Rock and Roll is Alive and Well – Shaky Knees Recap

Shaky Knees has come and it has gone, but the memories of this festival will remain with me for the rest of my life. Glorious rock and roll filled Central Park in Atlanta for the past three days, allowing some of the greatest musicians to share their music with tens of thousands of fans. I have been impatiently looking forward to Shaky Knees ever since the lineup dropped. It was easily one of the best lineups of the year, and I’m sure it will be looked upon in the future as one of the greatest compilations of alt-rock, indie rock, punk rock, and psychedelic rock ever curated.

At any moment of any day, you could wander to one of the four stages at Shaky Knees and see one of the best sets you will see this year. Incubus, Jim James, The Ruen Brothers, Tame Impala, Grouplove, Tash Sultana, Devon Gilfillian, Slothrust, Cage the Elephant, Beck, and dozens of other musicians came to entertain, and I can guarantee no one who went to Shaky was disappointed with their experience at the fest.

There’s much more to a music festival than just legendary performances. Though a lineup is often what draws fans to a fest, it’s the people and the energy of that festival that keeps them coming back. There was no shortage of amazing people walking around Shaky Knees handing out high fives, good vibes, and positive energy.

Shaky Knees Recap – The Best of 2019

If you weren’t in the right spot at the right time, you may have missed one of the most memorable and beautiful moments of Shaky Knees. It’s day three of the festival, and the hot Sunday sun is beating down on the Peachtree Stage while Grouplove puts on one of the most energetic and wild shows of the weekend. The real party was happening behind the sound stage thanks to the people of Roochute and Pizza Nova. As the giant rainbow parachute opened the people around it were gifted free pizza and invited to join in on the parachute’s glory.

The Staff

The staff at Shaky Knees were some of the most helpful and good-spirited folks you will ever come across. Security was thorough but not rude or pushy, something I see far too often at festivals. The police presence reminded that you were safe but not like your every move was being watched. The guys working the rail at the stages made sure everyone was safe and hydrated. Organizing a festival on this scale takes a lot of work and even more planning. The people behind Shaky Knees killed every aspect of it.

The Venue

Shaky Knees has changed its location a few times over the past six years, and I hope it has finally found its permanent home in Central Park. The park was split up into two main sections and was insanely easy to navigate. Crowd dispersion never felt like an issue, and it was always simple to find some much-needed shade over the humid weekend. I do wish there had been one more water station located near the food trucks in between the Piedmont Stage and Ponce De Leon; beyond that, I feel that the layout was flawless.

The Music

Obviously, there was no shortage of great music to experience throughout the weekend. Every set I saw I left saying, “That was my favorite of the weekend!” I didn’t see one show that I wasn’t blown away by. Lesser known acts like The Ruen Brothers, Low Cut Connie, Duncan Fellows, and Devon Gilfillian put on some of the most memorable performances of the weekend. Then you have Grouplove, who turned Peachtree into a massive dance party littered with crowd surfers. Tash Sultana, who somehow managed to beatbox on a flute and made it sound glorious. Jim James, who is just a perfect human being and can never do any wrong, melting my face away with guitar solo after guitar solo. Tame Impala, who seemed to have an infinite amount of confetti at their disposal. Cage the Elephant, who kept everyone warm and rocking on a rainy evening. I can go on and on, but the music at Shaky Knees was just perfect.

The Tattoos

I’m still waiting to hear a final number on how many people took advantage of the Shaky Knees tattoo deal. In case you are unaware of it, anyone who got the Shaky Knees logo tattooed on themselves the size of a silver dollar or larger received free entree to the fest. This is one of the coolest and most rock and roll things I have ever seen a festival do. I saw a crazy number of people sporting their tats with pride, and every time I got a huge smile on my face.

Matt Shultz

Matt Shultz is a rock god and the frontman of Cage the Elephant. Not only did he put on one of the greatest shows in Shaky Knees history, but he stuck around for the rest of the fest, watching other bands and high-fiving fans throughout the day. At any given set you could find him walking through the middle of the Peachtree Stage, chilling at the sound booth, taking photos with fans, or emotionally joining in on a Foals guitar solo.

Another Year

So here we are: Shaky Knees is about as far away as it can get, and I’m already starting to count down the days until Shaky Knees 2020. I’m eagerly anticipating what the lineup will be next year, but it will be a serious challenge to top this year’s. It was a blast, Shaky Knees, but I have to tend to my minor sunburn, sore muscles, and lost voice. Until next year, you illustrious indie rock fest.