Day two of Shaky Knees 2024 avoided the forecasted storms and provided a great atmosphere for an exciting lineup in Downtown Atlanta.
Day two of the festival kicked off in earnest when Blondshell took the Piedmont Stage. Clad in a classic Maggie Simpson t-shirt, Blondshell (Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum) got things going with “Veronica Mars,” the opening track to her 2023 debut Blondshell. A lot has been said about Teitelbaum’s voice calling back to some of the great female rock vocalists of the 90s, and it really is true. From one song to another, you might hear shades of Liz Phair or Courtney Love, but only shades. While most of the set consisted of tracks from Blondshell, there was one new song in the mix and Teitelbaum told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that she is in the process of writing and recording her second album. You can see Blondshell touring the US and Europe for the remainder of 2024.
Grace Cummings‘ performance at Shaky Knees could only be described as “intense.” The Australian performer paired a very unique, almost croon-like, vocal with piercing eyes that make you think what she is singing, whatever it is, is important. Her presence is nothing if not powerful. Cummings latest release, Ramona, is available now and she will be touring Europe and Australia throughout the summer. One of the standout performances of Saturday took place on the Ponce De Leon Stage with Quarters of Change. The New York quartet had some buzz going into the day and showed that it was not unfounded, putting together a great set for fans and new listeners alike. The band’s sound definitely reminds you of 90s alternative, but the biggest trait they have is that everything is just so… catchy. “Heaven Bound” from the recently released Portraits sounds like it could be from an 80s movie soundtrack, and that is in no way a bad thing. The crowd tended to agree and were fully locked in with the band throughout the set. Frontman Ben Roter is a commanding presence on stage (with or without a mask) and you feel the emotion that he brings to every song. Quarters of Change is a band to watch, and you can do so at the Governors Ball (New York City) and Lollapalooza (Chicago) this summer. Bad Nerves brought their brand of power-punk to the Criminal Records Stage with what could only be considered an assault. From song one, the boys from Essex, UK had the crowd in full frenzy as they sang, moshed, and surfed along. The choice for the best crowd over the whole weekend is a tough one, but for the Criminal Records Stage, this had to be number one. You can hear new Bad Nerves on their upcoming album Still Nervous, out later this month. In a real change of pace coming off Bad Nerves, Chicano Batman took the Piedmont Stage to inject some funk and groove in everyone’s weekend. Fresh off the release of their latest album, Notebook Fantasy, the band seemed on top of their game as they start their touring schedule for the summer. “Fly” from Notebook Fantasy really delves into the core of the Chicano Batman sound. It’s got a great groove, and some funk, and you’re singing the chorus thirty seconds in. You can hear Notebook Fantasy on ATO Records, and see them touring the US this summer. In some cases, the simpler you can make something, the better it will be. That has never been more the case than with English duo Royal Blood. When you pare down a band to just the drums and bass, you lose some of the intricacies of the music, but what you gain is complete and raw power that can’t be matched. Mike Kerr (bass/vocals) and Ben Thatcher (drums) kept the sound and the energy high throughout a set that leaned heavily on well-known tracks from their debut, 2014’s Royal Blood. A real standout moment of the set came from “Lights Out,” from 2017’s How Did We Get So Dark? You can see Royal Blood touring the US and Europe throughout the summer. The Offspring brought a full-on 90s time-warp to Shaky Knees with an amazing set mainly consisting of songs from their albums Crash and Americana. With all the anthems in their songbook, they still managed to work in a cover of The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” to the rowdy crowd’s delight. The punk rock veterans closed with an amazing run consisting of “(Can’t Get My) Head Around You,” “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy),” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” Do yourself a favor and go experience The Offspring as they tour the US and Europe this summer. Girl In Red should have been playing a later spot at Shaky Knees as she put on one of the performances of the festival. From her entrance onto the stage (in front of a red background, obviously) until the last note, she captivated the massive crowd gathered at the Peachtree Stage. This absolutely was one of the most “fun” sets of the weekend, as Girl In Red makes it very well known that is what she is having. Her emotions are so clear to read, whether it’s joy, concern, or spite, that you can’t help feeling those emotions yourself. The upbeat songs (“bad idea!”) seem that much more upbeat and the ballads (“midnight love”) feel that much deeper. Girl In Red is touring the US through May. Anticipation was high for Miike Snow’s first US show in five years. Appearances stateside for the Swedish/American band have been few and far between, so the crowd at Shaky Knees was ready to take it all in. Clad in white and grey suits, the band started with “Billie Holiday” from 2009’s Miike Snow. The sound was dialed in as you would expect from the group, utilizing guitar, bass, and drums in conjunction with their massive synthesizer (The Blob). Lead singer Andrew Wyatt teased the release of new music soon, much to the crowd’s delight, and doubled down by playing “I Was A Sailor” from the forthcoming release. Miike Snow has a few US dates left later this month. Despite the stormy forecast, a crystal clear night greeted Saturday’s Shaky Knees headliner, Weezer. The emo legends provided a career-spanning set with songs from seven different albums, including a much-loved b-side (“You Gave Your Love to Me Softly”). The band also treated the crowd with an amazing cover of Hole’s “Celebrity Skin” which they are working on for an upcoming tour with The Smashing Pumpkins. Most of the sing-alongs came from the Blue Album, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. While Noah Kahan might have produced the most consistent sing-along of the weekend, nobody could match the volume of the crowd on the chorus of Blue Album standout “Say It Aint So.” Rivers Cuomo’s voice and guitar work were on top form, which is no small feat 30 years on from the band’s debut. Weezer will be touring the UK and Ireland with The Smashing Pumpkins this summer. SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVALWebsite Facebook X
