Will Find You in the End."

It was no secret that Wilco would bring in a ringer or two among the karaoke performers. The first one was Yuka Honda and a friend, who did a song off Schmilco. Truth be told, they didn't know all the lyrics, and I suspect their appearance was more to show off a rudimentary dance routine than to perform the song. I appreciated the spirit of their performance, if not the execution.

The second ringer turned out to be Sammy Tweedy for "I'm Always in Love," and he sounded great. Two years ago, we saw him sing with Tweedy on a Graham Nash song, but now he took on one of his father's tunes. I couldn't help but think of previous shows where Jeff told stories of Sammy falling asleep at gigs or asking to go home to play video games. It must be so satisfying for his loved ones to see him make his own path into the family tradition.

Last but not least, Courtney Barnett joined the band for "Handshake Drugs." Much like the other singers, she infused the song with her signature vocal style as opposed to Jeff's familiar tone. Jeff himself seemed delighted, especially when she and Nels faced off for that long guitar coda. It was a barrel of fun all around.

Wilco finished out the set in continuation of the karaoke theme; that is, they continued to project the (sometimes incorrect) lyrics behind the band. Kudos to the designer for pairing "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" -- aka the version featuring sleigh bells -- with a snowflake pattern, and we got one more professional appearance when the ladies from Ohmme and Liam Kazar (also from the Tweedy band) emerged for "California Stars." You'll have no problem finding complaints about the premise of the set, but I'm more than willing to give Wilco the benefit of the doubt when they're trying something new at their own festival.

Wilco usually reserves its more traditional set for Saturday night, when the crowd is at its fullest. Though the band doesn't exactly have hits, repeat concertgoers recognize the more fan-favorite sets and those featuring deeper cuts. Having not seen the band for two years, I couldn't glibly characterize the set. They didn't repeat any songs from Friday night, and they mixed up the tunes with selections from across the band discography. I'm always happy to hear "Laminated Cat," especially because it feels like Wilco is reclaiming the song and not propping up the silos that sometimes exist between Jeff's many projects and writing credits.

Wilco also did a couple of new songs, and I'm not sure how to feel about them yet. Instead, I'll wait to listen to them more attentively when the new record comes out.

The festival closed on Sunday with Jeff's set. If you want to put a label on it, you might call it an extension of his solo tour from the last couple of years, and it started as such with several songs from Warm. But they soon veered into Tweedy territory, and not long after, I realized the new-sounding tunes were from Warmer, not officially released yet.

The set was billed as "Jeff Tweedy and Friends," and those friends indeed arrived, ranging from Josh Kantor (from the Baseball Project and the Boston Red Sox organist) to Amelia from Sylvan Esso to Ohmme to Scott McCaughey to Sammy Tweedy to, of course, Wilco. One of the surprises of the set was "It Must Be Love," which I mostly know as a Madness cover, but as a matter of fact, its roots go further back. Per Solid Sound tradition, they all joined in for "Give Back the Key to My Heart" and "I Shall Be Released." The two songs together were like an extended group hug.



Solid Sound both goes too fast and comes too slowly, but as long as Wilco is willing to do this, so am I. See you next time!

See also:
» Solid Sound 2017: when we came here today
» Solid Sound 2015: the whole love
» Solid Sound 2013: the boys are back in town
» Solid Sound 2011: you can tell that i'm not lying
» Solid Sound 2010: trees held us in on all four sides

when we came here today

We all felt something true.

Solid Sound Festival, June 23-25, 2017

I've been slow to post concert reports. Quite simply, I've seen many, many shows by the musicians who dominate this blog, and it's hard to come up with new thoughts and phrasings at times. I still like them a ton, but I don't always know what to say about them.

I faced a similar quandary with Wilco's Solid Sound festival. I'm now in the habit of not preparing a ton for trips -- I mean, I check the weather, I pack accordingly, and I know where I'm staying and how I'm getting there. But I no longer plan out activities to the minute, and I try to let the chips fall as they may. Also, Solid Sound made a new rule barring tarps and lawn chairs close to the stage, so we kinda had to get off our butts. For the first time, I felt like the days were wide open.



The only two non-Wilco events on my radar were the comedy show and the Mark Bittman talk. With the former, John Hodgman once again took over emcee duties, which he handled with aplomb, especially in light of all the cancellations. I hit the first installation, featuring Michelle Buteau and Nick Offerman. I know Michelle mostly through her @midnight appearances, where she's always good. As for Nick Offerman, I doubt he needs an introduction, but I admit I've seen exactly one episode of Parks and Recreation (the one with Jeff Tweedy).

All three were great, and I especially enjoyed John Hodgman's long-form storytelling/standup. Michelle Buteau was more classically standup, and I kind of gasped in recognition when she told of her European in-laws melting in the sun at the beach. Nick Offerman was the surprise and delight. I vaguely know of the Ron Swanson persona, but even I could tell how he plays off and satirizes that reputation. Like John Hodgman, he's not a traditional comic, but he's an expert raconteur. His fans are in for a treat.

Mark Bittman drew a good crowd, though not in the same numbers as the comedy show. I love Mark Bittman's recipes, and a half-dozen of them are in regular rotation in my kitchen. Alas, his talk didn't involve a cooking demonstration, and a lot of the discussion didn't exactly break new ground. However, I loved how he handled a question about food waste, framing it not as a matter of composting and eating our leftovers but instead the huge farming subsidies and resources devoted to soybeans and corn.

But what about the music? First, the non-Wilco acts: Friday featured Dave and Phil Alvin. Music nerds can tell you a lot more about their history than I can, but listening to them, I was immediately transported back to the pre-No Depression sound of early-'80s California indie rock (Evonne confirmed as much for me). I loved seeing Dave's classic split-legged rocker pose, and I was glad to be reminded that he co-wrote "4th of July" during his time with X. Downey, Calif., represent!

