By Jennifer Duncan-Rankin, John Flannagan, Daniel Fluitt, Josh McClenney, Rusty Odom, Matt Rankin and Nat Tracey-Miller
Big Ears Guide • Ashley Capps interview • Madame Weezy’s Big Ears Horoscopes
Big Ears will celebrate its 10th installment in 2023, and according to organizers, it will mark the festival’s largest year to date.
As is always the case with Big Ears, there have been a handful of additions and alterations to the lineup and schedule in recent weeks. The most notable late add is perhaps David Byrne. The Talking Heads founder and frontman will present “Reasons to be Cheerful” on Friday morning at 11:30 at the historic Tennessee Theatre. This inspirational program suggests approaching the world with wonder and urges attendees to reach for creativity in myriad veins of culture. Byrne will also highlight four films presented throughout Friday and Saturday at the nearby Regal Riviera, the last of which will be his much-lauded concert film “American Utopia.”
Byrne is just one of more than 175 artists who will take over the Marble City on this seminal spring weekend, and while we couldn’t cover them all, we have previewed an amalgamation of genres below. Be sure to check www.blank.news each afternoon for recaps of the previous day’s action, and keep an eye on the Big Ears app for notifications regarding further changes, updates and the skinny on secret shows. See ya at Son Lux. – Rusty Odom
THURSDAY
BB Wisely
Thursday • 7 p.m. • Boyd’s Jig & Reel
Friday • 7 p.m. • Boyd’s Jig & Reel
This bicoastal trio borne from two already-established duos has been making dreamy melodies together for the past few years. Made up of Bridget Kearney, Benjamin Lazar Davis and Chime Wisely, this group has a rainy-day sound that makes you want to wallow in cozy blankets and have a drowsy cuddle if you’re partnered up (or a good cathartic cry if you aren’t). The three harmonize beautifully, and their songwriting is soft, sincere and relatable. Their second show will arrive at the perfect point during the weekend when, after almost two full days of getting after it, you might just need to relax, regroup and quiet your mind for a spell.
– Jennifer Duncan-Rankin
Terry Allen & the Panhandle Mystery Band
Thursday • 7:30 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
When folks in Texas talk about the “Lubbock Sound,” thoughts often go to the open emptiness, quirky flatness, utter boredom and, eventually, to Terry Allen. “Nothing else to do” was the motto spoken by the talented West Texans Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale and Butch Hancock about growing up musically in Lubbock. However, their music wouldn’t exist without their “older brother” in the scene.
Allen truly is the unvarnished Swiss Army knife of West Texas arts, shining as a songwriter, performer, sculptor, playwright and actor. His 1979 release “Lubbock (On Everything)” perfectly exemplified what life in West Texas was like: Lone Star beers, cotton-field dancing in a circle of headlights and the nostalgia of a simpler time and place. His newest release, “Just Like Moby Dick,” jaunts between Harry Houdini, vampires, pirates and war. – Daniel Fluitt
Bill Frisell
Thursday • 7:30 p.m. • Civic Auditorium
Sunday • 4:15 p.m. • Bijou Theatre
Composer/guitarist Bill Frisell has garnered well-deserved, near-universal critical acclaim throughout his career. He’s played with many of the country’s best musicians, forming a number of eclectic bonds and producing a near-constant stream of compelling music. 2020’s “Americana,” on which he joined Grégoire Maret and Romain Collin, features a cover of Bon Iver’s “Re: Stacks” that manages to capture Justin Vernon’s emotive structure without including his distinctive voice or lyricism.
