"One of the greatest things about the festival is that many of the artists are going to be around for the whole weekend, and there are lots of unplanned and unexpected things that will emerge. We’ve deliberately lapsed some space in the schedule to allow these things." -Ashley Capps

"If you don’t take a risk, great things don’t happen."

These were the words Ashley Capps chose to describe why he created BIG EARS, the second-year avant-guard music festival that will stretch across Knoxville’s downtown sector from March 26-28. Capps may be better known as the namesake of AC Entertainment and as co-creator of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, but he seems to be just as proud of his most recent brainchild and the fact that Knoxville was the perfect suitor.

"I love Knoxville," he told a crowded Square Room audience at the BIG EARS listening party in late February. "I’m really proud of Knoxville. It’s a great city." He continued with the appreciative crowd, explaining why he chose to bring the festival "home."

"The inspiration for an event like this really comes from some of the smaller scale festivals I’ve attended in Europe," he said. "What makes them special is that they are not taking place in the typical culture centers. They’re taking place in smaller towns, and for the people who choose to attend them, there is a real sense of shared purpose and community. We experienced that last year with BIG EARS....There’s something to be said for being away from the usual."

According to Capps, the allure of proximity was another big factor. "We’ve got a great walking city. There aren’t too many places where you can stay in a hotel and walk to as many great venues and never have to get in a car. The walk-ability of the thing is intrinsic to the overall vibe of what we hope to create."

As far as the music goes, Capps believes that the artists at BIG EARS, no matter how absent they may be from household acclaim, are some of the most innovative musicians playing today.

"There’s a real connection here with the 60's, in the sense that the 60's were a time of extraordinary cultural change and unprecedented creativity…Terry Riley embodied that as much as any person I can imagine."

Riley will serve as the 2010 Artist in Residence at BIG EARS. Have you ever wondered where the Who’s, "Baba O’Riley" got its name and why it wasn’t just called "Teenage Wasteland?" Well the answer points to the aforementioned composer and the influence that Riley had on The Who. Riley has been credited by the most important musicians of all time for his groundbreaking compositions. Artists like Philip Glass and Steve Reich are joined by Velvet Underground and Pink Floyd on the scroll of those who learned from Riley’s sound.

So it’s fitting that Riley be the one to lead a new assemblage of musical risk takers into a new decade, with nothing but possibilities ahead.

"It’s hard to see your own time when you’re in the midst of it, but it feels like there is a similar creativity at work," said Capps. "This festival is intended to draw a few of those parallels. Back in the 60's, rock bands played with orchestras...there was this really rich period of experimentation and a lot of amazing music came out of that. This very same thing is happening at this moment."

"There’s a whole new generation of musicians and creators who have grown up with this incredible ability to draw from so many different influences and traditions—and a lot of this music is going on at BIG EARS. There’s some music that you’re going to be saying, "Is this rock? Is this pop? Is it chamber music?" But a lot of these lines are blurred at the moment," he concluded.

The artists in Knoxville for the weekend are those who take advantage of those hazy boundaries. Though many of the performers are off the beaten path of commercial stardom, the talent at BIG EARS is easy to find. Continue reading for biographies of several of the acts that are participating at this year’s festival.

Note: The Cox Auditorium is located next to Neyland Stadium on UT campus. The BIG EARS Annex is the venue formerly occupied by The Catalyst in the Old City.

Terry Riley

Fri. 3/26 - 7:00 @ Bijou

Sat. 3/27 - 9:00 @ Cox Auditorium, Sat. 3/27 - Midnight @ TN Theatre

Sun. 3/28 - 7:00 @ Bijou Theatre

When the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra opened Disney Hall, Terry Riley was chosen to play a special program on an extraordinarily rare multi-million dollar pipe organ.

The Cox Auditorium on UT’s campus, formerly known as the Alumni Gym, also houses such an organ. The program that was thought to have been a once in a lifetime presentation will be performed again in Knoxville by the artist in residence at 9:00PM on Saturday, March 27^th. Later that night, a performance of "In C" will take place with a cast of all stars (literally) at midnight at the Tennessee Theatre. Bang on a Can Allstars will join Riley for the twilight show. This recording is what bands like Pink Floyd and Velvet Underground and composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich have called inspirational. If you are attending the BIG EARS festival, you must see at least one of Riley’s performances in order for your weekend to be a true success. -RO

The Ex + Buke & Gass

Friday 3/26 - BIG EARS Annex @ 8:00

Since 1979, The Ex have been nothing but indie. The Ex has stood the test of time, most likely due to their unwillingness to go anywhere near tradition. The two piece began their career as a no-holds-barred band as the punk explosion swept its way around the globe. Their recent sound has expanded into further experiment, and recent collaborations include works with acts like Tortoise and Sonic Youth.

This band did indie before most indie musicians were even born, and Amsterdam’s finest maintain that mind frame to this day. Joined The Ex for this show is Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez. Dyer plays his own version of a six-string baritone ukulele (buke) while Sanchez has crafted a guitar/bass hybrid all his own (gass). The two also keep their feet busy with several pieces of foot percussion. Together this four piece promises to engage visually and enlighten musically. -RO

Bang on a Can Allstars

Sat. 3/27 - Noon @ Bijou Theatre W/ 802 Tour, Sat. 3/27 - Midnight @ Tennessee Theatre W/ Terry Riley

At the very beginning of Bang on a Can, founders Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julie Wolfe recognized that their new and open approach to presenting required new and openperformers. A new generation of virtuosic and passionate performers was needed to makethis music come alive. These new players needed new skills. They had to be able to cross musical boundaries, and be at home with many styles and technologies. And they had to be great. Michael, David and Julie quickly started assembling a core of such exciting, dedicated and versatile players, and these performers started showing up with regularity from festival to festival. Out of this core, in 1992, they assembled the Bang on a Can All-Stars.

