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Sunday… Those with three day passes begin to feel the wear and tear. Those who bought the day only ticket were probably more energetic. Still, with a fantastic sunny forecast and a great lineup, everyone should have been excited for the day.
My day began with Water From Your Eyes, a band that might be described as “Indie – huh?” They began with “Break,” a lengthy song that has electronics, a guitar riff, and an almost spoken vocal by Rachel Brown as she paced back and forth across the stage. The song never evolves into what might be called an accessible tune, but carries on like a lengthy experiment, an interesting choice for launching a Shaky Knees debut.
They next played “Barley” which has discordant tendencies and treated monotone vocals. But, the duo (or maybe trio now with an additional guitarist) is known for finding their own way, whether it’s danceable, pop, electronic, etc. And eventually came “When You’re Around,” a lovely song. In other words, it was a great start to the day, What fun is music if it’s not occasionally challenging?
Puma Blue belongs in a lounge with well-heeled couples soaking in the dim atmosphere, an air of romance and the sounds of this band, minimalist lo-fi, jazzy and soulful. But here they were at 1:15 on a giant and sunny stage. No matter. It was an enjoyable set, enhanced by a melancholy sax, for those with the ears to hear. Leader/singer Jacob Allen relocated from England to Atlanta, so no doubt we’ll hear a good bit more of his music locally.
A more appropriately sunny band, in tones and name, followed at the Piedmont stage, the California quartet Sun Room. There’s no shortage of bands giving their takes to surf/garage rock, and Sun Room does it particularly well. All three supporting members can supplement singer Luke Asigan vocally, giving them an extra range to separate themselves from the pack. “Sol Del Sur” and the recently released “Sunset Garage” stood out among a set that takes one back to the 60’s.
For another change of pace, Off! leader/singer Keith Morris politely thanked those in attendance for coming to hear them and Shaky Knees for the invitation. Boom! The band rocked the audience with fiery hardcore punk set, which is expected from the singer formerly of Circle Jerks and Black Flag. The vocals, piercing guitar and crushing drums may not sound that different from song to song, but the band played quite the setlist as each song averages a minute 30. It was an entertaining show, and the early arrivals in the front clearly got exactly what they came for.
Time to take space for the general festival.
Live was a radio fixture in the 90’s, kickstarted by1994’s Throwing Copper, which spawned 4 hits and a subsequent successful run of hit albums. Today, singer/guitarist Ed Kowalcyzk is the only remaining original member, supported by a more than capable supporting band. For bands that are generally beyond their creative peak, it’s the voice that’s most important, right? Decades later, Kowalcyzk still has it, and he and the band delivered a great set of their hits, closing strong with the grungy “Lakini’s Juice” and massive hit “Lightning Crashes.”
Synth-pop Future Islands was featured on the Piedmont Stage, offering singer Samuel Herring plenty of room to roam to ignite the crowd with the band set across the back. Crooners typically stand at a mic, but not Herring, who acts out what he feels, his eyes darting to those in the first rows like he’s singing to them. “For Sure” started the set, a punchy, danceable song that pretty well set expectations for the set.
Fuzz rock with reverb is always a welcome thing, and The Black Angels brought their psychedelic rock to Shaky. They began with four songs from their 2022 release, Wilderness of Mirrors, which lacked some early familiarity that a fan would expect in an hour long set. “Young Men Dead” was a standout of their older material, and unfortunately, “Entrance Song” didn’t make the set.
Hozier. A sea of women and guys to accompany them. Hozier drew the crowd of a closing headliner, and it’s easy to see why he drew the crowd. Great songs, great lyrics for those that dig into them, an excellent backing band, and magnetic charm. He closed with “Take Me to Church,” which dwarfs most artists’ ambitions with over 2 BILLIION Spotify streams. So, yeah. He also played at a Shaky “Late Show” at Center Stage the night prior, probably one of the last opportunities to catch him in a more intimate environment… ever.
Always entertaining, The Flaming Lips presented the entirety of their 2002 release, Yoshimi and the Pink Robots, one of their two finest albums (The Soft Bulletin being the other). Never a stranger to dynamic staging, the Lips brought their inflatable robots and a back screen to help the distant crowd with the lyrics. Singer Wayne Coyne has a way with audiences, positivity abounding in his deliver and demeanor. You can count on him and the band delivering a great show. Unfortunately, amongst all the theatrics he’s brought to the stage, singing from within a plastic bubble is getting tired, especially when the stage doesn’t allow him walking it across a crowd. Still, it was Yoshimi, and it was great. As a side note, it’s amazing how a festival can change out massive stage sets within an hour and have everything work.
The Lumineers were a “feel good” closer. Similar to Wayne Coyne, there’s a positivity in their Indie-folk sound, and they connect with an audience. Drummer/cofounder Jeremiah Fraites rose with his kit out in the audience amid a hook shaped platform, with “BRIGHTSIDE” performed from the stage. For “Cleopatra,” singer/guitarist “Wesley Schultz and two other members walked the plank to be amid the audience, and then were joined by the remainder of the band for one of their giant hits, “Ho Hey.” It’s hard to not appreciate a massively popular band that gets closer to their audience with a hootenanny, never mind that they did it at the beginning of their show. They were a great closer in performance and spirit to close out Shaky’s 10th anniversary.
And a big thank you to Tim Sheetwood, founder of Shaky Knees! Keep ’em coming!