Frisell will perform twice over the course of the weekend. The first, at primetime Thursday at the Civic Auditorium, will feature a much-anticipated North American debut performance alongside Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He then will perform on Sunday afternoon as part of the Bill Frisell Four with Jonathan Blake, Gerald Clayton and Gregory Tardy. – Josh McClenney
Los Lobos
Thursday • 9:30 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
Friday • 6:30 p.m. • Southern Railway Station
The greatest American rock band? The Los Angeles lifers are entering their sixth decade of bold exploration, still anchored by the voices and guitars of Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo. Unfailingly consistent, their sets draw equally from their classic breakthrough era (“How Will the Wolf Survive?,” “Kiko”), their quiet run of mid-aughts triumphs (“The Town and the City”) and their spectacular post-pandemic covers record (“Native Sons”). Through it all, the easy comfort of five lifelong friends infuses Los Lobos’ tight grooves with that extra something that has to be earned. Los Lobos play two sets, headlining Friday night at the Tennessee and performing a second evening set on Friday at the Southern Railway Station. – Nat Tracey-Miller
Kali Malone
Thursday • 10:15 p.m. • St. John’s Cathedral (organ set)
Friday • 4 and 5:30 p.m. • Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) (“Living Torch” diffusion sets)
Saturday • 7:15 p.m. • Old City Performing Arts Center (electronic set)
Over the course of the weekend, Stockholm composer Kali Malone will showcase the full range of talents heard on her three remarkable records. On opening night, Malone will be joined by Sunn O))) dronemaster Stephen O’Malley for a series of four-handed pipe-organ pieces at St. John’s, building on the grand compositions of 2019’s “The Sacrificial Code.” Friday sees two presentations of “Living Torch,” her 2021 electroacoustic fantasia, at the Knoxville Museum of Art using a large multichannel sound system. Malone’s final set, an electronic exercise in the vein of recent release “Does Spring Hide Its Joy?,” takes place at the intimate Old City Performing Arts Center. – NTM
Vijay Iyer Trio
Thursday • 10:30 p.m. • Bijou Theatre
“Uneasy,” the 2021 debut from MacArthur Fellow pianist Iyer, bassist Linda Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey, is an apt descriptor for a record whose song titles and claustrophobic melodies reflect the fraught societal conditions that led to its conception. Though a dark current runs throughout, the proceedings are uplifted by the undeniable brilliance of its players, who corral their individual talents to create a chaotic yet cohesive work that is also deeply moving. Seeing them reproduce it live late Thursday in Knoxville’s premier listening room is a delicious prospect. – Matt Rankin
Larry & Joe
Thursday • 11 p.m. • Boyd’s Jig & Reel
Friday • 3:15 p.m. • St. John’s Cathedral
Reading the backstory of this duo, I expected somber, haunting, serious tunes. Larry Bellorín, a Venezuelan migrant seeking asylum and finding it here in the States, has lived a life full of hardship and hard work. Native North Carolinian and lifelong musician Joe Troop developed a passion for assisting those in Bellorín’s very situation, then wound up going through some strife of his own when he became stranded in South America as the pandemic hit.
Though their bios feature a bounty of bummers, the music they make together (self-described as Latingrass), is nothing short of delightful. Ever been curious to hear what a banjo and harp sound like together? A hoedown with maracas? By golly, make sure to make time for this pair and find out, as they make some of the sincerest, comforting, fun and welcoming music you’ll ever have the pleasure to hear. – JDR
Liturgy
Thursday • 11:15 p.m. • The Standard
When Liturgy returns at the end of the month, it will have been 13 years since the Brooklyn outfit last graced a Knoxville stage. Much has changed in that time, but the group’s progressive metal remains as visceral now as it ever has been. The band has expressed a willingness to step outside of its comfort zone, as evidenced by its last full-length, 2020’s “Origin of the Alimonies,” a diverse album that found Ravenna Hunt-Hendrix and company experimenting with multiple genres through liberal use of classical instrumentation, rustic piano, haunting organ and electronic glitches. Still, it’s the pulverizing black-metal passages that continue to be their bread and butter and which – in spite of some stiff competition – should draw a healthy crowd to the Standard late Thursday evening. – MR
FRIDAY
Xylouris White
Friday • 4 p.m. • Southern Railway Station
Saturday • 11:15 p.m. • The Standard
It’s a fair bet that any folks present at any of this duo’s previous Big Ears appearances likely will attend at least one of the two performances scheduled for this year, as well, and that’s because they know that Giorgos Xylouris and Jim White are able to summon onstage an intensity that they haven’t been able to replicate on any of their albums. That isn’t to suggest that the recorded material by the Cretan laouto player and famed percussionist, respectively, is substandard in any way; it’s just that the pair is otherworldly good in a live setting. As it is scheduled as part of the street party, the Friday afternoon show is free and open to the public. – MR
Calexico
Friday • 4:30 p.m. • Civic Auditorium
Based in Tucson, Arizona, Calexico has provided the soundtrack to the Great American Desert since their emergence in 1995. The early desert-rock pioneers perfectly blend mariachi, spaghetti western and indie rock, and they feature the reverb-drenched twang guitar and vocals of Joey Burns and the open landscape-inspired drumming of John Convertino. From first album “Spoke” to their newest, “El Mirador,” the music evokes gunfighter ballads and fables with Western undertones, both of which transport the listener to the dry, barren terrain and will leave vivid impressions of the beauty and dust ringing in their ears. Calexico has worked alongside Iron & Wine, Neko Case and Naim Amor, releasing 12 albums and five EPs throughout their career. – DF
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
Friday • 5 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
All three members of this new group are Big Ears vets, with Aftab and Ismaily gracing the stage of the Tennessee just last year with songs from the former’s record “Vulture Prince.” Here, they present the first in a busy slate of shows supporting “Love in Exile,” their new collaboration released March 24 on Verve. Nine-minute lead single “To Remain/To Return” sees Iyer and Ismaily lay down eerie glacial soundscapes before the song coalesces around Aftab’s warm Urdu vocals. – NTM
Eric Lee
Friday • 7 p.m. • Pilot Light
Out-of-towners are unlikely to truly appreciate just how polarizing a figure Mr. Lee is within Knoxville’s music scene. He was born without a filter, and his piercing honesty and trademark curmudgeonism can be more than most can handle. If you stick around him long enough, though, and can push past that prickly thicket of an exterior, you’ll find someone who is incredibly creative, talented and willing to distribute love evenly. The only difference is that he isn’t gonna compromise a drop to get it.