Of course I caught the rest of Wilco's openers too. Television was disappointing, and I'm glad I saw the band's first reunion tour all those years ago, but Kurt Vile was fantastic, and I finally understood the chatter about him (though in all honesty, I probably won't ever see him live again on my own accord).

I caught only one pop-up performance: Chikamorachi, aka Darin Gray and Chris Corsano, accompanied by Jeff Tweedy on guitar. It was loud, crowded, and abstract, but I loved it. I'd absolutely check them out again if they came to town.

Among the other scheduled performances, I saw only Kevin Morby, who was breathtaking. Of course, I saw him last fall at the Fillmore, where he sounded great. The last nine months of touring have done him good because the whole band has notably improved further. I was impressed enough that I went out and bought the record when I got home.

OK, now for the Wilco portion of the weekend! I've been one of those jerks turning up my nose at bands performing classic albums in their entirety ... except when I don't. Wilco put on a contest to let the fans decide which record they would play from front to back, and as an obedient follower, I voted early and often for my favorite, Being There. It won, but that rascally Wilco had a surprise for us, as they played both Being There and the runner-up, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. In retrospect, did anyone think Wilco wouldn't do YHF? But we didn't know this until Friday night, when they finished up Being There, and we saw that the band had about an hour left before curfew. I thought maybe they'd do b-sides or covers, maybe favorite tunes, but after the first couple of tracks, we knew what was coming. Congrats to all my YHF-loving friends!

But back to Being There: I've already detailed my love for this record, but it's another matter altogether to hear it in sequence live. About halfway through the first side, I realized how front-loaded the album is and the early thrills coming our way. Of course, I love all the songs on the record, so I'm biased, but it's nice to be reminded of the power of the record.



Saturday's night set was more in line with what you'll hear if you see Wilco on the road right now, though Jeff admitted they were trying to trick us with the opener "At Least That's What You Said" -- no, the band wasn't doing A Ghost Is Born in its entirety. But they sprinkled in tracks from AM, Summerteeth, both editions of Mermaid Avenue, and I guess the records that didn't quite rank as highly among voters. Let me add the ladies in front of me were happy to see Josh do his thing on "Hoodoo Voodoo."

Sunday is typically the most relaxed day of the festival, and it was no different this year, as we eased to the front for the Tweedy set. Jeff himself told us right away that Tweedy had no new songs, and the band retained the same format as before, with a solo portion of the show, which kind of became a promotional platform for Jeff's new solo album. I loved being reminded of the beauty of "Love Like a Wire," and speaking of Sima, she sounded fantastic on lead vocals for "Friendship."

Sunday's highlight, however, was the debut of Sammy Tweedy on lead vocals with Tweedy! He sang "Military Madness" by Graham Nash, which is entirely appropriate, based on everything I've heard about Sammy. He sounded confident and at ease, and I hope we see him again. Maybe we can get Susan up there next!

One side note for all the gawkers: On all three nights, the pit filled up with spectators from backstage. Typically, this area is vacant after the photographers finish up their shift, but the band's friends and family (including Nick Offerman) decided to catch the gig from the front row on all three nights. It was the first time I've seen this at Solid Sound, and it was awfully sweet.

Before I wrap up this post, I need to highlight the true MVP of this trip: The beautiful house we stayed in, booked by the genius Maudie. For the first time, we couldn't stay in North Adams, but it was worth the trade-off. For a short, 10-minute drive, we had our run of seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, several public spaces, and two luxurious porches. If we can get that house again, it might not matter who's playing at Solid Sound.

See also:
» always hated normal american kids
» Solid Sound 2015: the whole love
» Solid Sound 2013: the boys are back in town
» Solid Sound 2011: you can tell that i'm not lying
» Solid Sound 2010: trees held us in on all four sides

the whole love

On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across the 50 states, the U.S. Women's National Team beat China in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, and Wilco played its first ever all-acoustic set at the fourth staging of the Solid Sound Festival. What a weekend it was!

Solid Sound Festival, June 26-28, 2015: Every other year: It's official now. Honestly, I'm glad for the schedule, and I'm sure the good people of North Adams don't mind not dealing with us on an annual basis. And it gives me something to look forward to when my local franchise doesn't win the World Series (though the NBA Finals were awfully fun this year). Anyway, you know the drill -- all the Wilco-related projects will come at the end.



For our gang, Solid Sound always starts on Thursday, not only with arrival and settling in, but a warm, welcoming dinner and a leisurely walkabout on the museum grounds before the crowds appear -- and the stages are set. The proceedings appeared slightly further behind schedule this time, but hey, Friday is kind of a soft launch anyway.

As such, Friday started with a jaunt around the museum, revisiting older installations and checking out newer exhibits. Not gonna lie -- we made a beeline for the Wilco stage setup, and it was fun to see the equipment up close, beating the view of even the most intimate shows. However, we could've used more consistency with the security detail. Early on, we were shooed off the rug, but later in the weekend, we saw various people donning instruments and even sitting on the drum kit. Hey, kudos to those who got through!

Also deserving of praise was Glenn Kotche's subtle bathroom installation. I didn't notice the chimes and gongs on first viewing, but they were impossible to miss once you knew where to look. You gotta love any project that lets you get your hands on the work, though germaphobes might feel differently. Conversely, a wag of the finger to the Wilco timeline project, which didn't open until Saturday. Why the lag?

Speaking of second takes, Francesco Clemente's paintings managed to raise eyebrows among our group, and it took a repeat trip to the loft to settle the debate. I can't even guess as to how we missed it the first time.

Mikael Jorgenson provided our first dose of music for the day with his solo set. Club B-10 indeed felt like a club, with a strict one-in-one-out policy when we arrived. After a short wait, we made our way in; it turned out the room was very small and simply couldn't accommodate a lot of people. Once inside, we watched as Mike spun a soundtrack to accompany a video playing in the foreground (a train journey during our segment), but alas, we didn't stay long, as the room was too hot and stuffy for our liking.

