‘Indie’ or ‘alt’ can be prefixed onto any genre of music, but in recent times, one of the most prominent combinations has been ‘indie-classical’, taking the alternative styles of Brooklyn and the classical inspirations of Manhattan.  Some venues/festivals in the Big Apple are trying to build upon it, such as Lincoln Center’s ‘American Songbook’ (QRO live review) and Brooklyn Academy of Music’s ‘Sounds Like Brooklyn’ (QRO live review).  But last year, it was Knoxville, Tennessee that vaunted to the forefront of the indie-classical movement, with the inaugural Big Ears Music Festival.

2010 looks to be even bigger & better, with in-demand artists that run the gamut of indie-classical, indeed music as a whole, from top-name alternative artists like The National & Vampire Weekend to long-serving, acclaimed musicians such as Terry Riley & Adrian Belew, not to mention venturing into everything from punk (both ‘Spirit of ‘77’ & new), strings quartet, experimental, singer/songwriter, black metal, electronica & more…

As we begin a new decade, we carry with us the promise of hope, resolution and new possibilities.  On January 15th, 2010, there was a strong sense of anticipation and possibility in the air.  Though ironclad, meteorological predictions of rain and thunderstorms were made, the sun showed up in full form, and did not falter or fall victim to precipitation or pessimism even once.  It seemed the gods were smiling upon Mt. Smart Stadium, and that anything was possible.  And as a man strapped to a jetpack flew through the sky, completely free from the confines of gravity, all doubt and skepticism disappeared.  To top it all off, as many as 50,000 people crowded into the stadium to bear witness to the greatest musical event of the decade (so far).  With superb weather, a flying man, and performances from some of the biggest names in today's music scene, it sure as hell was a Big Day Out.