Lee’s music is just as raw as his personality. And while instrumental guitar shows can be unnerving for the impatient, Lee is unmatched in conveying complex stories full of emotion whether solo or accompanied by equally talented, absolutely patient musicians. For a preview, hit up the Capsules page on the Pilot Light’s website for a taste of what he has to offer. – JDR
Grouper
Friday • 10:15 p.m. • The Point
Liz Harris’ songs feel fragile enough to disintegrate between the speaker and your ear. Scheduled for the canceled 2020 festival with her Nivhek project, Harris returns to Big Ears after eight years with the career-spanning set she toured last spring. Paired with spectral video projections, Grouper’s songs transport the listener to Lynchian dreamlands, and her beautiful melodies are undercut by a quiet, unnerving menace.
– NTM
Makaya McCraven
Friday • 10:30 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
If the massively positive response to last year’s “In These Times” is any indication, McCraven promises to enthrall the Friday night audience at the Tennessee Theatre with a rendering of that epic work. Sounding at times only ostensibly like jazz, the album is clearly shaped by the music of several other genres, from soul and R&B to funk and hip-hop. The range of influences extends to alternative territory, too; the percussion on a track like “High Fives” recalls some of the beats on Fiona Apple’s latest, while the guitar work throughout is reminiscent of Jonny Greenwood’s angular riffs for Radiohead. The drummer/bandleader’s diversified sensibility means that just about everyone can find something to like, which might explain why he was afforded what at Big Ears amounts to a headlining slot. – MR
Billy Woods
Friday • 11:30 p.m. • The Standard
Big Ears runs the gamut of music genres, including hip-hop on occasion. Billy Woods has spent time in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Washington D.C, and New York City, which has only helped to develop his unique flow and beat-making. Performing in the vein of true underground hip-hop, Woods has worked with such producer luminaries as The Alchemist, MF Doom (“Dirtweed”), Blockhead and Aesop Rock to name but a few. Toiling as a member of several collectives in the mid-aughts, it was his breakthrough collaboration with Doom on 2007s “Emergency Powers: The World Tour” on which the world finally began to see Woods as one of the game’s true auteurs. He has remained busy ever since, releasing five full-length albums since 2019 alone. – John Flannagan
SATURDAY
John Zorn: Nove Cantici per Francesco d’Assisi
Saturday • 12:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
Originally scheduled for 2022 but bumped due to Gyan Riley’s absence, this star-studded guitar trio also includes Bill Frisell and Julian Lage. Composed for three classical guitars, this program will also feature works from their 2021 followup Teresa de Avila. – NTM
Adia Victoria
Saturday • 12 p.m. • The Standard
Though she is yet another artist hailing from Nashville, Adia Victoria is unlike anything coming out of the Music City today. Victoria has roots entrenched in traditional Southern sounds, but her music is laced with a hypnotic gothic-blues feel. The title of her latest effort, 2021’s “A Southern Gothic,” hints at as much. Produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett, it is as smooth and under-the-radar of a release that has come out in the past couple of years. A standout track on the album is “You Was Born to Die,” which also features heavy-hitters Margot Price and Jason Isbell. Do not sleep on this early Saturday show. – JF
Lee Ranaldo
Saturday • 1:30 p.m. • Knoxville Museum of Art
2022 saw Sonic Youth founding member Kim Gordon returning to Knoxville to perform solo work at Big Ears, and 2023 will feature another alum of that band in guitarist Lee Renaldo, whose experimental guitar work was the glue to the alternative legends’ sound in their heyday. Since the group’s dissolution, Ranaldo has dabbled in producing for the likes of Babes in Toyland and has teamed up with Jim Jarmusch and Sharon Van Etten while also diving back into recording and performing.
