Big Ears 2025 Lineup: Les Claypool’s Bastard Jazz, Yo La Tengo & Sun Ra Arkestra, Tortoise & More

Big Ears Festival returns to downtown Knoxville, Tennessee March 27 – 30, 2025. Les Claypool’s Bastard Jazz, Yo La Tengo & Sun Ra Arkestra (separately and together), Tortoise, ANOHNI and The Johnsons and Esperanza Spalding are just a few of the dozens of acts spanning many genres set to perform at the event next March.

Béla Fleck, Bill Frisell, Arooj Aftab, Joe Lovano and Meshell Ndegeocello return to Big Ears in 2025 with new projects. Other artists on the bill include Waxahatchee, Explosions In The Sky, Jessica Pratt, King Britt, Vijay Iyer, Zakir Hussain & Masters of Percussion, DakhaBrakha, Nels Cline, Taj Mahal and more.

Big Ears will host the North American premiere of Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s 133 Years of Reverb, an eight-hour piece for pipe organ performed by James McVinnie and Eliza McCarthy. Additional artists and programs will be announced via the festival’s newsletter in the weeks leading up to Big Ears.

Passes go on sale this Thursday, September 12 at 9 a.m. ET. Purchase Big Ears 2025 tickets via Front Gate Tickets.

Click the button below to view the full 2025 Big Ears Festival lineup.