Clark, Rob and Paul are covering this year's Big Ears Festival for WUTC.
They look forward to seeing you there!
Connect with WUTC at Big Ears on our Instagram: @wutc_88.1
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What a way to kick things off in Knoxville!
We started at The Bijou Theatre for "The Last Critic", a documentary about acclaimed music critic Robert Christgau. The session was hosted by NPR's Ann Powers and featured the film's creators.
Christgau writes the "Consumer's Guide to Music", which ran for years in multiple publications including the Village Voice and continues as a Substack newsletter. Considered the Dean of American music critics, his letter grade-based reviews and command of the English language to describe music in ways most of us fumble through influenced other writers and the artists of whom he reviewed.
Pro Tip: One will either love Christgau's home or will very much not. Also, prepare yourself to laugh and, at pots, cry.
Rob says: I thought the documentary did a very good job of portraying a number of his album reviews throughout the years, which showed that Christgau actually listened intently to the music he reviewed. I never thought a film about music criticism would be so engaging.
Clark says: Two thumbs up! It's a great film for someone familiar with his work, but also a great insight for those who don't know him.
Next, we made our way to the Knoxville Museum of Art where Wayne White and his band Username Password performed for VIPs, media, and special guests. Friends of WUTC, they took the stage dramatically wearing large macabre mascot heads. They played a fine set as always.
Clark says: Chu chu cha cha chu chu chu (the measure of one of the songs the band played that stuck in his and Rob's head). Great to see such incredible artists in an art museum with all of the art surrounding him while they performed.
Rob says: Their performance struck the perfect balance between engaging and intimate. Always a pleasure to see them perform.
Next, Mill & Mine hosted Deerhoof. This was one of Paul's picks. Rob and Clark tagged along. The art rock improvisational set played with guitars providing tune and dissonance. The drumming was kinetic. And the vocals danced ethereally over and through it all.
Rob says: While Deerhoof is not something I'd normally listen to, I really enjoyed their frenetic musicianship, and how in tune they were with each other.
Clark says: This is the first band I've seen live where the drummer was the front man. After the first song, which felt poppy and uplifting, they did a good ten minutes of noise to weed out the people who weren't into it.
Paul says: It was great to finally see this band live. I discovered them during the pandemic and they delivered on their set. Wish I we hadn’t left so early.
Quick Hits:
Clark, Paul & Rob: Natalie Bergman's (indie) set wasn't what Paul had hoped. Might have been an off night.
Paul: Rosenou & Sanborn (improv intrumental) were a delight. Did not have them on my dance card. Would see again.
Paul: Mary Latimore & Julianna Barwick - harp and singing in a church. What's not to like?
Rob & Paul: Dom Flemons (traditional) is a one-man band who makes it look so easy and genuine. Again, what's not to like when he's in a cathedral.
Rob & Paul: Shrunken Elvis is an ambient country band with string electronic elements. Paul caught the end of their set, Rob the open. Smooth - made both of us sleepy, but in a good way.
Clark & Paul: Jazz at the Bijou with Isaiah Collier playing Coltrane. Spectacular. Paul stayed for the whole set. Clark arrived about halfway in, randomly was seated right next to Paul.
Paul & Rob: Taper's Choice was a last-minute choice. Paul followed Rob there. If you're in to jam bands, they are solid.
Rob & Paul: SUSS premiering American Apocalypse in the Greyhound. Maybe visually the most stunning set so far: stage in the middle of a Grayhound station passenger area with glitchy computer generated grim landscapes projected all over.
