Shaky Knees, Day 2
It was another slow morning in Atlanta. Today had the least acts we were interested in seeing, which may have played in our favor since many other Shaky Knees attendees felt otherwise. We heard people had been lining up since 6:30 this morning. Are Twenty One Pilots really that good? I guess we’ll find out later.
The New Sound (Geordie Greep)
Our first act of the day was Black Midi member Geordie Greep in his self-titled solo performance. Kathryn and I have a complicated relationship with Mr. Greep. His solo record The New Sound is undeniably a masterclass in whimsical and tight composition, and there is really no other album like it; an apt name, I’ll give him that. It can just be… a bit much, at times. Think if Jacob Collier was a little edgier and created music for rock nerds instead of orch dorks.
I now know why The New Sound doesn’t do much for me: it was meant to be heard live! Greep tore down the house harder than any artist we had heard thus far, which is no easy feat against the juggernauts of rock we had already soaked in. His set flew by and even made us forget how blistering hot it was outside. I have a hunch he will be the “hidden gem” of the weekend’s many performances, if such a thing could exist.
The Real Contra Band (Psychedelic Porn Crumpets)
While Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (who I must call PPC from now on, lest my fingers seize from typing it fully) was already scheduled to play one set at Shaky Knees, a new slot had recently become available at the last-minute drop of Jimmy Eat World due to a medical emergency. PPC had the guts to not only take their mantle, but also sign up for a late night show… bringing their total performances to three. Insanity.
The Perth-based collective is most akin to rock jam band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in their lengthy, brain-altering, frenetic sound. As they played their first note, a small tornado formed in the crowd as the mosh began. We bid Morgan adieu as he felt called to enter its ranks, and we got to watch him get smacked silly to the frenzy. The heat had put me, Kathryn, and Aidan on the sideline, but we had such a good time watching Morgan that we were excited to try it again later today. Good thing there was another show, right?
Taking Back Saturday
The heat was a little much for me to bear at this point. We knew this break was out last before the rest of the headliners, so we powered through a quick dinner before queuing for Taking Back Sunday. This was a band that spoke personally to Kathryn’s high school experience, so we were quite excited. The weather even began to cool at this point. What a view, right?
We got in the crowd to watch Taking Back Sunday as the clouds brought a much-needed reprieve. As the band took the stage, the excitement was palpable.
We’re from the Southeast and we’ve always wanted to perform at Shaky Knees!
A few songs later, an unfamiliar voice took the microphone.
Ladies and gentlemen, a storm is in the area. Please evacuate immediately.
Lo and behold, the skies opened up as the claps of thunder and flashes of lightning streaked. Our night at Shaky Knees had come to a sudden end. We got completely soaked as we ran to the nearest MARTA station. I typed this experience from the comfort of our AirBNB as we were meant to be watching Pavement or The Prodigy at this very moment. Hopefully tomorrow is dryer! Stay tuned!