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Was quite a wonderful time. Ended up not white boy emo crying and saw Offpsring instead and it was stupid fun and was my girlfriend’s favorite set of the weekend (the only band she knew most of the songs). Arcade Fire changed my life. It was always good to see the greatest band of all time, my boys the Foos. Dino Jr in the rain was fun but I did feel kinda miserable at times, but that’s a story for another day. Crossed QOTSA off the list. Winona Fighter, Pool Kids, Interpol, Metric (Black Sheep motherfuckers), Kingfish, Billy Idol all great. Didn’t get to see as many sets as I had hoped, it was just too much to do that much walking with being so much more out of shape than I was at my last fest (Hangout 2015).
I’ll probably be back next year, lineup depending, and probably doing it solo or with someone else as my girl says she’s on total lockdown from travel until 2026 minimum. Went ahead and booked a hotel just in case.
So I had a pretty eventful weekend. Stayed at my friend's place by Little 5 Points and had my car stolen! Not towed, not broken into, just gone. However, I'm incredibly lucky to have the friends that I have. Because of them, this is probably my favorite Shaky Knees out of the eight I've been to.
1. Dinosaur Jr. Alright this show was insanely special. This was one of the only shows I was looking forward to on Sunday. I'm thinking the weather forecast looks nice, I'm gonna have a pretty relaxed day. A few minutes before the show I see some scary looking clouds. But weather radar says it should pass right over us. Maybe we'll get some raindrops which would be very welcome. Well, then it starts raining a few minutes before Dinosaur Jr. gets on. But everyone in the crowd was like yeah this is cool. Then it starts raining A LOT. Heavy raindrops and I'm freezing cold in just shorts and a T-shirt. I see the pit open up in front of me but I'm still anxious about my phone taking water damage and I didn't want to break my glasses in the pit. I already lost my car, I was afraid of what else this weekend would take from me. But then I'm so cold I get in the pit purely for warmth. At this point there's no way I'm leaving so I might as well embrace it. So I'm dancing and moshing in this tsunami but being fairly careful. That is until I hear Dinosaur Jr.'s beautiful, messy, psychedelic, grungy rendition of Just Like Heaven. He hadn't started singing yet but I knew what it was and I was in the pit going "YES! YES! YES! YES!". At this point, I knew it was my moment. Now or never. Looked around the crowd for the nearest tall people and had them crowd-surf me. This was practically the best moment of my life. Crowd surfing in the pouring rain to a song that's such a core part of my life and singing every word. Feeling completely weightless and looking down at a crowd smiling and looking back up at me. A moment that only comes second to running into Dad Dog during Korn's performance of Blind at Bonnaroo. I get back into the crowd and a few songs later they perform Start Choppin (the song that got me into Dinosaur Jr). At this point, I've completely let go. You only get so many of these moments in life. Then during the last minute of the song, it stops raining. I almost cried right then and there. It was just too perfect it didn't feel real. A normal show without the rain would have been cool. But the rain made this a spiritual journey.
2. Microwave This was my first show after knowing that my car got stolen and it was absolutely what I needed. Being with my best friends in the pit screaming "If I can get this hanger through the window of my car!!!! I'd never leave my house for anything!!!" was absolutely what I needed. Microwave crowds always deliver too
3. Interpol My first Interpol show and they played Roland! uncle silly philly got me into Interpol in the last year and introduced that song to me as their "mosh pit" song. But also a song that doesn't make it into a lot of their setlists. We didn't crowd kill the Noah Kahan campers but we had our own little space to get hype together. I can't wait to see Interpol close out a tent at Bonnaroo!
4. Arcade Fire These guys are just pros at performing what can I say? Even on the second stage, they made it feel like a headlining set on the main stage.
5. Sunny Day Real Estate This is one of those shows that was a special treat for me. I managed to get center rail for this show and hearing Diary in full is something I'll probably never experience again. Coming out swinging with Seven was one of the most exciting moments of the festival for me. I also love seeing elder emos pushing 50 on stage and in the crowd. But I also love seeing people younger than me equally as enthusiastic. The diversity in age groups made me really happy (that's something I can also say for Dinosaur Jr). I can't wait to be an elder emo still making it out to shows.
