<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1nGWvv_0vRTZdiI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1nGWvv_0vRTZdiI00" width="1080" height="1350" ><p>Big Ears Festival has shared the initial artist lineup for its 2025 staging, set to return to downtown Knoxville, Tenn. on March 27-30. With its forthcoming presentation, the beloved Volunteer State institution will issue yet another eclectic program of top-tier, boundary-breaking artists without the strictures of genre, amounting to nearly 200 concerts across more than 14 venues. ANOHNI &amp; the Johnsons, Esperanza Spalding, Waxahatchee, Taj Mahal, Meshell Ndegeocello and Tortoise are among the top-billed names in the festival’s staggering roll of iconic acts.</p><p>In its typical, endlessly innovative fashion, the full scale of Big Ears’ 2025 lineup is almost too titanic and timely to express. Many of the headline acts offered 2024 projects sure to be recognized among the year’s finest, including Jessica Pratt’s <i>Here in the Pitch</i>, Cassandra Jenkins’ <i>My Light, My Destroyer</i>, Waxahatchee’s <i>Tigers Blood</i>, Vijay Iyer’s <i>Compassion</i> (with artist in residence Tyshawn Sorey) and Spalding’s self-titled duo project with Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento.</p><p>Others still will return to the festival with new projects in process, including Béla Flecks’s banjo-harp-drum trio, Bill Frisell’s fresh six-piece string ensemble, Arooj Aftab’s <i>Night Reign</i> solo material and Ndegeocello’s operatic <i>No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin</i>. The lineup also boasts longtime figureheads like Tortoise, Rufus Wainwright, Ambrose Akinmusire, Les Claypool, Nels Cline, Taj Mahal, Sun Ra Arkestra and Yo La Tengo (who will perform together and separately) and ANOHNI &amp; the Johnsons, who return after helping to launch the festival in 2009.</p><p>Big Ears 2025 will also host eight landmark special programs. Highlights within this high-profile cohort include a 50th-anniversary celebration of Philip Glass’ <i>Music in 12 Parts</i> to be performed by the Phillip Glass Ensemble, krautrock icon Michael Rother’s presentation of <i>The Music of NEU! &amp; Harmonia</i> and the North American premiere of Jonny Greenwood’s daring eight-hour pipe organ composition <i>133 Years of Reverb</i>, in the hands of the James McVinnie and Eliza McCarthy, two of the instrument’s foremost contemporary voices.</p><p>This litany hardly scratches the surface of what Big Ears Festival has to offer–and still further performances will be added as the event approaches. An exclusive presale for returning attendees will open tomorrow, Sept. 11 at 9 a.m. ET, with a general on-sale following on this Thursday, Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. ET. For tickets and more information, visit bigearsfestival.org.</p><p>Read on for the complete list of artists booked for Big Ears 2025.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_vM6KEsafC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_vM6KEsafC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><p></p><div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewbox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; 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line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_vM6KEsafC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Big Ears Festival (@bigearsfestival)</a></p></div><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);delay=function(){window.instgrm.Embeds.process()};setTimeout(delay,500)"></blockquote><p><b>Big Ears Festival Full 2025 Artist Lineup (Alphabetical):</b></p><p>Adam Rudolph’s Sunrise Quartet * Adam Rudolph’s Hu Vibrational * Adam Rudolph &amp; Tyshawn Sorey * [Ahmed] * Alabaster DePlume * Alan Sparhawk * Allison de Groot &amp; Tatiana Hargreaves * Amaro Freitas Trio * Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter’s Stone * Ambrose Akinmusure (Solo) * ANOHNI and the Johnsons * Anoushka Shankar * Antipop Consortium * Arooj Aftab * Asha Puthli * Astrid Sonne * Axiom 5 * Barry Altschul’s 3 Dom Factor * Beak&gt; * Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez Trio * Bia Ferreira * Bill Frisell: In My Dreams * Brìghde Chaimbeul * Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino * Carlos Niño &amp; Friends * Cassandra Jenkins * Chanel Beads * Chuck Johnson * Claire Chase * Clarice Jensen * clipping. * Cowboy Sadness * DakhaBrakha * Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio * David Grubbs * Dawn Richard &amp; Spencer Zahn * Dedicated Men of Zion * EMEL * esperanza spalding * eucademix (Yuka Honda) * Explosions In The Sky * Fay Victor: Herbie Nichols SUNG * Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer / Steve Lehman / Tyshawn Sorey) * Flore Laurentienne * Free Form Funky Freqs (Jamaaladeen Tacuma / Vernon Reid / Calvin Weston) * Helado Negro * Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti &amp; Frank Rosaly MESTIZX * Immanuel Wilkins’ Blues Blood * Jeff Parker ETA IVtet * Jenny Scheinman: All Species Parade * Jessica Pratt * Joan as Police Woman * Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano, and Will Calhoun * Joel Harrison’s Free Country * Joseph Keckler * Josh Johnson * Joy Guidry: AMEN * Jules Reidy * Julia Holter * June McDoom * Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble * Kalia Vandever * Kelly Moran * Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir * Kokayi * Kris Davis Trio featuring Robert Hurst &amp; Jonathan Blake * Lankum * Lara Somogyi * Les Claypool’s Bastard Jazz * Luke Stewart Silt Trio * Mabe Fratti * Macie Stewart * Magic Tuber Stringband * Maria Chavez + Victoria Shen + Mariam Rezaei * Marisa Anderson * Marissa Nadler * Mark Guiliana * Maruja * Mary Lattimore * Meshell Ndegeocello: No More Water – The Gospel of James Baldwin * Michael Hurley * Mike Reed’s Separatist Party featuring Ben LaMar Gay, Bitchin Bajas &amp; Marvin Tate * ML Buch * Modney * múm * Nanocluster (Immersion | SUSS) * Nels Cline: Concentrik Quartet * The Nels Cline Singers * Peni Candra Rini * Phantom Orchard * Phil Cook * R.B. Morris &amp; William Wright: The Mockingbird * Rachika Nayar * Rich Ruth * Rufus Wainwright * Sam Bush Band * Shelley Hirsch * SML * Squanderers * Steve Coleman and Five Elements * Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner: The Music of Anthony Braxton * Steven Schick * Steve Roach * Still House Plants * Sun Ra Arkestra * Sun Ra Arkestra &amp; Yo La Tengo * Sunny War * Susan Alcorn * Sylvie Courvoisier Chimaera * Taj Mahal * Tara Clerkin Trio * Tarta Relena * Tessa Lark, Joshua Roman &amp; Edgar Meyer * Tigran Hamasyan: The Bird of a Thousand Voices * Tilt * Tindersticks * Tortoise * Tyshawn Sorey, King Britt &amp; Friends featuring Melz &amp; Meshell Ndegeocello * Tyshawn Sorey Trio * Vijay Iyer &amp; Wadada Leo Smith * Water Damage * Waxahatchee * William Basinski * Yaya Bey * Yo La Tengo * Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion * Zeena Parkins</p><p><b>Special Programming (Alphabetical):</b></p><p>Across the Horizon: Ambient &amp; Americana Soundscapes</p><p>Curated by Bob Holmes &amp; SUSS</p><p>Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music</p><p>Curated by King Britt</p><p>Jonny Greenwood’s 133 Years of Reverb (North American Premiere)</p><p>Performed by James McVinnie &amp; Eliza McCarthy</p><p>Kate Soper’s Ipsa Dixit</p><p>Performed by Wet Ink Ensemble</p><p>Michael Rother: The Music of NEU! &amp; Harmonia</p><p>Philip Glass Music in Twelve Parts (50th Anniversary)</p><p>Performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble</p><p>Tyshawn Sorey: Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)</p><p>Wadada Leo Smith: CREATE</p><p>RedKoral Quartet • Wadada Leo Smith Quartet • Orange Wave Electric • Revolutionary Love &amp; More</p></div></body>

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Big Ears Festival Shares 2025 Initial Artist Lineup: Béla Fleck, Esperanza Spalding, Les Claypool, Waxahatchee, Sun Ra Arkestra with Yo La Tengo and More

Big Ears Festival has shared the initial artist lineup for its 2025 staging, set to return to downtown Knoxville, Tenn. on March 27-30. With its forthcoming presentation, the beloved Volunteer State institution will issue yet another eclectic program of top-tier, boundary-breaking artists without the strictures of genre, amounting to nearly 200 concerts across more than 14 venues. ANOHNI & the Johnsons, Esperanza Spalding, Waxahatchee, Taj Mahal, Meshell Ndegeocello and Tortoise are among the top-billed names in the festival’s staggering roll of iconic acts.

Big Ears Festival Shares 2025 Initial Artist Lineup: Béla Fleck, Esperanza Spalding, Les Claypool, Waxahatchee, Sun Ra Arkestra with Yo La Tengo and More

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