Big Ears, “America’s biggest musical gathering of the ambitious and avant-leaning, has announced the formidable lineup to their 2016 edition, which takes place March 31 to April 2 in Knoxville, Tennessee,” writes Christopher R. Weingarden in Tuesday’s (10/20) Rolling Stone. “Having already announced Pulitzer Prize winner John Luther Adams as this year’s Composer in Residence, the festival has added more than 40 more performances to the three-day event. Artists include visionary composer-conceptualist Anthony Braxton, krautrock pioneers Faust, drone-metal crew Sunn 0))), exploratory indie rockers Yo La Tengo, ethereal Irish melancholists the Gloaming, bass spelunker Andy Stott, Tuareg guitar sensation Bombino, experimental hip-hop crew Shabazz Palaces, and noise gurglers Wolf Eyes. Most notable is the American premiere of the recent collaboration between multi-disciplinary art icon Laurie Anderson and minimalist master Philip Glass.… But the festival will ultimately be anchored by the music of John Luther Adams.… His 2014 piece, ‘Become Ocean’ is nearly 43 minutes of slow-churning orchestral shimmer and surge, both beautiful and suffocating.” At Big Ears, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra with guest conductor Steven Schick will perform music of John Luther Adams, Bryce Dessner, and Philip Glass, with guest cellist Maya Beiser.
Posted October 22, 2015
