Big Ears 2015 Festival - lineup just announced

[battema]

Just finished re-adjusting my planned Big Ears "itinerary" and with the schedule changes, things look pretty good. Only remaining conflict for me is Faust & the Necks...I might duck out of the latter's set about 15 minutes early to catch the last 45 minutes of Faust. Oh, and it looks like Kiasmos will have to be skipped to witness Sunn 0))) smashing the Bijou

Starting to get excited about it all...and the bigger installments (Adams' "Veils & Vespers" and Anderson's Lou Reed Drones) will make for some pretty cool in/out items during the breaks between sets.

Good times ahead!!

[markwoll]

I got a little giggle out of the wording of this announcement:
"We’re proud to announce the return of our complimentary Bike Rental service to all Big Ears patrons presented by MailChimp! "

I can see how bike rentals can complement the atmosphere of Big Ears, but a complementary bike rental is a oxymoron.
Perhaps because the rental is only available to ticketed participants, sure that must be it.

[battema]

Hadn't even noticed that...I'll be going ultra-green and using my legs ;-)

[NogbadTheBad]

Any idea when tickets come out?

[walt]

I was told (on the Ticketmaster site) i can print out my ticket tomorrow.(1/31).This will be my first order of business tomorrow.

[walt]

Ticket printed out just now.There was a one day delay.

[battema]

DAMMIT...and here I was planning to try and leave early on Sunday. Then they have to go and announce this:

"Big Ears Festival will come to a riveting, celebratory conclusion with a performance of the festival’s 2016 Composer-in-Residence John Luther Adams’ outdoor masterpiece Inuksuit, featuring up to 99 percussionists, around Mead’s Quarry at Ijams Nature Center at 12 noon on Sunday, April 3."

[NogbadTheBad]

Well that's not going to work, my flight out of Charlotte is at 6pm.

[markwoll]

Yeah, the whole Sunday thing kind of bugs me.
Perhaps I missed it, but it was 31st-2nd until a couple of weeks ago.
There were hints about a finale at the quarry, but not till fairly recent times.
That and the films.
I may stay another day, but it ups the expense quite a bit.

[battema]

I was planning to roll out at dawn on Sunday...we'll see how the body/brain is feeling by that point. It sounds cool, but so does getting back home again. That drive isn't getting any shorter...

[battema]

Just got this in my inbox, which I am sure is TOTALLY of no interest to anyone...

"2nd Annual Big Ears Beer Exchange

Knoxville’s local watering hole, Suttree's High Gravity Tavern, will once again host a Big Ears Beer Exchange on Saturday afternoon, April 2, from 1pm – 3pm.

Located in the heart of downtown Knoxville and named after Cormac McCarthy’s seminal novel, Suttree’s event will feature rare, hard-to-find, and unique beers, and we encourage fans and patrons to bring their own special brews from their neck of the woods to share with fellow connoisseurs. Make sure you stop by and wet your whistle!"

[NogbadTheBad]

Current plans

Thursday
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra - Glass, Luther Adams, Dessner
The Gloaming
Yo La Tengo

Friday
Tony Conrad
Lou Reed Drones
Anthony Braxton Tentet
Boogarins
Andrew Bird
Outside The Dream Syndicate

Saturday
Phantom Orchard
Maya Beiser
Laurie Anderson & Phillip Glass
Anthony Braxton Trio
The Necks
Sunn O)))

[markwoll]

Any use of the Bigears android app?
Any good for stalking? ( JK )
It looks like a reasonable way to keep track of the schedule.

[battema]

Hey Mark!

I do like the Big Ears app...it is a pretty handy little tool. Has a little ticker that lets you know if performances are starting late, what's going on where (in case you find yourself in a lull between sets and just want to pick a wild card), and all sorts of other details.

Just a couple of weeks away...getting excited!

[battema]

Let's see...the current plan:

Thurs: Adams' Veils and Vespers, Knoxville Symphony, Mammifer (may try to catch a short bit of this one before hitting the symphony), Gloaming, Andy Stott
Fri: Tony Conrad, Anderson's Drones, Nief-Norf, Zeena Parkins/Tony Buck, Vijay Ijer/Wadada Leo Smith, Ikue Mori, Dream Syndicate, Nicolas Jaar
Sat: Phantom Orchard, Marc Ribot, Anderson/Glass, Bedroom Community/Necks/Faust, Sunn 0)))/Kiasmos/Kamasi Washington
Sun: Adams' Inuksuit (*maybe*)

I'll probably be bouncing between sets Saturday night (as much as I love Sunn 0))), I'd almost they be in one of the smaller venues, for maximum sound obliteration, ha ha ha). And the Bedroom Community tour will be at Lisner next Tuesday so I'll see them there first...might be able to skip the Saturday show in Knoxville.

If folks are game for trying to have a mini PE catch-up while we're there, I'm game

[walt]

I too, downloaded the BigEars app onto my iPhone.

I'm still up in the air about what i'll see.I'm not nearly as ambitious as y'all are about seeing as much music as possible.(i know, then why the hell come to a festival like this if i'm not going to cram as much music between my ears as possible).

I'd love to get together with youse guys sometime during the weekend.