Back on the main stage, Real Estate opened the proceedings on Joe's Field, but IMHO, they weren't a great fit for the large expanse. Despite their lovely guitars, the songs tended to run into each other, and my mind wandered for much of their set. However, their all-instrumental after-hours show in the courtyard against the video display was fantastic. Funny what a change in venue, hour, and context can do for the music! If I weren't so tired, I could've stayed a lot longer.

Saturday is always the big day at the festival, and it required actual choices this year. After sprinting across the field to set down the hallowed tarp, many of us dispersed to our preferred acts. A few of us headed over to the comedy stage at the Hunter Center to take in Superego, which was high on my list of must-sees. Alas, it was the only comedy I caught for the day, but I got my HR Giger-Werner Herzog-Ayn Rand trifecta, so no complaints at all.

From there, I made my way to Bill Frisell and Sam Amidon in Courtyard C. I've wanted to see Sam Amidon for a while now, particularly since his appearance at the Watkins Family Hour last December, but their collaboration was surprising, to say the least. I guess I was expecting a more accessible set, but they were in their own world. At one point, Sam squawked like a bird of prey over the accompaniment of his violin and Bill's guitar. Still, their set was beautiful and haunting, and it didn't hurt that they closed with the Kinks "Tired of Waiting," albeit slowed and stripped down enough that it wasn't immediately recognizable. I'd be lying if I said I fully understood their set, but I appreciated the collaboration.

Back at Joe's Field, the acts had each been moved up an hour, due to reports of the coming storm. However, the order remained the same, so Richard Thompson took his slot to open the day. I first saw Richard Thompson about 20 years ago, opening for Crowded House, but I really have no memory of that performance, and I'm entirely the wrong person to talk to regarding his legacy, influence, and discography. My one takeaway from this gig: He's a tough, old rocker. Unlike, say, Real Estate, this three-man setup (occasionally joined by members of Tweedy) held our attention with a driving, immediate performance, and I imagine a sizable contingent of the audience were more than pleased to catch him and NRBQ, all on the same day. (Believe it or not, I'm a little too young and a little too female to qualify.)



In an abrupt change of pace, Mac DeMarco followed Richard Thompson. I didn't know a ton about Mac and his band before the gig, except that they were young, catchy, and prone to crowd surfing, but like many other attendees, I loved their set. Maybe in another album or two, they'll learn how to write a bridge, but the tunes were instantly enjoyable, and the band antics were mostly harmless. They lit up a gray Saturday and offered a silly, shambling, and altogether delightful appetizer for Wilco's show. Due to the rain, we couldn't stick around for Cibo Matto's set with Harmonium Mountain later in the night -- in fact, missing Cibo Matto was one of my main regrets from the weekend, but thus is the way of festivals.

Sunday is the relatively calm day, and Joe's Field was fairly empty in the opening hours, as the early birds flocked to the Wilco signing session (not to mention the fans who had to get back to their normal lives and couldn't linger for a third day). A few of us went to the Glenn Kotche and Jeffrey Zeigler session, though I didn't make it to the fan collaboration section. But in the segment I saw, Glenn's trademark playfulness and experimentation shone through, as he mixed everyday incidental sounds with his own cadences and innovations. It's a privilege to hear the world through his ears for a few minutes at a time.

The final trip to Joe's Field started with the Felice Brothers, who are regulars at Hardly Strictly, so I kinda feel like I've seen them a million times before. Up close, they reminded me a little of the Pogues and once again kept our toes tapping ahead of Tweedy. The gathered Felice Brothers fans seemed pleased by their set. Who am I to argue?

But what about Wilco, you ask? I'm getting there! The fest was broken up into three distinct headliner sets: Wilco acoustic on Friday, Wilco traditional on Saturday, and Tweedy and friends on Sunday. I hardly sweated the details; three nights of Wilco and/or Tweedy was all I needed to hear.

Get this: The blog tells me I haven't seen Wilco since Solid Sound in 2013, as if I weren't pumped enough over the occasion of the band's first ever all-acoustic show. It's kind of hard to believe so much time has passed on both counts -- not only since my last Wilco show, but that it took them so long to go the all-unplugged route. I know my reason; what's the band's excuse?

Anyway, Wilco has long opened up its setlist, so if you've seen the band enough or at least follow concert reports, rarities may not be rarities these days. I can only report on what jumped out at me, and right up there is "Bull Black Nova." As it turns out, I've heard it solo acoustic before, but it was still a huge treat to get the rest of the band on this killer track.

I suppose it's never surprising that any Jeff Tweedy-penned can be stripped to its acoustic roots, but certain songs are less expected than others. Take "Hoodoo Voodoo," which has become an all-out jamboree, but the band honored it nonetheless without sacrificing all the players' contributions.

At this point in my fandom, I live for old favorites, and the bluegrass version of "I Got You" is the fastest way to perk up my years. Add in the Sesame Street version of "Outta Mind" and the Daniel Johnston cover "True Love Will Find You in the End," and I'll leave an exceedingly happy camper.

Saturday was perhaps the most straightforward set, as the band delivered its usual electric output. The rain remained a light drizzle for most of the show, and only a few songs had to be sacrificed from the encore. The X factor for me could be summed up in three songs: "Secret of the Sea," which I hadn't heard in a long time; "Let's Not Get Carried Away," which may be too good to ever see an official release; and "Panthers" for sheer obscurity. Make that four -- "Either Way" popped up, and though it's not exactly an obscure tune, at least they finally played it at a show I attended. How do you like them deep cuts? By the way, the downpour delivered later in the night, but by then, we were full of pizza and other carbs.



Tweedy capped off the festival on Sunday with their typical set I've finally been able to see a number of times now. Their show didn't lose much on the larger stage, and the already stand-out tracks ("Diamond Light," "Love Like a Wire") shone even brighter. Then again, I first saw them at Hardly Strictly, so I shouldn't be surprised they could play to the bleachers.

