Thanks, sugarfatpie...I'm really proud of this one and I do hope that everyone who is so inclined will make the effort to check out some of the amazing artists who will be performing.

For those of you who want to know more...here's a long but hopefully informative message that I sent out..

Hello everyone!

I want to share with you my enthusiasm and excitement about a new weekend event that debuts this coming weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The festival is called Big Ears. Most of the major concert events are centered around the beautiful and acoustically exquisite Bijou Theatre, but there are great shows at the Knoxville Museum of Art, the Square Room on Market Square, the Pilot Light and the Catalyst in the Old City, with a special festival headquarters and interactive learning annex set up on the 5th floor of the Woodruff building (all a very easy short walk from one another). I’m happy to report as well that we will now incorporate the Tennessee Theatre for free screenings of two films scored by Philip Glass during the weekend.

There was some great coverage yesterday in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. First, Wayne Bledsoe wrote this nice overview:

(link...)

There are so many unique and rare performances that are a part of Big Ears that I hesitate to single anything out…but…among the major highlights:

• Philip Glass will perform solo piano pieces as well as duets with cellist Wendy Sutter. Ms. Sutter will also perform Glass’ beautiful new piece, Songs and Poems for Solo Cello, which he wrote for her. Philip Glass is likely the most important and influential American composer of the past 50 years. This opportunity to see Glass perform his chamber work in the intimacy and acoustic splendor of the Bijou is rare indeed.

And it’s a Saturday afternoon matinee.

Check out Wayne Bledsoe’s story in yesterday’s Sentinel:
(link...)

• Trumpeter and musical visionary Jon Hassell is a Memphis native, but Big Ears will mark his first ever performance in his home state of Tennessee, and his first in the USA in two decades. If you haven’t heard Hassell’s own remarkable recordings during the past 40 years, you’ve almost certainly heard his unmistakable trumpet in collaborations with Ry Cooder on many recordings and soundtracks, as well as his work with Talking Heads, Bjork, Baaba Maal, Bono and U2, and many others. As the Guardian in the UK wrote, “...there's no doubt that Jon Hassell has had an effect on contemporary music as important as Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix or James Brown or the Velvet Underground."

Read this great interview/story also from Wayne Bledsoe in yesterday’s Sentinel:

(link...)

This is only scratching the surface. There are so many other great things to note:

• Antony and the Johnsons will also be making their Tennessee debut on Saturday evening of the festival, also at the Bijou. A remarkable and powerful singer who has been compared to Nina Simone and Lotte Lenya, Antony Hegarty is one of the most unique and acclaimed young artists of our time. Awarded Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize in 2005 for his CD, I Am A Bird Now, his fusion of blues, gospel, cabaret, and classical music combines unearthly beauty with a powerful emotional punch. His new CD, The Crying Light, was released this past week to rave reviews...as The Wire wrote, “(it's) One of those albums which dares to mean everything to everybody and deserves every success that comes its way.”
• Electronics maestro Christian Fennesz, whose stunning new CD Black Sea was one of Pitchfork’s Best CDs of 2008, will make his first US appearances in years at Big Ears, and he’ll be performing three times! Solo on Friday, in a collaboration with Tony Buck from the Necks and David Daniell from San Agustin on Saturday, and with Mark Linkous and Scott Minor from Sparklehorse on Sunday. Here’s a great article/interview from last Thursday’s Wall Street Journal:
(link...)

• Comedian Neil Hamburger will give architectural tours of downtown Knoxville in addition to his usual stand up routine

• Throughout the weekend there will be talks and workshops and interactive experiences for everyone, including kids of all ages. The Bob Moog Foundation will have an interactive experience where you will be able to play classic analog synthesizers, theremins, and more. Plus, Philip Glass will participate in a Q&A session...Nicholas Collins will host a hacking workshop where participants will create their own homemade electronic instruments...Pauline Oliveros will lead a deep listening workshop...the Shaking Ray Levis will present their Ole Timey Avant-Garde experience...and there will be more.

• The Necks are an amazing band from Australia...just piano, bass, and drums...but at the same time so much more... Their performance at Big Ears will be among their first ever in the United States (except one around 2000 in NYC). A performance by the Necks is like experiencing the construction of a richly detailed luminous tapestry, gradually developing and unfolding before your very ears, accompanied by deep, powerful, hypnotic and slowly mutating groove. The UK Guardian called them “...one of the most extraordinary groups on the planet.” They are.

• and much much more…

It’s all at (link...) for your perusal.

I’ll be letting you now about the special kick off event at the KMA on Friday evening in a day or two.

