The ever-evolving 2024 Big Ears Festival, March 21 – 24 in downtown Knoxville, has announced its daily lineups and is putting single-day passes on sale Tuesday, December 5 at 9 a.m. Eastern. Full 4-Day weekend passes have been on sale since September, though Weekend VIP and Premier pass options have been sold out for weeks. Passes are available at bigearsfestival.org.
“We’re experiencing unprecedented response to the 2024 festival,” says Founder/Director Ashley Capps. “Each year builds on the past festival, and this year is no exception. But it’s important for us to offer a single-day pass option as it’s an affordable and easy way to get a taste of Big Ears and what it’s all about. Once that happens, many choose to return the following year for the full immersive experience. For music fans, it tends to be irresistible.”
Since its initial lineup announcement in September, Big Ears has continued to unveil new additions to the 2024 roster. Just this week, the renowned Kronos Quartet – celebrating their remarkable five-decade career – announced plans for a special program at the festival, and bluegrass supergroup Mighty Poplar, with members of Punch Brothers, Watchhouse, and Leftover Salmon, were announced as well, along with others.
A number of 2024 Big Ears artists received Grammy nominations a few weeks ago. Jon Batiste
was nominated for five Grammys, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year; Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway as well as Mighty Poplar were both nominated for Bluegrass Record of the Year; Rhiannon Giddens has two nominations: Best Americana Album and Best American Roots Performance; others include Julian Lage for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album; Aja Monet for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album; Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society for Best Large Jazz Ensemble; and Third Coast Percussion for Best Chamber Music / Small Ensemble Performance.
This past week, Netflix started streaming American Symphony, Academy Award-winner Matthew Heineman’s documentary recounting Jon Batiste’s 11 Grammy nominations in 2022 and struggles to compose his first major symphonic work as his wife battles a resurgence of cancer. It is a powerful and inspiring story of triumphs and tribulations.
In addition, the Big Ears Festival received a nomination of its own, for Music Festival of the Year (under 30k), from the leading music industry publication, Pollstar.
As in the past, Big Ears 2024 will continue to unfold in the coming weeks, with its film program, artists conversations, workshops, exhibitions, and undoubtedly more musical surprises still to come. You can follow along at bigearsfestival.org or on Big Ears’ social platforms.
