Shaky Knees Day 1 Recap

Shaky Knees Music Festival kicked off today at Central Park in Atlanta. Though it seemed that the weather was not going to be on our side, the rock gods parted the skies for us and filled the day with sunshine and spectacular alternative rock. It did get a bit hot in the mid-afternoon and early evening, but it’s better than getting rained out. This is my first year, and MusicFestNews‘ first year, ever covering and attending Shaky Knees. My excitement, at times overpowered by curiosity, lead to a day of exploration and wildly memorable performances by some of the most talented names in alternative rock. I got through the front gates shortly after they opened and started to wander the venue.

The Vibe

The first hour of a music festival is always so magical. The grass is so fresh, and silent anticipation fills the air with what the weekend might have in store for fans that always gets me so excited. As the day progressed and the music began, the grounds of Shaky were alive and well throughout the day filled with good vibes, friendly people, and awesome food. Throughout the festival, there are some cool sponsorship stations handing out free food (Mojos by Peachtree), sunglasses (Titos by Peachtree), and a bunch of other goodies. If free stuff really isn’t your thing, then you can always stop by a merch stand and grab some cool Shaky Knees gear.

The Music

Two of my must-see undercard acts played today, Duncan Fellows and Devon Gilfillian, both of which met and exceeded my expectations. These two bands play some wildly different music and have become masters of their genres even at their younger ages. Devon Gilfillian is a guitar god with the shred skills nearly on par with Stevie Ray Vaughn. Duncan Fellows play Americana rock with the energy of a punk rock band. Keep on eye on these groups, they’ll be in the top few lines of festivals very soon.

One of my favorite sets of the day has to go to Incubus. They were easily my favorite band in high school and have been one of my white-whale festivals acts for nearly a decade. While my opinion on this might be a little biased due to my deep love for this group, I think anyone who was there for their show will agree that it was absolutely perfect: a mix of fan favorites, deep cuts, new songs, and covers; Brandon Boyd and friends paid their dues and more for their headlining spot.

Tash Sultana absolutely blew my mind in every way that a mind can be blown and probably topped my list for set of the day. It is insane that one woman can be packed with so much talent. Her show was a visceral powerhouse that must be experienced to understand. I never heard of Low Cut Connie prior to today, but two guys suggested I check them out. The amount of energy that poured off the stage during their set was absolutely glorious.

The Shaky Tat

In case you were unaware, Shaky Knees offered free tickets to fans who got their logo tattooed on them. The rules are quite simple, get the tattoo, a real one no henna stuff, have it be at least the size of a silver dollar, and you get free access to the festival. Easily one of the coolest and most rock-and-roll ways to get a ticket. I ran into at least 20 people who took advantage of this promo, and I’m sure there are a few hundred others.

The Big Ol’ Parachute

I was pleasantly surprised when I bumped into my friend Ron, who is the dude behind Roochute, a massive rainbow parachute that pops up randomly throughout the United States at music festivals. Of course, Ron had his parachute with him and busted it out before Tash Sultana took the main stage. Watching people’s reactions as they notice what is happening and drop everything to join in is one of the best things you can ever be a part of.

Shaky Knees 2019

The only downside of the day was when I realized that Father John Misty was no longer on the lineup. He is one of my favorite musicians, and his live shows are always killer, but it’s my fault for not realizing this three months ago when it was announced.

After my first day at Shaky Knees, I’m stoked to see what the next two days have in store. I still have a huge list of bands to see, including Tame Impala, Interpol, The Ruen Brothers, Jim James, Maggie Rogers, The Nude Party, Gary Clark Jr, The Struts, Japanese Breakfast, Slothrust, Cage the Elephant, and many more. Single-day tickets are still available, and I hope to see you there on Saturday and Sunday!

Shaky Knees

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