Over the course of this year’s Big Ears Festival, I watched 11 feature films and 19 shorts. Only 5 of the films—all features—had what you might recognize as a narrative. As far as the others — “What was it about?”…
Big Ears 2018 – Áine O’Dwyer
Irish multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Áine O’Dwyer is known for her unique site-specific performances, which often draw on her performative art background. Integral to the conception of each performance and recording are a location’s acoustics, atmosphere and history. For her latest…
Big Ears 2018 – Regional Cinema, Regional Fear
You won’t find any mention of this on the official Big Ears website, but this year’s film lineup is built around two themes: 3D Cinema and Regional Cinema. The latter, curated primarily by Public Cinema co-founder Paul Harrill, highlights films…
Big Ears 2018 – Q&A With Diamanda Galás
A Diamanda Galás performance is unlike any other performance you’ll ever see — even unlike other Diamanda Galás performances. Since the 1970s the singer has been stunning—and occasionally shocking—audiences with her uncanny vocalizations and theatrical stage presence.
Big Ears 2018 – Q&A With Milford Graves
Among the many activities undertaken during his 76 years so far on this planet, Milford Graves has been an herbalist, an acupuncturist, a martial arts instructor, a college professor, a medical laboratory assistant and a scientific researcher. These disciplines all…
Big Ears 2018 – Additions to the ‘Immersive’ Experience Feature the Intersection of Music and Film
Anyone who has attended one of the previous Big Ears Festivals will vouch for the thought-altering qualities of the “immersive” experience. What does that even mean, you ask? There is something quite indescribable that takes place when one is drawn…
Big Ears 2018 – Q&A with Nels Cline
Nels Cline was already well on his way to becoming a guitar hero when he got the call to join Wilco in 2004. Though that gig brought his playing to a much wider audience, in the preceding 20-plus years Cline had played with a mind-boggling array of top notch musicians on more than 200 albums, in addition to his solo recording and groups Nels Cline Trio and Nels Cline Singers.