Another solid summer in North Adams

Oh MASS MoCA, you did it again. Just trying to keep North Adams on the map, huh?

(Let’s face it – if it weren’t for MASS MoCA, Jack’s Hot Dog Stand would stand uncontested as the number one tourist attraction to the city.)

After the extremely successful innagural Solid Sound Festival, it’s no surprise that the event’s returning.

After all, Wilco guitarist Jeff Tweedy looked like he was having the time of his life during the three-day event last August.

And here we are again, less than two months away from another round of Solid Sound.

But the festival isn’t all the museum brings in for music and entertainment.

In fall ‘09, MASS MoCA brought the extremely talented jazz trio Medeski Martin and Wood. Hopefully they’ll return to MASS MoCA again. Hint hint.

Last fall, so much happened.

Alec Baldwin, noted as the best actor of all time according to the film “Team America: World Police,” joined Turner Movie Classic’s host Robert Osbourne for a talk about the legendary film director Billy Wilder.

If it weren’t for spontaneous illness, Leonard Nimoy (SPOCK!) would’ve spoken to the public the following week.

Musical wizard Marco Benevento – who previously performed with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon of Phish, and skilled drummer Joe Russo – also performed in Club B-10 last fall.

Can’t forget other notable Club B-10 performances like “The Prince of New Orleans” Davell Crawford and MoCA regular and violinist Todd Reynolds and his robot bandmates.

Without MoCA, who knows where the MCLA and North Adams art scene stands. MASS MoCA is the largest contemporary art museum in North Adams (oh, and New England), a town that now features a handful of student and independent galleries.

With that said, this summer looks solid for the city. The monthly DownStreet Art brings Main Street to life. The Elf Parlor will continue to host music. Thousands will storm the city for Solid Sound Festival.

If you don’t live here in the summer, come visit. It’ll be fun.

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