Latest news with #BigEars
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big Ears Music Festival to lose $50K in grant funding
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The National Endowment for the Arts has canceled $50,000 in grants for Big Ears Music Festival, said Ashley Capps, the festival's executive and artistic director. Capps said they 'are hopeful we can appeal as the work for one of the grants is already completed. The other is still in progress.' Ijams Nature Center gets $50K to improve walking trail accessibility Created in 2009, Big Ears is Knoxville's largest music festival. This year's festival was held in March. Performances are held at various venues throughout the city, including historic theatres, churches, museums, clubs, and refurbished warehouses. ▶ See more top stories on The news comes as President Donald Trump's new budget calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. Many organizations have received notifications of rejected or rescinded grants according to AP News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Immersed in Knoxville, the world finds common ground through the sounds of Big Ears 2025
Durations, signatures, tempos and rhythms. So much about music has to do with time. But just as musicians booked March 27-30 across Big Ears Festival 2025 have set themselves apart by innovating outside the agreed-upon standards, the concept of time danced between familiar and what felt like figments on the final day of the festival in Knoxville, Tennessee. In the middle of the day, a dark theater renovated for vaudeville in the early 1900s hosted an electronic Icelandic group that innovated in the early 2000s, a buffer between two equally unique musical exhibitions. As East Tennessee mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis was performing across town at a former train depot where people his age go to prom, influential singer-songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright was using his platform at the "Scruffy City's" Civic Auditorium to speak to an international audience about the tensions between the Canadian-American's home countries. Whether you were there and part of the moments that made this year special or you're just curious what this critically acclaimed, yet under-the-radar festival is all about, we have you covered with our favorite moments from Knoxville. KEEP SCROLLING THROUGH PHOTOS BELOW AND READ THEIR CAPTIONS FOR THE FULL STORY Walking into a Big Ears venue can feel like walking into another world. And if you had to pick a theme for this year's festival, "immersive" would do the trick. Several performances across the weekend pulled audiences out of reality, taking them on a visual journey and deeply drawing them further into the music through coordinated lighting, traditional attire and, in some cases, an overwhelming amount of sound. Hitting the theme right on the head, the aptly named duo Immersion took the Regas Square crowd on a journey through the desert to the tropics and from the clouds to the deep sea. While virtuosic jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding appeared to the Knoxville Civic Auditorium as nothing but a silhouette formed by blue backlighting, light was projected onto the walls of Church Street United Methodist and reflected off the stained glass windows as ambient artist Steve Roach paired up with the Brooklyn-born "Age of Reflections" project to paint the already stunning sanctuary with an array of colorful designs synced to the sounds of the influential composer. It wasn't anything in the sushi tacos or meatballs that were set out. The "secret sauce" of Big Ears is the city that hosts it, said festival founder and Knoxville native Ashley Capps, who's made it a tradition to invite those who make the festival possible to the Knoxville Museum of Art to kick off the festival weekend each spring. Fans of the music the festival puts on − including the artists themselves − are just as much fans of the four-day event, as the renowned Knoxville concert promoter has built a reputation among artists, industry professionals, music enthusiasts and aficionados for fostering collaborations that wouldn't happen elsewhere. Pianist Lara Downes, pictured alongside Capps, was the musical guest of the event and was selected, in part, because of her pre-festival arrival in Knoxville to meet with a variety of local groups to learn what the founding principles of the Declaration of Independence mean to them ahead of the country's 250th anniversary. Downes' culminating performance of "The Declaration Project" will take place July 2026 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. "What the hell? A 1 p.m. show? Who's even going to show up," EMEL reflected upon while speaking to the jam-packed crowd at Jackson Terminal just past noon. The Tunisian-American singer-songwriter's signature voice, paired with heavy beats, rocked all four walls and made fans move all four limbs during an awe-inspiring sonic and visual exhibition. Not