Big Ears 2019 lineup revealed

Meredith Monk, Lonnie Holley, Yunohana Variations, and more take over Knoxville March 21-24

Lonnie Holley Thumbs Up
Photo credit: Matt Arnette
THUMBS UP FOR MOTHER UNIVERSE: Atlanta-based found-object sculptor and songwriter Lonnie Holley is one of many artists performing at Knoxville. Tenn.’s Big Ears festival of adventurous music, March 21-24, 2019.

The Big Ears Music Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee’s annual genre-melding music festival celebrates 10 years of fearlessly creative musical expression March 21-24. Today, the festival has revealed its full lineup for its 2019.

Some standouts from today’s additions include neo-bluegrass quintet and NPR darlings Punch Brothers, Animal Collective co-founder Avey Tare, and soundtrack composer (Storyville, That Awkward Moment) and experimental guitarist David Torn. Fans of exotic percussion will love the spooky tribalism of Yunohana Variations, featuring Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (of Lichens), Susie Ibarra, who has played drums with David S. Ware and William Parker, and YoshimiO from Japanoise provocateurs Boredoms.

This is all in addition to an already impressive lineup boasting performances by Art Ensemble of Chicago, Meredith Monk, Wadada Leo Smith, Vijay Iyer, Mary Halvorson, Bill Frisell, Harold Budd, Alvin Lucier, and Atlanta-based artist and songwriter, Lonnie Holley, supporting his latest album, MITH (Jagjaguwar).

Over the last decade, Big Ears has increasingly blurred the boundaries between acoustic and electronic music, and the 2019 lineup is a bold effort to bridge those perceived gaps. Alien Flower Sutra, an electroacoustic collaboration between Rob Mazurek of Chicago Underground Duo and Rob Emmett Kelly of Cairo Gang, and the oft-hailed “beat scientist” Makaya McCraven present electronic soul, with elements of jazz, folk, hip-hop, funk, and world music bleeding into their respective offerings. Both acts pair well with previously announced, difficult-to-classify acts such as the apocalyptic space funk of the Comet is Coming, Trance Maps+, featuring British saxophonist Evan Parker, Yves Tumor, Jlin, and the jazzy, electronic ambiance of pianist Nils Frahm. It is truly Big Ear’s most adventurous lineup to date.

Big Ears takes place in Knoxville, Tenn. at various venues from March 21-24, 2019. Tickets on sale now. Check out www.bigearsfestival.org for more details regarding schedule, ticket prices, and more.






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