Fans turned out again at Central Park and Renaissance Park on Saturday as the Shaky Knees Music Festival kicked off day two of its three-day return.
The annual fest normally held in May was last held in 2019 before the pandemic put it on hiatus.
Some highlights from Saturday’s entertainment:
Arlo Parks
On a stage festooned with plants and flowers, U.K. singer Arlo Parks made her Atlanta debut at Shaky Knees. A crowd that started small but swelled as the music began heard Parks perform songs from “Collapsed in Sunbeams,” her Mercury Prize-winning first album released earlier this year.
Just 21, Parks commanded the stage from a platform right in front of the monitors, clearly enjoying the experience. Her dreamy pop/R&B mix blended perfectly with the fall sunshine.
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
She got the crowd to clap along to the piano-driven “Portra 400,” a tune that also featured some wah-wah guitar. Attendees helped Parks sing the chorus to “Caroline,” a song she wrote about witnessing a bus stop argument and imagining what had caused it.
The set’s highlight, midway through, was the uptempo, soulful “Too Good.” With a catchy chorus (“I think you know it” repeated) and brass and sax samples, the song is a modern twist on a style that wouldn’t have been out of place on a ’90s Acid Jazz single.
Declaring “it’s such a pleasure to be here,” Parks played a trippy version of “Eugene,” about falling in love with a friend and musically inspired by listening to Radiohead. “Black Dog,” a song about depression written partly to create conversations about mental health, also stood out.
Thanking the audience by noting “you’ve been lovely,” the English vocalist closed her set with the mid-tempo “Hurt,” the second track on her debut. Judging by the crowd’s reaction and familiarity with her music, Parks will hopefully make a return visit to the city in short order.
Neal Francis
An up-and-coming Chicago-based artist who’s no stranger to this city, Neal Francis played a funky, swampy set featuring long instrumental passages and songs from his soon-to-be-released sophomore album In Plain Sight.
Francis, who noted in a conversation before his performance that he’s played at both Smith’s Olde Bar and the Variety Playhouse (and knows the sweet spots in every record store in Little Five Points), bounced between piano, clavinet and Hammond organ as his band (guitar/bass/drums) maintained a consistent groove. First album track “Changes” was an early highlight as the crowd began to multiply.
Making the inevitable festival name joke (“My knees are shaking — how many times are you going to hear that today?”), Francis introduced his bandmates, all of whom contributed background vocals.
New single “Can’t Stop The Rain,” as powerful live as it is on record (with Derek Trucks on slide guitar) was a hit with the crowd, which swayed along to the catchy chorus of an uplifting song. Pre-show, he noted that his new label picked it out quickly as single material, and its accompanying video (shot on 16 mm film) premiered recently.
Wrapping up his set with a ‘70s rock-styled jam, the energy of Francis and his group matched the buzz he’s picking up. ATO Records is releasing “In Plain Sight” in early November, and Francis recently opened for Black Pumas on several dates. “It was amazing,” he noted, “and they’re great people too.”
Europe beckons after the rest of this tour, but hopefully Francis will return in short order for another show (and maybe some more vinyl for his collection).
Mercury Rev
Psychedelia might seem an odd fit for a sunny fall afternoon, but Mercury Rev’s take on it has always been a bit brighter than most, even pastoral at times.
Pulling out “Central Park East” from 2015′s “The Light In You” was inspired, since Shaky Knees is situated in Atlanta’s own Central Park. The epic “Tides of the Moon” from 2001′s “All Is Dream” was suitably expansive, too, but it was the set-capping combo of “Holes” and “Opus 40″ from the band’s brilliant 1998 album “Deserter’s Songs” that sent chills up the spine.
Frontman Jonathan Donahue’s reedy quiver of a voice is still surprisingly powerful more than 30 years after the band’s beginnings. The Band-inspired “Opus 40″ — Levon Helm played drums on the original — was mesmerizing, with a double-time crescendo added to the end. It’s still a thrill after all these years.
[Editor’s note: Mercury Rev review from Shane Harrison; all other reviews by Matthew W. Smith.]
