Shaky Knees Festival was held in Atlanta, Georgia from October 22nd thru the 24th, instead of the typical May dates, due to the pandemic.
Last year’s Shaky Knees was cancelled entirely; a casualty of COVID, leaving thousands of music lovers in the Southeast starved for their beloved festival and its array ire of music performances.
This year’s “SK” was one of its best. Right from the beginning, there were thousands of people flocking into Atlanta’s Central Park as soon as gates opened on Friday. All were hoping to secure a good spot and a concert T-shirt for their favorite bands. The line at the Merchandise tent never wavered throughout the weekend, as fans sought the treasures held within.
Atlanta has very pleasant weather in the fall, making it so much more comfortable than the usual “SK” May festival weather, where temperatures can reach up to 90 degrees. This may explain the high energy of the crowd this year.
Although Run the Jewels was on the main stage on Saturday night, and acts like Living Color and Arlo Parks were featured, the festival could have benefited with a more diverse line-up that could also attract a more diverse set of attendees. What it lacked in diversity, however, it certainly made up for in positivity. There was a band or artist for just about every preference.
The organizers did a great job of attracting a multiplicity of genres and styles. From the melodic to the heavy, but never aggressive. Since Friday was the first day of the festival, fans began by exploring the park to plan their schedules, ensuring their presence at their favorite artists’ performances.
Once acclimated, concertgoers appeared to be moving in herds, as they made their pilgrimages from stage to stage, hoping for a good glimpse of their musical heroes or new discoveries.
The final day of Shaky Knees did not disappoint. It boasted a line-up of eclectic and accomplished musicians, beginning in the early afternoon with Michigander.
Michigander (aka, Jason Singer) is a giant of a man, with a giant talent. He and his band of “merry men” surprised many in the crowd with a guitar-heavy sound that really rocked the house. He professed his love for Atlanta, and it was clear that Atlanta loved him back.
Next came The Aubreys, a duo composed of Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard and his childhood bestie Malcom Craig. Both have recently exited their first band, Calpurnia (QRO photos at Shaky Knees ’19), after deciding to pare down and simplify. While one might think that The Aubreys inclusion in Shaky Knees was solely based on Wolfhard’s fame, these kids were actually quite vibrant and energetic, andtheir short set went a long way to endear them to the audience (and not just the youngest in the crowd).
The late afternoon brought one of the best acts of the day, Orville Peck. With his trademark fringed mask and cowboy gear, he immediately enthralled the sizeable audience at the main stage. His voice boomed through each song, reminiscent of classic country greats, like Hank Williams or George Jones. The juxtaposition of a proud gay man, who is also a country music icon, was a sight to behold. From the incredibly powerful “Big Sky,” to “Roses are Falling”, Peck demonstrated his ability to breathe new life into the C&W genre.
It was probably a bit tough for Ritt Momney (aka: Jack Rutter), who faced the unfortunate dilemma of being scheduled opposite Peck. He was, however, an excellent alternative for those seeking a thoughtful, indie-pop lark, making everyone who was lucky enough to be in the audience, happy for their choice. From his breakout hit cover, “Put Your Records On”, to his original “Something in General,” Rutter has an uncanny knack for finding the heart of any given subject or sound. At 21, Ritt Momney has a very bright future.
The early evening transformed into an unabashed “girl power” celebration, with an incredibly fun performance from The Aces, four women who bring an updated perception of what it means to be a female artist today. Their powerful, yet hopeful body of work – always upbeat and optimistic – defies all stereotypes of what it means to be a performer with two X chromosomes. With cultural commentary on songs like “My Phone is Trying to Kill Me” and personal journeys, like “Volcanic Love”, The Aces were not only a great band, but an inspiration to girls (and queers, and Latinx people) everywhere!
The final three acts of the evening had the most punch; beginning with Modest Mouse, at the main stage, then the effervescent, Phoebe Bridgers, and finally, crowd-favorites, The Stokes.
Despite their incredible body of work, Modest Mouse (and lead, Isaac Brock), can sometimes be uneven in their performance. However, after some technical difficulties, Modest Mouse rose to the challenge, leaving nothing on the table in their 45 minute-long set. Brock, and his cadre of guitarists and percussionists, demonstrated their ability to bring people together for a memorable, rock and roll experience, derived from a lifetime of making music together.
Next, was the ever-popular and earnest, Phoebe Bridgers, who put on a memorable performance, captivating her devoted fans. The singer-songwriter performed songs from Stranger in the Alps and Punisher (QRO review). The adoration of considerable following was obvious, with plenty of audience members clad in Bridgers’ signature skeleton onesies, inspired by her music video for “Punisher”. With her beloved body of work, including songs like the apropos, “Georgia” from Bridgers’ 2017 album, and “Stranger in the Alps, ,Bridgers celebrates everything her fans “stan” for.
Finally, after an 18 minute delay, it was time for the main event; The Strokes. Julian, Albert, Fabrizio, Nikolai, and Nick took to the stage, beginning with the headbanger, “Hard to Explain”. Julian Casablancas may have lost a step or two in terms of his vocal range, and energy level, but overall, the band sounded great. Serving up a bit of shade, Casablancas introduced it as “Ode To The Dodgers” (actually, “Ode To The Mets”), a dig to Atlanta Braves, who had just advanced to the World Series over L.A. (talk about biting the hand that feeds you!). All of the missteps aside, however, The Strokes know how to craft a song, and a show, and the crowd was eager to forgive any wrong turns and embrace the moment.