The instrumentation itself shows the aesthetic intention for which the All-Stars were designed. Clarinets, cello, keyboard, electric guitar, bass, and drums – it is part rock band and part amplified chamber group. Constructed specifically to blur the lines between classical and pop ensembles, the line-up was chosen to give voice to a huge range of musics and styles, and the players have the musical backgrounds and abilities to match. Each player is completely at home with new music but has lived somewhere else as well - collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma, backing Mikhail Baryshnikov, and touring with Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. The players bring their otherworldly experiences back to their life with the All-Stars, and their mixing creates an intense, hard-rocking approach to performance that no other group can match. Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore also wrote a piece for the band.

802 Tour (Doveman, Nico Muhly, Sam Amidon)

Saturday 3/27 - Noon @ Bijou Theatre

W/ Bang on a Can Allstars

Doveman

First of all there is his voice. First you will hear it -- maybe hate it -- but then, eventually, it will begin to transform how you think voices are supposed to sound. A frog in the throat, a kink in the heart, a rasp that doesn't go away...

Then, hopefully, you will be overhwhelmed by the music -- an ebbing then swelling, oceanic thing, it comes than goes; tickles your ears then pokes you in the ribs; has unstoppable momentum when it is not finding new ways to climax or standing absolutely stock still.

Doveman is 25-year old Thomas Bartlett and a select group of collaborators. Most often, the band includes banjo player Sam Amidon, a folk singer and old childhood friend; drummer Dougie Bowne, sideman to Iggy Pop, the Lounge Lizards, and Cassandra Wilson; guitarist and conjurer Shahzad Ismaily, who has previously appeared with that magical trifecta -- Marc Ribot, the Master Musicians of Joujouka, and Rage Against the Machine; and trumpeter Peter Ecklund, an expert in genres like swing and dixieland jazz. At various times there are various others. Doveman does not rehearse, but they sure can play.

When listening to this music you should keep in mind artists such as Frederic Chopin, Cat Power, Keith Jarrett, Talk Talk, and Chris Whitley -- unless you don't know any them or are not a fan, in which case you should keep in mind Nick Drake, The National, Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, and other, trendier bands whose music has recently appeared in car commercials.

Nico Muhly

Nico Muhly was born in Vermont in 1981 and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Columbia University in 2003 with a degree in English Literature and received a Masters in Music from the Julliard School one year later.

Since receiving his degrees, he has amassed a string of commissions, collaborations, and premieres that would be notable for a composer twice his age. He has written orchestral pieces for the Boston Pops, the Chicago Symphony MusicNOW, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Julliard Orchestra, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Orchestra, and the American Ballet Theatre (for choreographer Benjamin Millepied). His works have been premiered on the BBC and at New York's St. Thomas Church, Carnegie Hall, the Whitney Museum and the New York Public Library - the latter, a special collaboration with designer/illustrator Maira Kalman in honor of her illustrated edition of The Elements of Style. Finally, Muhly has worked extensively with Philip Glass as editor, keyboardist, and conductor for numerous film and stage projects, and contributed to projects by a striking constellation of pop figures, among them Rufus Wainwright, Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons), Björk, Teitur, Will Oldham, and The National.

Sam Amidon

Sam Amidon was raised in Brattleboro, Vermont by folk-musician parents Peter and Mary Alice Amidon. He sings, plays fiddle, banjo, guitar, and can count in binary code on his hands really fast. "All Is Well," a collection of re-worked folksongs produced by Valgeir Sigurðsson and featuring chamber-orchestral arrangements by Nico Muhly and contributions from Eyvind Kang, Aaron Siegel, Ben Frost, and Stefan Amidon, is his first album for Bedroom Community.

His previous album of songs, a duo with Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman) under the name Samamidon and called "But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted," was labelled "the most interesting folk album of 2007" by Stylus magazine.

Sam lives in New York City. He plays in the lamp-rock bands Doveman and Stars Like Fleas, and has also played with Tall Firs, The Swell Season, and Stares. In March, he premiered the Nico Muhly composition "The Only Tune" at Carnegie Hall.

Sam studied with the late free-jazz legend Leroy Jenkins and downtown/jazz violinist Mark Feldman. As a teenager he became known throughout the United States folk scene as fiddler, releasing 5 albums with his band Assembly to great acclaim, as well as performing with his parents.

Gang Gang Dance

Saturday 3/27 - 12:30 AM @ BIG EARS Annex (formerly The Catalyst)

W/ Javelin

Since their formation in Brooklyn at the turn of the century, Gang Gang Dance have developed and refined their ritualistic tribal-futurism – a unique fusion of edgy electronics, shimmering guitars, dark poly-rhythms, and the eerie vocals of Liz Bougatsos. Drawing inspiration from psychedelic rock, electronica, and noise as well as Indian, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian influences, their early performances are the stuff of legend…wild, sprawling, improvisatory happenings that sometimes blurred the distinction between performers and audience.

William Basinsky

Saturday 3/27 - Noon @ The Square Room, Sat. 3/27 - 10:00 PM W/ Ben Frost

William Basinski is a classically trained musician and composer who has been working in experimental media for over 25 years in NYC. His haunting and melancholy soundscapes explore the temporal nature of life, resounding with the reverberations of memory and the mystery of time. His epic 4-disc masterwork, The Disintegration Loops, received international critical acclaim and was chosen as one of the top 50 albums of 2004 by Pitchfork Media. Art Forum selected The River, his transcendental 2-disc shortwave music experiment on Raster-Noton.de, Germany as one of the top ten albums of 2003. His concerts and installations and films made in collaboration with artist-filmmaker, James Elaine have been presented internationally.

