Art, Rain, Wilco at Day 2 of Solid Sound 2015 (FESTIVAL REVIEW)

Photo by Twitter user @Doukhobor666

Before Mother Nature had her way with the festival-goers of Solid Sound on Saturday, it was a busy day, beginning with Ryley Walker’s dark, brooding, soulful and haunting, almost Zeppelin-like set of trippy, jazzy instrumental jams and the occasionally wild howl. This quickly transitioned to the soft, traditional old world folk sounds of Sam Amidon, accompanied by the legendary Bill Frisell on guitar. The duo played a mix of songs off their new collaborative record Lily-O and some of Frisell’s, and they had the courtyard packed with enchanted onlookers.

If you were able to spare 15 minutes between shows, it was definitely worth it to check out the Wilco exhibit – a 20-year interactive timeline retrospective filled with memories and milestones – and then wander the museum a bit, as it’s free all weekend. Festival-goers also had the opportunity to visit Ghost-Town Studio’s booth to watch artist Pete Cardoso screen print this year’s uniquely designed Solid Sound prints. Whether getting hands-on with the art, or simply perusing it from afar, Mass MoCA was filled with surprises around every corner.

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Following a rocking, high-energy set from fan favorite NRBQ that had folks dancing their asses off to “Me and the Boys” and “Magnet”, Jessica Pratt delivered a quieter, more intimate show to a silent and bewitched crowd. And if you made it to the Hunter auditorium early enough, it was possible to catch the sidesplitting block of comedy from two of the most beloved performers, Paul F. Tompkins and Tig Notaro, and then catch the end of the loud, shredding set from Parquet Courts doing songs like “Yr No Stoner” and “Uncast Shadow of a Southern Myth”.

Amidst it all, more alternative shows like Japanese duo Cibo Matto (one member is married to Wilco’s Nels Cline) and experimental Seattle hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces kept everyone on their toes before they migrated to Joe’s Field for the main event: Mac DeMarco followed by Wilco. DeMarco seemed an unusual choice of opener for Wilco’s second night. His sound is firstly rock and roll, but with a late seventies synth-pop overlay that borders on satirical. He never takes himself too seriously, working his way through “Salad Days”, a so-so cover of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years”, and “Still Together” to name a few. DeMarco is part of a particularly young lineup this year, including Real Estate and Parquet Courts, appealing mostly to the twenty-something festival attendees.

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When Wilco finally made their appearance (an hour ahead of schedule due to the impending inclement weather), they did it with fanfare, launching into a powerful rock and roll set complete with long, synthy jams that couldn’t be further from Friday’s acoustic sing-a-long. The focus was on favorites for this show, and Wilco didn’t mess around, opening with “I’m the Man Who Loves You” and later squeezing in “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”, “Art of Almost” “Born Alone”, “Heavy Metal Drummer”, “At Least That’s What You Said”, “Pot Kettle Black” and “Impossible Germany”. Their light show was sophisticated and breathtaking, and a welcome distraction from the cold and windy rain hitting ponchos, tarps and umbrellas with mild but relentless fury. Similar to watching fireworks go off overhead, the light show was a festival highlight and helped make Saturday’s show one for the books.

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It was as if Tweedy and co made the conscious decision to play one of their best shows ever for this devoted (and wet) crowd, and they left it all on the stage. “This is child’s play,” Tweedy joked, reminding the crowd of a brutal storm that plagued the festival a few years back. The Billy Bragg collaboration “Secret of the Sea”, the quieter “Via Chicago”, and the countless scene stealing guitar and drum solos were highlights of the night. Their six-song encore included “Let’s Not Get Carried Away” and “Monday”, and as the rain really began to pick up, they played through it, as if testing the waters with this enthusiastic audience, before finally packing it in. Though the weather was not ideal, Wilco made a heartfelt effort to give the fans their money’s worth, playing over two hours of songs.

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Sunday will find them signing copies of this year’s Beyond the Fleeting Moment: Wilco Concert Posters 2004-2014, and breaking off into their respective side projects. But between Friday and Saturday, they reminded us why they’re best together and why twenty years later, they’re still one of the great American rock bands.

Setlist:
Wilco
June 27, 2015
Solid Sound Festival | North Adams, MA

01 – I’m the Man Who Loves You
02 – Camera
03 – Candyfloss
04 – I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
05 – Art of Almost
06 – At Least That’s What You Said
07 – Either Way
08 – Pot Kettle Black
09 – Panthers
10 – Sunken Treasure
11 – Secrets of the Sea
12 – Heavy Metal Drummer
13 – Born Alone
14 – Laminated Cat (aka Not For The Season)
15 – Ashes of American Flags
16 – Hotel Arizona
17 – Box Full of Letters
18 – Impossible Germany
19 – A Magazine Called Sunset
20 – Via Chicago