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Sep 09, 2025 By Mark Redfern

The Knoxville, TN festival Big Ears has announced its 2026 lineup. It features David Byrne, Flying Lotus, Perfume Genius, Robert Plant, Tunde Adebimpe, John Zorn, Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, Laurie Anderson, Deerhoof, Hannah Cohen, Hand Habits, Reggie Watts, Tim Heidecker, Florist, Pat Metheny, Tom Skinner, and more. The full lineup is below.

The festival happens March 26-29 in downtown Knoxville, with over 250 events in 20+ venues. Byrne will be performing his new album, Who Is The Sky?. Plant will present a new project, Saving Grace. Whereas Zorn will be performing 12 works, all new to Big Ears.

Festival passes go on sale this Thursday, September 11, at 9 a.m. ET. If you’ve previously attended Big Ears then you get early access to passes, starting this Wednesday, September 10, at 9 a.m. ET.

www.bigearsfestival.org

Read our review of the 2025 Big Ears Festival.

Big Ears 2026 Lineup:

Adrian Sherwood • Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles • Anna Tivel • Annahstasia •

Annie & The Caldwells • BASIC • Blind Boys of Alabama • Bloodshot Bill • Brandon Woody’s Upendo • Brian Marsella & Sae Hashimoto • Brian Marsella’s iMAGiNARiUM • Briggan Krauss • Brittany Davis • Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion ft. Ringdown • Cécile McLorin Salvant • Chad Taylor Quintet • Charlemagne Palestine • Ches Smith Clone Row • Chicago Underground Duo • Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet • Chuck Johnson • Cleo Reed • Cymande • Darius Jones Trio • Dave Douglas Gifts Quintet ft. Tomeka Reid, James Brandon Lewis, Rafiq Batia & Ian Chang • Dave Harrington’s Pranksters South • David Byrne: Who is the Sky? • Deantoni Parks: Technoself • Deerhoof • Dirty Three • Dither: Laurie Spiegel’s The Expanding Universe • Dom Flemons • Don Was & the Pan-Detroit Ensemble • DoYeon Kim • Either/Orchestra • Eliana Glass • Fine • Florist • Flying Lotus • Gary Lucas & Gods and Monsters • Ghost Train Orchestra plays The Music of Moondog • Go Kurosawa • GRRL x Made of Oak • Gwenifer Raymond • Haley Heynderickx • Hand Habits • Hania Rani & Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Non-Fiction (N. American Premiere) • Hania Rani presents Chilling Bambino • Hannah Cohen • Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow • Hayden Pedigo • His Name Is Alive • Isaiah Collier • Jamie Lidell & Luke Schneider • Janel & Anthony • Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage • Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock • Joe Westerlund • John Mailander’s Forecast • John Scofield Trio ft. Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart • John Zorn: Impromptus Ballades Nocturnes, Junction Trio Plays Zorn, Love Songs ft. Petra Haden, Incerto, Awakening Ground, Hannigan Sings Zorn I & II, Cobra, Harry Smith Films with Music, Masada Reunion, John Zorn and Laurie Anderson • Julia Úlehla & Dálava • Julian Lage Quartet • Julianna Barwick • Karen Mantler Trio • Kate Gentile: Find Letter X • Ken Pomeroy • Kishi Bashi • Kaoru Watanabe’s Bloodlines Interwoven (In Residence) • Laurie Anderson: X2 with Sexmob • Lazyhorse • Lisel • Los Thuthanaka • Lubomyr Melnyk • Lucrecia Dalt • Madison Cunningham • Mali Obomsawin • Marc Ribot: Shrek, Hurry Red Telephone, Map of a Blue City • Maria Somerville • Marilyn Crispell & Harvey Sorgen • Marquis Hill Blacktet • Maruja Limón • Mary Halvorson Canis Major • Mary Lattimore • Matt Mitchell’s Zealous Angles • Meara O’Reilly Vocal Ensemble • Mei Semones • Miles Okazaki • Miriam Elhajli • MJ Lenderman & The Wind • Model/Actriz • Moin • Natalie Bergman • Nate Mercereau • Nate Smith Trio • Nels Cline & Knoxville Jazz Orchestra: Lovers • Nik Bärtsch’s RONIN • Openness Trio • Orchestra Baobab • Orcutt Shelley Miller • Pan American & Kramer • Pat Metheny Side-Eye III+ • Patricia Brennan Septet • Patrick Watson • Patrick Watson presents Film Scores for No One • Perfume Genius • Pino Palladino & Blake Mills • Qur’an Shaheed • Rafiq Bhatia: Environments with Ian Chang & Riley Mulherkar • Reggie Watts • Rich(ard) Dawson • Richard Thompson • Robert Plant’s Saving Grace feat. Suzi Dian • Rosenau & Sanborn • Ryan Clackner & Tyshawn Sorey • Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band • S.G. Goodman • The Saami Brothers ft. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami • Saha Gnawa • Sami Stevens • Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends • Setting • SHABAKA • shirlette ammons • Simon Hanes: GARGANTUA • SML (In Residence) • Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra Plays Sly • Sullivan Fortner Trio • SUSS presents Across the Horizon • Taper’s Choice • Tara Clerkin Trio • Terry Allen with Brenden Greaves & Jo Harvey Allen: Truckload of Art • Terry Allen with the Panhandle Mystery Band & Jo Harvey Allen: Memwars • Tim Berne • Tim Heidecker & the Very Good Band with Neil Hamburger • Tom Skinner • Tsons of Tsunami • Tunde Adebimpe • Turning Jewels Into Water • Twin Talk • Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes • Walt McClements • The Westerlies • Wild Up: Julius Eastmans’ Femenine & Arthur Russell’s 24 to 24 • Will Graefe • William Hooker Quartet • Winged Wheel • Wu Fei & Shanir Blumenkranz • Yagódy • YHWH Nailgun

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