Wilco at Tanglewood

How to become relevant in an instant to a whole new generation of affluent music lovers? Book Wilco. Tanglewood has done it, and it's cause to celebrate with a Yankee fox trot. Wilco will play August 12. Tickets, ever so reasonably priced at $26 to $36, go on sale tomorrow, April 25, through the Tanglewood Web site (www.tanglewood.org).

Great bands and James Levine in one spot -- kudos to general manager Mark Volpe, and let's hope he continues to explore opportunities. As I told him at the Metropolitan Opera's season opening gala, I'd love to see a stage or patch of lawn for regular appearances by the local musicians of the Berkshires, who cultivate loyal local audiences all year long through their appearances at indoor music venues such as the Arcadian Shop in Lenox, Club Helsinki in Great Barrington, and Dottie's coffee shop in Pittsfield (which, by the way, has developed a fun series called "Brooklyn in the Berkshires.") You'll not only bring in their fans by booking them too, you'll be doing your part to create the next Wilcos and James Taylors.