The rains finally came, but that did nothing to dampen the mood as Shaky Knees Festival 2024 wrapped with an exciting final day.
New York’s Arcy Drive got the afternoon started with a lively set at the Ponce De Leon Stage. The self-proclaimed Attic-rockers first gained a lot of traction via Tik-Tok, but make no mistake the musicianship and songs are 100% there when playing live. “Wicked Styley” from their latest EP, Beach Plum, got the crowd in the groove behind a lazy delivery from lead singer Nick Mateyunas. You can hear Beach Plum on Grand Jury Music and see Arcy Drive at the Governor’s Ball (New York City) this summer.
Things really stepped up a notch when Nova Twins took the Peachtree Stage by storm. With only 45 minutes to work with, the UK duo were quick to make an impression on the large crowd gathered. Amy Love (vocals/guitar) showcased her powerhouse vocals on “Cleopatra” (Supernova) and “Taxi” (Who Are the Girls?) while bassist Georgia South roamed the stage playing to the crowd. The duo closed with the mandatory head-banger “Choose Your Fighter.” Nova Twins are touring the US and Europe throughout the summer. Not to be outdone by their UK counterparts, The Struts brought their 70s glam party to Shaky Knees. Like a few other bands playing over the weekend, seeing The Struts is a full experience. The band is focused on everyone there having a good time, and it shows through their performance on stage. Vocalist Luke Spiller is the definition of a true frontman, providing the singing while also encouraging and playing to the crowd throughout the show. Fans got a sampling of the band’s entire catalog, and a setlist favorite cover of Lorde’s “Royals.” The Struts are touring the US throughout the summer. To slow it down a bit, things turned to the Peachtree Stage and Canadian band Men I Trust. Adjectives to describe the sound of Men I Trust could be “soothing,” “spacey,” and “chill.” They have been described as “dream pop,” which might be the most accurate label. Emmanuelle Proulx (vocals/guitar) started the set with the vibe-riddled “Show Me How” featuring amazing bass work from Jessy Caron. Men I Trust provided the perfect counterpoint to the genres of music we had heard earlier in the day. They are touring the US throughout the summer. The rains finally came, and when they did they did not let up for over an hour. Undeterred was Kansas City-based artist Waxahatchee (Katie Crutchfield). After a short delay to move gear on stage, the band burned through an hour-long set in front of an adoring (and soaking-wet) crowd. The set was dominated by songs from the recently released Tigers Blood, but fans enjoyed a few gems from 2020’s Saint Cloud (“Lilacs,” “Fire”). A real treat was two songs from Crutchfield’s I Walked With You A Ways album with Jess Williamson, released in 2022 (“Hurricane,” “Problem With It”). Performing with a “Storm In The Area” message on the video boards, Waxahatchee kept the crowd happy despite the conditions. They are touring the US and Europe in support of Tigers Blood this summer. The chants of “Billy! Billy!” could be heard throughout the crowd as the anticipation built for the arrival of rock legend Billy Idol. Starting to sing the first verse of Generation X’s “Dancing With Myself” offstage, the crowd built to a frenzy as he made his appearance on stage. Idol’s voice was in top form, as was his band, as he took the crowd through some of his biggest hits. Guitarist Steve Stevens had plenty of opportunities to showcase his formidable chops and did not disappoint. The haunting “Eyes Without a Face” was a set highlight, breaking up a list of rockers. You can see Billy Idol throughout the US and Canada this summer. The duo of Matt and Kim closed out the Ponce De Leon stage with a rave-style set that has become their trademark. Matt Johnson (vocals/keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums) constantly interact with the crowd between, and sometimes during songs. The duo feeds off crowd energy and are in the business of generating crowd energy throughout their set. “It’s a Fact (Printed Stained)” and “Like I Used to Be” proved to be crowd favorites and a great soundtrack for the “Dance Orgy” (Johnson’s terms) that ensued. Matt and Kim can always be counted on to bring the fun, and they did just that in an amazing set to close out the Ponce De Leon Stage Sunday night. As an amazing weekend of music closed out at Shaky Knees Festival 2024, those leaving Central Park were left wondering who they’ll get to see next year.