Vampire Weekend

W/ Abe Vigoda

Saturday 7:30 PM @ Tennessee Theatre

Vampire Weekend aren’t exactly the model candidates to be the next poster boys of indie rock stardom. Too clean cut. Too melodic. Too … Ivy League.

But these four bourgeois white boys from Columbia University have taken their irreverent blend of afro-pop beats, rapid-fire jazz guitars and undergraduate yearning to become one of indie’s premiere up-and-coming acts. Call it "trust-fund rock."

Vampire Weekend sound like Graceland if Paul Simon had recorded it at the tail end of an Aderall and Red Bull all-nighter.

On the strength of the singles "A-Punk" and "Oxford Comma" – easily the catchiest song written about superfluous punctuation -- their 2008 self-titled debut landed on more than one of the year’s "Best of " lists and helped the quartet secure a spot as the openers of 2008’s Bonnaroo.

But the band’s freshman effort was just a rough draft compared to its 2010 follow-up Contra. While their debut album relied heavily on simple guitar hooks and lots of empty space, Contra adds a new dimension of complexity that is anything but sophomoric.

Songs like "Cousins" and "Holiday" fly by at the same caffeinated pace as the band’s earlier material, while the band delivers more calculated and deliberate grooves on "Giving up the Gun" and "I Think UR a Contra." Trumpets, orchestras, synth-beats and looped samples abound, and frontman Ezra Koenig even breaks out the Auto-Tune for "California English."

Contra debuted at No. 1 in January, even beating the pop sensation Susan Boyle, proving once and for all that well-crafted pop tunes are still much cooler than Les Miserables covers. Not too shabby for a bunch of indie-rock underclassmen.

Perhaps the festival’s creator said it best: "Why Vampire Weekend? Because they’re fun."

The xx

W/ jj and Nosaj Thing

Friday 10:30 @ Bijou Theatre

Hailing from the southwestern sector of London, The xx are one of the most promising acts at BIG EARS in 2010. The band is composed of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Baria Qureshi and Jamie Smith. Together this foursome has made a lot of noise in the US after garnering attention for their DIY recordings and live performances across the pond. They create a soothing and mellow—but still very charming—atmosphere with a dual-voice approach and simplistic scores. Their sound could just as easily motivate you to make the courageous move you’ve been putting off, as it could softly push you to sleep.

A smooth mix of 90's era hip hop and the indie pop of tomorrow, The xx should prosper for years to come.

jj

W/ The xx and Nosaj thing

Friday 10:30 @ Bijou Theatre

This Swedish duo is hard to diagnose. On the surface it sounds like electronica meeting indie folk in this girl-guy gig. But to describe the band with such generic terms would mean serious injustice. With music that’s nearly impossible to find anywhere unless you own an album, jj has been an unknown musically commodity in this part of the world, until now. From a nod to Lil Wayne on the party starting "Ecstasy" to the guitar-led singer/songwriting feel of "Are You Still In Vallda," jj’s music stretches the traditional walls of categorization from one song to the next. If it’s futuristic party anthems you’re after, give jj a listen. But don’t be surprised if you are swept off your feet by one of the angelic slower numbers. -RO

The Dirty Projectors

W/ Bang on a Can All Stars

Saturday 2:00 PM @ Tennessee Theatre

The Dirty Projectors is a Brooklyn, NY based experimental rock project that gets its name from a job its creator, David Longstreth, had cleaning projector equipment. But unlike Longstreth’s short-lived career, The Dirty Projectors’ unique style and performance techniques have been lauded by the indie crowd for several years, and have helped to make a name for the band by pushing the boundaries of common composition and performance technique.

This reputation has undoubtedly helped them collaborate with other commercially successful and respected artists who have been known to stray from the norm from time to time. In 2008, the band joined forces with David Byrne and Germaine Greer for the song "Notty Pine," on the compilation album "Dark Was the Night." The following year, they teamed up with Bjork in an original composition which benefited the non-profit organization known as Housing Works, which helps to provide shelter to homeless AIDS patients. In the past, Longstreth and his band have also been known to pool resources with fellow 2010 Big Ears Festival artists Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend.

The unique sound of The Dirty Projectors is alive and well with current band members Dave Longstreth (vocals, guitar), Amber Coffman (vocals, guitar), Angel Deradoorian (vocals, keyboard,samples, guitar,bass), Brian McOmber (drums), Nat Baldwin(bass) and Haley Dekle (vocals). Their distinguishing mix of lo-fi and hi-fi sound makes this band a must-see and a true jewel for the Big Ears Festival.

By Matthias Hicks

Hicks@blanknews.com

Adrian Belew

Saturday 3/27 - The Square Room @ 2:00

W/ Shortwave Society

As a member of Frank Zappa’s band in the late 70's, Adrian Belew became renowned for his whammy-inspired and pedal-breaking stylings. To this day he is unrivaled in the use of effects when it comes to the guitar. Though his current feature roles are that of frontman for the bands King Crimson and The Bears, he has always enjoyed hitting the road alone.

He plays several instruments on many of his own works. And, while these tunes are lesser known than the critically recognized Grammy nominated single, "Guitar Beat Box," his solo career has served as music education to masses.

