Setting the Bar High: Shaky Knees (2019)
Well look who just dropped one of the first (and sickest) lineups for the upcoming 2019 festival season- Shaky Knees Music Festival. Aussie psych rockers Tame Impala, the legendary Beck, and Cage the Elephant, another person favorite of mine, lead the way as the big three for this year’s event. Shaky Knees Music Festival will take place the weekend of May 3rd-5th, 2019 at Central Park in Atlanta, Georgia, which was the site of last year’s and my very first Shaky Knees in 2015. If you ask me this means more shade for everyone during the day, additional space to spread the stages and numerous vendors across this gorgeous park in downtown Atlanta.
Well let’s get back to this lineup because that is why you are here! Other notable artists on the 7th annual Shaky Knees lineup include Incubus, Tears for Fears, Gary Clark, Jr., Interpol, Foals, Father John Misty, Tash Sultana, and Grouplove to just name a select few. Trust me when I say ‘few’ because I could have kept going naming everyone in this lineup because it is just that damn good! After seeing both Tame Impala (2015) and Cage the Elephant (2017) tear it up on stage in the past at Shaky Knees, I can only imagine what they have in store for us this time around. Don’t get me started on the dance party that happens at a Beck performance. If you have not seen this man perform live then what are you doing with your life?!
If you are going to attend and maybe want to dig deep into the lineup… here are the first four (4) artists you can start with: Black Lips, Mark Lanegan, The Joy Formidable, and Bad Books.
Black Lips – For nearly twenty years, the Black Lips have been steady touring and releasing an extensive discography that boasts eight (8) sonically pleasing LPs, three (3) true to form live albums, and numerous splits and singles. I might be a little impartial to these guys since they are an Atlanta staple, but once you see a live show then you will know exactly why. Something to add, Cole Alexander (lead vocals/guitar) has been working with Curtis Harding (Cee-Lo Green’s former back-up singer/writer) on a project titled Night Sun. Why is that special? Curtis Harding is also performing at Shaky Knees so maybe we might get a collab at one or both sets.
Mark Lanegan – Former vocalist for the Screaming Trees and many other successful solo endeavors, Lanegan has always been a favorite of mine because of his unique, raspy voice. Most rock fans may recognize his vocals on many Queens of the Stone Age songs such as: “In the Fade”, “Leg of Lamb”, “Autopilot”, “I Think I Lost My Headache”, “Song for the Dead”, “Hangin’ Tree”, “Song for the Deaf”, “God Is in the Radio”, and “This Lullaby”. Lanegan’s set is going to be one performance that I am not missing at Shaky Knees and I hope to see you there.
The Joy Formidable – The Joy Formidable is a Welsh alternative rock/alternative metal/indie pop/shoegaze band that has released four (4) LPs since 2007 and is based in London, England. Most recently, they have released AAARTH and did a brief North American tour with the Foo Fighters during the early part of September (2018). Seeing these rock ‘n’ roll vets perform at Shaky Knees is going to be a spiritual event for many fans including myself.
Bad Books – Imagine if indie folk artist Kevin Devine, Benjamin Homola (drummer) and members of a local indie rock band named Manchester Orchestra formed their own indie rock band. Once you’ve got that band pictured in your imagination, I want you to name it Bad Books. Bad Books is guaranteed to put on one of the best shows all weekend since it will be a home show for most of the band. After last year’s memorable performance by Manchester Orchestra, I can’t stress enough how this set from Bad Books is a must see at Shaky Knees!
Enough of the music for now because that is not the only tasty thing at Shaky Knees to feast on. The food vendors at Shaky Knees are also something to plan ahead for! With favorites like Fox Bros. Bar-B-Que, Pizza Nova, The Big Cheese, Humpty’s Dumplings, or The Pickle it is hard to figure out which one I want to go back to first at Shaky Knees. All I can say is stay tuned for some future Bars & Bites articles!
So if you are from out of town and need a place to crash then I suggest Airbnb over a hotel based on location if possible. Use this link and get $40 off your first stay with Airbnb.com. If your preference is more in line with a hotel, then check out www.kayak.com or www.booking.com (use promo link https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/tzolis90 for $25 cash back) for some great deals on hotels that are close to the area. Need a ride while in Atlanta? No sweat! First time users can use the following codes for discounts on local ride shares: Lyft – TARYN273 or Uber – hristost3ue. Got any questions about the festival, check out this link to their information webpage to get that curiosity satisfied. Never too early to start planning one of the best weekends you will have in 2019! I cannot say enough how much I love this festival and how much it means to my city. If you have never attended Shaky Knees or a festival in Atlanta for that matter, I employ you to find one that you like (hopefully it is Shaky Knees!) and come visit.
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Remember don’t think about it, just buy the damn ticket! As always, hope to see you at a show or festival soon!