6. Pond This was another show that was a special treat for me. I got third row and managed to touch the singer's sweaty hands a couple times. Because I had seen them before I knew he liked to crowd surf. So at one point when he came down to the rail I yelled "crowd surf I know you want to!". He looks me dead in the eyes and grabs my arm. But either security didn't let him do it or the crowd behind me didn't fill in enough to help. I gave it my best attempt though.
7. Weezer This set was a lot of fun but also a little disappointing. Sound wasn't great for us and just didn't feel like a headliner show. Also leaving 15 minutes on the table when El Scorcho is just waiting to be performed is messed up. However that Hole cover was a highlight of my weekend. That's my go-to "karaoke" song and that was such a "me moment". If they followed it with Pink Triangle instead of Falling For You that would have sent me through the roof. But the spirit was there.
8. Queens of the Stone Age Weezer is only ahead because I knew more songs and had more fun. QOTSA was a better show if I were to rank this more objectively. But these guys put on a headliner-worthy show on the side stage just like Arcade Fire. I wonder if there was a logistical reason why those two bands had to play that stage instead of pre-headlining on the main. Maybe because their production needs to be set up early in the day therefore they have to close out whichever stage they play? Who knows.
Winona Fighter, Maserati, Wine Lips, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Billy Idol, and Matt & Kim were all good too but I don't know how I'd rank one over the other. Anyways that's my Shaky Knees book report.
awesome write up!!! and i’m glad you had so much fun at dino jr. you’re making me regret missing interpol for jrad at bonnaroo but jrad is unmissable for me. i’ll get my moshing in at gwar and taking back sunday
Post by uncle silly philly on May 7, 2024 18:28:46 GMT -5
ayoooo so this shaky was even better than the last and my heart is so full and I’m still riding that high two days later. first, some overall good thoughts about shaky itself:
- last year in the post-fest survey I complained that there were not enough water stations and there needed to be one near the (old) crimmyrecs stage. other people must have said that as well because there was one this year. it was soooo nice to have it right at the entrance and be able to head straight to peachtree/piedmont if my first set of the day was over there - locker once again came in clutch - the VIP stage areas looked large on the map but IRL I don’t think it was too bad - bringing in my own food was too easy lmao - minus Sunday, the weather was great?? - roti rollssssssssss god bless america - pizza nova had this bougie pizza with goat cheese, arugula, peaches and balsamic vinegar glaze that I only got because the cheese pizza wasn’t ready yet and honestly.. would smash a whole ass 12” pizza of it - every single bathroom had toilet paper through the weekend - no issues with cell service - vibes overall were stellar
the not so good: - I think we can all agree the loss of the criminal records stage in the trees was a tragedy. although being able to bounce between it and ponce was great, I’d rather take the shade + have the longer walk. but if that’s gonna be new spot going forward, they need to provide more canopies/umbrellas/etc. - food still too pricey, but that was expected. not enough sweet treats and not enough vegetables. where is my fiber!!!!! - sunday it stormed really bad, and this is the first outdoor fest/concert I’ve been to that did NOT evacuate when thunder started. there were no posts on shaky’s socials. I know it’s rare but like….. three people died in DC last year bc they sheltered under a tree during a storm and lightning struck the tree, and sure enough people were standing underneath the trees at the park. shaky needs to use the civic center for shelter bc really that’s the only feasible and safe solution. I’m also shocked (lmao) that the artists agreed to continue when they’re on a tall metal structure surrounded by electrical equipment. I’m pissed I missed most of Waxahatchee and it left me in a bad mood for a while - some bathrooms ran out of hand sanitizer WAY too early, or they were never filled to begin with. yearning for hand washing stations