Ranaldo has released several solo and collaborative albums in recent years, with many exploring more experimental territory than the mere indie stylings one might expect. Coming off the back of some immersive multimedia live shows, he is presenting at Big Ears an interpretation of wind sounds recorded during Hurricane Sandy in 2013. Originally written for a string orchestra, this will be a stripped-down solo version of the piece. – JF
John Zorn: Suite for Piano
Saturday • 2:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
Joined by New Masada bassist Jorge Roeder and frequent Zorn/Ribot/Xiu Xiu collaborator Ches Smith, Brian Marsella follows his star turn with Gatos del Sul by tackling Zorn’s 2022 Suite for Piano. Explicitly influenced by Schoenberg and the Goldberg Variations, this trio released the studio recording to critical acclaim last summer. – NTM
Kevin Morby
Saturday • 2:15 p.m. • Mill & Mine
Though currently based in Los Angeles, Morby’s early life in Lubbock, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri, can be heard in the laid-back delivery of his insightful and self-reflective songwriting. With seven records and more than a decade as a solo performer under his belt, he has really grown into his own as an artist, reaching deeper with every new release. Morby’s most recent effort, the soundtrack to the 2021 film “Montana Story,” allowed him to show off his instrumental chops, save for a lone collaboration with partner Katie Crutchfield’s band Waxahatchee. Veterans of Big Ears know that this set could produce something far more experimental than the “Harlem River” or “Baltimore County Line” you’d normally expect, but that’s what makes the weekend so special. – JDR
Josephine Foster
Saturday • 2:45 p.m. • Old City PAC
Prolific and versatile, Foster for the last 20-plus years has espoused various forms of folk, from creepy Appalachian incantations (“Hazel Eyes I Will Lead You”) to breezy Laurel Canyon fare (“Blood Rushing”), lending each a distinctive, high-register warble. Her two most recent albums, though, may very well be her best. Like its cover might suggest, “No Harm Done” exudes a winning pastoral charm, while last year’s “Godmother” infuses austere acoustic arrangements with swirling synths – a seemingly odd combination but one that is riveting when executed as properly as it is on this record. – MR
William Parker: Mayan Space Station
Saturday • 4:30 p.m. • The Standard
Bassist William Parker has been a stalwart of the New York jazz scene since the ‘70s, but even within his eclectic discography, “Mayan Space Station” is a departure. A rare electric project, he is joined by guitarist Ava Mendoza and drummer Gerald Cleaver, as was first documented on their remarkable eponymous 2021 debut. The record’s six compositions are psychedelic, wild and explosive, trembling with a joyful but nervous energy sure to blow the roof off The Standard. – NTM
John Zorn: A Capella Music
Saturday • 5:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
A vocal quintet of Kirsten Sollek, Eliza Bagg, Elizabeth Bates, Sarah Brailey and Rachel Calloway perform three Zorn a capella pieces here. Zorn cites the influence of 1950s jazz ensembles for these pieces, including Columbina (2015), 00 0 00 (2012), and mystery play The Holy Visions (2018). – NTM
Devendra Banhart
Saturday • 5 p.m. • Bijou Theatre
Along with Big Ears veterans Joanna Newsom and Animal Collective, Banhart was a luminary within the freak-folk scene of the early aughts. Much was made of his unorthodox persona, which unfortunately often overshadowed his ample musical abilities. Once the media spotlight began to flicker, however, Banhart really began to hit his stride as an artist, mining new sonic territory for himself and collaborating with other like-minded creators. His most recent compositions are largely instrumental, synth-based and contemplative, a far cry from the knotty acoustic numbers that defined the early portion of his career. – MR
Etran de L’Aïr
Saturday • 5:30 p.m. • Jackson Terminal
Sunday • 1 p.m. • The Standard
Etran de L’Aïr doubles up at Big Ears as part of their first proper North American tour. The Nigerien desert blues trio came to Western prominence on Sahel Sounds, the same label which elevated the likes of 2022 standout Mdou Moctar, and their guitar-driven melodies are equally suited to a Knoxville afternoon as they are to the Saharan weddings the band came up playing. – NTM
Ichiko Aoba
Saturday • 6:30 p.m. • St. John’s Cathedral