Halfway through the proceedings, Jeff broke off into his solo acoustic segment, and the celebration really began. One by one, various friends and guests made their way to the stage for specially selected songs. The highlights are too numerous to name, but I'll cite a few anyway. I gotta start with "Into the Groove," which is a seminal track from my youth. I joked that Cibo Matto should plug in their groovy electronics for "Spiders," but they hit upon a much better choice on their own, even if Jeff pretended to have never heard of Madonna (even as he proceeded to John Prine with the Felice Brothers).

So many songs from this segment were simply beautiful, including "Harvest Moon" with Luluc; "Chinese Apple" with Glenn Kotche and Ryley Walker; and "Be Not So Fearful" with Wilco's own John and Pat. But if you're going to finish out a three-day festival, you gotta go with the singalongs. The one-two punch of "Give Back the Key to My Heart" and "California Stars" is hard to beat in this regard, with their numerous opportunities for solos, vamping, and all-out harmonies among a couple dozen(ish) musicians, not to mention the help of several thousand fans.



This weekend will be remembered for larger events, but I can't think of any place I'd rather be to celebrate history being made. See you in 2017!

See also:
» Solid Sound 2013: the boys are back in town
» Solid Sound 2011: you can tell that i'm not lying
» Solid Sound 2010: trees held us in on all four sides

the boys are back in town

Airlines! Am I right, people? That may have been my main thought upon arriving home from the 2013 edition of Solid Sound, almost two full days after originally scheduled, and of course the reality of going back to work set in, but a quick flick through various photos and Facebook messages reminded me of the weekend's brilliance. In my usual fashion, I'll recap non-Wilco events first, then wrap up with the band's portion of the fest. Skim and/or savor as you see fit.

Solid Sound Festival, June 21-23, 2013: Depending on your point of view, festivals are either about opportunity or compromise. As an avowed non-fest person, I'll take the latter tack. Odds are you can't see all the acts, and because of my obsessive priorities, I'm more than willing to sacrifice a performer here or there if it means the overall goal (that is, primo placement at the front of the stage) can be secured. Friday's limited schedule of activities meant we didn't have to make many choices, but unfortunately, I had to skip White Denim. No big loss, as I'd already seen them open several shows for Wilco back in early 2012.



Over in Joe's Field, the Relatives warmed up the crowd for the headliners, imploring us to to drop it low, then all the way to the ground. I did the best I could, but it's not so easy in a full field. Also, my knees began to hurt, but they were a ton of fun and an awesome inauguration.

On Saturday, the decisions weren't so straightforward, but I committed to the Comedy Cabaret. I had caught segments of the comedy performances at past festivals, but this time, I (along with Brianne and Evonne) firmly planted myself at the Hunter Center, lining up before doors opened and settling into pretty good seats. I'm an unabashed John Hodgman fan, and I hope we'll continue to see him at Solid Sound for, well, ever.



The first voice we heard in the Hunter Center actually belonged to Reggie Watts, as he introduced something called the John and Jen Show (or thereabouts), followed by the onstage appearance of the aforementioned John and Jen (Kirkman). Jen looked fairly LA in her black top, superskinny jeans, and wedge heels, whereas John bore a striking resemblance to the Unabomber, for reasons he never revealed to us (though he shared him with the crowd at the second show). They worked up the kind of banter typical of a morning TV talk show before easing into what sounded like a more earnest (and hilarious) exchange, touching on childhood bullying, fears, and other eccentricities, none of which I'll try to recap here.

In the midst of their conversation, Jen brought up the concept of an "indigo child," and they attempted to track down a definition of the term via crowdsourcing -- that is, by asking the audience. This went around the room for a while before a guy stepped up with an air of authority. Jen and John brought him up to discuss the topic, and in the midst of their talk, the audience member revealed, apropos of nothing, (1) he was an atheist, and (2) he didn't like kids, though his child was now 7 years old. Eventually, someone offered John an iPhone displaying the Wikipedia definition of the term. I do no justice to the exchange with my flat description, but the awkwardness of their banter suited the comedians' style beautifully.

John somewhat stuck to this model for each of the comedians, first teaming up for easy conversation, then ceding the stage to them for their routine. With Al Madrigal, John heaped a load of appreciation on the veteran comic for teaching him the ways of the road. Unfortunately, I can't really remember what John and Reggie talked about, though I enjoyed John's confusion over how to describe what Reggie does.



I'm a big podcast listener, and the comedians show up on my playlist all the time, but I haven't checked out their sets for myself. If John Hodgman was indeed in charge, he chose well (unsurprisingly). Jen was a little neurotic, but I loved her energy and her catwalk skills. Al Madigral was a true pro, and even with the constant profane asides to the 11-year-old in attendance, you could see how he's perfected the art of storytelling over the years. Reggie was, well, Reggie, with the songs and improv about large-scale installations, driving while high in Montana, elk burgers, and bringing your olds to a comedy show, among other topics.

As for the music, I totally confess to missing the boat on just about every act scheduled for the day, including pop-up performances. Therefore, no Dream Syndicate reunion, no Beth Orton cameo with Sam Amidon, no Foxygen meltdown, and no consummate excellence from Yo La Tengo or Low. It's my own damn fault, but at least I made it back to Joe's Field in time for Neko Case. Her backing band included familiar faces, such as Kelly Hogan and Jon Rauhouse, but Eric Bachmann from Crooked Fingers was a new addition on guitar and keyboards. Also in attendance: Her dog Liza!

I fell in love with Neko's music around the time of Blacklisted, which remains my favorite of her records, but her sound has changed a lot since then. She remains hard to pigeonhole; with her voice, you'll always want to place her among the great, classic singers, but her song structures and subject matter are anything but customary. Her records are slow burners for me these days, but I always want to listen.

