February 22, 2024
LIVE PAINTING FROM ACCLAIMED ARTIST STEVE KEENE
2024 BIG EARS DAILY SCHEDULE + FESTIVAL APP RELEASED
The 2024 Big Ears Festival, March 21-24 in downtown Knoxville, is thrilled to welcome André
3000 to this year’s festival. The legendary multi-faceted performer will be bringing his incredible
New Blue Sun Live to Knoxville, and will be presenting five unique, separately-ticketed shows
across all four days of the festival for Big Ears Festival-goers. Tickets will be available to Big Ears
Festival pass holders; first a limited allotment for 4-Day VIP & Premier pass holders on Thursday
Feb. 29, with remaining tickets being offered to 4-Day Weekend passes & all Single-Day pass
holders on Friday, March 1.
ANDRÉ 3000’s NEW BLUE SUN LIVE PERFORMANCES
Thursday, March 21 / St. John’s Cathedral
Friday, March 22 / Bijou Theatre
Saturday, March 23 / The Point
Sunday, March 24 / The Point (2 Performances)
Big Ears has also announced the detailed daily schedule for 2024 (artists/days/venues/
times), along with the ever-useful and informative Big Ears app.
Once again Big Ears is experiencing record ticket sales and is anticipated to sell out before the
festival weekend arrives. Current 4-Day weekend passes as well single day passes are still
available, though weekend VIP and Premier pass options are entirely sold out. To view the full
festival schedule, and to purchase passes and separately ticketed events, visit
bigearsfestival.org.
The festival is also bringing the legendary, iconoclastic American artist Steve Keene, “your
favorite band’s favorite artist” (Rolling Stone), known for his prolific output of over 300,000
paintings as well as for his “art for the people” aesthetic. Beginning on Thursday, March 21,
Keene will be “performing” his painting as he does most everyday in Brooklyn, producing
several dozen paintings a day, which he sells for $20 or so each. He will paint every day at the
festival. Keene is best known for album covers, stage sets, and posters for the likes of Pavement,
Silver Jews, Apples in Stereo, Dave Matthews Band, and more. Read more about Steve in this
great New York Times profile.
“The element of surprise is part of the heart and soul of Big Ears and we’re thrilled to announce
these very different residencies by André 3000 and Steve Keene,” says Founder/Director
Ashley Capps. “These follow on the heels of recent announcements of Sonic Youth founder
Thurston Moore’s upcoming collaboration with Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones and Joe
Henry surprise set backed by the Julian Lage Trio. Each year builds momentum as new ideas
emerge and take root. This year is certainly no exception.”
The full lineup of artists and programs can be found at bigearsfestival.org with new additions
and details found each week in the festival’s newsletter.
Full Lineup (Alphabetical)
Adrianne Lenker, Ahleuchatistas, aja monet, Amethyst Kiah, André 3000*, Angelic Brothers (John Medeski & Kirk Knuffke), Anna Webber & Matt Mitchell, Anssi Karttunen, Aoife O’Donovan, Armand Hammer, Ash Fure: ANIMAL, Bar Italia, Beth Orton, Billy Woods, Bitchin Bajas, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Brad Mehldau, Brandon Coleman, Brandon Ross, Phantom Station, Carl Craig, Cedric Burnside, Charles Lloyd, Charlie Dark MBE, Ches Smith: Laugh Ash, Chocolate Genius, Inc., Christian McBride, claire rousay, Colin Stetson, Colleen, Colloboh, Computer Jay, Cyro Baptista, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Dave Holland Quartet, David Virelles, Davóne Tines & THE TRUTH, Dibia$e, Digable Planets, DJ Heather, Dragonchild x Sunken Cages, Drawing Sound (Fred Frith Trio with Heike Liss), Drum Major Instinct, Edgar Meyer, Eli Winter Trio, Elliott Sharp & Eric Mingus: Songs From a Rogue State, Elsa M’Bala, Evan Lurie Quintet with Bandoneon, Eyvind Kang & Jessika Kenney, Fatoumata Diawara, Faun Fables, Fly Siifu, Fred Frith (Solo), Fred Frith & Ikue Mori, The Harvest Time Project: A Tribute to Pharoah Sanders, Hatis Noit, Helen Gillet, Henry Threadgill, Vijay Iyer, & Dafnis Prieto, Henry Threadgill’s Air Repertory Ensemble, Henry Threadgill’s Make a Move, Henry Threadgill’s Very Very Circus, Henry Threadgill’s ZOOID, Herbie Hancock, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Horse Lords, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jake Blount, Jakob Bro, Jana Horn, Jason Moran & the Harlem Hellfighters , JG Thirlwell + Ensemble, JG Thirlwell’s Silver Mantis, JJJJJerome Ellis, Jlin, Joan Shelley, Joanna Sternberg, Joe Henry with Julian Lage Trio, Medeski , Russo, Ribot, Joe Russo’s Selcouth Quartet featuring Stuart Bogie, Jonathan Goldberger & Jon Shaw, John Paul Jones, Jon Batiste, Joseph Allred, Julian Lage and the Speak to Me Band, Ka Baird, Kassa Overall, Kenny Wollesen’s Wolle-Sonic Massage, King Britt, KMRU, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Kokoroko, Kristin Hersh, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Laraaji & Arji OceAnanda: Laughter Release Playshop, Laraaji & Suphala, Laurie Anderson & Sexmob: Let X=X, Leyla McCalla, Low Leaf, Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, Mary Halvorson, MAVI, The Messthetics, Mighty Poplar, Min Xiao-Fen with River Guerguerian, Molly Lewis, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Mr. Sun, Myra Melford’s Fire and Water, Myriam Gendron, Nadah El Shazly , Nik Bärtsch’s RONIN, Paul Lazar: Cage Shuffle, Rhiannon Giddens, Ringdown (Caroline Shaw & Danni Lee), Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Robin Holcomb, Roc Marciano, Roger Eno, Sam Amidon, Samora Pinderhughes, Secret Chiefs 3, Sexmob, Shabaka, Silkroad Ensemble, Slauson Malone 1, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Sofía Rei & Jorge Roeder, Son Rompe Pera, Sons of Chipotle (John Paul Jones & Anssi Karttunen), Steve Keene, Suzi Analogue, Tennessee Sheiks, The Messthetics + James Brandon Lewis, Third Coast Percussion, Thurston Moore, Titan to Tachyons, Tomeka Reid Quartet, Tord Gustavsen Trio, Tredici Bacci, Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant avec Folie à Quatre, Trio Mediæval, Tyondai Braxton, Unwound, Void Patrol, Wayne Horvitz Gravitas Quartet, Wyatt Ellis, Yasmin Williams, Yvette Janine Jackson, Zoe Keating, Zsela.
Big Ears Film Programming Presented by Regal Cinemas
American Symphony, Ancient Voices: A Film for George Crumb, Carpet Cowboys, Charles Lloyd: Arrows into Infinity, The Elephant 6 Recording Co., Home of the Brave, God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines, Kite Zo A, Liberated Landscape: Black Appalachian Ohio, Mississippi River Styx, Music for Black Pigeons, Not Not Jazz, O Pioneer, Sisters with Transistors, The Other One, The Tuba Thieves.
For more information, contact:
Jacob Daneman, Jaycee Rockhold, Sam McAllister | Pitch Perfect PR – [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].
