Big Ears Festival Returns to Knoxville April 1-4, Featuring Barnett, Lanois, Jones, Tweedy, Glasper

In its 14th year, the eclectic, boundary-pushing Big Ears festival once again delivers a unique lineup and setting April 1-4 in downtown Knoxville, with a varied lineup and multiple locations somehow all coming together for the annual event.

Promising more than 250 concerts and performances, plus films, artist conversations, workshops, exhibitions and interactive experiences, Big Ears will present something for just about everyone in multiple settings, including historic theaters, churches, rock clubs, museums, event spaces, converted warehouses, galleries and still other surprises “within the very walkable footprint of Knoxville’s historic downtown,” according to the announcement.

Specific music highlights on the bill include The Bang On A Can All-Stars presenting six concerts, including Philip Glass’ Glassworks, Steve Reich’s masterpiece Music for 18 Musicians, and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s 1996. The Big Star Quintet – featuring Jon Auer, Mike Mills, Pat Sansone, Chris Stamey, and Jody Stephens – will the spirit of the legendary Memphis band to life. Evan Ziporyn and Maya Beiser are set to perform a reimagining of David Bowie’s final work, Blackstar , with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Also for 2027 and building on its eight-hour-long Big Ears debut last year, Ragamala (A Garland of Ragas) will expand to 12 hours this year, a sequence of concerts featuring legends and masters of Indian classical traditions, according to the announcement.

Some of the more contemporary talent on the bill includes jazz favorites like Brad Mehldau and Bill Frisell to David Murray, Robert Glasper and Chucho Valdés; singer/songwriters Norah Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Natalie Merchant, Nathaniel Rateliff, Rosanne Cash, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings; influential electronic artists like Oneohtrix Point Never, Mouse on Mars, Tyondai Braxton, and Tristan Perich; acclaimed indie artists like Wednesday, Weyes Blood, Kevin Morby, and U.S. Girls; international legends like Gustavo Santaolalla, Yasuaki Shimizu, and Midori Takada; and newer voices like Yilian Canizares, Fabiano do Nascimento, Tim Bernardes, and El Khat; and sonic explorers like Kali Malone, Pamela Z, and Valentina Magaletti.

Started by AC Entertainment, Big Ears in 2016 incorporated as a nonprofit organization and has been independently produced since 2022 after the sale of AC Entertainment to Live Nation. AC Entertainment founder Ashley Capps remains executive & artistic director for Big Ears in his hometown of Knoxville.

Full Lineup (Alphabetical)

