10 must-see Big Ears concerts and what to know for this weekend's downtown music festival
It’s not just the eclectic and distinguished lineup that sets Big Ears Festival apart in 2024.
It’s the host city of Knoxville, Tennessee, that pairs Southern charm with world sounds to present a festival that’s more comfortable than most, with world-class venues that are closer than what most other cities can offer.
Every year, visitors from across the globe are awestruck by the hospitality Knoxville and the festival provide. With that in mind, Knox News wants to ensure you have the tools to make the most of your weekend, whether it’s your first time visiting or you come every year.
Let’s start with the venues.
Some Knoxville venues added to Big Ears, while a favorite goes away
If it has been a few years since you visited Big Ears, you’ll notice some changes. Most notable is the addition of the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, one of the best-sounding and largest listening rooms in Knoxville, with a capacity of 2,500 people.
That’s about 900 more people than the Tennessee Theatre, which is preparing for a massive expansion, and 1,800 more people than the Bijou Theatre. Both of these venues will be hosting performances throughout the festival weekend.
Important to note: The auditorium is still within walking distance of all other venues if you don’t have mobility challenges, but it is a bit off the beaten path. Fortunately, Big Ears provides a free shuttle between venues that will come in handy for situations like these.
Another exciting addition is Regas Square Events, which will host conversations among artists and intimate performances throughout the weekend. This event space is attached to Marble City Market, a food hall that we’ll talk about more in a bit.
Unfortunately, the beloved Pilot Light is no longer a Big Ears Festival venue.
Tennessee Theatre Seeing a show will get even better with $19M expansion
Big Ears wristband is your key, so make sure you know how it works
This is an important one. No wristband, no access.
Wristbands should have been mailed in late February or early March to the address you provided at checkout, unless you’re traveling from another country.
In that case – and in the case of anyone who purchased passes more recently – the box office at Jackson Terminal, 213 W. Jackson Ave., is where you'll need to go. This is also the festival headquarters and the place to go if you have any issues with your wristband throughout the weekend.
Box office hours are:
Wednesday, March 20: 4-9 p.m.
Thursday, March 21: noon-10 p.m.
Friday, March 22: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Saturday, March 23: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday, March 24: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Festival attendees are encouraged to register wristbands, which will be scanned upon entering venues.
A wristband does not guarantee entry to venues if they are at full capacity until someone leaves. Festival organizers suggest arriving at least 30 minutes prior to “must-see” performances to increase the likelihood of entry.
Add-on tickets needed for some shows, including André 3000. Yes, even with Big Ears passes
Another big change this year: separately ticketed shows.
Specifically, an add-on ticket is required for the André 3000 performances and “La Monte Young & Marian Zazeela: Just Charles & Cello in the Romantic Chord in a Setting of Abstract #1 from Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals in Dream Light, Performed by Charles Curtis (Cello).”
André 3000 is planning five performances of his album "New Blue Sun," which features the musician and Outkast rapper not on vocals, but on multiple flutes.
This is André 3000's schedule:
Thursday, March 21: St. John's Cathedral
Friday, March 22: Bijou Theatre
Saturday, March 23: The Point
Sunday, March 24: The Point (two performances)
Tickets are available for $65, plus fees.
The Just Charles & Cello performances are happening twice throughout the weekend at the Old City Performing Arts Center: 5 p.m. March 21 and 10 a.m. March 23. These tickets are $45, plus fees.
Digital tickets will hit email inboxes 24 hours prior to the selected show.
Overwhelmed? Start with these 10 Big Ears acts to see
Knox News has made its picks for the 10 must-see acts at this year's festival.
Adrianne Lenker: If you like Andy Shauf, Big Thief, Blake Mills
André 3000: If you like Outkast, Brian Eno, Alice Coltrane
Digable Planets: If you like A Tribe Called Quest, Large Professor, The Roots
Hurray for the Riff Raff: If you like The Cactus Blossoms, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Pokey LaFarge
Jon Batiste: If you like Alan Toussaint, Leon Bridges, Randy Newman
Kurt Vile And The Violators: If you like Cass McCombs, Kevin Morby, The War on Drugs
Molly Lewis: If you like Jessica Pratt, Mary Lattimore, whistling (in general)
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway: If you like The Avett Brothers, Sam Bush, Sierra Hull
Shabaka: If you like The Comet is Coming, Makaya McCraven, Sons of Kemet
Sons of Chipotle: If you like John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and acclaimed cellist Anssi Karttunen, who comprise the duo
Big Ears Festival Why the Knoxville event was Spin's 'Music Festival of the Year'
Exploring downtown Knoxville and supporting local businesses
Your generosity goes a long way throughout the festival, as Big Ears typically provides the best financial weekend of the year for downtown businesses.