His accolades don’t stop there. Belew has axed his way onto other prominent musicians’ albums for decades. Over the past 30 years, he has worked with David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Talking Heads and Nine Inch Nails. Belew was even a part of Paul Simon’s miraculous "Graceland," but that doesn’t scratch the surface when it comes to the impression he has made on others. He has inspired numerous musicians, and is bound to do so when he plays to an eager crowd in Knoxville.

Clogs

W/ Sufjan Stevens, Matt Berninger, Shara Worden, Aaron Dressner & Gyan Riley

Saturday 3/27 - 4:00 PM @ Bijou Theatre

The Clogs show at BIG EARS will be a once in a lifetime event. The Clogs will be performing their latest album, "The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton," during their set, sure. But this will be the only time that fans will be able to see the entire ensemble of contributors on the album together, live. Imagine for a moment being able to see some of your favorite collaborations of all time together in concert. Imagine how hard such a thing must be to put together—with differing touring schedules, recording sessions and the need for a good ole fashioned break every now and then.

With the futures of these artists all but guaranteed, this is an opportunity to experience just that. The shining achievement of the weekend will be when this unbelievable conglomeration of indie’s brightest stars come together for this late afternoon set.

Yes, Sufjan Stevens, and Aaron and Bryce Dressner (of The National), Matt Berninger (frontman of The National, Osso String Quartet) and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) will all be in the same building with the rest of the regular members of Clogs.

Padma Newsome fronts the band and Bryce Dressner serves as the leading man.

He has achieved serious acclaim for his works with "The National," but his veins of creativity don’t stop their flow with his patriotically-named act. The same can be said with his brother Aaron, Berninger, Worden, Riley and Stevens. They all put their regular gigs aside and lent their hands (and voices) on the record which ends up as an almost religious composition of cavernous melodies. This album’s soothing power is nothing short of a bath of Vick’s VapoRub or (more realistically) a cup of hot coca on a cold winter day.

The timing of the combination came partly due to the fact that The National and My Brightest Diamond are also playing in Knoxville over the weekend, but the addition of Stevens came as a pleasant surprise to music fans across the world just hoping to hear a recording of the event after it takes place. BIG EARS attendees have a chance to actually be there. If there is one show that shouldn’t be missed during the festival, this is it.

Joanna Newsom

Saturday 10:00 PM @ Bijou Theare

For most mellow music enthusiasts, hearing Joanna Newsom’s oozing voice once is enough to know that she is something special. With Newsom, childlike innocence meets respectful and unforced sexiness. Her sets are a spoken word lyrical journey accompanied by a full-sized harp, a finely tuned piano and occasionally the traditional banjo.

Described as one of the most influential women in the psych-folk movement, her music often beckons appreciation of Mother Nature and the preservation of the earth without being preachy. Though Newsom says she enjoys dancing to hip hop, Motown and West African music, she rarely allows any of those styles impact her own style. Newsom’s set will please those looking to whet their whistle with a meaningful set of musical poetry.

St. Vincent

Sunday 3/28 - 4:30 @ Bijou Theatre

W/ Special Guest

Just as the masculine moniker may shroud the feminine mystique behind St. Vincent, so does multi-instrumentalist and musical architect Annie Clark’s fairy tale voice obscure the shadowy intrigue of her songs. Often described as "score-like" and "cinematic," her tunes do convey an air of nonchalance, as if they are an auxiliary to some greater scene playing out. Yet, as the impact of any cinema is undoubtedly enhanced by its score, so does St. Vincent craft her music into a commanding presence; it can certainly stand alone. With intricate musical arrangements beneath Clark’s modest but sweetly pretty vocals, St. Vincent’s sound is organically chic. -Tegan Medico

The National

Sunday 3/28 - 9:00 @ Tennessee Theatre

W/ My Brightest Diamond

The National is the must see show of the weekend. No matter you’re musical taste, you’ll have to go out of your way to find something wrong with this act.

A true band of brothers, The National features a set of twins (Aaron and Bryce Dressner) and a set of regular brothers (Scott and Bryan Devendorf.) They are joined by Matt Berninger, whose deep baritone perfectly interweaves the band’s brooding indie rock sound. Bryce Dressner serves as curator of the BIG EARS festival, and as a result, special guests are guaranteed.

During live sets, the patriotically named unit has been known to incorporate elements from nearly every genre of music, and during their closing performance at BIG EARS, they’re likely to bring dozens of musicians on stage. Soft and dark melodic variations turn to outright rock with The National’s music.

Having just completed their follow-up album to "Boxer," one of Blank’s best albums of the previous decade, this show promises fresh material as well. The album won’t be released until May, so this is a chance to preview the work. One things for sure, The National will have you pledging allegiance as the weekend comes to an end. -RO

Purchase your tickets at www.bigearsfestival.com.

More Info...

The second Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the weekend of March 26­-28, 2010, continues to expand.  The festival has unveiled some of the unique and rare performances to be experienced this year. Sufjan Stevens along with Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner of The National and Shara Warden (My Brightest Diamond) will be joining Clogs in their performance of the new song cycle The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton. Big Ears 2010 will feature the only live performance of the piece currently scheduled with all of the guest vocalists from the recording, which is slated to be released in early March.

Electronic ambient composer Tim Hecker will be collaborating for the first time with composer/performer Ben Frost, each of whom will also be performing separately during the weekend. The Bang on a Can All-Stars will perform a program of pieces written for them by the Dirty Projector’s Dave Longstreth and Thurston Moore as well as Michael Gordon and Evan Ziporyn. In addition, Bang on a Can will perform Brian Eno’s Music for Airports in a special show with The Books and Tim Hecker. Rock guitar legend Adrian Belew (Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson) will introduce his new solo work during the festival.