The intricately layered folk arrangements of this Japanese singer-songwriter are so dense yet delicate that they exist almost as mini-worlds unto themselves. 2020’s “Windswept Adan” is a revelation, a stunningly intimate album that envelops its listeners in a cozy cocoon of reverb and natural found sounds. The welcoming, well-lit sanctuary of St. John’s Cathedral should provide the ideal auditory environment for these exquisite, exploratory songs. – MR
Sun Ra Arkestra
Saturday • 7 p.m. • Mill & Mine
Founded almost 70 years ago, the Sun Ra Arkestra is fronted by 98-year-old Marshall Allen, a member since the group’s earliest days. Frequent collaborators with the likes of Yo La Tengo, the Arkestra refuses to rest on its laurels, and their sets combine classic-era material with pieces from their two most recent albums, 2020’s “Swirling” and last year’s “Living Sky.” This is Afrofuturist maximalism sure to transport listeners deep into the cosmos. Space is the place. – NTM
Sierra Ferrell
Saturday • 7 p.m. • Civic Auditorium
From Charleston, West Virginia, Sierra Ferrell’s debut album “Long Time Coming” is an eclectic collection of music that moves forward with a distinct pace. Ranging from country to bluegrass and beyond, its ability to move effortlessly from one genre to the next is remarkable. Throughout its entirety, her bird-like vibrato rings out beautifully.
A busy year has seen her perform all across the country, including down the road last year at Bonnaroo, where her lively Sunday afternoon set included a performance of “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” in a minor key that stands as one of the best interpretations of the classic that I’ve ever heard. A can’t-miss performance at Big Ears in spite of everything else that will be taking place. – JM
John Zorn: Bagatelles
Saturday • Part one – 7:30,
Part two – 10:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
While last year’s festival showcased Zorn’s Masada songbook, three programs on Saturday and Sunday will explore his hundreds-deep collection of Bagatelles. Six distinct ensembles will interpret the works: Nova Quartet, Asmodeus, Mary Halvorsen Quartet, Trigger, Brian Marsella Trio and the John Medeski Trio. Zorn’s Bagatelles – by definition, “short, light pieces of music” – were featured in two large box sets, and now make up the core of his Big Ears program. – NTM
MEGAMOON X
Saturday • 10:30 p.m. • Pilot Light
This nonprofit venue is one of the best things about the city, and it’s both a vulnerable and proud feeling when we get to show it off to the rest of the world on these festival weekends. It provides a judgment-free home base in which crafty souls can create and explore without borders being established for their art. This project of local musician Lorna Vela X is a dope mix of electronic beats, synths and guitar that sets a vibe best described as private, late-night dance party in outer space. It’s almost like a group of intergalactic travelers got stranded and, instead of freaking out, decided to make the most of their situation. The vocals are especially evocative, adding to the already interesting instrumentation an extra layer of intrigue. – JDR
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Saturday • 10:45 p.m. • Bijou Theatre
Jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant takes an omnivorous approach to her catalog, augmenting her stunning originals with expected standards and vertiginous covers of the likes of Kate Bush. Her records have brought home three Grammy awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and last year’s “Ghost Song” was a nominee in the same category. Her most recent effort, “Mélusine,” arrived March 24 on Nonesuch Records. – JM
SUSS
Saturday • 11 p.m. • Boyd’s Jig & Reel
Sunday • 1:30 p.m. • Boyd’s Jig & Reel
SUSS craft Western dreamscapes. The New York trio’s instrumental ambient country music is cinematic, the soundtrack to a desert sunset on the most punishing parts of I-40 (some of which lend names to their tracks). Their new self-titled double album compiles three EPs released over the previous two years and adds a new side of thematically linked material. Jonathan Gregg’s pedal steel arcs across his bandmates’ gentle chords like heat lightning throughout; there’s a storm coming, but it’s a ways off yet. – NTM
SUNDAY
John Zorn: Gnostic Trio
Sunday 12:00 p.m • Tennessee Theatre
The Gnostic Trio – made up of Bill Frisell, harpist Carol Emmanuel and Kenny Wolleson on vibes – could easily be a weekend highlight. First featured on an eponymous 2012 record, these pieces twinkle and glow warmly, a perfect start to Sunday afternoon. – NTM
Sierra Hull
Sunday • 2:15 p.m. • Mill & Mine