Downtown Knoxville is comprised of three primary areas: Gay Street, Market Square and the Old City.
Gay Street is downtown Knoxville’s main thoroughfare and is lined with a variety of businesses, from the always popular Cruze Farm Ice Cream to Mast General Store to The Vault, one of the swankiest and most intimate cocktail bars in town, located beneath pan-Latin restaurant Vida.
Follow Gay Street north and you will reach West Depot Avenue and Regas Square Events, one of the new venues this year. It’s just a few steps west of The Mill & Mine, one of the festival’s largest venues.
Between Regas Square Events and The Mill & Mine is Marble City Market, Knoxville’s first food hall, comprised of a bar and roughly 10 vendors offering everything from vegan soul food to sushi.
Marble City Market is just north of the Old City, where you’ll find some of downtown’s most popular hangouts. That includes Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, the acclaimed Brother Wolf aperitivo bar and Pretentious Beer Co., which typically hosts glass blowing demonstrations next door during the festival.
That’s just scratching the surface. And while Market Square won’t have any official Big Ears Festival performances, it’s just one block over from the heart of Gay Street and includes an eclectic collection of rooftop bars, restaurants and shops. There’s even a candy store and a popcorn store!
We'd be remiss not to mention Potchke, a Jewish deli and kosher restaurant that increased in popularity thanks to a New York Times feature following Big Ears 2022. The restaurant recently was named one of the best in the country by USA TODAY.
Just beyond downtown Knoxville, more food and fun awaits
If you’re looking to escape the festival madness for a bit or just want to see what else Knoxville has to offer, we have good news: Not only is everything close downtown, but there’s even more close to downtown.
Just south of downtown and across the Tennessee River you’ll find Sevier Avenue, a beer lover’s and bike rider’s haven. Alliance Brewing Co. always has something fresh on tap, while the Fly By Night cocktail bar resurrects everything you loved about the ‘70s. Landing House, which is actually in a house, offers food that was among the best things we ate in 2023.
South Knoxville is also home to the Urban Wilderness, comprised of nine natural recreation areas connected by trails.
North of downtown, just beyond the Old City, you’ll find the intersection of Central Street and Broadway. Some locals’ favorite hangouts can be found in this area, including German brewery Schulz Brau Brewing Co., recently named the third best brewery in the country at the U.S. Open Beer Championship.
If you’re willing to travel just a little further north, you’ll be in Happy Holler. This quaint neighborhood has grown a lot in recent years with the addition of Zero/Zero natural wine bar and The Pirate Tavern, as well as Central Cinema. You’ll also find one of the best record stores in town, Raven Records & Rarities, as well as the smoker-friendly dive bar Y-Not Tavern and Flats & Taps, a great place for a quick bite and tasty drink specials.
Resources for navigating Knoxville
KISS Caboose
Knoxville Information Shuttle Service offers free rides throughout downtown Knoxville and surrounding areas, as well as helpful information about the city. Dial 865-722-0779 for a ride, or just flag it down. Don't forget to tip!
Visit Knoxville
The local tourism organization has tons of information about how to explore the city. Its office also is an official Big Ears venue. At visitknoxville.com, you can learn more about how to visit the Sunsphere, Knoxville's most iconic structure, which opened roughly 40 years ago for the 1982 World's Fair.
Electric scooters and bikes
Download the apps from Bird and Link to move quickly around town. Scooters are allowed on Knoxville streets but not on sidewalks.
Knoxville transit and free trolley
Knoxville Area Transit has fixed bus routes and three free trolley lines that move passengers throughout downtown. While most venues are within walking distance, take advantage of KAT to get from one side of downtown to the other.
Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email [email protected]. Instagram @knoxscruff.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Big Ears Festival guide to Knoxville, including André 3000 tickets
