Photos: Big Ears Festival features eclectic lineup
April 01, 2025
Beth Gibbons performing at Knoxville Civic Auditorium as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, March 27, 2025.Billie Wheeler
Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a gathering of many of the world’s most influential and visionary musical creators. This year’s festival, which ran March 27 to 30, included such artists as Minnesota’s Alan Sparhawk, singer-songwriter Sunny War, legendary bluesman Taj Mahal, Wisconsin-originated Phil Cook, Canadian songwriter-composer Rufus Wainwright, Portishead’s Beth Gibbons and Wilco’s Nels Cline.
Browse photos from the event:
Big Ears Festival: collection 1
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Big Ears Festival — which runs March 27 to 30, 2025, in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee — is a gathering of many of the world’s most influential and visionary musical creators.
Cora Wagoner
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Alan Sparhawk performing at Jackson Terminal as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Billie Wheeler
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Alan Sparhawk performing at Jackson Terminal as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Billie Wheeler
Big Ears Festival: gallery 2
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Joan As Police Woman performing at The Standard as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Eli Johnson
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Phil Cook performing at First Presbyterian Sanctuary as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Christian Stewart
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Sun Ra Arkestra and Yo La Tengo performing at Knoxville Civic Auditorium as part of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Friday, March 28, 2025.