Few festivals can claim a museum as their canvas, but at Solid Sound the venue is every bit as captivating as the music that fills it.
Nestled in the Berkshires, MASS MoCA, the factory-turned-museum, serves as the perfect intersection of music and art. Families sporting matching shirts dot the campus grounds as they prepare for a special weekend. Festivalgoers drift between galleries wearing concert tees and “It always rains at Wilco’s Solid Sound” tote bags before stopping to admire James Turrell’s immersive installations.
Set just one week before America’s 250th anniversary, a special sense of excitement connected the tightly packed fans as they listened to the songs of Woody Guthrie beaming through the speakers. Solid Sound isn’t just a music festival, it’s a celebration of music, art, and culture, where the boundaries between strangers and friends erode to create a spontaneous community.
The first day of the fest was met with rain, a running gag in the Solid Sound circles, but not even rain could sour the mood felt throughout the festival. Guests filtered in and out of the museum between sets making the most of the venue. Billy Bragg’s set, which debuted his latest album “Mermaid Avenue,” promised to be a highlight of the festival.
As the sun set behind the main stage on Joe’s Field, fans lined up to experience the new album performed live for the first time. Children perched on parent’s shoulders rose above the crowd like ancient obelisks. Roars echoed through the field as Wilco took the stage alongside Bragg. The night grew long with music filling the valley. Surprise guest Natalie Merchant made an appearance for a rendition of “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key.”
In one standout encore, Wilco brought the Guthrie family to sing “This Land is Your Land.” With the stars peering through the clouds and tears streaming down faces, the crowd sang along in unison, capturing the spirit of Solid Sound.
The sense of fellowship extended beyond the stages with events like the yo-yo world record attempt. Kids and adults alike put their skills to the test as yo-yos bounced along the sprawling green museum campus. With more than 5000 yo-yos being distributed, the previous record was smashed and a banner celebrating the occasion unfurled above the center bridge.
Alt rockers The Breeders shook the ground with a dynamic set soon thereafter. Heads banged along to drums like metronomes. Young fans experienced a taste of quintessential 90s rock as the older fans waxed nostalgic.
Wilco looked to top their encore from the previous night by filling the field with drawn out solos and fan favorites, including “Impossible Germany.” The cloudless sky married with the sound of a passing train accompanied Wilco’s final moments. The Berkshire hills disappeared into the darkness while Jeff Tweedy sang beneath the moonlit skies to end a thrilling night.
By the festival’s close there were no strangers in the crowds, only family. As the last notes of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” drifted across Joe’s Field beneath a rainbow, Solid Sound once again proved that its greatest attraction isn’t its lineup or its setting, remarkable as both are. It’s the community that returns every other year, turning a music festival into something that feels, however briefly, like home.
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