Shaky Knees Festival 2018: The Undercard – 11 Under the Radar Artists to Catch

Shaky Knees Festival‘s 2018 lineup feels a little top heavy this year, but perhaps that’s because the names in the larger font are so stellar for the 6th annual indie fest in Atlanta. Don’t worry though, the undercard has plenty of artists worthy of getting to the festival when the gates open (especially to catch Songs For Kids kicking off each day at 11:45am).

Look, we will all be at the headliners every night, which the Peachtree Stage will host, standalone with no conflicts – Jack White on Friday, Queens of the Stone Age on Saturday, and The National on Sunday. There are current and past indie legends everyday – David Byrne, Fleet Foxes, Courtney Barnett, The War on Drugs, The Distillers, Jack Black’s Tenacious D, Julian Casablancas’ The Voidz, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Lord Huron and more. If you’ve been paying any attention to the indie rock world over the last several years, you already know there are can’t miss sets coming from Waxahatchee, Parquet Courts, hometown heroes Manchester Orchestra, and Alvvays. There is even the young Greta Van Fleet on Saturday, who have been selling out shows around the country before even releasing official music. They are pretty much the best to do Zeppelin since, well Page, Plant, Bonham, and Jones were taking the world by storm. The young Michigan band Great Van Fleet are no cover band though, and you are sure to hear the buzz about their set throughout the weekend.

This list though is about a few of the more under the radar type artists on the undercard this year. At last year’s Shaky Knees, the smallest stage, Criminal Records Stage, is where we saw some of the fest’s best sets all weekend such as Pond and Pinegrove, and there’s no doubt a few of the undercards will blow us away this year. So for those that may not be as familiar with the early afternoon artists and are wondering where to spend their day, here’s some of our suggestions:

Liz Brasher – 12:00pm-12:30pm, Friday

@ Ponce De Leon Stage

Friday’s festivities kick off with Memphis-based Liz Brasher on the Ponce Stage, and if you want to feel something, this is the perfect way to start off your 2018 Shaky Knees. Last week, NPR premiered Liz Brasher’s debut EP for Fat Possum Records, Outcast, before it’s official drop on Friday. Growing up in rural North Carolina, Brasher was raised in a musical, multi-ethnic household and going to church in an All-Spanish Baptist Church. But it was in college when she began studying the roots of American music that she dived into the Delta Blues, which eventually led to Bob Dylan. These obsessions with studying the different types of music helped influenced a now fully realized sound for Brasher. Liz Brasher is a total throw-back, she wears her retro fully on her sleeve, and has created a compelling, at times haunting, rock ‘n’ roll sound on her new EP that is a little bit garage rock, with tons of Delta blues and Gospel soul. Liz Brasher is sure to move the Shaky Knees family early Friday, so don’t be late. We are excited to see Liz bring alive these songs with her power trio band joining her on tour.

Bonus: Liz Brasher used to live in Atlanta for a while before adopting Memphis as her hometown, so she’s got some local Atlanta roots.

*repeat repeat – 12:30pm-1:00pm, Friday

@ Criminal Records Stage

East Nashville-based *repeat repeat‘s music has been described as “mixing the sunny swoon of Sixties pop with a dark swirl of Warholian garage rock”, which has to peak your interest. Comprised of Husband/Wife duo Jared Corder (vocals) and Kristyn Corder (vocals and keys), who both were either born in, or grew up in California, released their sophomore album as *repeat repeat, Floral Canyon in 2017 via Dangerbird Records. repeat repeat plays their own brand of landlocked surf rock with a high energy and intensity. The band’s sound brings an urgency that’s not only addictive, but effortlessly mixes everything from grunge to pop, creating a sound that’s retro cool, yet feels completely fresh and relevant. There won’t be a better, more fun set this early on a beautiful Friday as Shaky Knees 2018 kicks off.

The War and Treaty – 1:00pm-1:45pm, Friday

@ Ponce De Leon Stage

Too bad this one isn’t on Sunday, surely by the last day, the festival will be in need of some gospel-tinged cleansing. Maybe though, they are perfectly placed to get the Shaky Knees Fest in gear on early Friday with The War and Treaty‘s blend of roots music utilizing everything from bluegrass, folk, gospel, and soul. While the husband-wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr and Tanya Blount-Trotter have an incredible backstory, it’s the music on their debut 7 song EP, Down to the River (2017), that makes The War and Treaty a standout, must catch set early on Friday. Chilling, soulful, yet dark, and powerful, with refined nuances on each song, The War and Treaty will have you reaching for your own higher power early Friday and spreading the good vibrations to Shaky Knees Festival 2018.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – 1:45pm-2:30pm, Friday

@ Peachtree Stage

In early 2016, Melbourne, Australia’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever released their debut EP, Talk Tight, earning praise internationally from the likes of SPIN, Stereogum, Pitchfork, and more. In late 2016, the band announced their signing to Sub Pop Records, and released their debut EP via the label, The French Press in 2017, becoming  one of the legendary indie label’s latest darlings. Recently the band has announced their debut album, Hope Downs, due out June 15th via Sub Pop, with the first two singles “Mainland” and “Talking Straight”. While Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever have always had a punk ethos, it’s their vibrant Power Pop that shines through with infectious guitar riffs that are driving and melodic, and lyrics that finds the bright spots in a cynical world. We expect big things from the Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s set.