Aritst-in-residence Terry Riley’s series of programs during the festival weekend will also feature some rarely heard work. Riley will perform a concert on the extraordinary new pipe organ at the University of Tennessee’s Cox Auditorium, presenting music commissioned in 2008 by the LA Philharmonic to christen the pipe organ at Disney Hall. This will mark the first time that the program has been presented outside of Los Angeles. Riley will also perform his rarely heard recent work, Autodreamographical Tales, with the Bang on a Can All-Stars, prior to a performance of his legendary masterwork, In C, with an all-star cast of festival performers.

In addition, Riley will perform other solo work as well as with his quartet, featuring electric violin virtuoso Tracy Silverman, guitarist Gyan Riley, and drummer Ches Smith (of Secret Chiefs 3 and Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog). The Calder Quartet will also present a program of Riley’s string quartets as well.

The Big Ears Festival also marks a couple of other exciting "firsts": It will be the first time the Dutch punk anarchists The Ex have ever performed south of the Mason Dixon line in their 30-year history and the festival finale will feature the long-awaited return of The National, who will debut new material from their much anticipated new album to be released in May. The full schedule of concerts will be announced today, Wednesday, February 17, and tickets for the new shows will go on sale Friday, February 19, at 10 a.m. Tickets are already on sale for many of the major concert events of the weekend, and a limited number of "Inner Ear" all access weekend festival passes are still available as well.

Additional elements of the Big Ears Festival weekend will be revealed in the coming weeks, including surprise collaborations, art installations, a film program, workshops, lectures, interactive experiences, and more.

BIG EARS 2010 is celebrating the 75th birthday year of the legendary American minimalist composer, Terry Riley. The National¹s Bryce Dessner is co-curating the weekend.

Artists performing include Vampire Weekend, The National, Joanna Newsom, Andrew W.K., St. Vincent, The xx, the Calder Quartet, Iva Bittova, Tim Hecker, Nico Muhly, Ben Frost, Sam Amidon, Doveman, jj, and more. More festival details, including travel and hotel information and up-to-the-minute news and additions to the schedule and line-up, are available at www.bigearsfestival.com.

 "The Hangout" Adds a Brilliant New Twist to Festival Season

The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival is thrilled to announce an incredible lineup for its inaugural year.  The 3-day music and arts festival is scheduled for May 14th-16th and is sure to be an experience like no other. Located directly on the sandy white beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, The Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival is the first major music festival of the summer festival season. A full confirmed lineup is listed below with more bands to be announced in the coming weeks.

"Watching this caliber of performers directly on the beach will truly be a unique experience. Theres just nothing like it," said A.J. Niland, of HUKA Entertainment. "This will be one of the biggest beach parties this area has ever seen."

With performances taking place on four stages, and two main stages on the beach, the festival hopes to bring the Gulf Coast into the national music scene. In addition, festival organizers have other activities still to be announced. Attendance will be limited to 35,000 people per day.

Festival tickets are available online at www.hangoutmusicfest.com as well as at The Hangout restaurant and Surf Style stores along the central Gulf Coast. Ticket prices are $159 for a three-day pass and limited $82 day passes will be available. VIP ticket packages and travel packages start at $500 and are available online or by phone at 1-888-512-SHOW.

There is a wide assortment of lodging options surrounding the festival including traditional hotels and beachfront condos to camping at the local state park. Visit www.hangoutmusicfest.com for more information.

Official festival website is www.hangoutmusicfest.com

Trey Anastasio and TAB * Flaming Lips * Zac Brown Band * John Legend * Ben Harper and Relentless7 * Govt Mule 
Alison Krauss and Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas * Govt Mule * Ray LaMontagne * Michael Franti and Spearhead
Black Crowes * Rodrigo Y Gabriela * Funky Meters * Blind Boys of Alabama * Matisyahu * Girl Talk * Guster * Brett Dennen
Keller Williams * Jerry Jeff Walker * North Mississippi Allstars * A.L.O. * The Whigs * Ozomatli * OK GO
Orianthi * Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam * Pnuma Trio * Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears
Toubab Krewe * Mat Hires * A.A. Bondy * Rachel Goodrich * Moon Taxi 
El Cantador * Kristy Lee * Roman Street

WHEN: FRIDAY MAY 14th - SUNDAY MAY 16th
WHERE: THE SOUTHERN END OF AL-Hwy 59, GULF SHORES, ALABAMA
PRICES: $159 3-DAY PASS / LIMITED $82 DAY PASSES / VIP TICKET AND TRAVEL PACKAGES AVAILABLE
FESTIVAL WEBSITE: http://www.hangoutmusicfest.com

Nashville Festival gets it right, again

Phoenix, Passion Pit, Cold War Kids, Drake

NASHVILLE, TN While most are trying to keep warm during one of the coldest winters the Southeast has seen in years, The Music Group at Vanderbilt University is already gearing up for the warm days of spring and the annual pilgrimage music lovers make to its Rites of Spring Music Festival. Taking place on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, 2010, the Rites of Spring Music Festival is the perfect kick-off to the spring season and the best place to see some of the hottest talents in music, including Drake, BEN HARPER and Relentless7, Phoenix, and Passion Pit.

