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Big Ears Fest Day 3 - The National, My Brightest Diamond, St. Vincent, Tim Hecker & Ben Frost, more (pics, video, review)

by Andrew Frisicano

this post concludes our Big Ears 2010 Festival coverage. links to the first two posts are also below…

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“When people ask what my favorite place to play is, I tell them about this place. It’s like playing inside an Easter egg,” quipped My Brightest Diamond‘s Shara Worden, gazing at the deep-sea blue dome overhead at Knoxville’s Tennessee Theater. The psychedelic cavern, a mish-mash of decorative styles and colors, served as the home to the Big Ears festival‘s largest shows, and its final act on Sunday night, with headliner the National.

The National’s presence was felt long before they took the stage – in the hand of guitarist Bryce Dessner, who co-curated the fest, in the National members’ supporting gigs, playing behind Doveman, Clogs and others, and in the abundance of friends and fellow Brooklyn-ites in the Big Ears lineup. Of course, those are all connected. One look at the stage during the first song of the National’s encore – “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” off their forthcoming High Violet – revealed a selection of Big Ears’ top acts – Nico Muhly, St. Vincent, Shara Worden and sometimes-National members Padma Newsome and Thomas Bartlett (Sufjan came out for a song, but not during the encore), all of whom performed earlier in the weekend on their own. (Read here about days one and two)

Attendees also had the chance to opt for music outside of that circle. At Big Ears Annex, Tim Hecker and Ben Frost collaborated for a set of fragile, icy noise (they both played on their own earlier too – Hecker opened for Bang on a Can All-Stars’ performance of Music For Aiports and the Books at the TN Theater). Trio Konk Pack took the same stage later for improvised noises, pops and whirs – like the soundtrack to an invisible film. The night before, one could choose between Liturgy and Gang Gang Dance – two bands at the top of their respective genres – while Terry Riley’s In C filled the Tennessee Theater to its elliptical rafters.

Around the corner from the Annex at the Pilot Light, KnoEars, an unaffiliated, somewhat anti-Big Ears DIY Fest, hosted an all-day lineup that included homemade noise, Replacements-style punk and more emanating into Sunday’s rainy street.

Terry Riley, selected to be this year’s resident guide, performed four times over the three days – all in different settings. Other repeat acts like Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), who played with Sam Amidon, the fest’s first act (interviewed here), and The National, its last, were frequent Knoxville fixtures for the three-day fest, running to their own gigs or enjoying others’.

“Mr. Riley also enjoyed a fair number of other people’s shows, especially the art-song band Clogs. (“They were the hit for me,” he said, beaming over breakfast on Monday morning. “Great performers, great writing. I’m going to buy their CD when I get home.”)” [NY Times]

Doveman and Nico Muhly both played earlier Sunday in a set that included material from their recent Peter Pears project, the Footloose soundtrack, and their 802 tour partner Sam Amidon (who had to catch a flight to Germany). That show’s headliner, St. Vincent, provided a counterpoint to their pianos with a set of songs steeped in squealing noise and leveling distortion.

More pictures and videos from the fest are below…

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Konk Pack

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Tim Hecker and Ben Frost…

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St Vincent…

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My Brightest Diamond

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The National

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Shara Worden discusses the music of Iva Bittová

Iva Bittová performs during the 2010 Big Ears Festival

Vampire Weekend performing Cousins – Live in Knoxville TN 3-27-10

Buke and Gass Big Ears 2010

Two Theremin players improv some dubstep at Big Ears 2010

Sufjan Stevens – “The Owl and The Tanager” Big Ears Festival

Read here about days one and two

The xx – Stars @ Big Ears (live)