things I did different this year that made it better: - buying a hydration pack. one of the best purchases I ever made. I ended up getting a Lunchbox pack during their post-Christmas sale and I’m now a proud shill for them. never had to worry about having my stuff stolen, had a whole two liters of water, and was able to be hands free the entire weekend - a pack of wet wipes for cleaning my hands - a change of clothes and socks to keep in the locker - as mentioned before, bringing in food to cut down on buying from the stalls - staying in a hotel as opposed to crashing with one of my friends - only took one Uber the entire trip, and that was only for getting back after the interpol late night show from the masquerade. Marta’d the rest of the time, minus faye webster driving me and Insane Cum Posse on Friday (and tbh it wasn’t awful to find parking)
things I’ll do different next year: - bring an old pair of shoes to keep in the locker. having dry socks won’t help shit if the only shoes I have are soaking wet - buy a hat. I hate wearing hats, but I think I need to suck it up so I don’t have to hold my hand up to shield my eyes - wear an old pair of glasses and/or bring a spare to keep in the locker because there were a few instances in the pit I got very concerned about losing them - I bought a camping blanket for this year that folded up rly teeny but it was not comfortable and not waterproof. next year I’ll bring an old towel - go to Publix for food if the schedule allows - I’m an idiot who didn’t bring my rain jacket every day
now onto my set highlights: 1. microwave (shaky set): holy shit, might be one of my top ten shows ever. cum and I gunned for the pit when they played Lighterless for their second or third song and I think I ascended to another plane of existence. I got stepped on, shoved, and scraped which left me bleeding and covered in dirt but I wore those injuries with pride!!! 2. interpol (shaky set): when I found out the set that was after interpol on peachtree was Noah I was pissed because I knew that meant I would have to fight the girlies for a good spot. my fears were realized and we ended up sacrificing a Not Terrible spot for one that was less claustrophobic, which was the right move. I’m proud to have gotten cum and Tony into Interpol because we, along with trantsgiving and one of their friends, had a mini mosh pit amongst all the Noah fans. I even saw a couple Noah fans get really into the set which was heartwarming 3. microwave (late night set at The Earl): this was my first microwave show. the people in attendance were True Dedicated Fans and it was easy to feel the love everyone had for this band. even though I typically enjoy intimate shows over fest sets, I preferred the shaky set only because there were more people who hyped up everyone else exponentially, and that’s hard to do in a venue with a 300 person capacity. but i got to gaze upon those hot bois up close 4. and now for a shocker….. weezer: BECAUSE OF THE VIBES. drinking with my besties and jumping around had me emo even though the music playing in front of us was a band I really dislike and constantly roast. am I a weezer fan now? no. but I appreciate them more than I did before 5. queens of the stone age: first time seeing them and they did NOT disappoint. them middle aged men still got it. imo this is a band you can go into not knowing any of their music and still have a blast. and was relieved to see Josh not take out any photographers
set disappointments: 1. weezer: these Bitches ended the set 15 minutes early. I will roast them especially harder now that they couldn’t complete the full hour and half!! 2. pond: idk, it just wasn’t was I was expecting and I was looking forward to their set 3. maserati: I thought their songs had words?
honorable mentions: - arcade fire: had a hard time deciding between them and QotSA for my number five set. AF’s was colorful, joyous, and made my millennial heart so happy - winona fighter: yes!!! - wine lips: very yes!!! - matt and kim: another instance of a group whose music I don’t really like but the vibes were on point. this was the last set I saw together with kern/faye webster, cum, todd and tranter and we danced together in the sunset while the crowd tossed around blow-up sex dolls and kim used 12 inch dildos as drumsticks - foo fighters: idk if I need to say anything about them lmao they kicked ass. rivers cuomo can take notes from dave grohl on how to do a set longer than an hour and fifteen minutes
this fest is now becoming less of a Yes, I Must Go And See These Bands fest and more of a I’m Gonna Go No Matter What The Lineup Is Because My Best Friends Are Going And I Love Them And Want To Spend A Weekend With Them kind of fest. 10/10 weekend
It’s kind of tricky right? The festival is advertised as rain or shine. I’m not surprised if they let sets continue due to rain, regardless of intensity, as long as there is no dangerous lightning ‘in the area’. I guess I’m curious about what ‘in the area’ really means and who makes the call to shut it down/evac. In some cases the evac might take longer than the storm takes to run through.