only do Big Ears fans show up, but they arrive from all over the world. "Like many of you here, I'm from Brooklyn," said "Age of Reflections" co-founder Bob Maynard to a Knoxville crowd more than 700 miles away from New York. Knox News had a chance to hang out with Mike Yaeger, one of Big Ears' biggest fans, who told us he's come to know 120 people by name at Big Ears after making it a point to travel to Knoxville for the world-renowned festival every chance he gets. We also set up shop at The Emporium all weekend to share fun facts about Knoxville, provide recommendations and share how to find our festival photos. Strolling down Gay Street on Big Ears weekend, you noticed conversations about March Madness replaced by debates over musical arrangements, philosophical dialogue about the effects of music on the mind and the excited name-dropping of anticipated artists who might sound unfamiliar but whose music is masterful and widely acclaimed. When the sun goes down, the party heats up at Big Ears, and things get wonderfully wild and weird. But to think that for a second we believed Les Claypool − pictured right and later self-identified as "Steve" for some reason − as he filled in fans on some news they must have missed. Something about modern technology being used to discover beneath Egyptian pyramids 'the biggest Buc-ee's you've ever heard of.' The father of flamenco-style bass that slaps and taps in its quirky Claypool way was joined at The Mill & Mine on March 28 by a 'Bastard Jazz' band, also pictured, that matched the eccentric energy of its leader, Les. It was all so delightfully strange, funky and fun. The following night, with a crowd salivating for something high energy, hip-hop group clipping cut through the careful listening norms to get Big Ears bouncing at Jackson Terminal until Saturday became Sunday. With a repertoire that's seemingly unending, Daveed Diggs traded his planet-saving role in the TV show "Snowpiercer" and his Tony-winning "Hamilton" personas for the experimental sounds of his hip-hop project, which packed the room wall-to-wall for the sweatiest, steamiest set we saw all weekend, as fans let loose and heated up the venue. With the Scruffy City being Big Ears' "secret sauce," it's only fitting the world and Knoxville find ways to come together through the festival's programming. Pretentious in the Old City hosted a jam session among artists signed to Joyful Noise, as well as the collaborative "Molten Soundscapes." This glass-blowing performance by owner Matthew Cummings, whose shop makes the glasses you drink from at his brewery next door, was accompanied by music from Texas-based percussionist Thor Harris. And with the festival winding down, the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir took Knoxville to church on Sunday while making some personal history by collaborating with another vocal group for the first time in its 15-year history. After being joined by the Dedicated Men of Zion quartet at the special open-to-the-public event at the Civic Auditorium, choir director Jeanie Turner Melton told Knox News she "felt the energy here." "We just came together in love and in peace and harmony and so, in the spirit of things, I think that the whole concert was excellent," she said. "I would look forward to doing it again next year." While we'll have to wait and see what next year's lineup has in store, Big Ears will be back. And when it returns, so will the world. Knox News reporters Hayden Dunbar and Keenan Thomas contributed to this report. Ryan Wilusz is the business growth and development editor. Phone: 865-317-5138. Email: Instagram: @knoxscruff. Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208. Joanna Hayes is the restaurant and retail reporter. Email: | Sign up for the free Eat65 newsletter Support strong local journalism by subscribing at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Big Ears Festival brings world together for musical Knoxville weekend
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Road work to expect this weekend: What East Tennessee drivers need to know
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) —This weekend, several construction projects are set to impact roads in East Tennessee. 6 News anchor Bo Williams has what drivers need to know in this week's road work update. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has issued its weekly construction report for March 28 through April 2, detailing ongoing and upcoming construction activities. This report includes information about lane closures and road work across 24 East Tennessee counties. TDOT-Weekly-Construction-Report-3-27-25-to-4-2-25Download Big Ears is also this weekend across downtown Knoxville. Drivers should be aware of more people in the area and drive carefully. Several downtown streets will also be closed from 6 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday through the end of the year. Find out more about the Market Street pedestrian zone. Find live traffic conditions: TDOT Smartway Map If you have any specific questions about road work in your area, email bwilliams@ 6 News takes a look at upcoming road work and traffic conditions from the 6 News Alert Desk on Friday afternoons. Stay up to date with the latest road work updates here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