Neko and her band tried out at least a couple of new songs, but don't ask me to describe them, though I think Kelly Hogan played a little contraption with a player-piano-like roll stuck inside. Additionally, they managed to squeeze in a bunch of old favorites, including, er, "Favorite," as well as "This Tornado Loves You," "Hold On, Hold On," and a song from The Hunger Games (what?). Overall, I noticed Neko's a more proficient guitar player than before, and of course, that voice is a treasure. For their final song, they went with the Shangri-Las' "Train from Kansas City," a lovely -- ahem -- vehicle for the lady singers. Too bad the the actual train passing right next to Joe's Field maybe 20 minutes before couldn't have been better coordinated with Neko's schedule.

Which leave us with with headliners: Wilco. You may have heard of them? This already lengthy account is about to go on for a bit longer, so settle in.



From the outset, Friday was touted as the all-request show, and our suggestions were encouraged. I guess all Wilco shows ostensibly take requests via the website, but I honestly don't know where people got the idea it would be anything other than a covers set. If you went to the website to place a vote, you saw open text fields that allowed you to type in your own ideas, unlike the drop-down menu for every other show. Then again, as the person who put together the Wilco/Tweedy covers compilation (Someone Else's Songs, if that rings a bell) a while ago, I'd hardly object to a whole set devoted to off-catalog tunes. Only a few songs into the show itself did it hit me that we might be in for more Wilco songs than I expected.

As it happened, my original instincts -- and the overall simpler explanation -- prevailed. The band opened with the deliciously appropriate "The Boys Are Back in Town," and the audience's backing vocals fell right in line (when we weren't busy cheering like fools).

The second song struck me like Cupid's arrow: "Cut Your Hair," by Pavement. You could've knocked over Judy and me with a feather right then, and I probably lost the majority of my voice on this song, thanks to shouting out the lyrics ("Korea! Korea!") and my overall appreciation. I remember casually asking Jeff for a Pavement song at one of our early basement shows, but he couldn't quite deliver. Still, my life had been incomplete without hearing Wilco do Pavement. Thank you, genius requester, whoever you are.

I could've gone home a happy girl at this point, but so many more delights awaited on the setlist. Jeff wryly thanked the person who requested "New Madrid," which turned out to be the only Wilco-related song this evening. A handful of other songs from the set have shown up at Wilco or solo Tweedy shows over the years ("In the Street," "Simple Twist of Fate," "Ripple," "James Alley Blues," "Don't Fear the Reaper," "Thank You Friends," "The Weight"), but they're still relatively rare on the band's setlist. I'm a huge fan of "James Alley Blues" and "Thank You Friends," and I always welcome their airing, and Jeff suggested we make a tradition of "The Weight" at Solid Sound. I doubt anyone would object to that motion.

Some tunes emerged completely out of the blue ("Dead Flowers," "Waterloo Sunset," "Waterloo," "Who Loves the Sun," "And Your Bird Can Sing," "Psychotic Reaction," "Marquee Moon," "Cinnamon Girl," "Surrender") and may have been the biggest gob-smackers. I fully support the band's decision to do "And Your Bird Can Sing" twice, even if the high notes sapped even more of my voice, and I probably don't need to rhapsodize about "Waterloo Sunset" more than I already have. Also, perhaps those two songs in particular will bring Wilco (Jeff) a little closer to making my Largo dreams come true. Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath for it. [Update: I can finally breathe!]

Just about every song was a highlight for me, but "Marquee Moon" hit me between the eyes, not least because I've been requesting it -- to no avail -- for years at Largo. Let's cut to the chase: Nels was transcendent on the track, and the band didn't back off from the song's sprawling glory. I'm not afraid to admit I didn't recognize "Dead Flowers," so by the same token, I hope "Marquee Moon" cast some light on, say, Television's influence on "Impossible Germany."

Finally, the Friday set had a lovely bonus of special guests. John Hodgman served as emcee, and it quickly became apparent that he and the band were in on a joke. In one of his early misdirections, he said something about "the band," which we mistook to mean The Band. I guess he took the cue from there because he later tempted us with "the human league ... of musicians" and "Shonen Knife ... would love this song." John did get in a request of his own for "Kingpin," in case you were wondering what lurks in the mind of the Daily Show's evil genius. My takeaway: He's a Being There guy! Score!

Yo La Tengo dropped in for "Tom Courtenay," which meant the setlist included two songs namechecking Julie Christie -- has that been done before?? Lucius played Agnetha and Frida on "Waterloo," but the biggest get had to be "Color Me Impressed," which brought out TOMMY FUCKING STINSON. The Replacements nerds among our gang loved it, and I don't blame them. We were all caught up in the thrill, especially watching Tommy tell Jeff "fuck you," while sidling up to Nels for ax man action. (Don't worry, Tommy and Jeff had huge smiles and hugs for each other by the end of the song.) For those keeping score at home, the expense and hassle of traveling to Solid Sound had been paid about a thousand times over at this point.



I haven't even covered my absolute favorite part of the show! I had a small mental list of covers that would instantly render me comatose if the band chose to do them, but I had submitted my own idea when the Wilcoworld email went out. At the time, I wanted to listen to only song, to the point where I sought out the hour-long remixes on YouTube to serenade me through the workday. You guessed it -- I (and millions of others) was hooked on Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," the best summer hit I've heard in years. I voted my conscience and, once we arrived in North Adams, reported that request to anyone who'd listen (whether or not they asked).

Cut to the Stump the Band portion of Friday night, minus the first two requesters. The third time was the charm, as the *cough* middle-aged, WFMU-shirt-wearing music nerd (aka Not Tom Scharpling) asked the band to play the very same song I had hoped for. Get this -- the band knew it!

