Big Ears Gets Bigger: A Personal Perspective

Big Ears Festival 
Knoxville, TN
March 26-29, 2026

Big Ears is growing like a well-fed wild beast. At this rate, the festival might need a "Colossal Ears" rebrand in the next few years. The expansion of venues and options can be overwhelming until you learn the festival's most profound lesson: if you try to control your own festival experience, you will fail gloriously. Big Ears, it seems, has other plans for you. Forget FOMO. There is no time for that now.

Every year I make a plan and every year my plan gets punched in the mouth, usually falling completely apart by day one. It's not until after the festival that I understand what actually happened to me and what the highlights were. I could have gone to this same festival 20 times and never repeated a show and never had a bad time. Yet decisions must be made at some point, and I have forced myself to choose a mere ten highlights.  These are in no particular order other than the order they are in.

The People

The music fanatics converge to create a powerful, lovely, temporary community. They come from all over the earth; they come from down the street. Sometimes it's a blur between performers and audience, as you are just as likely to see David Byrne at Petra Haden as you are to meet Sarah from Santa Barbara. I've never found a purer mix of gungho, brilliant, and polite humans. Which brings me to... the lines.

The Lines

That's right. The lines. I love them. This is where one can slow down, digest the previous show, enjoy a discreet snack, meet new friends, and break line when you spot an old friend near the front. Larry David would not approve of some of my linebreak moves, but he would certainly admire them. The lines give you time to realize where you're going and where you actually are. Which brings me to... Knoxville.

Knoxville

Full disclosure: I'm a native. A deep bow to Ashley Capps and his team for not putting this in Asheville, Atlanta, Pigeon Forge or Prague. Knoxville is not only the right place for this festival; it's the perfect place for it. This opinion is based on strict data, such as what Sarah from New York and David from Rochester told me. The walkable venues and the reasonable March weather make Big Ears feel like a vacation, not a slog.

Food

Even though Knoxville is a test market for fast-food chains, the locals have fought back with some fabulous downtown culinary options. After putting in my 14,000 steps (including skipping to my secret parking space) I detour to the glorious food of Tomato Head, Good Golly Tamale, Kaizen, Kefi, and of course Potchke Deli for that perfect late breakfast with Dave Douglas at the next table. I'm not going to tell you about the new Jamaican place on Gay Street because you will all show up and I won't be able to get in.

Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion

A quintessential Big Ears performance. The sheer depth of the creativity, inspiration, musicality, and humor honored both the festival and the audience. The embrace of Patsy Cline, Schubert, ABBA and Irish drinking songs shows how wide-open things can feel.  And yes, I saw plenty of Big Tears. I could be mistaken as my eyes were clouded by seasonal allergies that hit during the finale. You think the Tennessee Theatre would do something about its air filters.

John Zorn

John Zorn has become a regular at this point joining the ranks of Bill Frisell and Mary Halvorson. His massive recorded output now makes a lot more sense after seeing so many variations of it live. Masada 1 at the Bijou was pure spark and satisfaction, and if you love long lines, this was your payday. Rabid fans in every direction made for an electric, non-electric set. At noon on Saturday, I came back for more with Cobra. As wildly fabulous as it was, I confess the Cobra game was too early in the day for me to properly process, but that was quickly fixed by some amazing ragas in a Catholic church.

David Byrne

If you missed it, I'm sorry. FOMO concerns are probably justified in this case. David Byrne threw the perfect dance party that somehow made time for quiet and soulful reflection. The show was visually stunning, sonically satisfying, and contained as much heart as can be packed into two hours of human time. If you have always wanted to dance at a sit-down show, to learn key points of Knoxville history, but also are curious about what his apartment looks like, this was your big chance.

Isaiah Collier

It's a tall order to deliver a set of John Coltrane and still make it your own. Isaiah Collier and company were stellar and energetic and found the true magic of Coltrane: the power to disassemble us a little bit and then bring us all back together. Highlight: a spectacular take on "Lonnie's Lament."  

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Cecile McLorin Salvant received the warmest audience reaction I witnessed at Big Ears. It probably cost the set a song or two just from the extended appreciation after every song. Sullivan Fortner's subtle support and beautiful innovation kept things interesting and swinging. Kyle Poole never overwhelmed on drums and provided grooves and texture that elevated the already heightened vibe. Yasushi Nakamura's imaginative and funky bass solo may have been my favorite improvisation of the festival. Ending with a chant based on ancient Greek literature somehow made the whole world make sense through space and time. I want to see it all again.

Roscoe Mitchell

Where else can you get a chance to buy records while listening to Roscoe Mitchell being interviewed by Essential Tremors? When asked about his enthusiasm for keeping at it, Mitchell replied with what became my mantra for the festival, and perhaps beyond: "Music is so BIG. I just want to be a part of it."

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