Canadian hip-hop star Drake has quickly risen up the charts since his first mixtape release in 2006, ironically titled, Room for Improvement. His third and highly acclaimed 2009 mixtape So Far Gone was named "The Hottest Mixtape of 2009" by MTV. His single from that mixtape, "Best I Ever Had" landed at #1 on Billboard Rap Chart and #2 on Billboard Hot 100 in July 2009, making Drake only the second artist (after Nelly Furtado) to have his/her first two top ten hits in the same week. Drake’s quick rise to fame has led to collaborations with artists such as Jay-Z, Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West and a show-stopping performance with Lil Wayne and Eminem at the 2010 Grammy Awards. His debut album, Thank Me Later will be released this spring.

Grammy award-winner Ben Harper is currently playing some of the most exciting music of his career with BEN HARPER and Relentless7. A straight up American rock group, Relentless7 has become an exhilarating staple among major music festivals. After lead guitarist Jason Mozersky played a demo for him in the late ‘90s, Harper invited Mozersky and friends (future Relentless7 members) to play on his 2006 album Both Sides of the Gun. Released in May 2009, their first album, White Lies for Dark Times, is a timeless rock record: raw, unrelenting, haunting, thunderous and emotional.

The rock-synth sound of French alternative rock band Phoenix reflects both an eclectic ‘80s upbringing and the same culture that produced late ‘90s bands like Daft Punk. Originally based out of vocalist Thomas Mars’ garage, Phoenix got their touring start performing Hank Williams and Prince covers at French bars. Paris-based Source Records signed the group and produced their debut album United in 2000. Nine years and four albums later, the group’s 2009 global smash album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix won them a 2010 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.

Ever-evolving, indie pop, electronica band Passion Pit formed in late 2007 when frontman Michael Angelakos sat down to write a few songs for his girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. After toying with the plug-ins and the infinite possibilities of a computer program, Angelakos added in pitch-perfect hooks and catchy choruses to help create Passion Pit’s debut EP, Chunk of Change. Flash forward to 2008, and the band released its first full-length studio album, Manners. The album’s single "The Reeling" peaked at #29 in fall 2009 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

"The concerts that The Music Group organizes are on par with other major festivals in Nashville and nationwide," says Dwayne V. Elliott, director of student campus events at Vanderbilt University. "I’m incredibly proud of the caliber and diversity of the acts that our students bring to campus for their peers and the community." The Jay-Z concert organized by The Music Group this past fall was recently chosen as ‘Best Concert’ in Metromix’s ‘Best of Nashville 2009 Awards’ and last year’s Rites of Spring broke attendance records. Elliott continues, "These accolades are a real testament to the hard work of the Vanderbilt student programming board."

The Music Group will offer up an amazing line-up of well-established and highly praised acts, music festival favorites, promising musicians from the underground music scene and everyone in between. Additional confirmed talent includes: Cold War Kids, Doug E Fresh, Melanie Fiona, JJ Grey & Mofro, The New Mastersounds, Salvador Santana, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue and Two Door Cinema Club with more to be announced soon.

Tickets are available to the general public and will go on sale Monday, February 22^nd at 10 am CST at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 615-255-9600. Tickets can also be purchased with Cash or Check with no service fees included only at the Sarratt Box Office on the Vanderbilt campus. For general event information, call 615-322-2471. For more information, visit www.ritesofspring.com  or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ritesatvandy.

Is the sun setting on Sundown?

by Jared Hussey

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Better yet, what came first: Sundown in the City or Market Square rebirth? Do not scoff or cry sarcasm; it is one and the same. They began at the same time, and they each begat one another so we are left to decide for ourselves. I suppose only God knows which came first.

In the current debate surrounding the decision to strip-down Sundown for the sake of Market Square vendors and residents, we turn to priorities. How important is Sundown? Where does it rank in terms of vitality? And most importantly, is it more important than the concerns of those who petitioned against it? We tried to get to the bottom of it and going in, we knew only one thing concrete and factual—the once summer-long, 12-show line up was now down to 5 shows on April 22, May 6 and 20, and June 3 and 17.

Knoxville is a hot bed for several things, but live instrumental entertainment has not been one of its most sought after fields since the early days of country music. But in 1998, all that changed. The organizers of Sundown in The City quickly realized that when you satisfy the people’s craving for great music, they embrace it. They adopt it and make it their own. They nurture it and stimulate its growth. This is why Sundown is more than just a free show. It’s networking in its purest form. It’s Facebook in the flesh. Is their anything more encouraging and uplifting than seeing all of Knoxville’s beautiful children, both young and old, gathered under a flawless twilight sky in the perfect warmth of summer evening? Only time will tell if the festival and the square are symbiotic and interdependent like living creatures.

Ultimately what matters most is the Market Squareans, if you will. Those incredibly lucky individuals who get to call it home or run their little piece of entrepreneurial heaven share their neighborhood with all of us for three months every summer. I say that out of respect, because after all, it is the quintessence of downtown gathering.

Several businesses were hip to giving their opinion on the decision. Starting at one end and working our way down we were able to canvass the many businesses in the square and surrounding area. We asked business owners from the downtown sector if they were happy about fewer shows for Sundown or if they feel it will negatively impact their business.

If you ask Bernadette West at Preservation Pub, she’ll tell you that Sundown has served a great purpose, and she understands that things change over time.

"I think the square is completely different from when they started Sundown," she said. "AC (Entertainment) was trying to do the same thing that we were in the beginning. We just wanted to get people downtown and everybody’s been successful in doing that."

"At this point, I would prefer having five really good acts instead of several so-so acts. But anything that happens downtown is a positive. I think downtown needs to be a vibrant meeting place for all kinds of people, not just the certain demographic that the businesses are after. The more diversity downtown has the better the future will be."

Ask any Knoxville native in the 25-35 age group if they hung out downtown in their early years, and they’ll probably agree with West. Where would downtown be now if Sundown had started ten years earlier? From an economic standpoint, Sundown has become a weekly hit-or-miss night depending on which business owner you talked to.