Thanks for reading this far. I hope you can make it out!

Ashley

One of the exciting things, too, about Big Ears is the number of writers descending on Knoxville to report back on the weekend. I suspect that Knoxville's getting ready to get more national/international press than it ever has for any cultural event happening in our city, at least since the World's Fair. I do hope that the local population will take the opportunity to experience at last a few of the shows being offered. Especially an icon like Philip Glass or Jon Hassell.

Thanks, Alex, for all of the nice comments.

Here's something new:

BIG EARS will officially launch on Friday at 5pm with a special edition of Live After 5. It will include the avant-balkan gypsy music of the Luminescent Orchestrii...along with sonic wizardry from Sxip Shirey...along with a performance by Matmos!!!

Just the thing to rearrange everyone's synapses in preparation for the rest of the evening and the weekend ahead.

There will also be also be a "Big Ears Print Jam" featuring a group of artists and students creating unique silkscreen prints on site before your very eyes.

Admission for the General Public is $10....free with a Big Ears pass, of course.

This happens because of the synergy between the arts and our high-skill, knowledge, and creativity based service economy.
This kind of economy feeds off of inspiration, which means you have to continually inspire people to keep and attract new businesses here.

The synergy between the arts and the university are potentially enormous.
We have a steady flow of bright young minds who come through this town every year, many of whom go on to start their own successful businesses, or make revenue growing contributions to established businesses. But how many of them choose to do it here?
My feeling is that a lot more would if we had a yet more inspiring arts scene.

Events like Big Ears and Sundown probably do more for our long term economic stability as a city than any of the industrial parks we are willing to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on.

We are surrounded by more local examples of places that have thrived in part due to a progressive attitude towards the arts: Asheville, Chattanooga, Nashville. Need I say more?

So when will we wake up and stop chasing after the dying labor intensive manufacturing economy (which already has one foot out the door and into China/Mexico/Vietnam) and start inspiring the talented minds who are the base of our economy- smart, hard working, creative people who love good music, good food, great art, and a city that inspires the best in them.

Thanks

-Sugarfatpie (AKA Alex Pulsipher)

"X-Rays are a hoax."-Lord Kelvin

Are you overwhelmed by the BIG EARS FESTIVAL?

Are you wondering what the excitement is all about and why on earth so much national press is coming to Knoxville to report on this little event?

Do you only have the time or money to attend one or two shows? Wondering how to choose?

Let me make some quick suggestions:

If you love classical music:
PHILIP GLASS AND WENDY SUTTER Bijou 3pm Saturday afternoon
Having Philip Glass come to Knoxville is like having Mozart or Bach visit and perform back in the day. The music will be beautiful and highly enjoyable…the solo cello piece, Songs and Poems, is stunning.

If you’re a fan of electric Miles Davis, a touch of exotica, and the music of artists like Brian Eno:
JON HASSELL + MAARIFA STREET Bijou 10:30pm Friday night
I saw Jon perform in Norway last September. It was beautiful and eerie and the light show alone is amazing too. Jon’s a Memphis native making his first ever performance in Tennessee…and this is his first US show in 20 years.
As the Guardian in the UK wrote, “...there's no doubt that Jon Hassell has had an effect on contemporary music as important as Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix or James Brown or the Velvet Underground."

If you love great jazz singers like Nina Simone and the art of cabaret…and wonder why artists from Lou Reed to Bjork to Nico Muhly to Hercules & Love Affair want Antony singing on their records:
ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Bijou Saturday night 8pm
With his remarkable 8 piece band, this will be one of the most talked about shows of this or any other year. Trust me. Not to be missed.

If you love the ambient soundscapes of Robert Fripp & Brian Eno and other ambient composers:
FENNESZ (solo) Bijou Theatre Friday night 8pm
Rich and beautiful music….Fennesz’s latest CD made many Top CDs of 2008 lists, even though it wasn’t released until late November.

If you like brilliant instrumental music....
THE NECKS Bijou Saturday night 11pm
An amazing band from Australia...just piano, bass, and drums..
The UK Guardian called them “...one of the most extraordinary groups on the planet.” They are.

If you want to have an extraordinary meditative experience that causes you to listen to everything around you in a whole new way:
PAULINE OLIVEROS Knoxville Museum of Art Sunday afternoon 1pm
Now in her 70s, one of the legends of contemporary music.

