Top 10 Acts To See At Solid Sound (Other Than Wilco)

Over in the Berkshires, a wild and amazing event will take over the little town of North Adams this weekend from Jun 26 – 28. Happening at the beautiful Massachusetts Museum Of Contemporary Art, the Solid Sound Festival will showcase some spectacular independent musical acts along with eye-popping art installations. The whole experience is curated by the Chicago Americana rock act Wilco, so here are the other 10 great acts to see at the upcoming festival (not including Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy’s eponymous side project with his son Spencer).

10.) Shabazz Palaces (Saturday 4:45 @ Courtyard C)
The Seattle hip-hop duo of Ishmael Butler & Tendai Maraire push the envelope when it comes to creating experimental sounds while extending the boundaries and exploring the versatility of the genre. I find the act to be reminiscent of what the legendary Afrika Bambaataa was doing in the ’80s —  fusing contemporary sounds and ambience into hip-hop to create something truly original. For us local yokels in PVD, Shabazz Palaces will also be at the Columbus Theatre on Aug 7. If you’re at the festival this weekend or at the Columbus, prepare for what should be an incredible experience.

9.) The Felice Brothers (Sunday 3:30 @ Courtyard C)
A fantastic folk-rock act that sometimes will even add a few killer rhymes, The Felice Brothers from upstate New York in the Catskillls will perform on the final day of the festival for what should be an absolute wonder. It’ll either be fully electrifying or more on the acoustic side of things, but either way it’s going to be worth it. What’s better than a rock band with an accordion? Not much. You’ll get that and more once The Felice Brothers take the stage.

8.) Bill Frisell & Sam Amidon (Saturday 1:30 @ Courtyard C)
It’s going to be interesting to see what will happen when jazz fusion guitar virtuoso Bill Frisell and Brattleboro, Vt, native and folk artist Sam Amidon take the stage. You have one artist who is hailed as a national treasure, notable for his progressive interpretations on music drawing from folk, blues and jazz, while another is known for his reworking of traditional folk into his own unique style. I’m looking forward to seeing what Frisell and Amidon have in store for the festival on Saturday afternoon.

7.) Richard Thompson Trio (Saturday 5:30 @ Joe’s Field)
Fronted by one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters, the Richard Thompson Trio promise to please the senses. Richard has collaborated with the likes of Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos and The Talking Heads’ David Byrne among many others. The Order Of The British Empire was personally bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth and he’s been named as one of the Top 20 Guitarists Of All Time by Rolling Stone. With all of this on his resume, what’s stopping you from checking Richard Thompson out?

6.) Real Estate (Friday 7:45 @ Joe’s Field)
Ridgewood, NJ, indie rock act Real Estate will open for Wilco on the Joe’s Field stage during the first night of the festival, and their pop aesthetics make them a perfect fit for the festival. Honest songwriting with a lot of heart coming from Martin Courtney is the backbone for the band’s sound, and you’re bound to fall in love with it. When the sun sets over the mountains the music will hit you, and Real Estate are bound to put the attendees in a state of bliss.

5.) Mac DeMarco (Saturday 7:30 @ Joe’s Field)
With a laid-back style that everyone is trying to replicate these days, Mac DeMarco is gaining fans by the day. The acclaim on his latest release, Salad Days, solidifies that, and expect to hear a few songs off that album during his live performance. A lo-fi sound that has a weird sexy quality by keeping things sensual while also being off-kilter, DeMarco is a refreshing artist in a world of musical madness. He’ll get things cool on Saturday night, so go see what the fuss is all about.

4.) NRBQ (Saturday 2:15 @ Courtyard D)
Another legendary act playing Solid Sound is NRBQ, also known as the New Rhythm & Blues Quartet. Being around since the late ’60s, this act lead by Terry Adams blends rock, pop, blues and jazz for a kickass sound that have given them quite the reputation for their live shows. It’s going to be a crazy time once these guys take the stage Saturday afternoon, so get ready to be wowed and astounded.

3.) Speedy Ortiz (Friday 6:30 @ Courtyard C)
A late addition to the festival, Northampton, Mass, act Speedy Ortiz have had me hooked for the past few years. A perfect mix of fuzzy distortion, poppy breakdowns and poetic lyrics from frontwoman Sadie Dupuis make for an infectious take on rock. You can consider this kind of a hometown show for them since Solid Sound is in western Massachusetts, and they deserve such a grand stage. Speedy Ortiz are going to bring it in full force on Friday, so show up early and start the festival off right.

2.) Parquet Courts (Saturday 6:30 @ Courtyard D)
A must-see act among a lot of other must-see acts, Brooklyn punks Parquet Courts will be ripping up everything in sight on Saturday. Making quite a name for themselves with incredible energy and great songwriting, it’ll be intriguing to see how they are live. You got groovy bass lines, precise drumming and electrifying guitar riffs to create an infectious sound. I wouldn’t be surprised if a mosh pit started during their set on Saturday, but you’ll have to show up and find out.

1.) Nels Cline & Norton Wisdom’s Stained Radiance (Sunday 1:00 @ Hunter Center)
Now this might not be everyone’s #1 for Solid Sound, but I’m very interested in what exactly will happen with you have Wilco’s lead guitarist and noise maker Nels Cline and accomplished painter Norton Wisdom doing a live collaboration. You’ll have Cline bringing his trademark distortion while Wisdom puts color on canvas on the spot. It’ll be an artistic display unlike anything you’ve ever seen, and that’s why it’s #1.

3-Day, Friday & Sunday passes are still available for Solid Sound this weekend. Get them here: solidsound.frontgatetickets.com