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Just got back from a great weekend in Knoxville attending Big Ears
Interesting first day, saw a John Luther ambient installation, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra playing Glass, Dressner and Luther, Gloaming (Irish Folk), Wolf Eyes (Avant Noise) and Andy Stott (Techno). Got extremely wet in a couple of storms.
Day 2 - Very good day. It started very oddly with a Tony Conrad movie with drone soundtrack to an epilepsy/headache inducing film. Main highlights were
Zeena Parkins / Tony Buck - experimental harp and drums
Chris Abrahams - Neck pianist solo
Anthony Braxton - 11 piece jazz improv, stunning stuff
Eighth Blackbird - Chamber Ensemble with some vocals, excellent
Vijay Iyer / Wadada Leo Smith - ambient jazz, very enjoyable
Faust plays Tony Conrad Outside The Dream Syndicate - extremely heavy loud industrial drone, two notes for an hour, bone rattlingly awesome.
Third Day was excellent. Started with a very interesting Laurie Anderson movie.Highlights were
The Necks - minimalist jazz, utterly sublime
Maya Beiser - solo looping cello, lovely stuff
Laurie Anderson & Phillip Glass - art 'rock'
Sunn 0))) - drone metal at crushing volume, very silly but fun, has to be experienced at least once.
Skipped out on Faust after one song as I was dog tired & saw them recently at RIO.
Overall highlights
Top Draw
The Necks
Anthony Braxton Ten+1tet
Eighth Blackbird
Faust Plays Outside The Dream Syndicate
Very Good
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Wolf Eyes
Vijay Iyer / Wadada Leo Smith
Maya Beiser
Laurie Anderson & Phillip Glass
Sunn 0)))
Everything else was at least Good except the Tony Conrad headache inducing epilepsy targeting drone movie.
Biggest grumble - too many venue got full way too soon often going to a 1 out 1 in policy at the beginning of the set. This meant you often had to walk out of one set to make sure you got in a queue for the next set early enough not to get closed out. I ended up having to walk out on Eighth Blackbird, Iyer/Smith, Anderson/Glass & Maya Beiser. All deserved full attendance, it was bit annoying.
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Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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