Big Ears allows a sustained engagement with as many varieties of music as any North American music festival. Its performers and attendees are well aware of this and approach the weekend with an almost reverential attitude.
At Big Ears 2024 — Exploring the Glorious Years with Bonnie “Prince” Billy
For more than 30 years, Will Oldham has been a singular presence in American music. After pumping the brakes on a burgeoning teenage acting career and decamping to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, Oldham did some woodshedding to rethink what he might want to do with his life. High on this list was creating music and writing songs with friends from the fertile Louisville music scene.
At Big Ears 2024 — Myriam Gendron: Untraditionally Traditional
Singer and guitarist Myriam Gendron’s first album, a collection of songs based on the poetry of Dorothy Parker, found an unlikely underground cult audience. Seven years later ‘Ma délire – Songs of love, lost & found’, an album full of French Canadian and American traditional music doused with avant-garde instrumentation captivated an even larger audience. An upcoming album features songs that skew close to pop music and is set for release on indie label Thrill Jockey. Gendron’s Big Ears schedule includes a Friday, March 22, appearance at the Jig and Reel, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM.
Big Ears 2023 — Living Inside the Music
BY ERIC DAWSON “This is the best music festival in America.” (John Zorn at the Tennessee Theatre) “There’s nothing else like Big Ears in America.” (Stephen O’Malley at Knoxville Visitor’s Center) “People are such enthusiastic listeners at this festival.…
Impressions from Big Ears 2022
BY ERIC DAWSON “Make your choices and be at peace with them.” So said critic Nate Chinen during the Big Ears 2022 Pre-Festival Critics Roundtable, regarding the overstuffed schedule, which inevitably demands attendees make difficult decisions about which once-in-a-lifetime…
Big Ears Festival 2020 Lineup Announcement: Eric Dawson Offers A Preview
BIG EARS FESTIVAL 2020 • MARCH 26-29, KNOXVILLE, TN Tickets On Sale Thursday, October 10, At Noon EDT Information and Tickets: bigearsfestival.org Click Here for First Round Highlights and Lineup By Eric Dawson One of the first things…
Plan or Improvisation? – Life Lessons From Big Ears 2019
By Eric Dawson Many musicians have talked about how an improvisational approach to music can be instructive on how one might also approach life. Creating in the moment, remaining open to reacting, and responding to unplanned and unexpected occurrences…
Strolling Through Big Ears – Part 2
Well the weather cleared up for Friday and Saturday, sunshine and warmer weather prevailed, and you couldn’t have asked for nicer days to be strolling around downtown. Hope the visiting Hawaiians felt more at home.
The Pilot Light and Big Ears
Let’s talk about the Pilot Light. The Old City club, which will hit its 20th(!) anniversary next year, has hosted a mind-boggling number of acts in its time, many if not most that are right at home in the Big Ears universe, with many festival alumni having performed there before they were later booked for the big show. It’s a natural venue for the festival, along with Big Ears stalwarts the Tennessee Theatre, Bijou and KMA, a venue for the original festival in 2009.
Strolling Through Big Ears
Spring is here and with it comes one of the city’s most anticipated events of the year. No, I’m not talking about March Madness or the Knoxville Marathon, although this Knoxville-based music festival can feel both a little mad and like an endurance test. It’s time once again for Big Ears!
