Big Ears Festival - January 6, 2026

AVTT/PTTN Collab / The Horizon's Return / Adebimpe's Luck / Douglas's GIFTS / NYC with Heavy Trip

This group of artists foretell magical performances on the horizon.

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Mike Patton and The Avett Brothers’ Surprise Musical Alchemy

A collaboration between Faith No More and Mr. Bungle frontman

—and restless vocal experimenter—Mike Patton and North Carolina’s beloved folk, rock, and bluegrass band The Avett Brothers, performing under the moniker AVTT/PTTN, was certainly one of the musical surprises of the year. Garden and Gun’s Matt Hendrickson weighs in, “Patton’s piercing baritone—a little Waylon, a little Tom Waits—gives the brothers’ trademark harmonies additional heft. This is daring, cinematic music that reveals itself more fully with each subsequent listen. It should also be played as loud as possible.”

READ THE ARTICLE

Across the Horizon Returns

Across the Horizon is Bob Holmes’ ongoing curatorial project, born from his Ambient Country podcast and his Across the Horizon releases on Northern Spy. Last year at Big Ears, he brought two immersive nights of ambient and cosmic music to life, paired with striking visual environments. In March, he and SUSS return to Big Ears to present a new edition of Across the Horizon along with a few other things they have up their sleeves. Revisit the highlights with Ambient Intersections at Big Ears 2025 video by Loch & Key.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Tunde Adebimpe’s Stroke of Luck

TV on the Radio co-founder Tunde Adebimpe traces his debut solo album, Thee Black Boltz, back to a strange turning point: after a garage break-in and the loss of hard drives packed with demos, he ended up digging through old belongings and rediscovering a box of 4-track cassette tapes the thief left behind. It reignited a creative spark that has turned into a flame. In this World Cafe session, Adebimpe digs into his creative process, how he balances a wide range of practices (from directing and painting to puppeteering), and how the album holds space for the memory of his late sister.

LISTEN TO THE SESSION

Dave Douglas Knows a GIFT When He Sees One

“How often do we step back and realize what a gift it is to have this music in our life?” Trumpeter Dave Douglas’s response to his own question is to present us with a set this March that’s all about “the blessings of life and music that we share with each other.” His GIFTS Quintet features Son Lux guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang, borderless saxophone iconoclast James Brandon Lewis, and mighty cellist Tomeka Reid. Read this review of the supergroup’s 2024 debut release, which PopMatters calls, “…a gift for our ears, not to mention our souls.

READ THE REVIEW

NYC in January with Heavy Trip

New York City in January is definitely one of our favorite things, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with our friends at Montreal’s Heavy Trip to host some of our favorite artists at Brooklyn’s Public Records:

Tuesday, Jan. 13 - Tarta Relena & Meara O'Reilly

Wednesday, Jan. 14 - Hatis Noit & Brìghde Chaimbeul

Thursday, Jan. 15 - Myriam Gendron & Zoh Amba

If you’re in NYC, please come join us!

TUESDAY JANUARY 13

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14

THURSDAY JANUARY 15

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