Reason number 4,055 why Wilco is one of our all-time favorite bands. As the finishing touches are being put on the 6th Solid Sound Festival, the multi-day music and arts happening the band hosts every odd year at Mass MoCA, the group made an unexpected announcement. Jeff Tweedy and the gang are holding a Live Band Karaoke contest. Wilco will invite the winners of the contest to sing with them on stage at the upcoming Solid Sound Festival (June 28-30). The band will select 5-10 fans to have this epic experience during their live set on Friday night (June 28). The winners also receive a pair of 3-day passes to Solid Sound 2019. Read on to find out how to enter.

The band released the following statement along with the contest announcement:

“Ever wish karaoke bars had more Wilco? Do they have any? I don’t really know. But I do know that they don’t have enough songs about existential dread and self-loathing. Sound fun? Please join us onstage so we can get Solid Sound 2019 started with some outsourced belters from the Wilco songbook. Let’s do this!” – Jeff Tweedy

Wilco is clearly excited to test out their karaoke brainstorm. It’s the latest in a long line of tactics the band employs to connect with fans. Their merch game is on point. They invite concertgoers to make song requests in advance. The band’s Roadcase series allows fans to purchase high-quality live recordings. They give away music for free. They support great causes. They put on epic residencies in their hometown. They host Solid Sound, which always features an incredible line-up. And, they organized an all-inclusive concert vacation in Mexico for January 2020, Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky. These guys aren’t just about playing music, they’re about building a community.

As for the upcoming Solid Sound Festival, which the karaoke concert is part of, Wilco has gathered another eclectic assortment of acts to perform. Highlights of the musical groups include Courtney Barnett, The Feelies, Tortoise, Cate Le Bon, Jonathan Richman, Wand, Lonnie Holley, Mdou Moctar, Quindar and more. John Hodgman (Judge John Hodgman, The Daily Show) is hosting a Comedy Cabaret. There will also be author talks, axe throwing, yoga, madlibs workshops, and so much more. The complete list is below.  Plus, fest-goers can check out the exhibits at Mass MoCA. 3-day passes are sold out, but you can try your luck through authorized reseller Lyte.

If you’re up for entering the band’s karaoke contest, all you need to do is share a video on Instagram or YouTube of you performing the song you’d like to sing at Solid Sound with the hashtag #WilcoKaraoke.  The band will contact the winners on June 10. The chosen ones will score those 3-day passes, a one-song performance onstage with Wilco as the backing band, a meet-and-greet, and rehearsal with the band, and an official Solid Sound artist gift bag. It’s totally sweet.

For more information about the Solid Sound Festival and the contest, visit the festival’s website.

Other Solid Sound Festival activities:
Genelec Sound Installation
Wilco Loft Reverb Sale
Mad Libs Workshops
Axe Throwing
Nature Hike
Ghost Town Studios Screen Printing Workshop
Dust-to-Digital
Euclid Records Pop-Up Record Store
Mellotron Variations
Recycled Rhythms
Yoga
Tintypes