@ • Adam O’Farrill’s ELEPHANT • Adrian Sherwood • Amina Claudine Myers • Ana Roxanne • Andy Stott • Ava Mendoza and Hamid Drake • Avey Tare • Avishai Cohen – Big Vicious • Bang On A Can – Celebrates 40 Years • Beauty Pill • Bedouine • The Big Star Quintet • Bill Frisell Residency • Bob James • Brad Mehldau Trio • Bronwyn • Carla dal Forno • Case Oats • Charlotte Mundy • Che Apalache • Chicha Libre • Chris Potter “Alive With Ghosts Today” • Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet • Cornelius • Courtney Barnett • Craig Taborn Trio • Dagmar Zuniga • Daniel Lanois • Dave Harrington, Jay Bellerose & Billy Mohler • David Murray Quartet • Dawn of Midi • Diles Que No Me Maten • Dinner Party (Robert Glasper / Terrace Martin / Kamasi Washington/9th Wonder) • Dirty Projectors (solo) • Discovery Zone • Efrim Manuel Menuck and Tashi Dorji Present BLOOM AND RUIN • El Khat • Ettore Buzzini • Fabiano do Nascimento • Finom • Gillian Welch & David Rawlings play Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning • goat (jp) • Greg Tardy • Gustavo Santaolalla • The Hands Free • Hannibal Buress • Helado Tropical • Helen • Hemphill Stringtet with Ursula Oppens • Horse Lords • How Black Music Took Over the World: A Melvin Gibbs Curation • HYUKOH • Ida • Ingrid Laubrock’s Grammy Season + DoYeon Kim • Jakob Bro / Joe Lovano / Midori Takada • James Brandon Lewis Quartet • James Elkington and Nathan Salsburg • Jasper Llewellyn • JD Pinkus Triptych • Jeff Parker ETA IVtet • Jeff Tweedy • Jeremiah Chiu • Jessica Pavone String Ensemble • Jim James • Jim White Trio • Joan Shelley • Joanne Robertson • John Carroll Kirby • Josh Johnson ANIMATIVE • Judith Berkson Trio • Kahil ElZabar & David Murray • Kaki King • Kali Malone Presents Burning Song • Kalia Vandever & Dave Harrington • Kalia Vandever Quartet • Karen Y Los Remedios • Karly Hartzman • KatzPascale • Ken Vandermark • Kevin Morby • Kronos Quartet with Peni Candra Rini • L’Rain • Leenalchi • Lia Kohl • Liam Kazar • Linda May Han Oh • Lovano / Makhathini / Morgan / Cyrille • Lucy Railton • Luke Schneider Curation: Chrome Universal – Modern Pedal Steel Guitar • Magic Tuber Stringband • MANAS • Manu Delago & Max ZT • Marcus Gilmore • Marina Herlop • Marisa Anderson • Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble • Matthew Shipp • Mavis Staples • Maya Beiser & Evan Ziporyn: Bowie Cello Symphonic • Meat Puppets • Melvins • Mexican Institute of Sound • Midori Takada • Min Xiao-Fen & Julian Kytasty • Mon Rovîa • Moor Mother • Mount Eerie • Mouse on Mars • My New Band Believe • Nadia Sirota • Natalie Merchant with Erik Della Penna • Nathaniel Rateliff • Nduduzo Makhathini • Nels Cline • Nicole Mitchell and Joe Westerlund • Nirosta Steel • NOMON • Norah Jones • One Leg One Eye • Oneohtrix Point Never • Oruã • Otto Benson • Pachyman • Pamela Z • Parker Ramsay & Miranda Cuckson • Penguin Cafe • Petra Haden Sings King Crimson • Pranksters South • Ragamala returns! 12 Hours of Ragas • Ranky Tanky • Robert Glasper • Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal • Ryan Clackner Quartet • Ryan Clackner’s Existential Dread • Ryley Walker • Salami Rose Joe Louis • Sara Serpa • Shardik • Sheila Kay Adams + Nest of Singing Birds • Sierra Hull • Sleaford Mods • SML • Star Moles • Sumie Kaneko • Suzanne Ciani • Sylvan Esso • Sylvie Courvoisier TRIO feat. Drew Gress & Kenny Wollesen • This Is the Kit • Thundercat • Tim Bernardes • Tomeka Reid • Trio of Bloom (Nels Cline / Marcus Gilmore / Craig Taborn) • Tristan Perich • Tyondai Braxton • U.S. Girls • Ursula Oppens • Valentina Magaletti • Valerie June • Vanishing Twin • VariegOrchestra • Vieux Farka Touré & Roberto Fonseca • Vijay Iyer Residency • Visible Cloaks • Wednesday • Weyes Blood • Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl, Macie Stewart • William Parker 75th Birthday Residency • The Womack Sisters • Wyatt Ellis • Yasuaki Shimizu • Yeah NO • Yilian Cañizares • Zig Zag Trio (Will Calhoun, Melvin Gibbs, Vernon Reid)

_Originally reported by [Pollstar](https://news.pollstar.com/2026/09/14/big-ears-festival-returns-to-downtown-knoxville-april-1-4-featuring-courtney-barnett-daniel-lanois-norah-jones-jeff-tweedy-robert-glasper-kronos-quartet-many-others/)._