Big Ears

Big Ears 2019 adds Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Richard Thompson, Yves Tumor, more

The lineup for the 2019 Big Ears Festival has been expanded. The fest includes one of the first productions of TRIPTYCH, “a multimedia project that explores the legacy of provocative New York photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe” with new music by The National’s Bryce Dessner and “interpretations of Monteverdi’s madrigals” by vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, as well as Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Richard Thompson (doing his Killed In Action song cycle), Yves Tumor, Sons of Kemet, Bill Frisell, Jlin, Vijay Iyer, Meredith Monk, The Ever Present Orchestra (featuring Stephen O’Malley and Oren Ambarchi) performing Alvin Lucier‘s work, an ECM Records 50th anniversary celebration, an Art Ensemble of Chicago 50th anniversary celebration, a celebration of the music of ambient pioneer Harold Budd, and more.

As we mentioned previously, the fest also includes Nils Frahm, Mary Halvorson, Lonnie Holley, Fugazi offshoot The Messthetics, and more. Updated lineup below, and stay tuned for even more acts TBA.

Big Ears goes down March 21-24 in Knoxville, TN. Weekend passes are still on sale.

BIG EARS FEST 2019 LINEUP
ACME
Alvin Lucier
Avishai Cohen Quartet
Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan
Bill Frisell and the Mesmerists featuring Tony Scheer, Kenny Wollesen and the films of Bill Morrison
Brooklyn Rider
Carl Stone
Carla Bley TRIOS with Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow
Carla Kihlstedt
Clarice Jensen + Jonathan Turner: For this from that will be filled
Coupler
DeJohnette Coltrane Garrison
Derek Gripper
Evan Parker / Matt Wright Trance Map+
Ever Present Orchestra featuring Stephen O’Malley and Oren Ambarchi
Harold Budd
International Contemporary Ensemble performing the work of Carla Kihlstedt, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Ellen Reid, Ashley Fure
Irreversible Entanglements
Jerusalem In My Heart
Jlin
Joan La Barbara: Voice is the Original Instrument
Joep Beving
Kara-Lis Coverdale
Kayhan Kalhor
Kim Kashkashian
Lonnie Holley
Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl
Mathias Eick Quintet
Matt Wilson’s Honey & Salt
Mercury Rev
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble Cellular Songs
Nashville Ballet: Lucy Negro Redux
Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Paul Vasterling
with music composed and performed by Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi
and poetry by Caroline Randall Williams
nief-norf
Nik Bärtsch’s RONIN
Nils Frahm
Peter Gregson
Rachel Grimes: The Way Forth
Rafiq Bhatia: Breaking English
Ralph Towner
Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi
Richard Thompson: Killed in Action
Roomful of Teeth
Schlippenbach Trio
Shai Maestro Trio
Sons of Kemet
Spiritualized
Sun of Goldfinger (David Torn, Tim Berne, Ches Smith)
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
The Comet is Coming
The Messthetics
Theo Bleckmann: Berlin – Songs of Love and War, Peace and Exile – and – Hello Earth! The Music of Kate Bush
Thumbscrew
Tim Berne’s Snakeoil
TRIPTYCH
On the Work of Robert Mapplethorpe
Featuring Roomful of Teeth. Composed by Bryce Dessner. Libretto by Korde Arrington Tuttle feat. the work of Patti Smith & Essex Hemphill. Directed by Daniel Fish
Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn
Wadada Leo Smith’s Nda, Performing “Divine Love” With Bobby Naughton and Dwight Andrews
Wadada Leo Smith Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk
Yves Tumor
& many more to come!