Music Notes ‘n’ News

WILCO GOES WILLY WONKA: Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival – returning to MASS MoCA in North Adams from June 21-23 after a year’s hiatus – has teamed up with Brooklyn award-winning small-batch chocolate makers Mast Brothers to present a limited-edition Solid Sound Festival chocolate bar, complete with a golden ticket prize contest. Only 3,500 bars were made, and they are available at select retailers and online at the Solid Sound Festival website. solidsoundfestival.com. Five of the chocolate bars contain a golden ticket wrapped inside, and lucky recipients will each receive two free three-day Solid Sound Festival passes and a chance to pick a song live onstage for Wilco to perform during the band’s all-request set on the fest’s opening night.

BASS PLAYER WANTED: Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany is seeking a local bassist for the summer world premiere musical, “The Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers.” Nashville-based composer & musical director Don Chaffer is looking for someone who can “play stand-up and electric, groove from charts and read as well.” Time commitment runs from June 26-August 4. GO HERE for more details and contact info…

HELM HIGHWAY: On Wednesday, the NYS Senate approved legislation to designate Route 375 in Hurley and Woodstock as “Levon Helm Memorial Boulevard.” The NYS Assembly passed the bill last month. The measure now needs only the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo to take effect. The bill calls for naming the entire 3-mile length of Route 375 — from Route 28 in Hurley to Route 212 in Woodstock — in memory of the Band’s late drummer-vocalist.

SEAFOOD & SONG: A new seafood store in Guilderland, fin – your fishmonger (apparently subscribing to the ee cummings school of capitalization), is celebrating its grand opening from 11am til 5pm on Saturday (June 1) with live music by Tor & the Fjords and singer-songwriter Zan Strumfeld. Music starts at 12:30pm.

CASH FOREVER: The late American music icon Johnny Cash will be honored with a limited edition Forever postage stamp, which will go on sale on Wednesday, June 5 at U.S. post offices and online.