It’s kind of tricky right? The festival is advertised as rain or shine. I’m not surprised if they let sets continue due to rain, regardless of intensity, as long as there is no dangerous lightning ‘in the area’. I guess I’m curious about what ‘in the area’ really means and who makes the call to shut it down/evac. In some cases the evac might take longer than the storm takes to run through.
yep, this is what I was thinking about too. evacuating an amphitheater is a whole lot different than a huge festival. idk, nothing bad happened and I was probably overly paranoid but it harshed my mellow that shaky didn’t seem to care lol
I’m only saying this because I heard it from one person at the festival and now have seen it a couple of places online, but word is the festival is moving to Piedmont Park next year.
I’m only saying this because I heard it from one person at the festival and now have seen it a couple of places online, but word is the festival is moving to Piedmont Park next year.
do y’all think this would be an improvement or no?
I’m only saying this because I heard it from one person at the festival and now have seen it a couple of places online, but word is the festival is moving to Piedmont Park next year.
do y’all think this would be an improvement or no?
I don’t know enough about Atlanta or Piedmont Park to say one way or the other, but having it entirely in that park as long as there is proper shade in most areas seems like a win to me. But I didn’t think the current layout was bad either, though I can see how some people would feel Ponce and CR are out on an island on their own.
I’m only saying this because I heard it from one person at the festival and now have seen it a couple of places online, but word is the festival is moving to Piedmont Park next year.
yeah I think they’re finally selling the concrete lot that Ponce is in and the Civic Center area
I’m only saying this because I heard it from one person at the festival and now have seen it a couple of places online, but word is the festival is moving to Piedmont Park next year.
do y’all think this would be an improvement or no?
yeah it’s an improvement for sure. Much more shade and it’s genuinely a beautiful park with a great skyline. The Music Midtown stage set up is also much better because you have much more hill space in the back unobstructed by trees. For a few years Piedmont stage has gotten super packed because it’s limited by the hill but that isn’t an issue at Piedmont park. There also won’t be any more stages on concrete.
It is an 18m walk tho and I worry that the permits are gonna be more expensive leading to either higher tix or cheaper acts. Then again, it allows the festival to grow more.
It’s kind of tricky right? The festival is advertised as rain or shine. I’m not surprised if they let sets continue due to rain, regardless of intensity, as long as there is no dangerous lightning ‘in the area’. I guess I’m curious about what ‘in the area’ really means and who makes the call to shut it down/evac. In some cases the evac might take longer than the storm takes to run through.
yep, this is what I was thinking about too. evacuating an amphitheater is a whole lot different than a huge festival. idk, nothing bad happened and I was probably overly paranoid but it harshed my mellow that shaky didn’t seem to care lol
We were at Dino Jr. when the storm hit and I distinctly remember there being a long pause after their 1st song. I told my husband we were probably being shut down and evacuated. We had already heard thunder claps. It seemed inevitable to me. But, then they just kept going. It seemed wild to me!
Post by wufinancial on May 8, 2024 10:14:42 GMT -5
I get not liking the Weezer set for them ending early, that was puzzling. I welcomed it because it gave me the necessary extra time to walk a mile and a half and catch a ride to the Arcade Fire show. Falling For You and The Good Life are my favorite tracks though, Eulogy For a Rock Band is seldom played live, we got a futurescope trilogy song, I think we got the original guitar opening for Perfect Situation, and YGYLTMS & IJTOTLOMD as Pinkerton/Songs From The Black Hole bsides. As a die hard Weezer fan there’s not much else I could have asked for. Would have liked a song off OK Human that wasn’t All My Favorite Songs but that’s about it. Here Comes The Rain would have been special with the lightning storms that were happening in the distance. That’s one of my favorite festival weekends of all time. So many good shows.
Post by dawgfan24348 on May 8, 2024 11:21:53 GMT -5
Speaking of Piedmont Parkc Music Midtown just announced that they’re on indefinite hiatus. The festival had been ran so poorly over the past few years this felt inevitable add that with the douche that tried to sue them a couple years back as well it’s not surprising.
Speaking of Piedmont Parkc Music Midtown just announced that they’re on indefinite hiatus. The festival had been ran so poorly over the past few years this felt inevitable add that with the douche that tried to sue them a couple years back as well it’s not surprising.