No pass? No problem! Free shows and events to check out during the 2025 Big Ears Festival
The Big Ears Festival is back for another year of great music, art and conversation in Knoxville. Although single-day passes have sold out, that doesn't mean you have to miss out. You can still experience incredible performances, moving exhibitions and engaging discussions – for free! From Grammy-winning musicians to intimate artist talks, these events offer a taste of Big Ears' eclectic programming without the cost of admission. And there's something for every music fan, whether you're into jazz, classical, bluegrass, electronic or gospel. A full list of free Big Ears events is available at but here's a quick guide to a few of the free performances and exhibitions to check out during this year's festival. ALL IN ONE PLACE! Our Big Ears guide ensures you won't miss a moment as Knoxville braces for festival weekend The Grammy-winning trombonist and composer is known for her innovative approach to jazz, blending traditional elements with modern improvisation. Vandever has toured internationally with her quartet and has performed with popular artists, including Harry Styles, Lizzo, Japanese Breakfast, Jennifer Hudson and Demi Lovato. Her debut album 'We Fell in Turn' was released in 2023. Time: 4 p.m. Venue: Knoxville Museum of Art | 1050 Worlds Fair Park Drive Yuka Honda, a founder of the band Cibo Matto, is an accomplished electronic instrumentalist, composer and producer. She is a prominent figure in New York City in avant-garde and indie rock scenes. Honda is known as eucademix for her solo electronic projects. Her music spans genres, which she collectively calls 'sensory music.' And according to her Big Ears bio, she has a 'deep fascination with microorganisms and humorously refers to herself as a 'de-composer.'' Time: 6:30 p.m. Venue: Knoxville Museum of Art | 1050 Worlds Fair Park Drive This duo is a leader for the new generations of roots musicians, bringing a fresh sound to bluegrass music through de Groot's band and Hargreaves' fiddle. The duo's award-winning album 'Hurricane Clarice' (2022) 'reflects history, family, literature, live performance and environmental instability in the sounds, feelings, and sensations that permeate their music,' according to the Big Ears website. Time: 1:30 p.m. Venue: Knoxville Museum of Art | 1050 Worlds Fair Park Drive Joyful Noise Recordings brings together its Big Ears-attending artists for a special improvised performance. This rare treat for attendees features Wendy Eisenberg, Greg Saunier, Tall Tall Trees, Kramer and Thor Harris. Time: 3 p.m. Venue: Pretentious Beer Company | 131 S. Central St. The Mivos Quartet specializes in performing contemporary classical music to diverse audiences worldwide. The quartet collaborates with established and emerging composers across a broad range of demographics and compositional aesthetics, striving for a deep and meaningful listening experience for audiences. Mivos operates as a nonprofit organization based in New York City, dedicated to performing, commissioning and collaborating on music being written today. Time: 3:45 p.m. Venue: Knoxville Museum of Art | 1050 Worlds Fair Park Drive Dedicated Men of Zion joins the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir for evening of 'pure spiritual elevation.' The quartet's sound is rooted in the traditions of gospel, soul and sacred spirituals. The Big Ears site promises 'a performance filled with deep grooves, impassioned call-and-response and an unwavering devotion to the joyful, redemptive spirit of gospel music.' Free tickets can be reserved at Time: 5 p.m. Venue: Knoxville Civic Auditorium | 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Violins of Hope is an exhibition created by Louis Gauci that collects, restores and showcases violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. Each instrument has been restored and preserved, and each has a physical connection to the hatred, persecution, violence and suffering of the Holocaust. These instruments now serve as powerful symbols of hope and survival. The exhibition will 'guide visitors through the history of the Holocaust, while emphasizing the power of music to foster hope, resilience and acceptance,' according to the Big Ears site. Many of the instruments are in Knoxville this spring for the exhibit and performances by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra at the Tennessee Theatre April 9. The first Knoxville performance was March 5. Times: Noon-6 p.m. March 26-28 | 1-4 p.m. March 29 Venue: Digital Motif Gallery | 108 S. Gay St. 