If you want to experience a zany and provocative take on contemporary culture, you really can’t miss:
NEGATIVLAND Bijou Theatre Sunday afternoon 2:30pm
Presenting their live radio show, “It’s All In Your Head”

If you like the idea of folk music but think its lost its edge…or never had one…and you’re curious about the unique collaboration between Sparklehorse members’ Linkous and Minor with Fennesz being heard in the USA for the first time ever….
FESTIVAL FINALE:
FENNESZ LINKOUS MINOR
MICHAEL GIRA
LARKIN GRIMM Bijou Theatre Sunday evening 7pm
Just go!

If you love outrageous musical creativity and electronic sound, then you can’t miss:
MATMOS the Square Room Saturday night 10pm
Along with the Icelandic String Octet, they were Bjork’s touring band for the Vespertine tour. They made an entire record of music from the sounds of plastic surgery.

There’s so much more…I’m leaving great stuff out…Dan Deacon, Ned Rothenberg, Neil Hamburger, Shaking Ray Levis, Burning Star Core, Fence Kitchen, Luminescnt Orchestrii, San Agustin…

It’s going to be an amazing weekend. Come on out! The water’s warm and the weather’s great.

Thanks, Ashley--
This is a wonderful event, and I'm going to try to make at least one of them -- probably Antony&the Johnsons. I never thought I've have a chance to see him in Kvl.

Knoxviile's music scene is really under appreciated, between the WDVX shows and various bars, you could see a couple of concerts a day, every day, just in downtown. Will try to catch some Big Ears stuff, I noticed there are some free documentaries at the Tn. Theatre at 8pm on Friday and 12 and 8pm on Sat. Very cool.

I caught the films and some of the architecture tour with with Neil Hamburger today. He was too funny, said Yee Haw had been bought by Kimberly Clark and they would now be printing instructions for Tampax from now on.

I loved Big Ears. On more than one occasion, I heard people from Chicago and NYC saying "Wow, I wish we had this cool of a music festival."

Favorite acts.
#1 Antony and the Johnsons- Just mesmerizing. I had expected some sort of hair raising tranny burlesque, but instead got just about the warmest, most sincere show I have EVER been to. And it was funny too. Definitely my all time high for Bijou shows.

#2. John Hassell and Maarifa St.- Wow. The most soothing music I have heard in a long long time. It transformed the room into a warm night spent looking at the moon.

#3 Luminescent Orchestrii- Having them sing to me while eating the french toast and bacon at the Bijou was exhilarating perfection.

#4 Fennesz- After about five minutes, I wanted to give it a bit more chance, before I ran out of the room screaming. After about 10 minutes, I was waiting for that chance to run. After 15 minutes, I was kind of OK with staying. After 45 minutes I was in some sort of waking dream with a mouse and a race car destined for Mississippi.

#5 Negativeland- I was annoyed with the ideas this band tried to convey but really liked the form in which they conveyed them. They came at you with a single theme- "There is no God", elaborations on which consisted of :

"Its all in your head"- Everything is just a chemical reaction originating from your brain. Why should I believe this? I kept asking myself. Much like the religions they kept giving blunt parodies of, Negativeland failed to supporting their statements with any, hard, soft, sonic, squishy, fuzzy, knife edged or otherwise tangible evidence. None. In the realm of intellectual honesty, Negativeland is no better than the Southern Baptist Convention.

Science- and only science- can be trusted. Nevermind that science has shown itself to be easily manipulated and perverted by the corporate giants that Negativeland makes such a great show about excoriating.

Faith is stupidity. Coming from such intellectual light weights, this statement had no impact but kept coming back like a nasty old slim jim you should have stayed away from.

Now, having said all that, the FORM that Negativeland has pioneered is worth seeing. I found their sonic collage performance art extremely inspiring. Hopefully next time it won't be delivering such a pompous, unreflective, and self-undermining message.

I also hear there were some issues with Matmos (a band) being censored by the Square Room and subsequently not going on. They wanted to show video of a guy wanking off in a hot tub during their performance. Now before you say "what about the children eating chicken fried waffles on the other side of the glass in Cafe 4!!!", remember, there is a heavy drape between the square room and cafe 4 and it cannot be seen through when drawn.
Given this, I think it was pretty weak of the square room to censor art that they had been paid to host.
Also dumb in that it confirmed everyone's worst fears about how the Square Room, with their evangelical bent and good ol boy bucks, might influence the Knoxville music scene. I still see the point of engaging with them, but I'm a lot less interested in it now. Anyone who plays there should devote part of their show to a sermon on the evils of masturbation and public sexuality.

-Sugarfatpie (AKA Alex Pulsipher)

"X-Rays are a hoax."-Lord Kelvin