Big Ears has always brought together myriad genres of music and plenty of cultural diversity, but Friday was extra special. There were offerings for every kind of listener, and we have some new favorites. Dig in below.
Ibeyi
As my first stop of the day, I was still dragging a bit from the night before and therefore wasn’t eager to stand in an obscenely long line right off the bat. Man oh man, though, this show was absolutely worth the wait. The high-energy set these enchanting, multi-ethnic twins put on was visually stunning, full of gorgeous harmonies, thumping percussion and sexy as all get-out. This was one of those shows in which it’s almost a shame to have had seating because the music really commanded the crowd to move! Thankfully, by the last third or so of the show, the audience relented and finally loosened up enough to jump out of their seats and move their bodies. They engaged the crowd so handily, having the theater sing along – and even scream their range – to encourage getting in touch with emotions. With a mixture of dance, soul, R&B and world music, they invited the room in on the seemingly ongoing party the sisters share. The songwriting had so much passion and vulnerability, but not in a way that felt intrusive; instead, it was empowering. Just as charming, toward the end of the set, the two shared a love song they wrote to each other, signing to each other and embracing all the while. It was such a joyfully touching thing to witness. I can’t wait to see these ladies again, and I can’t imagine they won’t be superstars in the new future. – Jennifer Duncan-Rankin
Shane Parish
So I got a little lesson in assumptions on this one. I skimmed the blurb for Parish on the Big Ears app, saw the words “guitar,” “folk” and the fact he would be playing a Boyd’s Jig & Reel (which for you non-locals is a well-known spot for good bluegrass) and thought that’d be about what I’d see. I must say that what I actually experienced was totally cool but totally different from what I had expected. Parish’s guitar picking is nothing short of incredible, and it is almost as engaging to watch as it is to listen to. With quick-changing tempos, present but minimalistic lyrics that are at times dark and other times reflective and sometimes even funny, he takes the crowd on an internal exploration. If you just walked into the room for a moment, you may think what you’re witnessing is just an abstract stream of consciousness, but if you stuck around, you’d discover something much more complete and profound. – JDR
Mary Halvorson: “Belladonna”
The second of consecutive performances with Mivos Quartet at the Bijou Friday afternoon – the first being a rendering of “Amaryllis” – saw the guitarist seated centerstage and flanked on both sides by a pair of players to form a semicircle. Together, they established an immediate, intuitive bond, as violin plucks met with bowed cello and delicate guitar picking on the opening number from “Belladonna,” a suite they released last year. The somber dirge eventually gave way to a chaotic din of noise, barely adhering to the structure of the piece but still in lockstep.
Brighter, more melodic sequences materialized when Halvorson’s instrument was featured more prominently. Wondrously bent notes staggered woozily before soaring heavenward, melding perfectly with the gently weeping strings to generate an emotional core for the recital. I often found myself drifting during this set, but the music lent itself to that, as it sounded like the manifestation of the inner workings of one’s mind, from softly percolating thoughts to an explosion of ideas. – Matt Rankin
Proteins of Magic
Having just returned from touring Australia and New Zealand and with a UK tour kicking off in April, multi-instrumentalist Kelly Sherrod, better known as Proteins of Magic, managed to sandwich a packed Big Ears set at the venerable Pilot Light on Saturday afternoon into her busy schedule. Sherrod, a one-person act who works her laptop by sampling and layering vocals while also playing the flute and bass, respectively, blended elements of pop and post-punk, which gave off Annie Lennox vibes at certain points. While she looks almost menacing at times, Sherrod could not have been sweeter, especially when she stopped between songs to banter and talk about her 8-year-old son, who she understandably misses while on tour. Proteins of Magic was part musical performance and digital art, with projected images being shown that choreographed seamlessly with her programmed beats. On a day chock-full of amazing acts, Proteins of Magic was the first standout performance on day two of Big Ears. – John Flannagan
“Love in Exile” Trio
One of the most hotly anticipated shows of the weekend, as evidenced by the huge line wrapped around the entirety of the block leading to the entrance of the Tennessee Theatre, was Friday’s world-premiere performance of “Love in Exile,” the recently released album by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily. Emerging onstage dressed all in black (save for the reflective elements adorning Aftab’s blazer), the trio did not disappoint, as they culled several songs from the record to deliver as fine of a Big Ears set as I’ve ever witnessed.
To begin, Iyer produced a series of twinkling, crystalline piano lines, layering them over Ismaily’s warm electric bass. Aftab came in a few minutes later, her resonant voice imbuing the song with immediacy. Ismaily alternated between bass and an effects board, from which he coaxed unnervingly menacing drones. (I’m one of those lucky folks who experience physical responses to music, so the first transition, when combined with Iyer’s gossamer notes and Aftab’s Urdu incantations, elicited goosebumps the size of dimes and a sudden burst of tears from eyes that rolled back into my head.)