Who can blame them? The tune has real musical chops, including Nile Rodgers' sublime presence on bass. I think Glenn might've started off the song before the others eased in. Jeff isn't exactly Pharrell, but we chipped in with the singalong as soon as we got our whoops and hollers out of our system. Perhaps best of all, Mike got his vocoder moment. To no one's surprise, it has emerged as the major talking point of the whole festival. I doff my hat to the WFMU dude for sharing my excellent taste on at least one song and two bands.



Saturday's set was closer to what we expect from Wilco, but even there, they pulled out some surprises, including the high-energy opener of "I Got You," "Dawned on Me," and "Box Full of Letters." Paul sometimes talks about the band's pacing, and I noticed it here, especially around the lurching middle segment. But I liked the mix of songs, as well as the sheer number of tracks. Julian Lage did beautifully on "Forget the Flowers" and "California Stars," and for the latter, the band was also joined by Lucius and Georgia from Yo La Tengo. It's always good news when the audience sings along, and I can report they chimed in on "You Are My Face" and "Summerteeth," among others. At this point, I consider only a handful of songs to be true Wilco live rarities, but the band actually hit one of them in the encore: "Just a Kid," albeit without the Blisters.

Sunday turned out to be a lazy day that also happened to be hot and humid. Between air conditioning breaks, we saw the Radiolab/On Fillmore performance, which was a lot of fun, though I still feel for the actor surely melting away in the Shrewdinger outfit. Out on Joe's Field, we briefly listened in on Os Mutantes and hung out for Martin Medeski & Wood long enough to catch Nels and Jeff's guest spots. It was the kind of leisurely repast we needed after our epic Saturday.

Over the course of the three-odd days, we also enjoyed the exhibits on display at Mass MOCA, including Xu Bing's Phoenix, the 1-minute movie film festival, and an exhibit on fan art whose title escapes me. Among the Wilco-derived installations, the Loft brought us up close with artifacts we've seen from afar, and a week away from the festivities, I'm able to laugh at the guys who gamely attempted to mete out some semblance of melody from Glenn Kotche's Earth Drums.

I'm skimming over huge swaths of memories from the festival, but I'd kick myself if I didn't mention one more aspect: the amazing camaraderie of old and new friends. I've run out of ways to describe the connection and bonhomie we all generate, except to know that I miss them as soon as the party ends, and I can't wait to see them again.

See also:
» Solid Sound 2011: you can tell that i'm not lying
» Solid Sound 2010: trees held us in on all four sides
» i am in paradise
» my mother's sister's husband's brother

you can tell that i'm not lying

By unfortunate coincidence, another double-header came up on my side of the country this very same weekend, but my tickets had long been booked and arrangements made. I was headed to North Adams and Mass MOCA for Wilco and friends at the second annual Solid Sound Festival--the right decision through and through.

Solid Sound Festival, June 24-26, 2011: I've scoffed and recoiled at many images of filthy festival goers wallowing in the mud and rain, so the irony wasn't lost on me that, after Solid Sound, I qualified as one of them. Well, not exactly--you'll never find me soaking my cares away in an E. coli bath, no matter the greatness of the gig or the drug intake, but I voluntarily spent way more time in the driving rain and gathering silt over the weekend than ever before. Obviously, I survived, and we even dodged the thunderstorms, ignoring the staff warnings to take cover. Truth is, I'd probably do it again if I had a good reason.

We can debate what constitutes "good reason" at some other juncture, but here's how I saw it: (1) Wilco; (2) Wilco on the cusp of a new album; (3) a good mix of acts to fill out the bill, most notably Liam Finn and Pajama Club, featuring Neil and Sharon Finn, not to mention a sterling comedy lineup; and (4) a full roster of Wilco's side projects.

This expanded roster translated into more acute scheduling conflicts this year than last, so I ended up missing certain acts altogether or catching only snippets of other performers. For example, Liam Finn's full-band set was a no-go, as were many of the band's extracurricular endeavors.

Comedy took a huge hit too; I missed Eugene Mirman and Wyatt Cenac and caught only a portion of Morgan Murphy's and John Hodgman's sets. Fortunately, my visit to the comedy hall coincided with two fantastic bits from Morgan, including a sexting scenario I first heard on the Comedy Death Ray podcast and that had me crying from laughter on the bus ride from work. John Hodgman's set veered from the traditional standup routine, but then again, he's hardly the traditional entertainer. I wish we had done a better job on the ukelele-led sing-along that closed out his set, but we really tried, despite the jumble of unfamiliar words.

However, it's much more fun to talk about the bands who made the weekend. On Friday, the big draw apart from the headliner was Pajama Club, Neil Finn's new project with wife Sharon and a couple more players, among them an awesome girl drummer. Neil remained the frontman, but as with his projects since the initial dissolution of Crowded House, you could detect his ongoing effort to shake up his signature pop sound--then Neil hit one of his patented soaring bridges shortly into the group's first song, and we knew we were in good hands. A bonus: Glenn Kotche joined the band for their last song, "Little by Little" from the 7 Worlds Collide project.

Saturday's encampment at the front of the stage translated into a primo view of Syl Johnson and the Sweet Divines. Even from his short set, you could easily tell he was insane in the best way possible, and he was a fantastic antidote to the thunder and rain that preceded his performance. On the same day, I also checked out the Handsome Family and Thurston Moore (separately). The former brought to mind other folksy couples I've seen in concert, only with a better sense of humor. Thurston turned in a surprising set, delicate and acoustic, at least the part I heard while rambling around the grounds.



The rain subsided on Sunday, and we finally relaxed, letting ourselves sleep in and wander to a greater extent than before. Fortunately, Liam Finn turned up in one of the galleries for a solo electric set, backed with a trusty looper and two of the tiniest, cutest amps you've ever seen. He also brought the enthusiasm and commitment in every performance of his I've ever witnessed. Based on an informal poll of friends, Liam attracted a number of new fans among the throngs--a win-win, as far as I'm concerned.