A representative of Earth to Old City said, "Sundown brought more money in when the economy was better, but now it doesn’t matter because people are saving for other things regardless." Moving down to Tomato Head, we were able to speak with Mahasti Vafrie. His response to fewer shows was, "This is absolutely negative. We got so much foot traffic from Sundown."

That feeling was reiterated next door. Lisa, who is one of the managers at Café 4 went on to say, "We absolutely love Sundown." Across to the other side of the square is Shonos. They serve as a pillar and a staple in the culture of the new Square.

"This is absolutely negative," said Willy Shonos. "Sundown was so good for us, and it offered great exposure for all the local businesses."

Soccer Taco was next, and while opting not to elaborate, they did vote a "Definite negative" on the decision. After that was Coco Moon. The person we spoke to wished to remain anonymous but would go on record saying, "Sundown is a chance for businesses that have very slow winters to recoup some of the losses."

LaCosta was next, and manager Ken Eddelman was our first on-the-fence response. Ken said, "Sundown had a negative effect on the high end, but a positive effect on the low end." He explained, "We loose the $50-$100 dinner customers, but replace them with a whole lot of $3 beer customers."

In an attempt to homogenize the results pool it’s good to venture off the square because just one block over, Gay Street is tied into Sundown just as much as businesses on the Square. To represent the voice of Gay St. as a whole, there is none more fitting than Downtown Grill & Brewery. There we found general manager Mark Harrison. When we asked his opinion of the reduction of shows, we became the bearer of bad news as this was the first he had heard of it. Harrison replied, "I am very sad to hear this. This is where people go before and after the show. This could hit us hard."

We ran into just two businesses that felt the change will affect them positively. Coffee n’ Chocolate, and Barnes & Barnes were both happy to hear the latest decision. Barnes & Barnes said they didn’t make a whole lot of money off of Sundown anyway, and Coffee n’ Chocolate told us it was bad for business. If they were signers of the petition, no one knows, but they obviously support the new schedule.

As of now, Sundown in the City will still be held in Market Square. Some rumors out there say the concert series could move to the World’s Fair Park, but many sources discount the idea. If you remember, the lawn once hosted Hot Summer Nights. That particular summer concert series presented some incredible shows, but not for free. While it seems like the logical way to go with this dilemma, and it certainly would maintain the awesomeness that is Sundown, it’s still not the Square. Sometimes it’s the venue that makes it special and not just the music. This topic may create more questions than it does answers, but one thing is certain: Sundown in the City in Market Square has been the go-to event in Knoxville over the last ten years. And for that,we can all be grateful.

Cymbals Eat Guitars Interview

Blank recently caught with Cymbals Eat Guitars’ Bass player and Vocalist Matthew Whipple to ask him about the band’s growing success and what it’s like to be touring as part of a three-headed indie music monster. Cymbals Eat Guitars will be playing the Pilot Light on March 10^th with Freelance Whales and Bear in Heaven. This is a must see show if you’re a fan of rock music, but if you miss it, just check them out on the interweb.

Blank: In a sentence or two, how did the band come about? Is it true that you found each other on Craig's List? Where'd the name come from?

MW: The band has sort of been a long-term outlet for Joe's songs since he and Matt our drummer played together in high school. There have been a few players over the years who were found via craigslist but their stints in the band were pretty short. The current lineup feels like the one that's here to stay for a good long while. Joe and Matt have been playing together forever, and Brian and I both came into the band via auditions, mutual friends, and the like. The name refers to what Lou Reed used to say about the early Velvet Underground records explaining why Moe Tucker played a drum kit with no cymbals.

Blank: I'm old fashioned. I like to have a cd or record in my hands. But nowadays people don't mind getting their music online. I see that you have included slap bracelets into the mix when you buy your record package. Don't you find it interesting how music is marketed nowadays?

MW: Certainly. It's neat because bands can come up with creative things like that to cater to fans that buy the records of the bands they love. The slap bracelets are actually tied in with our song "Tunguska", though, which has an actual lyric about slap bracelets, so it just sort of makes sense. It's not so much a marketing tool as just a special bonus. We like to think the music is enough to sell the record to whoever is considering buying it.

Blank: You are known for your live shows. How do you keep your performances fresh and unique?

MW: We try to incorporate new songs into our sets as soon as they are ready, in our minds and ears, to be played for our fans. That can sometimes take a long time, since it takes us about 3 or 4 months to complete a song, and that involves a lot of editing, consideration, and reconsideration. We're playing 2 brand new songs on this tour, one called "Definite Darkness" and another called "Wavelengths", both of which will be on our next record.

Blank: I know it's hard to have a level of fame as a goal, but is there a bar of recognition that you've set and a bar that you would'nt like to pass (so that you can go out and have a glass of milk in peace)?

MW: There's no real feeling of "fame" in what we do and I don't think there ever will be. Three quarters of us live with our parents in the suburbs, so there is really no way to be concerned with something so non-existent in our home lives. In terms of shows, in my opinion there is a certain threshold in terms of the size of your shows that I don't think a band can cross without losing some of the fans that helped you get there. The last few stadium shows I have been to have been pretty lame across the board. It's not special to be half a mile away from your favorite band watching them on a giant screen. I'd rather watch something like that on TV...emotionally it wouldn't feel any different. We like a relative level of intimacy and just want to be able to go out on tour and fill decent-size rooms with enthusiastic people.

Blank: Now that you're on the inside of it all, has the road effected the way you look at people who make music for a living?

