What André 3000's no-phones flute concert was like and how to catch his Knoxville shows

I'm not sure if there could have been a more perfect venue for André 3000's new musical project than Knoxville's St. John's Cathedral.

The former hip-hop star and current experimental multi-instrumentalist took his audience of nearly 500 to church in the most meditative sense when he performed not on vocals, but on multiple flutes on March 21, opening night of Big Ears Music Festival in downtown Knoxville.

With cellphones banned from use during the performance, the congregation had no choice but to surrender to an immersive and mesmerizing sonic and visual experience.

Even without a spotlight, André 3000 commanded attention during a three-part set that stretched over an hour and a half, with LED ring lights flashing multiple colors and casting patterned shadows along the ceiling adding to the sensory overload.

"I don't want (you) to take this too preciously," André 3000 told the audience, encouraging them to let the spirit move them. And they did, often spontaneously hooting and calling out during passages.

"We compose in the spot," he said. "I never know what flutes I'm going to play. ... It's not a show, per se."

Tickets are still available to André 3000 shows during Big Ears

Tickets are still available to single shows for André 3000's concerts during Big Ears. Tickets are separate from Big Ears Festival passes and can be purchased at bigearsfestival.org starting at $93.

Check online to see if seats are available for the shows that remain:

• Saturday, March 23: 8:30 p.m. at The Point

• Sunday, March 24: 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at The Point (two performances)

From Outkast to pure improvisation with 'New Blue Sun'

If you haven't heard "Hey Ya!" some time in the last year − more than 20 years after it was first released − you've been living under a rock. The No. 1 hit by hip-hop duo Outkast has remained a consistent favorite for decades, ranked No. 10 on Rolling Stone's revised 2021 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

As half of Outkast with Anton “Big Boi” Patton, André 3000 won seven Grammy awards. He stepped away from rap for years and made waves when he released his first solo album in 20 years this past November.

"New Blue Sun" became the first instrumental album to land on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and the opening track “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time,” broke the record for longest song to debut on the Billboard Hot 100.

NPR called the new album "a stunning 87-minute mind-bender, minimalist and experimental, tribal and transcendent," adding that while "New Blue Sun" is a departure album in the classic sense, it "also feels like André has arrived."

Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Andre 3000 flute concert wows at Big Ears in Knoxville