The wait is over: Big Ears Festival delivers with adventurous 2025 lineup for Knoxville
It wouldn't be spring in downtown Knoxville without Big Ears Festival, the internationally attended musical exposition whose newly released 2025 lineup is just as eclectic, star-studded and adventurous as those that have come before.
The lineup is led by ANOHNI and the Johnsons, Arooj Aftab, Esperanza Spalding, Explosions in the Sky, Les Claypool's Bastard Jazz, Nels Cline, Rufus Wainwright, Sam Bush Band, Steve Roach, Taj Mahal and Tyshawn Sorey (in residence).
Other highlights of the 2025 festival, happening March 27-30 at multiple downtown venues, include Bela Fleck, Julia Holter, Lankum, Sun Ra Arkestra, Tindersticks, Tortoise, Waxahatchee and Yo La Tango.
Festival passes go on sale at 9 a.m. Sept. 12 at bigearsfestival.org. People who have attended the festival in previous years get early access to a presale at 9 a.m. Sept. 11.
"Early bird" pricing for a full weekend pass is $350 plus fees before increasing to $400 and $450 as the festival approaches. Premiere and VIP weekend experiences range from $750 to $1,250.
The full Big Ears Festival 2025 lineup for Knoxville, Tennessee
Here's the lineup for next year, shared with Knox News by Big Ears Festival:
Adam Rudolph’s Sunrise Quartet * Adam Rudolph’s Hu Vibrational * Adam Rudolph & Tyshawn Sorey * [Ahmed] * Alabaster DePlume * Alan Sparhawk * Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves * Amaro Freitas Trio * Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter’s Stone * Ambrose Akinmusure (Solo) * ANOHNI and the Johnsons * Anoushka Shankar * Antipop Consortium * Arooj Aftab * Asha Puthli * Astrid Sonne * Axiom 5 * Barry Altschul’s 3 Dom Factor * Beak> * Béla Fleck, Edmar Casta?eda, Antonio Sánchez Trio * Bia Ferreira * Bill Frisell: In My Dreams * Brìghde Chaimbeul * Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino * Carlos Ni?o & Friends * Cassandra Jenkins * Chanel Beads * Chuck Johnson * Claire Chase * Clarice Jensen * clipping. * Cowboy Sadness * DakhaBrakha * Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio * David Grubbs * Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn * Dedicated Men of Zion * EMEL * esperanza spalding * eucademix (Yuka Honda) * Explosions In The Sky * Fay Victor: Herbie Nichols SUNG * Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer / Steve Lehman / Tyshawn Sorey) * Flore Laurentienne * Free Form Funky Freqs (Jamaaladeen Tacuma / Vernon Reid / Calvin Weston) * Helado Negro * Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly MESTIZX * Immanuel Wilkins’ Blues Blood * Jeff Parker ETA IVtet * Jenny Scheinman: All Species Parade * Jessica Pratt * Joan as Police Woman * Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano, and Will Calhoun * Joel Harrison’s Free Country * Joseph Keckler * Josh Johnson * Joy Guidry: AMEN * Jules Reidy * Julia Holter * June McDoom * Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble * Kalia Vandever * Kelly Moran * Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir * Kokayi * Kris Davis Trio featuring Robert Hurst & Jonathan Blake * Lankum * Lara Somogyi * Les Claypool’s Bastard Jazz * Luke Stewart Silt Trio * Mabe Fratti * Macie Stewart * Magic Tuber Stringband * Maria Chavez + Victoria Shen + Mariam Rezaei * Marisa Anderson * Marissa Nadler * Mark Guiliana * Maruja * Mary Lattimore * Meshell Ndegeocello: No More Water - The Gospel of James Baldwin * Michael Hurley * Mike Reed’s Separatist Party featuring Ben LaMar Gay, Bitchin Bajas & Marvin Tate * ML Buch * Modney * múm * Nanocluster (Immersion | SUSS) * Nels Cline: Concentrik Quartet * The Nels Cline Singers * Peni Candra Rini * Phantom Orchard * Phil Cook * R.B. Morris & William Wright: The Mockingbird * Rachika Nayar * Rich Ruth * Rufus Wainwright * Sam Bush Band * Shelley Hirsch * SML * Squanderers * Steve Coleman and Five Elements * Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner: The Music of Anthony Braxton * Steven Schick * Steve Roach * Still House Plants * Sun Ra Arkestra * Sun Ra Arkestra & Yo La Tengo * Sunny War * Susan Alcorn * Sylvie Courvoisier Chimaera * Taj Mahal * Tara Clerkin Trio * Tarta Relena * Tessa Lark, Joshua Roman & Edgar Meyer * Tigran Hamasyan: The Bird of a Thousand Voices * Tilt * Tindersticks * Tortoise * Tyshawn Sorey, King Britt & Friends featuring Melz & Meshell Ndegeocello * Tyshawn Sorey Trio * Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith * Water Damage * Waxahatchee * William Basinski * Yaya Bey * Yo La Tengo * Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion * Zeena Parkins
Want to know more about the festival?
Big Ears was created in 2009 by Knoxville native Ashley Capps, founder of AC Entertainment and co-founder of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Capps has since stepped away from AC Entertainment following a sale to Live Nation, and Big Ears Festival has transitioned to a nonprofit model dedicated to creating "joyful and transcendent cultural experiences that defy boundaries, fuel curiosity, ignite the spirit and nourish the soul."
Capps remains deeply involved as executive director of Big Ears, which has been held in his hometown since the first iteration. The festival takes over world-class venues throughout the city, which are conveniently located within walking distance of each other downtown.
Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X @AreenaArora and on Instagram @areena_news.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Big Ears Festival 2025 lineup features Bela Fleck, Waxahatchee, more
