Solid Sound a Success, But What Next?

Fans exit Mass MoCA following the conclusion of the Solid Sound Festival on Sunday, August 15.

So in no way am I a diehard Wilco fan. But I do appreciate the band's talents, and I was thrilled to see them again. They have a very genuine sound — nothing about Wilco is a ploy to sell records or to land airtime on the radio. They create music that they enjoy playing, and however silly that statement might sound, it's quite refreshing (and rare) to see a rock band that doesn't need a gimmick.

They run the gauntlet as far as their musical influences are concerned, and that shines through in their live show. One song will sound very folky and then before you can say "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," the band rips into a spine-tingling explosion of noise, a thunder of controlled chaos.

It's obviously not everyone's cup of tea. I talked to a few people who checked out the band out of curiosity and who weren't familiar with their catalogue. And a few walked away saying, "So what's the big deal?" And that's the beauty of any form of art: Whether it's music, a photograph, a painting or a film, it doesn't have to move you. You interpret what it means to you (if anything) and then you express your opinion. Art stems from, and creates, thought.

And "thought" was the magic word I heard as a reporter covering Solid Sound: "I thought (insert band) was fantastic"; "I thought (insert comedian) was hilarious"; or "I thought (insert exhibit or installation) was inspiring."

Personally, I think MoCA struck gold with the first-ever Solid Sound Festival. The three-day event was incredibly well-organized and it catered to people of all ages. How great it was to see, during Wilco's set at Joe's Field, kids who couldn't have been older than 10 years old enjoying themselves at a rock concert. It restored my fleeting faith in 21st century parenthood to see, that in this age when kids are receiving cell phones by age 12 and the Xbox has become a modern-day babysitter, that some youngsters are actually being exposed to entertainment with substance.

It was nice to see age diversity at the first-ever Solid Sound Festival.

And it wasn't just the music: Glenn Kotche's drum installation may have been a bigger hit with kids than adults, and The Story Pirates — a theatre troupe that acts out stories written by children — provided an interactive experience for kids.

The festival was great for the museum and for the city of North Adams. Who knows? Maybe 10, 20 years from now, North Adams will be internationally recognized as the host city of the Solid Sound Festival. Similar to how Williamsport, Pennsylvania is known for its Little League baseball tournament or how the French town of Cannes is known for its film festival (or even closer to home: how Williamstown is known for its theater festival) perhaps the Solid Sound Festival will help North Adams establish an identity that, from what I've gathered, has been lacking since Sprague Electric shut down.

I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but I'm excited. I don't even live in North Adams anymore, but I certainly have another reason to come back and visit the Berkshires during the summer.

Perhaps even more exciting than Wilco and Solid Sound potentially returning is the possibility of more rock and roll shows coming to North Adams. MoCA Executive Director Joseph Thompson indicated that Wilco's appearance could lead to other large-scale concerts at the museum. This got me brainstorming the last couple days, trying to think of bands I would love to see at MoCA. The artist would, of course, have to fit the museum's vision. You won't see mainstream acts like Jay-Z or Dave Matthew's Band because, despite their immense popularity, I doubt MoCA will select an act based solely on its large following. It has to be a good fit.

I've had a few friends claim that Phish would be perfect for MoCA. Quite the contrary. The jam band would, no doubt, fill Joe's Field to its capacity and attract record-breaking crowds to North Adams, but it's not the clientele MoCA is aiming to attract. What made Solid Sound so charming was its family-friendly vibe, and I don't think that droves of spun-out Phish fans would fit that mold.

So when trying to come up with acts that I'd like to see at MoCA (and bands that realistically might be welcomed), I came up with three:

1) Beck

Beck is one of the most creative musicians on the planet. In 1998, he collaborated with his grandfather in creating an art exhibit. Sounds like a perfect match for MoCA.

2) Flaming Lips

Their concert is like a rock and roll circus. No other band puts on a show quite like the Flaming Lips.

I may be reaching here, but can't a man dream? Maybe it's not that far-fetched, considering the group's song "Reckoner" accompanied the MoCA installation "These Days: Elegies for Modern Times" from April 2009-Feb. 2010. Also, I've heard rumors that lead man Thom Yorke has visited the MoCA galleries in the past. So perhaps the seed has been planted!?

That's my dream list. To quote a riled-up Richard Dreyfuss from Jaws, YOU GOT ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS?! Let's get the conversation going. Who would you like to see perform at MoCA now that Wilco has opened the door for other "big-name" acts?

Teacher of the Month: Kaylea Nocher