A great reemergence might be taking place. A few weeks ago, mercurial Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox returned to the stage. At the Making Time ∞ fest in Philly, Cox played his first proper set in seven years — his first performance of any kind since a 2023 noise improvisation at a vintage market in Athens, Georgia. At Making Time ∞, Cox performed as Atlas Sound, and his show consisted entirely of new songs. Just yesterday, we learned that Cox will also play as Atlas Sound at next year's Primavera Sound Festival. And today, we learn that Cox and his Deerhunter bandmate Lockett Pundt have been added to the already stacked lineup of next year's Big Ears Festival in Knoxville.
Bradford Cox and Lockett Pundt have a long and complex history, and Pundt also used to make his own music as Lotus Plaza, though he hasn't released anything under that name since the improvisational 2014 cassette Overnight Motorcycle Music. Deerhunter haven't played live since 2019, and both Cox and Pundt have largely been out of the public eye in recent years.
The Big Ears Festival has made a few more new additions to its 2027 lineup, including the Roots, Sheherazaad, Zoh Amba, Rosali, the Holy Modal Rounders' Peter Stampfel and his new band the Atomic Meta-Pagans, and Shabaka performing with William Parker and Hamid Drake. Big Ears comes to venues around Knoxville April 1-4, and the previously announced lineup also includes names like Jeff Tweedy, Weyes Blood, Courtney Barnett, Dinner Party, Thundercat, Rosanne Cash with John Levanthal, Oneohtrix Point Never, Wednesday, Cornelius, and Mount Eerie. For tickets and details, check here.
