Shaky Kneeees (Makes Me Feel Fine)
By Croix Provence
Atlanta offers some of the most awesome entertainment in America between its comic cons and an array of music festivals. One of the standout festivals in this area, without question, is Shaky Knees. With a lineup that boasts the many sub-genres of rock, Shaky Knees always delivers a star-studded roster of rockers. If you wanna get weird in the city, the festival is running from May 8-10 this year.
Let’s cut straight to the chase: the lineup in 2014 was packed with big names that brought high-energy, memorable performances to the city of Atlanta. Between Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Cage The Elephant, Foals, Spoon, Dropkick Murphys, Alabama Shakes, Violent Femmes, Gaslight Anthem, Conor Oberst, Tokyo Police Club, and the others, there was a show for everyone. Just… A badass blend of music. In bigger festivals, diversity is important for bringing in the masses, and they nailed it last year. What’s Shaky Knees 2015 got up its sleeve?
Oh, baby. This is gonna be an awesome blend of different rock genres! I’ve got to be honest: apart from a few of their songs, The Strokes don’t do it for me. They definitely appeal to the masses, but eh. I’m happy to see The Avett Brothers on the list, though! Are they worthy of a spot above the legendary Pixies, though? I think not. The Pixies will assault you with the words of an insane poet backed by raw, powerful sound! If that doesn’t sound good, head to The Avett Brothers for a more chill, lyrical show that offers some serious skill on the guitar. Okay, since I’m too excited to discuss other bands and then get to Tame Impala, I’m just going to cut right to them. Tame Impala is a psychedelic eargasm, and if you miss their performance… Well, you really freaking missed out. Mastodon puts on one hell of a concert, if you’re down with getting moshed into the floor during a ballistic metal show (which I am). That’s exact what happened at Bonnaroo last year, and that’s exactly what I want to happen this year at Shaky Knees. Swapping out angry Irish bands this year: Flogging Molly will take the stage and rock your face off! Again, saw them at Hangout Fest, and it was definitely one of the best, liveliest shows I’ve seen in a while. Don’t miss out! Neutral Milk Hotel is another exciting addition. Their eccentric indie rock has been captivating equally eccentric ears since the 90’s and makes for a great chill-out show. TV On The Radio is also up on the list, bringing you the off-beat indie rock hit “Wolf Life Me” that will have you dancing all over strangers.
Besides that, their musical selection is alright. Other headliners and higher-ups include Interpol (rock), Social Distortion (punk), Ryan Adams (rock/alt country), and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (alt/baroque rock). The Shaky Knees lineup also offers a fairly badass selection of lower-downs! Definitely need to check out Jukebox The Ghost (alt pop), DEFINITELY see Minus The Bear (indie rock), The Kooks (indie rock), Dr. Dog (rock), Trombone Shorty (jazz/funk), Preservation Hall Jazz Band (take a guess), Speedy Ortiz (indie rock), Two Gallants (inde/folk rock), and The Sheepdogs (southern rock).
Damn, Shaky Knees, you done pretty well for yourself! Then again, their lineups have been consistently good. While I am not completely blown away by this year, I am definitely excited and I respect the artists on board. Now, the hard part: giving a (mostly) objective rating of this festival, but still with an adorable hint of bias and opinion. Shaky Knees 2015, where do you fall on the Croix scale from Bad to Bad-Ass?
Overall: Cool
A sound lineup to me, and to some, a killer lineup. This year, I don’t feel the need to rush online and buy a Shaky Knees ticket right this moment, nor do I feel the need to miss it completely. Many components of their lineups can be found at other festivals, but they’ve got some good bands that, thus far, are unique to them. Surely this will change though, for the festival’s sake, I hope not. The fact that I don’t want to hop up and go to this festival doesn’t mean that others won’t. Again, I recognize The Strokes as an important and popular band, along with the other higher-ups that just didn’t wow me. Honestly, I would love to go and have my mind changed for me! For now, that’s the plan: attend Shaky Knees, enjoy my bands, and give the bands that have entranced everyone else but me, a chance.
Blah blah blah, opinions are like butts: everyone has ’em and they all stink. Alas, you’ve opted to read my opinions, so you’ve opted to hear my rating, and apparently read/hear my butt, by default. Sorry for the visual.* Whether or not you agree with me, you now know what’s in my head, from the value of a unique lineup, to the misunderstanding of The Strokes, to my opinion butt. If you get your ticket to Shaky Knees, let me know! Hopefully I’ll see you there, as it promises to be a really cool experience.
*No I’m not; it’s a hilarious visual.
Croix Provence, abridged: Singer. Actress. Model. Dork. Snack enthusiast. Freelance writer. Music lover. Comic Con freak. Adrenaline junkie. Short sentence sorcerer. Follow @CroixProvence on Twitter and Instagram, and like Croix Provence on Facebook.