'Kite Symphony' is an exhibition by musician Roberto Carlos Lange and visual artist Kristi Sword that intersects music, performance and visual art. The project features a series of drawings called Radio Telescope and two films: an experimental visual music piece called 'Star Scores' and a film documenting sculptural interventions from their time in Marfa, Texas. Time: Noon-9 p.m. March 27-29; noon-6 p.m. March 30 Venue: UT Downtown Gallery | 106 S. Gay St. Historian and director of the Knoxville History Project Jack Neely dives into Knoxville's rich and surprising cultural and musical heritage, which includes early blues and country roots to the city's connections with jazz, rock and experimental music. The talk will highlight key moments, legendary artists and overlooked stories that have shaped Knoxville's music identity. Time: 3:30 p.m. Venue: Visit Knoxville Visitors Center | 301 S. Gay St. A panel of acclaimed music critics come together for a lively discussion previewing the 2025 festival. They'll highlight must-see performances and emerging artists to check out and share why they look forward to the Big Ears Festival each year. The panel includes Ann Powers (NPR Music), Nate Chinen (The Gig, JazzTimes), Marcus J. Moore (The New York Times, The Atlantic) and Ashley Kahn ("A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album"). This is the perfect guide to navigating the festival's eclectic musical offerings. Time: 5 p.m. Venue: Visit Knoxville Visitors Center | 301 S. Gay St. Singer-songwriter Dawn Richard and music journalist Marcus Moore dig deep into her artistic evolution and career. Paving her own path, Richard has blurred the lines between R&B, electronic, and experimental sounds. And look to Moore for deep dives into Black music and culture. Time: 12:30 p.m. Venue: Visit Knoxville Visitors Center | 301 S. Gay St. Lance Ledbetter, founder of the Grammy-winning archival label Dust-to-Digital and the preservation-focused Dust-to-Digital Foundation, joins Terika Dean, chair of the Blues Foundation, will discuss the evolving role of archives in the digital age and why these recordings still resonate today. Time: 11 a.m. Venue: Visit Knoxville Visitors Center | 301 S. Gay St. Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Free 2025 Big Ears Festival shows and events in Knoxville
The Guardian
16-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Liverpool v Wolves: Premier League
Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 1 min Clever from Liverpool, the corner taken short by Robertson and moved across the box by Mac Allister, only for Alexander-Arnold to miscue a shot wide. Share 1 min Immediately, Liverpool get it forward, and a Slaha cross is blocked behind into the Kop, so the hosts have a corner after 10 seconds. Share 1 min Away we go! Share 'I'm not totally convinced by Liverpool either,' emails Karen Asad. 'They're just filling the void left by City's fall in; a look at their players and all the contract talks show the future is rockier than it may seem. Champions League isn't what it used to be either, so the real test there is yet to come. You know when they face Real Madrid!' Madrid might not progress any further, but at the same time, City might be at their best when we get down to the biggest games. I don't think that his season, Big Ears will be lifted by a side that'll go down in history as one of the best, nor by a side we're certain are Europe's best; it'll be whichever hits form at the right time, which is why this blip might suit Liverpool. Share Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come! Share From Wolverhampton near Molineux, Peter Higginson gets in touch: 'Had the remains of a pork balti for lunch in anticipation of our win today at Anfield. Predict 2-1 win with both goals by Cunha. If I'm wrong I'm going to have another pork balti for tea as a punishment!' Remains? Do you not like eating? Shame on you! Share What would you do if you were Alexander-Arnold (for avoidance of doubt, I know you're not): 1. Stop at Liverpool and be an eternal legend at your hometown club while winning trophies along the way. 2. Sign for Real Madrid, be a Real Madrid player, experience something new, make mega-money, and play with various of the generation's greatest players. On the one hand, it's not easy; on the other, you can't lose. Share On telly, they're talking about Emmanuel Agbadou, signed by Wolves from Rennes in January, and he looks a good player with all the attributes you'd want in a centre-back. Early days, and this'll be a very different test for him; I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles it. Share Vitor Pereira says his team have come to Anfield to compete and enjoy each minute of the game. Liverpool are very strong, but he wants his team to feel proud at the end of the game. Share Email! 