At just 31 years old, Sierra Hull already has a critically acclaimed career to which any bluegrass musician should aspire. Four of her five albums have landed in the Top 5 of the Billboard Bluegrass Chart, and 2020’s “25 Trips” is an especially lovely display of contemporary bluegrass; as “How Long” builds, it’s tough not to feel your foot bouncing with every increasingly intense strum of the mandolin. Hull has grown into a phenomenal musician whose prodigious talent – which initially caught the attention of Allison Krauss – is on display throughout her ever-deepening catalog. – JM
John Zorn: Chamber Music
Sunday • 5:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
This Sunday program features three pieces composed in the last five years: Sigil Magick, Thought Experiments and Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will Be Able to Present Itself as a Science. The Jack Quartet will be joined by violist Yura Lee, cellist Michael Nicholas and vibraphonist Sae Hashimoto. – NTM
caroline
Sunday • 5:15 p.m. • Jackson Terminal
caroline is a London-based eight-piece whose music manages the herculean task of cohesively balancing the diverse musical influences forming the foundation of its music. Elements of folk and Midwest emo anchor its sound, while layered vocal tracks create ethereal melodies. The group’s gorgeous songwriting and production landed its 2022 eponymous album on several year-end lists. As part of the Essential Tremors podcast, caroline dives into songs that influenced the lives of its members and impacted their artistry; “Dark Blue,” the lead single off of the self-titled record, is one of those for me. – JM
Oneohtrix Point Never
Sunday • 6 p.m. • Civic Auditorium
Brooklyn-based electronic musician Daniel Lopatin makes his first return to Big Ears since 2014. A prolific artist, Lopatin has unleashed a steady stream of quality albums since his masterful 2007 debut “Betrayed in the Octagon.” Under his Oneohtrix Point Never moniker, Lopatin also has scored three films, including a newly reported collaboration with The Weeknd, with whom he worked during Super Bowl LV, directing the pop star’s visually stunning performance. OPN’s last solo work was the critically acclaimed “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never” in 2020, though an album scheduled for release later this year figures to play prominently into this Big Ears performance. – JF
John Zorn: Trio with Christian McBride and Dave Lombardo
Sunday • 7:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
This new trio is likely to fit into the punishing grindcore sound of Painkiller, originally scheduled for this year’s festival but bumped due to Bill Laswell’s absence. Lombardo, most famous for his decades in thrash metal stalwarts Slayer, should be the driving force in this short (45 minute) set, and McBride (seen elsewhere with his own group) is a welcome addition. This is the festival’s only scheduled chance to hear Zorn play saxophone. – NTM
John Zorn: Cobra
Sunday • 10:00 p.m. • Tennessee Theatre
Cobra is the madcap sport of the Zorn oeuvre. An elaborate set of rules dictate the progression of the improvised music, and soloists can pass to another musician, mute other players and completely redirect the “game.” The dozen-strong ensemble for this festival closing set stars a who’s-who of Zorn collaborators, including John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen and Mary Halvorsen. – NTM
FREE PROGRAMMING
As part of this year’s free community programming, Big Ears Festival is hosting a two-day street party at the Southern Railway Station on Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1 from 1-8 p.m.
Both days will feature free concerts from various Big Ears and local artists, as well as food trucks, art and play activities for all ages. Here is the schedule of events:
• Friday
Adeem the Artist (2-3 p.m.)
Xylouris White (4-5 p.m.)
Los Lobos (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
• Saturday
Drums Up Guns Down
& Good Guy Collective (2-3 p.m.)
Danielle Ponder (3:30-4:30 p.m.)
Rica Chicha (5:15-6:15 p.m.)
Combo Chimbita (7-8 p.m.)
Prior to the music beginning on Saturday, a Big Ears people-powered parade will begin lining up at noon in the surface lot beneath the James White Parkway in the Old City. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. and arrives at the Station between 1:30 and 1:45. The theme for this year’s parade is: “AMPLIFY! To turn up, raise up, uplift, magnify, make larger, greater and stronger.” So whatever that means to you, assemble a costume, arrive early and take part.
Come back to www.blank.news for daily recaps each afternoon.
