Well here we are, once again. Central Park in May, for Atlanta’s biggest rock and roll festival of the year. Or, to hear the rumors of Music Midtown’s demise, Atlanta’s biggest music festival, period. If MM doesn’t return in 2025, will that broker a shift to Piedmont Park for Shaky? Food for thought, our bet is yes.
The 2024 iteration of Shaky Knees kicked off in the same manner it did in 2023, with a single point of entrance at the hollowed husk of the Civic Center and Sci Trek. Only two things were fundamentally different than in prior years: one was the proliferation of drugs on Piedmont…we got offered mushrooms like five times on the way in. And, once inside, the festival moved the Criminal Records stage position from it’s longtime home among the oak trees of lower Renaissance Park, and out onto the sun scorched grass just left of the Ponce de Leon stage.
Not sure of the reason for moving the stage, but the net out was a win and loss at the same time. It was a win, because you need only turn your head to move from Ponce to Criminal which resulted in zero downtime between shows. And, a loss because sound checking the “off” stage absolutely bleeds into the “on” stage, even from the front row. Not sure how performers kept time, or fans kept focus during those 5-10 minutes each set.
Anyway, music! This is why we’re here after all.
Mali Velasquez started things off on the Criminal Records stage with her folk-influenced sound. While her vocals sounded a bit…rough…from a distance, they improved up close, delivering a solid set for those early arrivers.
One of the most buzzed about bands pre-festival was Winona Fighter, who proved to be the day’s first surprise standout on the Ponce de Leon stage. Their high-energy punk sound, propelled by electrifying frontwoman Coco Kinnon, translated better live than their recordings belie, winning over a steadily growing crowd.
Odie Leigh brought unique vocals and Americana vibes to a well-received set, followed by Late Night Drive Home, who the AP describes as “reinventing indie rock,” which is probably not as accurate as “reviving.” They sound like what you get in East Atlanta: jangly indie guitars, a little personality, a dash of Deerhunter, a sprinkle of Black Lips.
Meanwhile, post-rock veterans Maserati crushed the Ponce de Leon stage with their expansive sound, proving they haven’t lost a step despite their 20+ years on the scene.
Wine Lips overcame some early technical issues on the Criminal Records stage to deliver one of the day’s most talked-about sets. They’ve played in Atlanta a couple of times recently and are certified energy bringers. It was never in doubt: once they got going, the band’s hard-hitting presence would make them a daytime favorite.
Speaking of favorites: my personal favorite bands are either the post punk heavy hitters like Oh Sees, or the psych rockers like King Gizz. I like music that time warps me to the end of the set, and makes me wonder what the fuck just happened to the last hour. One of the best bands in the world at deleting an hour with a tornado of psychy vibes: Australian psychedelic rock band Pond. They played Shaky a few years back, when they were new and upstart, an offshoot of the original Tame Impala lineup. In the years since, Tame obviously went one way, but Pond stayed true to that original Australian psych rock sound. They returned this year to a packed audience on the Ponce stage, with front man Nick Allbrook’s ever infectious energy on full display, alongside a set list full of Ponds most danceable, upbeat songs.
Next on the docket was another Australian psych rock act: the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, which was an interesting addition to the lineup. When people talk about Australian psych rock, they are usually talking about King Gizz, old Tame or Pond. The Crumpets are in that same mix though, and they went back-to-back with Pond in one of those “turn your head from Ponce to Criminal” sets. Hard to follow Pond though, isn’t it?
Turning back once more to Ponce, All Them Witches brought their signature heavy psych sound to the Ponce de Leon stage. I’ve always said, there is a decided “heavy Pearl Jam” vibe with ATW. It’s a comparison I’ve never seen anyone else make in the media sphere, but I’m telling you, you can’t unhear it. Shout out to the drummer who joined the band on like, Tuesday before their set. He held it down like a pro.
Elsewhere in festival and, Switchfoot played a throwback set. I remember getting their music on a CD for free at Vacation Bible School. So, I was a little surprised to see them on a mainstream festival lineup. Not too many Christian bands make the crossover, and I hadn’t thought about Switchfoot since like, 1998. And yet can I say: that CD from VBS ripped and low key so did this set. Even the photographers shooting the band were impressed. Switchfoot!
The best and most interesting set of the day had to belong to Arcade Fire, who delivered a powerful, headliner-level set on the Piedmont stage. Their late night show on Saturday was without a doubt the hardest ticket in Atlanta for the weekend, and all things being equal, this is a band that should be headlining festivals like this, right?
That honor went instead to TikTok sensation and rising star of indie-folk Noah Kahan, who closed out the Peachtree stage with a confident, well-received set that on the one hand justifies his rapid ascent. On the other, Arcade Fire should’ve closed out Peachtree. They wrote The Suburbs, which is a national treasure. And Funeral too. So, it’s not that Noah Kahan was bad. He was good. But I’m just not sure the attendees at large really knew his catalog. Bet he sold a lot of tickets to people who wouldn’t otherwise attend.
Either way, the rain held out on Friday, and we got the best four band stretch of the weekend (Wine Lips>Pond>All Them Witches>Arcade Fire). A big Saturday awaits us tomorrow.
All photos by Mike Gerry