And opens up the door for another festival. We may have our answer
Speaking of Piedmont Parkc Music Midtown just announced that they’re on indefinite hiatus. The festival had been ran so poorly over the past few years this felt inevitable add that with the douche that tried to sue them a couple years back as well it’s not surprising.
And opens up the door for another festival. We may have our answer
I’m not a local and just looked at Piedmont. That looks like a really good spot. Is the suit part related to the gun problem shaky was able to avoid with the civic center? The only negative I see at Piedmont is no obvious civic center answer to that problem.
And opens up the door for another festival. We may have our answer
I’m not a local and just looked at Piedmont. That looks like a really good spot. Is the suit part related to the gun problem shaky was able to avoid with the civic center? The only negative I see at Piedmont is no obvious civic center answer to that problem.
Music Midtown had a festival after the cancellation. Maybe they have a legal workaround or it’s a “sue us see what happens thing”? Idk I think Park Tavern is private property so maybe they could run it through there but doesn’t seem necessary.
Post by wufinancial on May 8, 2024 16:08:20 GMT -5
Looking at the setlist foo fighters played the same amount of songs as Weezer somehow. Did they jam a bunch towards the end or was it just stage banter taking up some time? I left a little over half way through the set
Looking at the setlist foo fighters played the same amount of songs as Weezer somehow. Did they jam a bunch towards the end or was it just stage banter taking up some time? I left a little over half way through the set
Dave being Dave. Plus FF songs are typically longer live in general and they have a 10 minute song now (which fucking rips).
Looking at the setlist foo fighters played the same amount of songs as Weezer somehow. Did they jam a bunch towards the end or was it just stage banter taking up some time? I left a little over half way through the set
Dave being Dave. Plus FF songs are typically longer live in general and they have a 10 minute song now (which fucking rips).
Gotcha, was just curious, I left hoping I wasn’t missing DOA and was happy when I saw they didn’t play it. I was just soaked and wanted to meet up some friends I met on Thursday for one last hang. I had to throw my shoes away after Sunday because I could not in good conscience take them inside the airbnb I rented.
Dave being Dave. Plus FF songs are typically longer live in general and they have a 10 minute song now (which fucking rips).
Gotcha, was just curious, I left hoping I wasn’t missing DOA and was happy when I saw they didn’t play it. I was just soaked and wanted to meet up some friends I met on Thursday for one last hang. I had to throw my shoes away after Sunday because I could not in good conscience take them inside the airbnb I rented.
I was hoping for Arlandria since they’ve been playing it on this tour and was a little disappointed but we got “The Teacher” instead which made me forget about it.
Post by uncle silly philly on May 9, 2024 15:10:36 GMT -5
there’s a thread on the shaky subreddit rn about acts you wouldn’t miss if you could go back and do it again. I don’t have any regrets on the sets I did choose to see over others; the main thing was missing parts of or whole sets because I was taking a break or getting food. but if I could go back:
- run for it from Interpol to Arcade Fire, bc I ended up missing about a third of their set going to pee and getting a snack - leave The Offspring early to see Girl in Red (again, went to get food after TO) - get there early enough for all of Men I Trust - stand in the rain during Waxahatchee bc no one ended up dying in the storm
there’s a thread on the shaky subreddit rn about acts you wouldn’t miss if you could go back and do it again. I don’t have any regrets on the sets I did choose to see over others; the main thing was missing parts of or whole sets because I was taking a break or getting food. but if I could go back:
- run for it from Interpol to Arcade Fire, bc I ended up missing about a third of their set going to pee and getting a snack - leave The Offspring early to see Girl in Red (again, went to get food after TO) - get there early enough for all of Men I Trust - stand in the rain during Waxahatchee bc no one ended up dying in the storm
If I could go back I would have gone to see Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. We ended up just taking a break after Metric and didn’t make any moves right away. Looking back I would have told my girl to go get comfortable in the main VIP area and I would have caught PCC and some of All Them Witches before heading back over for Interpol.
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incinnati Ohio babeyyyy