Pronto's set was beset by technical difficulties, to the band's frustration, but they stuck with it as best as they could. I could be mistaken, but it sounded like they concentrated on new songs; odds are, their mistakes would've been forgiven anyway. The Pillow Wand set was pretty much what you'd expect from a collaboration between Nels Cline and Thurston Moore, though judging by the streams of people leaving the set, not everyone got the memo. Levon Helm and His Rambling Band headlined Sunday night, and at one point during his set, as we stood in the sunshine somewhere toward the back of the field, it felt exactly like my city's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival--not a bad comparison at all.



And then there was Wilco, the headliners, proprietors, curators, and all-around majordomos. As mentioned above, the schedule simply didn't allow for you to attend every known configuration of the band and its members, and the fact that they showed up unannounced to accompany select acts didn't help either. Most of us had to be satisfied with their two headlining slots, but they gave us plenty to be thankful for. Per Wilco style, they played two almost entirely unique sets, save for a couple of new songs that they were clearly excited to debut. "I Might" is the new single, which some of us first heard at the S'n'S in April. "Born Alone" was marked by a great rolling rhythm and an exceedingly Tweedy-esque couplet rhyming "born to die alone" with "loneliness postponed."



In all, the band debuted five new songs and "I Love My Label," the Nick Lowe cover featured on the B-side of "I Might," as well as a nod to the band's new distribution model. I won't bother characterizing the new tunes; I don't trust my judgement, and I have no perspective on this band anymore. You'll have to wait until the album leaks and decide for yourself.

Among setlist surprises, the band presented "Hotel Arizona," even if Jeff sort of disavowed it before they even began. They also broke out "Shouldn't Be Ashamed," which I'm spotlighting because I love it when they take one of their more country-ish classics and inject a measure of Nels's newfangled riffs.

I've been to (more than) enough Wilco shows to know what constitutes a regular portion of the proceedings and what can be chalked up as a real surprise. The crowd sing-along to "Jesus, etc." is almost a given, and I would've been shocked if John Stirratt hadn't stepped up for "It's Just That Simple." Heck, we even expect Jeff to forget the words to any number of songs these days, especially after such a long layoff for the group. But when the audience lustily and impressively picked up "Radio Cure" without hesitation after a power surge cut off the mics and a portion of the electrical current onstage--that was completely spontaneous and entirely stirring.

Guest appearances and cross-pollination are de rigueur for festivals, and Solid Sound was no exception. On Saturday night, Liam Finn dropped in for "You Never Know," while Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion piped up for "California Stars." Wilco took their turn in the support slot with Levon Helm for "I Shall Be Released" and "The Weight" for a gorgeous and uplifting close to the weekend.

But the absolute musical highlight of the entire trip--and possibly in my whole life--was Neil Finn joining in for his "I Got You," which followed Wilco's song by the same name. I'd like to point out that we initially suggested this sequence a couple of years ago and, at the time, were brushed off by one of the songwriters. Granted, I'm sure the double-header has graced a mix tape or two back in the day, but hearing and seeing Neil and Jeff trade off vocals is a dream made real. Those three-odd minutes of screaming along to the song claimed much of my voice for the weekend, but I would've suffered more from trying to keep it in.



Before I wrap up this post, I want to mention my nonmusical highlight of the weekend, which also occurred on the first day of the festival. It was sometime while Pajama Club were still setting up, while dry skies held. The treasure: the simple sight of a great group of friends, decked out in rain gear, gathered on a cheap tarp, and chatting amiably. To borrow a cliche I sometimes like to trot out, music may be the vehicle, but our ties to one another are the payoff.

See also:
» trees held us in on all four sides
» above you and beyond me too
» wise man
» the message
» that year

trees held us in on all four sides

Eyes on the prize--I feel like an ass comparing concert attendance to a society-altering humanitarian campaign, but the phrase has been on my mind throughout this summer of frugality. I'd be an even bigger idiot to claim to have made any great sacrifices during this interim, so I'll cut to the chase instead: After a somewhat protracted journey, I arrived at Wilco's inaugural Solid Sound Festival--but honestly, was there ever any doubt I'd miss out on a Wilco nerd's dream come true?

Solid Sound Festival, August 13-15, 2010: I'll say it again: I hate festivals, but Solid Sound was no ordinary three-ring circus. This was, by any yardstick, the ultimate show for a Wilco geek, with each and every attraction bearing some mark of the band. Considering the other extremes I've traversed to see this band, I'd have been a fool to skip it.



Instead, the gang factored in extra time--ostensibly for travel, since there's no easy way to get to North Adams, but it also allowed us a luxuriously languid pace for at least a couple of days. We arrived a day before the fest's official opening, so we got to wander around the museum for a bit before the masses descended. In truth, even Friday saw a somewhat thin crowd, so in those two days, we traipsed around the grounds, investigated the nooks and crannies, followed detours, and even caught some entertainment. Oh, and there was also a random meeting with a fledgling cyclist, who offered a sweet welcome to the area.

This relative respite turned out to be a blessing; we had a blast punching away at Nels Cline's pedals and Glenn Kotche's treated drums, as well as drinking in Mass MOCA's other exhibits, especially the Petah Coyne installation and the Sol Lewitt display. Music was already flowing on Friday, in the form of Pronto, the Books, and the Deep Blue Organ Trio. Truth be told, I didn't catch much of the Deep Blue Organ Trio, and we got in for only the end of the Books' set, but we were stationed for Pronto.

It was my first time seeing Mikael Jorgensen with the whole band--I mean, his whole band, not that other band--so of course I was interested in hearing what they could do with the tunes. There was some joshing on our end about hearing the "hits"--that is, "Monster" and the lack of vocals in tonight's performance of the song. Overall, the four-piece made good on that deceptively bygone sound featured so prominently on their album. But it wasn't all corduroy and electric piano; for the closer, Mike hovered over his sequencer (I think?) for a digitized call-and-response segment spelling out Pronto and Mass MOCA's names. It almost felt like a Chemical Brothers show for a few minutes!