[NogbadTheBad]

I'll download the app today and check it out, certainly up for meeting through the festival

I've never seen Sunn 0))) before so want to grab them though I certainly would have liked to have seen Kawasi without the clash.

Is there plenty of spare seating in the venues to accommodate everyone? Am I likely to be ok walking in part way through sets?

Seeing The Necks tomorrow night in Boston, should be fun.

Starting to get excited

[battema]

I too, downloaded the BigEars app onto my iPhone.

I'm still up in the air about what i'll see.I'm not nearly as ambitious as y'all are about seeing as much music as possible.(i know, then why the hell come to a festival like this if i'm not going to cram as much music between my ears as possible).

I'd love to get together with youse guys sometime during the weekend.

I'm sure we'll be crossing paths Walt, PE meet-n-greet or no

[battema]

I'll download the app today and check it out, certainly up for meeting through the festival

I've never seen Sunn 0))) before so want to grab them though I certainly would have liked to have seen Kawasi without the clash.

Is there plenty of spare seating in the venues to accommodate everyone? Am I likely to be ok walking in part way through sets?

Seeing The Necks tomorrow night in Boston, should be fun.

Starting to get excited

Most of the venues are large enough that there are open seats. Some bands/sets are very popular and can get crowded; last year, when Max Richter did his set at the Bijou it was SRO. But, that was the exception...honestly, I sometimes have done exactly what you're talking about Ian; I catch the first half of one set and then hoof it to another venue to catch another set midway through. And I've never had any problems with that.

I like Sunn 0))) when they literally cause furniture to move from the sound vibrations So, we'll see if the Bijou works for that or not. If you haven't seen them already...well, it is most definitely an experience.

[jaysenese]

I am getting very excited about Big Ears. My wife and I are flying in from California. It will be our first time here. We sprung for the VIP seats as well.

My tentative schedule (and footnotes):

Thursday

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra - Glass, Luther Adams, Dessner
The Gloaming
Yo La Tengo (1)

Friday

Marc Ribot
Chris Abrahams of the Necks
-lunch-
Nief-Norf
Zeena Parkins & Tony Buck of The Necks
JL Adams 'Veils'
-dinner-
Eighth Blackbird (2)
Vijay Iyer
-rest-
Eighth Blackbird
Outside The Dream Syndicate
Yo La Tengo + Lambchop
Laurie Anderson 'Drones

Saturday

Phantom Orchard
Maya Beiser
Laurie Anderson & Phillip Glass (3)
-dinner-
Bedroom Community (4)
Angel Olsen
Kamasi Washington (5)

(1) it looks like the Mill And Mine venue is a good 15 minute walk from the other venues, so I have to be selective: I can't plan on just dropping in on something here on my way between events at other venues

(2) because we bought VIP tickets with reserved seating up close at the Tennessee Theatre, we are planning to see most of the events here. Eighth Blackbird are wonderful, and we want to see both events they are doing tonight. Vijay Iyer is one of our favorites too.

(3) here's hoping there's a 'meet and greet' or something with Philip Glass

(4) Saturday Night 8PM is really rough for us! We LOVE the Necks but we are seeing them tonight in Los Angeles (two sets at a jazz club, it should be special), so we are going to opt for Nico Muhly and friends in Bedroom Community.

(5) Saturday Late Night is tough as well. I am curious about Sunn0))) but I think I can probably poke my head in for five minutes and 'get it'. I saw Kiasmos this year and they were a lot of fun - they played a dance concert with a young crowd, though, I don't know how well they will go over with a weary Big Ears audience at a late hour. I am anxious to see some jazz so I am thinking Kamasi Washington.

Like others here, I hope to meet up and share stories with new friends! I am planning to rent a car: it seems pretty cheap, under $20/day, and my wife doesn't walk fast so I may drive her around a little bit if we are running late for something.

[battema]

Re: meet and greet. I haven't seen/done anything like that in past years; however, the odds of bumping into someone out and about is pretty good. My first year I ran into Steve Reich checking his email in the hotel lobby, and Mark McGuire just wandering down the street. And last year I came across Terry Riley and his wife just walking downtown taking in the scenery (it isn't every day you can bump into someone like THAT just wandering down the street!).

Re: Sunn 0))). I will simply say this: bring your strongest earplugs. They are an amazingly entertaining experience, but volume is most definitely part of the equation.

Definitely wear comfy shoes...from one end of the festival to the other, it is one big hill. So, heading down to the Bijou isn't too bad, but hoofing it back up toward the other venues can wear you down a bit.

Good times ahead!!

[jaysenese]

Can you tell me if there is a lot of music merchandise for sale? Do the artists sell their limited edition cassettes, silkscreened posters, whatever?

[battema]

There are usually merch tables floating around some of the venues, yep...that said, it isn't as prevalent as it is at, say, a prog rock festival ;-)

The first year I bought next to nothing, was just kind of in awe of everything...but last year I came home with a small batch of goodies from various acts.

[walt]

Definitely wear comfy shoes...from one end of the festival to the other, it is one big hill. So, heading down to the Bijou isn't too bad, but hoofing it back up toward the other venues can wear you down a bit.

Co-sign.

I don't think i bought any stuff at Big Ears last year.Unusual, for me.

[hippypants]

Thanks for posting, looks like a great line-up.