The concert would continue in that manner, the hypnotic mood of the session broken only twice. The first brief moment of levity happened mid-set when Aftab chuckled as she requested a glass of wine; the second occurred when it was delivered. Having graced the same stage in 2022, she now has extolled the virtues of fermented grapes in consecutive years at the festival. Funny aside notwithstanding, this was an exquisite, deeply moving performance that put into plain focus just how unbelievably spoiled we locals are to have this annual event take place in our backyard. – MR
Meridian Brothers
Elbis Alvarez, who has released more than 25 albums since 2005, graced the stage at Jackson Terminal with his seven-piece collective Meridian Brothers on Saturday afternoon. The Colombian group blended styles of salsa, Caribbean and Mexican folk, which led to a good old-fashioned dance party at the free venue. BLANK publisher Rusty Odom and I have found a niche of seeking out Latin-flavored acts during Big Ears in the past and have been rewarded every single time. Luckily for attendees, the Meridian Brothers are scheduled to play two more shows at Big Ears on Saturday, starting with the Blue Plate Special at noon and another set at Jackson Terminal at 10 p.m. I suspect the later will be another dance party, so grab your partner accordingly.
Eric Lee
I’m not going to make this a love letter to Eric or anything, but he is an infuriating, incredible human. He has an opinion on pretty much everything, especially on the definition of music. There is no doubt Lee is one of the most incredibly gifted guitarists around; however, how he expresses his gift – or gifts rather – is truly the best thing to witness. He has talked for some time about how musicians explain their songs before they play and how his ultimate goal is to just sit on a stage and only tell stories at some point. He’s too good of a guitar player to get away with that entirely, but he did a very good job trying at the beginning of this show. Starting with some signature cussin’ and self-depreciation along with some belches into the mic, he went into tuning his guitar and getting started among local friends/hecklers. After a cherry little riff, he went into talking about his idea for a cop show centered around an agent Babcock from Virginia who carries a chihuahua in his fanny pack. Since I knew what was happening, I was losing breath from laughter. I gazed around the room to see some folks impressed, many confused and others in the know just as amused as I was. A fellow member of the BLANK crew not as familiar with Lee shot a text saying he felt like he was in an Andy Kaufman skit. After playing another couple short songs, he invited a saxophone and accordion player onstage to join in for something a bit more abstract – but more along the lines of what folks were likely expecting at a Big Ears show. My favorite part was in the beginning, though, when I watched him just being his unapologetic self. Eric’s art absolutely made everyone in that room feel something. And that is kinda the point of all of this anyhow. – JDR
Andrew Bird
With over two decades and 16 studio albums under his belt, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird put on a spectacular set in the new-to-Big Ears venue, the Civic Auditorium. With his emotive voice, powerful instrumentation and refreshingly intriguing light show, Bird put his range on full display. With a two-piece backing band, he played a pleasant variety from his huge discography, featuring such hits as “Inside Problems,” “Three White Horses” and even throwing in some of his bluegrass tunes in “Dig up the Hatchet.” A special treat, Sam Beam aka Iron and Wine joined Bird onstage to sing “Left Handed Kisses,” Bird signing the part usually reserved for Fiona Apple and Beam the part normally performed by Bird. Though not quite as experimental as some of the other acts performing over this festival weekend, Bird did remind us of his versatility and unmistakable talent. This show was completely worth going a bit off the beaten festival path. – JDR
Tyshawn Sorey Trio
The older I get, the more I realize that I really, really like jazz. And, typically, the weirder or more “out there” it is, the better I enjoy it. I got my fix Friday evening at the Bijou, where the namesake drummer of the trio merged his monster talent with those of the equally skilled saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell. Each player was a revelation, the quality of their individual contributions recognizable while making the whole a dizzyingly raucous affair. The trio settled into a groove for a less lively yet more melodic middle section, but it erupted once again at the end in a glorious free-jazz free-for-all. Sorey has been something of an all-star at this iteration of Big Ears, and it was his determined pounding that kept the ship on course here in the midst of a tempestuous storm. – MR
Makaya McCraven
Situated behind a massive kit at stage left, the Chicago drummer/bandleader oversaw an enormous ensemble that performed his excellent 2022 opus “In These Times” in full at the Tennessee Theatre late Friday night. Counting at least 11 people – including McCraven and a conductor – from my vantage point near the back of the house, I had to deploy my Eargasms to tone down, just a bit, some of the mighty roar they were able to produce. Complex yet entirely approachable, it was a faithful depiction of the recorded work, although – with so much going on everywhere you looked – it was way more of a treat for the senses than just an auditory listen provides. It also was a feat of endurance, as the group played nonstop for nearly an hour and a half in a whirlwind performance that culminated in a final blowout that threatened to blow the roof off of the venerated venue. The standing ovation at the end was warranted – if not solely for the stamina of the musicians, then at least for the precision and coordination the effort required. – MR
