Shaky Knees Music Festival returns for its ninth year — and for the second time in just six months. The longtime festival takes place April 29 through May 1 at Central Park and includes more than 60 bands. Those acts, which include headliners Green Day, Nine Inch Nails and My Morning Jacket, will perform across four stages.
If three jam-packed days aren’t enough, the festival has a solid lineup of performers and bands performing after dark all weekend. Tickets for the Shaky Knees 2022 Late Night Shows are sold separately from festival admission, but the small cost will be well worth it for music fans looking for an intimate, nocturnal music experience.
While there are many late-night shows to choose from this year, here are our top three to get you started:
Shannon & The Clams
8 p.m. April 28, The Masquerade — Hell, 75 M.L.K. Jr. Dr. SW, Atlanta, ticketmaster.com.
Shannon & The Clams, have been producing garage rock infused with flourishes of ‘60s doo-wop, psych-rock and surf since their formation in 2009. Over the last decade, the Oakland band has released five albums. Their latest, “Onion”, produced by Dan Auerbach and his label Easy Eye Sound.
Djo
11:45 p.m., April 29, Vinyl, 1374 W. Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, ticketmaster.com.
If you’re a “Stranger Things” connoisseur, surely you’ve heard of Djo — Joe Keery’s latest solo project. Djo’s debut full-length album, “Twenty Twenty”, was released in 2019. It features twelve tracks of inventive psych-pop gems inspired by the Beatles, Electric Light Orchestra and Tame Impala.
With a follow-up album on the way, Keery’s luscious debut demonstrated that he can successfully flex his creative muscles outside of his role as monster-fighting Steve Harrington on Netflix’s standout show.
DEHD
11:30 p.m. April 30, The Masquerade — Purgatory, 75 M.L.K. Jr. Dr. SW, Atlanta, ticketmaster.com.
Chicago’s three-piece indie rock band DEHD is kicking off their forthcoming tour with Shaky Knees. Their third full-length album, “Blue Skies”, is due May 27, promising more of the band’s unique vocals and clean-toned guitars. In a 2020 interview, the band cited Cocteau Twins, Broadcast, Cate Le Bon, Dolly Parton and Roy Orbison as inspirations, echoes of which can be heard in their lonely-hearted indie ballads.