There’s a lot to unpack in the 2026 Big Ears Festival lineup, which dropped Sept. 9 and is topped by headliners David Byrne, Robert Plant and Flying Lotus, along with an eclectic undercard featuring SHABAKA, Terry Allen, Perfume Genius and MG Lenderman & The Wind.
Hailed by music publications as one of the most adventurous and boundary-defying festivals in the country, Big Ears is back March 26-29 in its permanent home of Knoxville, Tennessee.
John Zorn also will be returning to the festival with 12 works, two years after Big Ears hosted his “70th birthday celebration” in 2023. Other notable artists on the 2026 lineup include Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, Dirty Three, Laurie Anderson, Pat Metheny and Tunde Adebimpe (from TV on the Radio).
Big Ears also will host the North American premier of Hania Rani’s “Non-Fiction” concerto with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Fans of the festival also can look forward to Michael Leonhart conducting Nels Cline’s “Lovers,” as well as Ghost Train Orchestra playing the music of Moondog and Wild Up playing the music of Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell.
Los Angeles quintet SML will be in residence during the festival, along with Kaoru Watanabe’s “Bloodlines Interwoven,” which has brought together artists from a variety of backgrounds to collaborate on pieces that capture their unique family history through music.
Festival passes go on sale at 9 a.m. Sept. 11 at bigearsfestival.org (Sept. 10 for previous attendees), and increased prices are among this year’s changes.
Even with a pass, festivalgoers will need to purchase an add-on ticket to see Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant. Byrne will present two performances of “Who is the Sky?” while Robert Plant will be performing his new project, “Saving Grace.”
Passholders will have “preferred pricing,” reserved seating and early access to the add-on shows, according to a Big Ears news release.
Big Ears programming is expanding into comedy this year, with former “Late Late Show” bandleader Reggie Watts bringing his improvisational musical humor to Knoxville, as well as a performance by Tim Heidecker & The Very Good Band with Neil Hamburger.
Here’s the full lineup in alphabetical order, which is also available with more info about the festival at bigearsfestival.org:
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 • Chicago Underground Duo • Chilling Bambino • 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) • Hannah Cohen • Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow • Hayden Pedigo • His Name Is Alive • Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few • 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: Film Scores for No One • Perfume Genius • Pino Palladino & Blake Mills • Qur’an Shaheed • Rafiq Bhatia: Environments with Ian Chang & Riley Mulherkar • Reggie Watts • Richard 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 • Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends • Setting • SHABAKA • shirlette ammons • Simon Hanes: GARGANTUA • SML (In Residence) • Steven Bernstein’s MTO Plays Sly • Sullivan Fortner Trio • SUSS presents Across the Horizon • Taper’s Choice • Tara Clerkin Trio • Terry Allen • 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
Ryan Wilusz is the business growth and development editor. Phone 865-317-5138. Email [email protected]. Instagram @knoxscruff.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Big Ears Festival 2026 lineup: David Byrne, Robert Plant, Flying Lotus
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