Features
Knoxville’s Big Ears Boutique Festival Canceled Over Coronavirus
– Big Ears 2020
Big Ears, the Knoxville-based, multi-venue avant-garde-leaning boutique festival put on by AC Entertainment, has been canceled with organizer Ashley Capps saying “we simply cannot move forward with the festival as scheduled.”
“It has become clear that we must cancel Big Ears 2020, scheduled for the weekend of Thursday, March 26 thru Sunday, March 29,” the statement reads. “Just 48 hours ago, we were optimistic that there was a path forward; but with events surrounding COVID-19 developing rapidly along with the obvious need for urgent steps to contain its spread, we simply cannot move forward with the festival as scheduled.”
The event was to feature Patti Smith, Thundercat, Devendra Banhart, John Paul Jones, Krons Quartet, Marc Ribot, Mdou Moctar, Nivhek, Saul Williams and many others.
Although produced by AC Entertainment, Big Ears became a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in recent years. AC also manages two of Big Ears’ leading venues, the Bijou Theater and Tennessee Theater.
Capps, a Knoxville promoter since the 1970s, entered the festival business with Bonnaroo in 2002, which he immediately followed up with Forecastle in Louisville. The first edition of Big Ears was in 2009 with a bill that included Antony and the Johnsons and Philip Glass; they expanded in year two, and took two years off.
The cancellation is the latest of what has been a blood bath for the concert industry, with South By Southwest canceled, Coachella and Stagecoach moved to October, Pearl Jam’s North American tour called off, and major metropolitan areas like California’s Santa Clara County and San Francisco banning large gatherings of people, affecting concerts and sporting events.
The Big Ears cancellation statement, signed by Ashley Capps, in full:
It has become clear that we must cancel Big Ears 2020, scheduled for the weekend of Thursday, March 26 thru Sunday, March 29.
Just 48 hours ago, we were optimistic that there was a path forward; but with events surrounding COVID-19 developing rapidly along with the obvious need for urgent steps to contain its spread, we simply cannot move forward with the festival as scheduled.
This has been a tough decision. Not only is the principle that “the show must go on” woven into our DNA, but the impact of this cancellation on the community that makes Big Ears possible — the artists, the festival attendees, our staff and production teams, and the Knoxville community with all of its businesses and workers — cannot be overstated.
We will be offering refunds to all ticket purchasers (assuming you purchased your tickets from our authorized vendor, Front Gate). Within the next day or two, we will be emailing ticket holders with information about the process for securing your refund.
We are grateful to those of you who have inquired about converting your ticket purchase to a tax-deductible donation. This is indeed possible and we will include details about that option as well.
We are very grateful for the kind words and support that we have received from so many of you. We believe in Albert Ayler’s proclamation that “music is the healing force of the universe” with all of our heart and soul. A mere two weeks ago, The New York Times called Big Ears “…one of the world’s greatest music bashes.” We will be back to live up to that accolade as soon as we possibly can At the moment, it is too early for us to assess if we may be able to reschedule the festival for sometime later in 2020; for now, we need to pause and refocus.
These are difficult times. We urge you to stay healthy and do whatever you can to help one another and to make this a better world. We’re counting on you.
Please stay in touch.
Peace and love,
Ashley Capps
Founder / Executive Director of Big Ears Festival