Listeners unite as Big Ears 26 comes to a close

The 13th installment of Big Ears has come and gone. It was another wildly successful year, and in a time when travel turmoil riddles the national headlines, we couldn’t tell. Going in, we were expecting at least a few travel-related cancellations, but as far as we know, every artist who was scheduled to perform made it and, in many cases, put on a show that audience members will be talking about for ages. Here are a few of our favorites from the final day of Big Ears 2026, and you can find our coverage for previous days just below. – Rusty Odom

Recaps of each day: Day One: Thursday • Day Two: Friday • Day Three: Saturday • Day Four: Sunday

Blind Boys of Alabama

There’s an abundance of reasons to hold this decades-old group in such high regard. The history and longevity of the outfit, active since 1939, is a feat unto itself. The numerous collaborations with greats such as Lou Reed and Prince are mighty impressive. The never-ending list of awards and accolades, including countless Grammys and places in numerous halls of ame, is a testament to their importance. The dedication to celebrating the greatness that can be achieved while living with a disability is inspiring. The fact is, though, folks, they’re just that good.

Fans weary from days of traipsing throughout downtown were rewarded for making it to the final day with a joyful and uplifting performance that was much more than just some show; it was a fellowship: a meeting full of celebration, positivity and gratefulness for what we have with each other.

Dressed to the nines with a lively band, the Blind Boys sang gospel interspersed with historical mainstays such as “Wade in the Water,” which nearly lifted the roof off the Mill & Mine early Sunday afternoon. The friendly and funny group had the whole crowd dancing, singing and smiling from ear to ear. This was a special, spirited celebration everyone in attendance was able to experience together. – Jennifer Duncan-Rankin

Chris Thile

Most recognize this California native from bluegrass outfits Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, but Chris Thile has spent ample time growing his name as an impeccable solo artist. Anyone who has seen him play live is aware of his dynamic and charming stage presence. With genre-bending and blending, Thile pours his heart into his work in such a way that leaves you feeling like you’ve gotten to know the man on a much more personal level.

Appearing solo, Thile gave a hilarious warning to the audience: “This is going to be a lot of mandolin.” His set featured a delightful mix of delicate and well-known tunes such as “I Made This for You,” Nickel Creek hits and Punch Brothers’ “The Julep,” along with his reworking of pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach. He even included his audience-participation game “Stump the Radiohead Fan,” in which he challenges the room to have him cover any song by the band, which is how everyone was treated to his rendition of “Fitter Happier.”

The show was remarkably good-natured and positive, with Thile even telling a story about his younger self trying to proselytize to and convert a member of Toad the Wet Sprocket. He was able to display his superior technical ability while also being boisterous, entertaining, engaging, humble and relatable – a tall order but so rewarding to experience in person. – JDR

Muireann Bradley

I always say that one of the best things about this festival is walking into a room and discovering an artist you never would have been exposed to otherwise. Starving and unsure of my next move, I ducked into Boyd’s Jig & Reel for some respite and refreshment but was delighted to hear this spunky singer-songwriter from Ireland who is obviously wise well beyond her 18 years.

Armed with just an acoustic guitar, Bradley crooned and wailed. With a heavy helping of blues and soul, the audience was engrossed in what she had to say. She’s on the road to great things, and she’s just getting started. – JDR

Sō Percussion: Steve Reich’s Drumming

Sitting on the floor of the Mill & Mine, a sizable crowd had already formed by soundcheck to see Big Ears regulars Sō Percussion. Three marimbas, three bell kits and eight hand drums would fill the next hour and 15 minutes with near perfect execution of Reich’s signature phase-shifting style. The piece also featured a couple vocalists, a piccolo and an accidental but still somehow fitting train whistle.

Most stood still or sat on the floor and let the waves wash over them; one fan danced aggressively throughout. There’s no single right way to enjoy something like this, so as long as you gave it your time and attention, your body would take care of the rest.

This one felt like Big Ears. Watching with a few hundred likeminded individuals does the soul good, and I could tell from the eruption of applause after the last note that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. – Zac Fallon

Nels Cline: Lovers

As afternoon drew to a close and dusk descended on Sunday at Big Ears, I made my way to the Tennessee Theatre for Nels Cline’s “Lovers.” The 2014 album, Cline’s first for the Blue Note label, features original songs mixed with symphonic arrangements of others’ work, covering artists as diverse as Henry Mancini, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Sonic Youth. Flanked on one side by a handpicked band that included Yuka Honda, his wife, and Alex Cline, his twin brother, and on the other side by 11 members of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, Cline took his seat near the center of the stage behind bandleader and trumpeter Michael Leonhart.

The program had a moody, sultry undercurrent, and many of the pieces evoked a nostalgia for experiences better left to the movies: a cigarette in a basement bar, a martini at lunch, a stolen glance across a crowd. Cline expressed an immense appreciation for the festival itself, of which he has been an integral part, and for his fellow musicians, both the ones onstage with him and those on other stages throughout the weekend. The sincerity of it all resonated with the near-capacity crowd, and the full band received a spirited ovation to close the set. With a touch of the experimental and a touch of the familiar, “Lovers” ended up being a bit of a microcosm for Big Ears itself and a perfect way to head into the homestretch for Sunday night. – Daniel Britt

Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles

The last show of the festival began a tad tepidly in comparison to much of the mind-blowing sonic fare that I experienced in the four days preceding it, but this collaboration between native sons from Duluth, Minnesota, grew in depth and tone as it progressed. Sparhawk is no stranger to Big Ears, having played it at least twice before with his experimental-rock group Low and performing solo at last year’s iteration. Without proper context, Trampled by Turtles’ inclusion in the lineup might be considered odd given the festival’s distinctly avant-garde leanings.

However, the singer/multi-instrumentalist and the members of the bluegrass outfit are fast friends, and the latter were there to support the former when his musical and life partner, Mimi Parker, died from cancer in 2022. Sparhawk’s first onstage appearance after her death came when the band invited him to guest with them at a gig in Minneapolis, and their instrumentation formed the spine of last year’s eponymous release “Alan Sparhawk With Trampled by Turtles.”

All nine tracks that comprise that album formed the first part of Sunday night’s set at the Mill & Mine, although, curiously, they were not presented in order. The stark melodies and plaintive lyrics combined to establish a melancholic mood, which was further enhanced by the fact that many of the songs explore Sparhawk’s grieving process; the delivery of “Don’t Take Your Light” was particularly devastating.

Low’s last full-length effort before Parker’s passing was the monumental “HEY WHAT,” the literal and emotional centerpiece of which was “Days Like These.” It was fitting, then, that the track the duo performed at the same venue in 2022 would resurface on this setlist. Although its words are awash in darkness, the soaring music offers a beacon of hope amidst all the gloom, and rays of light shone brightly through the gaps of this airier, less dense version. Overall, the show provided a touching close to what was another excellent long weekend. – Matt Rankin