Ezra Furman – 3:15pm-4:00pm, Friday

@ Peachtree Stage

The set on Friday that is sure to include a true “performer” on stage will be at the Peachtree Stage with Ezra Furman. Ever since his days as Ezra Furman & the Harpoons, Ezra has been known as an outstanding and energetic performer. Making music and performing on stage has always been a sort of coming out party for the previously shy Furman. Furman had another critically acclaimed album in 2015, Perpetual Motion People, with then band The Boyfriends. This year though, Furman has returned with a new band, The Visions, releasing Ezra Furman’s latest album Transangelic Exodus in February, his second album via Bella Union. While Furman had become known previously for his brand of flamboyant retro rock, the newest album takes Furman in a more experimental direction, even calling the album “A Queer Outlaw saga”. The new album is heavy and powerful, a journey that finds Furman at his deepest and best, yet still doesn’t lose his pop sensibilities. The songs are moving and liberating, which no doubt Ezra Furman and The Visions will deliver during a powerful Shaky Knees set.

Marlon Williams – 5:00pm-6:00pm, Friday

@ Criminal Records Stage

It’s a shame that New Zealand’s Marlon Williams is pitted up against Courtney Barnett (Peachtree Stage 5-6pm), who’s set is pretty much a must catch set at the festival. In the US, Marlon is still flying somewhat under the radar, but if you are looking for one of the most beautiful, stunning, and distinctive voices at this year’s festival, then Marlon Williams is who you seek. On his sophomore album, Make Way For Love, released February 16th via Dead Oceans, Williams presents a deeply personal album in the wake of a fractured relationship, capturing emotional highs and lows that is sure to stop you dead in your tracks live. On the album, that even includes a duet with Angel Olsen, Williams and his band hints at everything from alt-country to cinematic strings, reverb, rollicking guitars and even a quiet piano ballad. The music is haunting, and sure to be an ‘experience’ live from the moment Marlon’s vocals first hit.

Sun Seeker – 12:45pm-1:30pm, Saturday

@ Criminal Records Stage

Nashville-based four piece indie rockers Sun Seeker released their debut EP Biddleford in 2017 via Third Man Records, but what sparked Jack White’s label to seek the band out started back in 2013 as the band quickly became a live favorite on the local scene when they were just getting started. If you were to tell me a Nashville-based band’s name is Sun Seeker, immediately I’m thinking some kind of sunny Americana with good songwriting. That’s not too far off either. The band’s version of Cosmic Americana and Folk Rock is as much as hazy as it is sunny, with tight harmonies and emotional melodies over finely crafted tunes. With touches of psychedelia, the band could fit right in with 70’s Laurel Canyon music and is sure to be a great early afternoon set on Saturday.

Bully – 2:15pm-3:00pm, Saturday

@ Peachtree Stage

If you are looking for a knock your socks off set, look no further than Nashville-based 4 piece Bully. The band, led by Alicia Bognanno, released their ferocious and powerful sophomore LP Losing last fall via Sub Pop. Surrounded by a talented band ready to rock out, it’s Alicia’s cynical perceptions that drive her songwriting, paired with her signature snarl, while the band brings an impassioned and raw live set that’s been making waves the last few years. With a blistering and powerful, angst ridden, pop punk style, Bully should be on everyone’s must catch list in the early afternoon on Saturday.

BRONCHO – 3:00pm-3:45pm, Saturday

@ Ponce De Leon Stage

Originally conceived when founder Ryan Lindsey was asked to create music “to set to an early 80s punk film”, Norman, Oklahoma-based BRONCHO built from that foundation into a nationally touring indie rock force who have released 3 critically acclaimed full length albums including their last album, Double Vanity (2016 via Dine Alone Records). While a quick listen to singles such as “Try Me out Sometime”, “Pick a Fight”, “Class Historian”, or their most recent single “Get in My Car” (2017), you can quickly tell that this band is going to be full of energy and a hell of a good time at the festival. But BRONCHO have always been an experimental project, and a large part of their arsenal are deep, weird, layered and nuanced songs with a sunny haze such as “Fantasy Boys” that make this a must catch late afternoon set.

Frankie Rose – 12:30pm-1:15pm, Sunday

@ Ponce De Leon Stage

For years Frankie Rose was a major player in the thriving Brooklyn indie rock scene, playing in bands such as Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, Vivian Girls and Beverly. A few years ago though, she packed up and moved to Los Angeles intent on making waves in that scene. Lots of personal struggles out in LA led Frankie to questioning her place is in the music industry. It’s that struggle though that can lead to creativity, and that’s exactly what it did for Frankie Rose with the end result being probably her best and 4th album Cage Tropical, released in mid-2017 via Slumberland Records, and a move back to Brooklyn. Chalk full of vintage synths creating hallow, atmospheric sounds that could fit right into a John Carpenter movie, Cage Tropical brings along an existential journey that resulted from Frankie’s time out in LA. It’s a little bit Sci-fi, and shows Frankie turning misery into something good and positive. The whole vibe is sure to be a powerful set early on Sunday.

Tedo Stone – 1:15pm – 2:00pm, Sunday

@ Criminal Records Stage

Tedo Stone recently announced his third full length album Summer Sun, due out May 25th via Laser Brains, and premiered the breezy and slow burning title track via Popmatters. While Stone’s first album was more psych-tinged alt-country jams, Tedo Stone’s 2015 sophomore album Marshes took the rock ‘n’ roll to the next level adding soaring, Dinosaur Jr’-esc guitars to the repertoire. With the announcement of their third album, the band promises a diverse, yet focused set centered around Tedo’s expanding voice and songwriting, and indie rock hooks that don’t forget their southern roots with guitar driven, festival ready anthems that are sure to get your Sunday off on the right start. As if you needed more reasons to catch their set, Tedo Stone is a local Atlanta/Athens area product that has cut his teeth coming up in our local scenes. This band together is a byproduct of local Atlanta music, and we should all be out there to celebrate and support the scene. Plus they rule live, we can attest to that.