Big Ears Festival has released their schedule for March 26 – 29, 2026, and will take place in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, the festival includes multi-dimensional, international cultural experience with over 250 concerts, films, artist conversations, workshops, exhibitions, and interactive experiences.

In recent weeks, the festival has expanded its lineup with several notable additions, including the world-premiere live performance of The Avett Brothers & Mike Patton present AVTT/PTTN, the Miles Electric Band honoring the Miles Davis Centennial, and new appearances by Chris Thile, Thurston Moore, Tune-Yards, Jeff Parker’s Expansion Trio, William Tyler & Yasmin Williams, Dave McMurray’s Grateful Deadication, Fred Frith’s Fremakajo, and rare collaborative sets featuring Carlos Niño & Sam Gendel and Mary Lattimore & Walt McClements, and many others. These artists join an already wide-ranging and adventurous 2026 roster.

THURSDAY 3/26

David Byrne · Pat Metheny Side Eye III+ · Marc Ribot’s ShrekTerry Allen: Truckload of Art · Tunde Adebimpe · Adrian Sherwood · Deerhoof · Wild Up · YHWH Nailgun · Annahstasia · Bloodshot Bill · Brian Marsella & Sae Hashimoto · Brittany Davis · Ches Smith Clone Row · Chuck Johnson · Dither · Dom Flemons · Fine · Isaiah Collier · Jamie Lidell & Luke Schneider · Jesse Harris’ Cosmo · Kaoru Watanabe’s Bloodlines · Lisel · Mali Obomsawin · Maruja Limón · Mary Lattimore & Julianna Barwick · Natalie Bergman · Pan American & Kramer · Rosenau & Sanborn · Ryan Clackner & Tyshawn Sorey · SML · Taper’s Choice · Turning Jewels into Water · William Hooker · Yagody

FRIDAY 3/27

David Byrne · John Zorn · Richard Thompson · Chucho Valdés · John Scofield Trio · Marc Ribot’s Hurry Red Telephone · Dirty Three · Patrick Watson · Terry Allen & the Panhandle Mystery Band: Memwars · Laurie Anderson: State of Love · Pino Palladino & Blake Mills ft. Sam Gendel & Chris Dave · Reggie Watts · Jeff Parker Expansion Trio · Model/Actriz · Wild Up · Tune-Yards · Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock · Ghost Train Orchestra · The Crossing · Steven Bernstein’s MTO Plays Sly · Barbara Hannigan & Bertrand Chamayou · BASIC · Carlos Niño & Sam Gendel · Charlemagne Palestine · Cleo Reed · Darrell Scott’s Electrifying Trio · Dave Harrington & Mary Lattimore · Dave McMurray & Grateful Deadication · Florist · Fred Frith’s Fremakajo · Go Kurosawa · GRRL x Made of Oak · Hannah Cohen · His Name Is Alive · Janel & Anthony · Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage · Joe Westerlund · Julianna Barwick · Kaoru Watanabe’s Bloodlines · Ken Pomeroy · Kramer · Lazyhorse · Los Thuthanaka · Lubomyr Melnyk · Lucrecia Dalt · Marilyn Crispell & Harvey Sorgen · Meara O’Reilly Vocal Ensemble · Miles Okazaki Trickster · Moin · Nate Mercereau · Ned Rothenberg · Nik Bärtsch · Pan American · Saha Gnawa · SML · Sullivan Fortner Trio · SUSS Presents Across the Horizon · Tara Clerkin Trio · Tim Berne · Tomas Fujiwara: Dream Up · Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes · Will Graefe · Wu Fei & Shanir Blumenkranz · Zeena Parkins & William Winant

SATURDAY 3/28

Robert Plant · The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton · Flying Lotus · John Zorn · MJ Lenderman & The Wind · Cécile McLorin Salvant · Mary Halvorson · Don Was & the Pan-Detroit Ensemble · SHABAKA · Perfume Genius · Cymande · Madison Cunningham · Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion ft. Ringdown · Tim Heidecker & the Very Good Band ft. Neil Hamburger · Chilling Bambino · Thurston Moore · Nate Smith · Film Scores for No One · Barbara Hannigan · Annie & the Caldwells · Briggan Krauss · Chad Taylor Quintet · The Crossing · Darius Jones Trio · Dave Harrington’s Pranksters South · DoYeon Kim · Either/Orchestra · Eliana Glass · Eucademix · Azumi Ō & Waldo Walde · Gwenifer Raymond · Haley Heynderickx · Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow · Hayden Pedigo · John Mailander’s Forecast · Julia Ulehla & Dálava · Kaoru Watanabe’s Bloodlines · Karen Mantler Trio · Kate Gentile · Lubomyr Melnyk · Maria Somerville · Marquis Hill Blacktet · Mary Lattimore & Walt McClements · Mei Semones · Miles Okazaki: The Complete Monk · Miriam Elhajli · Nik Bärtsch’s RONIN · Patricia Brennan Septet · Peni Candra Rini · Rafiq Bhatia Trio · Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band · The Saami Brothers ft. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami · Sam Gendel & Nate Mercereau · Sami Stevens · Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends · Setting · SML · Tsons of Tsunami · Twin Talk · William Tyler & Yasmin Williams · Winged Wheel · Wu Fei

SUNDAY 3/29

Laurie Anderson & Sexmob · Miles Electric Band · Chris Thile · Hania Rani & Knoxville Symphony Orchestra · Nels Cline & Knoxville Jazz Orchestra · Julian Lage Quartet · Cécile McLorin Salvant · Marc Ribot: Map of a Blue City · Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles · Kishi Bashi · Adam Tendler · Anna Tivel · Blind Boys of Alabama · Brandon Woody’s Upendo · Brian Marsella’s iMAGINARIUM · Chávez / Ismaily / Saunier · Chicago Underground Duo · Dave Douglas GIFTS Quintet · Deantoni Parks · DoYeon Kim · Either/Orchestra: Éthiopiques · Gary Lucas & Gods & Monsters · Hand Habits · JACK Quartet · Matt Mitchell’s Zealous Angels · Openness Trio · Orcutt · Shelley Miller · Qur’an Shaheed · Richard Dawson · S.G. Goodman · Simon Hans: GARGANTUA · Tom Skinner · Walt McClements · The Westerlies

All ticket information for Big Ears 2026 HERE