Solid Sound Plans Solidify

One of my biggest regrets of last summer was having neither the time nor the resources to make it out to Wilco's inaugural Solid Sound Festival. From what I heard and read, it was an incredible experience, gathering a slew of Wilco fans in the beautiful confines of MASS MoCA for three days of music and art. This year, the independently organized festival is happening almost two months earlier than it did last summer (June 24-26), which means I'll be in attendance for the first time.

Of course, the undeniable highlight of the weekend's festivities are the two sets that Wilco will play over the course of the weekend's first two evenings. I expect they'll be debuting material from their upcoming record in addition to their usual live offerings. Today the band confirmed via Facebook that they'll be releasing an exclusive 7" single at the festival via their newly formed dBpm Records, featuring a brand new Wilco tune entitled "I Might."

Once again, various Wilco side-projects will also be performing, including The Autumn Defense, Pronto, Pillow Wand and Glenn Kotche on solo drum kit. Other notable artists on the bill include the Levon Helm Band, Thurston Moore, Sic Alps, Here We Go Magic and the Handsome Family. There will also be a comedy stage curated by Daily Show correspondent John Hodgman featuring comedians Wyatt Cenac, Eugene Mirman and Morgan Murphy. Additionally, there will be workshops with members of the group and their cohorts as well as the return of the charity dunking booth, which gives you the chance to drench your favorite member of Wilco.

I'm beyond excited—it's going to the well-deserved end to an almost year-and-a-half drought of live Wilco. Fellow fans, I'll see you in Massachusetts!