MW: Absolutely. You realize very quickly that it has taken some of your favorite bands 10 or 15 years to finally be making a relatively comfortable living doing it. That is not to say any of us got into this with any notions of immediate financial success. If anything, it's just more inspiration to keep making great music for at least that long.

Blank: Is there anyone involved that doesn't get enough credit?

MW: That's an interesting question. Brian our keyboard player is the only member of the band who can drive a stick shift. We would not be able to tour in Europe without him! He's taking a well-deserved break from driving currently. He went to school for music so he often takes on the role of translator/interpreter when we're discussing a song arrangement or a certain part. He is also very quick with a fix when a piece of gear breaks, which is often, and always at a very inopportune moment.

Blank: How do you like your sound described?

MW: We really enjoy when it is apparent that someone has really listened closely to our record and comes up with comparisons that maybe we haven't heard before but that totally make sense. While it is lovely to be compared favorably to your favorite bands, it's becoming increasingly obvious when someone is just repeating what they have read elsewhere. Words like "epic", "ornate", "meticulous" and "monumental" also tickle us pink.

Blank: Who do you enjoy listening to these days? If you like Pavement, how happy are you that they are back together and on the road?

MW: Driving across North Carolina in the van today we have listened to Ryan Adams, Neutral Milk Hotel, Guided by Voices, and Pavement. And yes, we are incredibly excited to have the chance to finally see Pavement live. None of us were old enough or in a place as music fans to appreciate Pavement before they took a break, and now we're playing several of the same festivals this summer. It's wild. Can't wait!

Blank: You've gone from reading Pitchfork to having the 43rd best album of the year in the magazine. How does that feel?

MW: It feels wonderful. We have all been dedicated Pitchfork readers for some time now. To be heralded by them has been a great honor considering they have informed our own tastes considerably over the years. We get derided pretty often as a "Pitchfork band" but we don't see anything wrong with the label. They essentially granted us an audience in reviewing our record and we're forever grateful.

Blank: What's it like on this tour with two other crazy talented independant acts?

MW: Freelance Whales and Bear in Heaven have been wonderful to tour with so far. Everybody is easy to get along with, and both bands are totally excellent live. Don't miss their sets if you come to a show!

 The next big thing from Google: Google Wave.

by Jessie Krueger

February 13, 2010

Chances are you don't have the slightest idea what Google Wave is. Many people have heard of it, but don't know anything about it. Unfortunately, it's difficult to explain in a few words. The best way to understand is to have people watch Google's loooooooong video, but it's an hour and a half long. Most people aren't going to watch it just to find out what Wave is, but to better understand how to actually operate Wave once on board. Let me attempt to explain: Google Wave is a real-time, online collaboration combining email, instant message and bulletin boards, bringing together friends and strangers alike. More importantly, it will be the next big thing if we can find a way to easily explain it.

Google inventors have said that it's what email would look like if it were invented today, not two decades ago. Consider the varying speed of computers and internet. How many times have you had a family member send a photo or video attachment that was too large for your email provider to open, or took too long for your computer to download?

Is it particularly easy to reply to only certain sections of email messages, or can you reply to only one or two people included on a group email?

Google Wave has solved all of those problems and then some.

The basic components of Google Wave

Email

Your Wave name is YourChosenName@googlewave.com. A wave in this instance is a message. You start a new wave, but instead of typing an email address, you drag and drop names from your contact list into the message. Compose your message and hit "Send." You may drag as many names as you like into the wave.

Easily upload photos, videos, maps, PDF's and a variety of other file attachments that show up directly in the wave or are downloadable with one mouse-click.

Wave members can reply directly to one person (or a sub-setof people) on the original recipient list, and can reply only to specific parts of the message, forming what's called a thread. Other members can continue that thread, start a new one somewhere in the message or reply to the message as a whole. It forms a tree-like document that is fluid, not linear like traditional email.

Instant message

The messages you type into a wave are seen in real-time by all members. Each keystroke appears in the wave as you type for everyone to see, and the message can be edited by or replied to by anyone at any time.

Collaboration

For me, the document collaboration possibilities are particularly appealing. This article was typed directly into Google Wave (which has a spell check and a basic selection of font styles and sizes, headers, indentation and other formatting options). There is no email sent back and forth, no attachments and once the other editor and publisher are dragged into the wave, the document can be viewed and edited at any time. Not only is it real-time, but it's any-time.

Google Wave can be used like a bulletin board by making a wave available to the public. Wave automatically gives you a fake contact that, when dragged into a wave, makes that wave open to the public and searchable. Since Google is the premiere search engine (and in fact became its own verb), you had to assume there would be a search function.

A Google Wave member can search for public waves with endless keywords. Just search the words "public Knoxville newspaper" and Blank will be one of the first listings.

Unpolished

Wave is in the pre-beta or preview phase. Basically, Google is testing the baby version so they can fill in the gaps and fix the problems. Right now you have to be invited to use Google Wave by someone who already is a user. Once enrolled, each user gets a certain number of invitations to share with friends. You can also request access straight from Google, but it's a pretty slow process.

If you would like an invitation, send an email to pub@blanknews.com or jessie@blanknews.com and we'll see what we can do to help. Just do us a favor and at least pretend you're truly interested in the product and not just killing time. Invites aren't that easy to come by.

 The Best of the Decade

2000-2009

Jay Z produced Lupe Fiasco’s debut album after hearing his a bit of his work with Kanye. As it turns out, he may have jump-started the career of the man who will one day take his place. Much like Hov, Fiasco’s rhymes stretch beyond women and the life, most of the time.