I know I've stated my general strategies for festivals before, so I won't repeat it now, but as it turned out, these habits were discouraged at Solid Sound--at least to a greater extent than normal. If nothing else, Solid Sound forced me to be zen (to a point) and let me enjoy other acts. On Saturday, this meant I got to see Hannibal Burress in the comedy room and the other band sitting solidly on my radar: On Fillmore, who--despite their name--will in all likelihood never play the hallowed Fillmore of my hometown.

Having seen Glenn solo and the duo playing as part of Loose Fur, I knew that they'd go for an nontraditional sound. I was, however, surprised by some of their nontraditional staging. Of course, I have to note Darin's all-white outfit, Glenn's percussive necklace, and the blue monkey perched atop the piano. Then Darin wandered among the audience for the opening track, the two of them directed what appeared to be duck calls at one another, and later, Glenn communed with the crowd too. They both even played the piano! Alas, I couldn't tell you for sure if Glenn cracked that woman's skull, but whatever happened, you couldn't miss that sound, despite the din coming from the dunk tank, where Jeff Tweedy was sinking like a stone (according to reports).



I remain fascinated by Glenn's work with and without Wilco, so I appreciated this display of his talents outside of the typical pop or rock song structure. And who knows? Those bangs and booms may yet show up on a Wilco record.

Saturday's other musical milestone was the Mavis Staples set, the first use of Joe's Field out in Mass MOCA's backyard. Mavis's energy and joy brought the crowd together in a way that we hadn't yet seen at the festival's more intimate venues and performances. The fact that Jeff joined her for a few numbers was icing on the cake, but she was the center of attention--and for good reason. She proved without a doubt that "The Weight" and "I'll Take You There" are meant to be sung in unison with a gathering of mostly strangers, but it doesn't hurt when you have one of the most resonant voices in music leading the way.



Saturday's sunshine and heat gave way to Sunday's overcast skies and, eventually, rain. Also, we scarfed down a pancake breakfast at the church across the street. Score! Overall, a more relaxed vibe infused the day as well, though the no-line line waiting for the gates to open to Joe's Field may have led you to believe otherwise. Sunday for me meant a good measure of Outrageous Cherry's infectious set, a visit to the dunk tank (where our own ringer hit the bulls-eye at an enviable 50 percent rate), and a portion of the Nels Cline Singers performance in which they were joined by Yuka Honda (whom I'd previously seen playing with Nels just a few months ago).

I've clocked many gigs by the Nels Cline Singers over the years, but I was pleased to witness the crowds amass for them--and in broad daylight, unlike the small, dark clubs they more frequently headline. Outrageous Cherry was another bonus of this weekend; they're well beloved among power pop aficionados, and it was great to hear their raw, irresistible sound for myself.

So far, you may have noticed two gaping holes in this concert report. Well, I'm getting to them: the headlining sets by Wilco and Jeff Tweedy on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. But before I hit that mark, I want to mention how Solid Sound felt like a natural extension of Wilco's development over the years. I don't think you can pin it to a specific event, but there's a trajectory in my mind that starts with the Chicago residency and the opening of the Wilco songbook; jumps to Jeff's solo shows over the last few years, where those older, rarer ditties were dusted off; detours through New Zealand, where the band got a chance to play and mingle with other musicians for the 7 Worlds Collide project; and then circles back to the six-piece ensemble we know and love and their spring "evening with" gigs, where those musical elements once again coalesced in a manner we hadn't expected.



In my humble opinion, Wilco's set on Saturday was good, though not spectacular, and I especially enjoyed the middle section when they surprised us with the likes of "Someday, Some Morning, Sometime" and "Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway(again)." And do you need me to go bananas once more for the full-band version of "Laminated Cat"? That's what I thought. If nothing else, the band kept the guys in front of me on their toes as they tried to keep a setlist of songs they'd never heard before.

Sunday's closing set, however, was sort of my fantasy gig, and the proceedings bore a suspicious resemblance to shows by a certain musician at a certain venue I love so much on the other side of the country--but I digress. Jeff started on his own with a pretty strong selection of tunes (nothing repeated from the night before, mais oui), but even we veterans were surprised by the inclusion of "Shaking Sugar," which he had claimed to not recall just this past March. Also unexpected: Unfounded accusations jokingly directed at one of the pillars of our tribe, though I understand they cleared up the matter later.

Halfway through the set, the cavalcade of stars arrived, with various musicians drawn from the festival lineup dropping in to play with Jeff, from Sir Richard Bishop to Nick from the Books to Avi Buffalo to Scott McCaughey to other members of Wilco, minus Glenn, who had left to join his very pregnant wife at home. These guests pulled off their own songs, fantastic covers, and deep album cuts from Wilco's back catalog--in other words, the stuff you pray for when you're a hopelessly dedicated fan.



"Ingrid Bergman" with Nick from the Books drew gasps from us, perhaps because some of us are prudes, perhaps because the sexual metaphors are so clunky, or perhaps because they never do it live--take your pick. I didn't know the song that Jeff and Avi Buffalo chose to do together, but it was obviously a Neil Young title. For that reason alone, we were glad to listen. I also love hearing "It's Just That Simple" these days, but the choice of a closer sealed the deal and capped off the weekend perfectly for me.



Granted, I heard "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" at the last Wilco show I attended, but the Solid Sound rendition staked out new territory with the addition of Outrageous Cherry's Matt Smith on electric guitar. While Matt upped the tune's pop factor, Nels brought the folk with his work on the banjo, forming one of the more apt distillations of Wilco's influences, abilities, and ambitions.

Solid Sound, see you in 2011.

See also:
» milky pristine
» anomaly
» we were made for this
» if this was still new to me
» i've run out of metaphors
» i play the ones from yesterday
» try to downplay being uptight