With its first music festival, you might think that Mass Moca (Museum of Comtemporary Art) would go for something really progressive like Deerhunter or experimental electronica Panda Bear. Something that changes the way we look at music (and thus alienating nearly every member of the audience with the exception of the Pitchfork’s uber-music geeks). But lucky for us, it was not to be.
Instead, Mass Moca chose to showcase some well-established singer/songwriter types with a penchant for literate songs and great hooks. For a relatively unknown music festival, the lineup certainly trumped the marketing job. Established artists Josh Ritter and Ben Kweller have played larger venues on their own without question. Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Kaki King and Samantha Crain rounded out the bill.
Perhaps it was the out of the way location (North Adams, MA near where MA, NY and VT meet) or the relative lack of promotion that ensured an intimate show. The acts played on a small stage in front of a concrete blacktop with blankets spread as people laid down in the sun. The outdoor venue also had a grassy area with picnic tables to the left of the stage and an outdoor restaurant to the right. The place felt fuller as the night went on, but never too crowded to find your spot.
Generally in the heartbroken and lonesome world of country songs, the idea of a giddy songwriter may sound a bit out of place. Yet, Josh Ritter manages to balance out the two perfectly. Ritter came on stage with a smile and only during his more sobering numbers did it temporarily leave his face. He managed to balance out the almost bouncy pop rhythms of songs like the “The Right Moves†with the solo acoustic simplicity of “Bright Smile.†Ritter was sporting his new wedding ring (Dawn Landes) but at each of his shows, Josh’s happy demeanor has been consistent. In addition, he played quite a few new numbers that seemed like intricate short stories. Ritter brought the entire audience to its feet from the first song to the encore.
Before the sun went down, Ben Kweller brought his boyish charm to the Moca stage. I was pleasantly surprised when Kweller opened the set with “Wantin’ Her Again†and “Things I Like to Do†from his recent irresistible country/western release “Changing Horses.” The lounging audience perked right up. While the set did contain some of his earlier teen pop records, the majority came from either “Changing Horses†or the previous self-titled album. At the end of the set, Kweller even jumped down from the stage to dance with a number of teenagers and announced he’d be hanging out at the merch table for the rest of the evening (which he was).
Elvis Perkins (son of Anthony Perkins) played an interesting rootsy set with shades of the Band. Kaki King’s guitar prowess was on display with a number of instrumentals as well as vocal tracks and Samantha Crain demonstrated her strong pipes with a solo set. These three acts seemed an alluring plea to get festival-goers out of the off-beat museum (included in festival ticket admission).
The eight-hour music (3-11), art and food festival truly made me appreciate the summer and the spell music can cast upon it. People were laid back and excited at the same time. The artists were happy to be there and it showed. Each had a real set and the building momentum made a great case to keep the festival going in years to come. Hopefully I can return next summer.
Photos: Suzanne Davis
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.