June 26, 2026: At Solid Sound 2026!

June 26, 2026: At Solid Sound 2026!

It’s that time again.  The time every other year that fans of a very specific Chicago band head east to North Adams Solid Sound 9 [https://solidsoundfestival.com/] is happening this weekend in the Berkshires, and today we’re at Mass MoCA [https://massmoca.org]to capture it. So as we ready to hear Mermaid Avenue for the first time ever live in concert with both Wilco [https://wilcoworld.net/] and Billy Bragg [https://www.billybragg.co.uk/], we’ll talk to some of the multi-hyphenate members of that band about this festival and their many other projects, including a documentary from keyboardist Mikael Jorgenson [https://mikaeljorgensen.com/], and a sound art installation from drummer Glenn Kotche [https://www.glennkotche.com/]. We’ll talk music with Sima Cunningham [https://www.simacunningham.com/] of Finom [https://www.finommusic.com/], I Hear Voices, Postock [https://www.postockfestival.com/], and many other musical ensembles about the pop-ups she’s involved with all weekend, and Jeff Tweedy [https://jefftweedy.com/] himself about the importance of performing Mermaid Avenue at this moment. Plus the curator of the festival’s comedy cabaret, and former W. Mass resident himself, John Hodgman [https://www.johnhodgman.com/]gives us a preview of the funny folx headed to the air conditioned portion of the weekend, and what hijinx helps to bring comedians to the northern Berskhires.

June 25, 2026: Sounds local

A rewind to last weekend at the Green River Festival [https://www.greenriverfestival.com] where we’ll hear the warm bass tones of the Amherst based bassist Deja Carr better known to the world as Mal Devisa [https://maldevisa.bandcamp.com/]. We’ll get a glimpse into Deja’s creative process and revel in her performance under the Grandstands at the Franklin County Fairgrounds And US Congressman Jim McGovern [https://mcgovern.house.gov] gives us his take on what went on with Trump’s alleged temper-tantrum where he refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill. And if the Democratic Social Mayor Mamdani effect, that swept through NY primaries this week, will have any implications for Democratic primaries closer to home.

June 24, 2026: Nerve-racking ceramic survival

We are getting people together for artistic endeavors no matter how harrowing it may be.  Off to Westhampton, where one of the many studios that is part of the pottery collective the Hilltown 6 [https://www.hilltown6.com/]lays nestled by a waterfall. The artists who make up the group are hosting a workshop at Easthampton Clay [https://www.easthamptonclay.com/] this weekend and opening up their respective workplaces for a tour later in July. Potters Sam Taylor and Robbie Heidinger meet us to talk about the ceramics scene of western mass and more.  In Amherst just outside of the UMass campus is an important lifeline to folx of Hampshire and Franklin counties. The Amherst Survival Center [https://amherstsurvival.org/]is much more than just a food pantry, addressing the growing needs of the public. We get a tour of their daily work with director Carleen Basler, hear a bit of how their services have changed, and learn how you can support them at a benefit concert this weekend.  And word Nerd Emily Brewster knows we might be a bit stressed out by language sometimes, and especially with a deeper look at wrack with a w versus rack without one and how their meanings are kinda tied together.

June 23, 2026: Hills, hops, and hope

We head north, to Northfield where a farm segued into beer-making, while supplying a much needed crop for the northeast. Four Star Farm has been growing hops of various varieties well before they conjured up their own brewery and we chat with brewer Chris Sellers about his journey from Poli-Sci to agricultural and local product advocate among the hop bines.  Speaking of growing things, young artists are budding along with their creative parents. The exhibit Imaginary Friends is a collaboration of 11 artist parents with their children to create work together and spans from the small, to the interactable, and even to video projects in their ongoing question of how to maintain one’s craft with and after kids. We crash their installation process, getting a glimpse of what the public might see at their opening tonight.  And musician, artist, folklorist, and more Mica Farias Gomez joined us for one of our Green River Festival pop-ups this past weekend. We’ll hear  the sounds of her incredible journey into her native Argentina and across south America, and with her co-conspirator Manuel Uriona about their connections to Double Edge Theater, and the liberation we’re all seeking.

June 22, 2026: Louder Equity for those in the back

We head to a new exhibit in Holyoke that’s helping newer artists explore their craft, and the anniversary of this nation with more experienced artists in the area. Valley Arts Mentors branched out of Piti Theater, but has grown to encompass many ways that we all tell stories including visual arts. This year’s cohort of mentors and mentees have recently opened an exhibit Revolutionary Artstories: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Equity, which we explore along with the artists who’ve made the work on display.  The Green River Festival [https://greenriverfestival.com] happened this past weekend, but if you think about festivals you've been to, how are their lineups looking in terms of gender diversity? Book More Women [https://www.bookmorewomen.com/] is an upcoming soon to be non-profit that started as an instagram project and has evolved into a full on movement, in which the Green River festival has partnered. We speak with founder Abbey Carbonneau about starting the organization, what her data has shown so far, and the struggles of getting other organizations to recognize their blind spots.  Plus after running around all weekend we get to talk a little bit about our highlights from the festival as well.