'To misquote a certain football-loving French philosopher (according to Monty Python anyway),' writes Ian Copestake, 'I wholly disagree with what you say about a blip in your context (and Spurs)-free preamble but will contend to the death for your right to say it.' I may have addressed that apparent absence below. Share So where is the game? I'm certain that Wolves, like every team facing Liverpool, will target the space in and around around and behind Alexander-Arnold who, for all his glorious passing and crossing, lack defensive nous and recovery pace. There could scarcely be a duo better-placed to exploit that than Ait-Nouri and Cunha while, on the other side, Semedo and Sarabia will also feel they can do something against the flagging Andy Robertson, especially on the counter. Liverpool, meanwhile, will expect to outnumber Wolves in midfield, therefore dominating the ball, targeting the space behind the wing-backs with Jota scavenging in the box. And if all else fails, they can just give it Salah. Share On Sky, Jamie Carragher has just referred to Liverpool's performance in the second leg of League Cup semi as one of their best this season, which I guess unwittingly echoes the preamble. Spurs' performance that night was one of the most spineless, supine subsidences it's every been my amusement to watch, and as such, it's difficult to say too much about Liverpool's effort; they were allowed to do what they wanted by opposition apparently terrified by the simple fact of their existence. Share Wolves, meanwhile, make one change to the side that won at Villa in their last league game: Joao Gomes was suspended for that one but returned to score at Blackburn in the Cup, and he replaces Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Share Back to Slot's XI, It's pretty solid. I do wonder if Bradley would've been a better option to combat Cunha than Alexander-Arnold, but I guess at home in particular, Slot wants the opposition to worry about him. Otherwise, I don't suppose Nunez will be gratified to see Jota preferred to him – real talk, both are great subs but less good from the start – but it's pretty hard for anyone to complain about anything the Liverpool manager does, given where they are. Share But let's wait a second because here's Arne Slot, who says next time he hopes he's a bit calmer when things don't work out well and takes his time before talking the ref. However he also hopes his team take the anger and aggression he felt then and they're feeling now into today; Wolves are also fighting for something, he adds, and the league is such that every you need a reaction in every game. It's been a while since Jota has started and they've brought him along slowly, but he's an important player – though he also has Nunez, so has options. And though Vitor Pereira has said Wolves will attack, Slot says his team are ready to face man-to-man pressing all over the pitch, or a low block. Share Two changes for Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota come in, with Conor Bradley dropping to the bench; Cody Gakpo, in such great form, is injured. Share Already under way: Arsenal v Tottenham: Women's Super League – live Share I'll write these down, then we'll ponder what they might mean. Share Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah, Bradley. Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-2-1): Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Semedo, Andre, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Cunha; Guedes. Subs: Bentley, Bueno, Munetsi, Traore, Doyle, Forbs, Bellegarde, Djiga, Lima. Referee: Simon Hoooper and not Michael Oliver (Swindon) Share Defeat at PSV, defeat at Plymouth, a draw at Everton; Liverpool might just be enduring a blip that felt inevitable. But given Arne Slot's men are in the last 16 of the Champions League, in the final of the League Cup, and sat four points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand, does it even matter? Er, yes – but not in the way we might think. It feels fair to say that this is not, perhaps yet, a vintage Liverpool side: they are vulnerable down the sides, could use a centre-back to play next to Virgil van Dijk, and the midfield is good but not great. They may also be over-reliant on Mohamed Salah … except that's unavoidable when you have a great player and irrelevant when he's impervious to injury. So with no domestic rival likely to make the title race into a serious contest, and no European rival even remotely convincing, a wobble now is to be welcomed. Though James Tarkowski's midweek equaliser will have stung for reasons that have nothing to do with trophy accumulation, Liverpool have time and scope to ride out a slip in form, before rediscovering something better in time for the Premier League run-in and Champions League knockouts. They are set. However there's always a however so, however: Wolves are dangerous visitors. Matheus Cunha is in the middle of a superb season, a ridiculosity of power, imagination and execution able to seize matches nominally contested by 21 others and make them solely about him. He'll fancy the occasion, he'll really fancy the right side of Liverpool's defence, and if his side return home with a result, maybe, just maybe, a blip could intensify into something altogether more arresting. Kick-off: 2pm GMT Share
