Laurie Anderson / More Sō / In the Wild / Miles Davis
Announcing Two New Laurie Anderson Events
What War Is This? What Time Is It?
A Big Ears Keynote Address
Friday 3:30pm — Tennessee Theatre
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SPIN — Laurie Anderson / Eyvind Kang / Martha Mooke
Three of the most visionary string players of our time share a stage at Big Ears. Laurie Anderson, Eyvind Kang, and Martha Mooke — each a boundary-pushing artist who has redefined what the violin and viola can do — first united in Reykjavik, and now bring that rare collaborative electricity to Knoxville. Anderson, a towering figure in avant-garde performance and storytelling; Kang, whose work spans ancient tunings, film scores, and free improvisation; and Mooke, a trailblazing electric violist who has collaborated with everyone from Philip Glass to David Bowie — together, these three artists represent something truly singular. Don’t miss this once-in-a-festival gathering of kindred spirits.
Sō Percussion Adds Two Programs
In addition to their Friday late afternoon program at the Tennessee Theatre with Caroline Shaw ft. Ringdown, Sō Percussion has added two additional exciting programs to their weekend slate.
Julius Eastman’s jubilant Stay On It alongside new percussion repertoire from Kendall K. Williams and Olivier Tarpaga, and a landmark performance of Steve Reich’s Drumming with Knoxville’s own Nief-Norf ensemble, a nod to the composer’s 90th birthday year.
- Sō Percussion & Caroline Shaw ft. Ringdown — Fri 6:00pm / Tennessee Theatre
- Sō Percussion Plays Williams, Tarpaga & Eastman — Sat 12:30pm / The Greyhound
- Steve Reich’s Drumming with Nief-Norf — Sun 4:00pm / Mill & Mine
Wild Up: In the Wild
The GRAMMY-nominated orchestral collective Wild Up brings an afternoon of new works and live experiments to the Knoxville Museum of Art. Six composer-performers from the ensemble — each a singular voice in contemporary music — will take over the museum throughout the day, presenting individual sets and collaborative performances that blur the line between composition and spontaneity.
Schedule:
- 2:00pm — Patrick Shiroishi
- 3:00pm — M.A. Tiesenga w. Marlon Martinez & Max Jaffe
- 4:00pm — Andrew Tholl
- 5:00pm — Darian Donovan Thomas
- 6:00pm — Max Jaffe
Drop in for one set or stay for all five — either way, this is an afternoon not to be missed.
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Horn player. Bandleader. Innovator. Elegant and intellectual, magnificent and mercurial — Miles Davis was the very embodiment of cool, a man with a sound so beautiful it could break your heart.
The central theme of his life was a restless determination to break boundaries and live entirely on his own terms. Again and again, in music and in life, Miles broke with convention — and when his own work became the new convention, he changed it again. From bebop to cool jazz, modern quintets and orchestral music, jazz fusion and beyond, his bold clarity of vision and relentless thirst for new experience made him an inspiring collaborator, a transformative force, and a cultural icon to generations of listeners.
Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes, and rare photographs, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool tells the story of a truly singular talent — unpacking the music and the myth of the man behind the horn.
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Next To Last Call
The remaining supplies of Festival passes — for Thursday, Friday, and Sunday — as well as a small allotment of Full 4-Day Weekend passes — are selling fast. How long before they’re gone? We cannot predict for certain. But if you don’t want to miss out on one of the most anticipated festivals of the year, you should act soon.
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Get a Room!
While hotel rooms in downtown Knoxville during Big Ears are now almost impossible to find, there are still great lodging options only 10 minutes or less away. We recommend checking your favorite travel site for the best rates — you’ll find a number of affordable options just outside of downtown Knoxville that offer easy access to the festival. For a full list of recommended accommodations, visit our hotel page.
Downtown offers ample parking, much of it free during weekends, and, of course, ride services such as Uber and Lyft are in full swing during the festival weekend.
Hotels
