Having already announced its first proper performance with Mermaid Avenue collaborator Billy Bragg at its upcoming Solid Sound festival, Wilco has confirmed the rest of the lineup for the June 26-28 event at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Ma.
Beyond Wilco and Bragg, who will play both together and individually, the fest will present the Breeders, Gang of Four, Billy Bragg, S.G. Goodman, L’Rain, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Sharp Pins, the Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis and Hannah Cohen. Tickets are on sale now.
John Hodgman will host his annual Comedy Cabaret with Jo Firestone, Demi Adejuyigbe, and Jordan Klepper, while Wilco’s Mikael Jorgensen will screen a new film about jazz legend Bob James.
Inside MASS MoCA, fans can take a break from the music and enjoy exhibitions by Jeffrey Gibson, Jimena Sarno, Zora J Murff and permanent works from Laurie Anderson, Louise Bourgeois, James Turrell and Sol LeWitt.
Between 1998 and 2012, Wilco and Bragg released three Mermaid Avenue albums inspired by a trunk of unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics uncovered by his family. However, beyond a handful of brief shared appearances, the musicians never worked their way through those most of the songs in a live setting.
“The world needs all the Woody Guthrie it can get,” said Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. “We’re thrilled that we get to bring these songs to life with Billy.” Added Bragg, “there’s an abiding love out there for the Mermaid Avenue albums, so I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with Wilco to bring Woody’s words to life once again.”
