One of the major treats of the 2018 Shaky Knees Music Festival was getting to see Fleet Foxes, not once, but twice over the three day weekend. On Friday, May 4th as the sun was setting over a stellar first day of the festival, Fleet Foxes played a 15 song set. Their festival set was capped by Robin Pecknold coming back on stage solo to sing “Oliver James” as the band extended their set slightly past the scheduled time.
Touring behind Crack-Up (2017 via Nonesuch Records), the band’s first new album since 2011’s Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes returned to Atlanta for the first time in years with a double dose of shows over the Shaky Knees weekend. The second show took place in the more intimate setting of Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points after the festival doors closed late Saturday evening.
After a long two first days of the festival, walking from stage to stage, drinks, and more, the comments heard from non Fleet Foxes diehards was that the band’s late night set could be considered a little sleepy, especially for those looking to keep the party going late into the night. But that is a misconception of who this band really is. In fact, just on pure loudness alone, Fleet Foxes were one of, if not the loudest band who played the fest all weekend. With at least six members on stage at all times, and a multitude of instruments creating their vast sound, the Fleet Foxes set soared throughout the festival.
The band’s festival set felt special as they played a mixture of old favorites and songs from the new album. Their set spanned from the light of day to dawn making it memorable even for those watching from a rooftop of a house outside the festival grounds.
At Variety Playhouse Saturday night though, the band got to use their touring set design, an added element to the set with lights and visuals. The full set of 19 songs that night enabled Fleet Foxes to play some of the same songs from the festival, while getting in a few more from the new album, plus a few more classics. One of the highlights at Variety and not at the fest was when they played “The Shrine / An Argument” where you’d thought you died and gone to heaven. Songs from Crack Up such as “I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco /”, “Cassius”, “On Another Ocean”, “Crack Up”, and of course “Fools Errand” showed off the musicianship that exists on stage between the band members. There is no doubt that Fleet Foxes are on top of their game, and anything but boring. If we are all lucky, there will be many more Fleet Foxes records and shows to come, and Shaky Knees 2018 will live in infamy for these two shows from one of the greatest bands that exists today.
Even though we saw Fleet Foxes one and two days too late, when the band played “Third of May / Ōdaigahara” both on the 4th of May at the festival and the 5th at Variety Playhouse, those moments will always be remembered.
“I’m reminded of the time it all fell in line, on the third of May
As if it were designed, painted in sand to be washed away
Oh, but I can hear you, loud in the center
Aren’t we made to be crowded together, like leaves?” – Fleet Foxes
Check out photos from Fleet Foxes at the 2018 Shaky Knees Music Festival by Mike Gerry:
Fleet Foxes at Variety Playhouse – Shaky Knees Late Night Show
Fleet Foxes at Shaky Knees Music Festival 2018