Garbage
Making a second local appearance following the release of their seventh album, “No Gods No Masters,” earlier this year, Garbage strolled onstage to a huge crowd with smoke machines on overdrive and background music blaring.
Scottish frontwoman Shirley Manson, sporting a sailor cap and matching white shades, led the group into a set heavy on songs from the new record.
An early standout was “The Men Who Rule The World,” boasting funky verses that gave way to a punishing dual-guitar attack on the chorus from Steve Marker and Duke Erikson and snarling vocals from Manson. A drum machine interlude led into a ferocious version of early hit “Stupid Girl.” Marker’s keys and drummer Butch Vig’s precision stood out.
Another highlight was second album smash “I Think I’m Paranoid,” a song featuring a weaving guitar part from Erikson.
Manson then took a few minutes to thank the crowd, noting it was “the first American festival we played in about 5,000 years.”
She heaped praise on Shaky Knees, highlighting her love for Idles and Run The Jewels, and in reference to Killer Mike exclaiming, “Atlanta, you make good ones!”
Later set features included the self-titled track from the new album and a semi-acoustic rendition of “Special.” Wondering aloud where the time had gone, Manson asked the crowd to “think of us as an old, cozy slipper; we are time lords, and we come from 1995!” before launching into Version 2.0 hit “When I Grow Up.”
The quartet (plus touring bassist) went back even further in time for the sunny afternoon closer, the classic “Only Happy When It Rains,” leaving the crowd on a high. And with Garbage’s enthusiasm for Atlanta, we can bet a return visit will be in order soon.
The Hives
Swedish garage rock dynamos The Hives returned to Atlanta with two shows in two days, Saturday evening’s set and a festival-related show at Center Stage the night before.
Decked out in their usual matching attire (white jackets, black ties and trousers), the group stormed the stage to the swells of orchestral soundtrack music in front of an enormous crowd — starting with drummer Chris Dangerous and his gray-and-black-striped kit.
Singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s consummate showmanship always includes plenty of humor, and tonight his running gag was referring to the city as Atlantis, at one point exclaiming, “Congratulations on leaving the sea and seeing The Hives!” And a few hours prior to their set, Almqvist noted that “festival shows are about winning against the other bands, too!”
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Natural opener and warmup “Come On” exploded into an electrifying “Main Offender” as Almqvist jumped into the crowd and Vigilante Carlstroem and Nicholaus Arson led the twin guitar attack. “Are you already familiar with The Hives?” asked Pelle. “Well, you are now!”
Speaking ahead of their set, Arson and Dangerous noted that while a new Hives album isn’t imminent, they have recorded some demos: “Really good demos!” Arson emphasized. While the world waits, the group did play one new song, “Paint The Picture” (or “Paint A Picture”). Sounding like a future anthem, the song features a slowed down, hook-filled chorus.
Another punchy highlight was “Walk Idiot Walk,” which survived Arson having to switch guitars mid-song on account of technical difficulty. Early classic “Hate To Say I Told You So” had its middle bass passage (by the Johan And Only) extended ad infinitum as Almqvist kept the crowd into it.
After the obligatory fake encore, the Swedes wrapped up with most recent single “I’m Alive” and a hilariously extended, showstopper “Tick Tick Boom” that included the band freezing in pose mid-song and introductions to end all introductions (including Johan owning a Nobel Prize in bass guitar). The crowd ate it up, embracing the band that pulls out all the stops.
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Alice Cooper
The legendary, ageless Alice Cooper kept the festival momentum going with a sonic kick to the face, courtesy of a triple guitar assault from Ryan Roxie, Nita Strauss and Tommy Henriksen and his own fine voice. Eschewing between-song banter so he could fit in all of the hits in his hourlong set, Cooper started with a sterling one-two punch: “Feed My Frankenstein” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
Dressed head to toe — top hat and all — in black, he played in front of a castle and the customary rotating set of assorted monsters, giant babies, a character in a mask, a confetti cannon and a guillotine. Dazzling theatrics aside, the music remained the main focus.
1989′s “Bed Of Nails” featured a Strauss guitar solo, and Cooper himself led the charge with spirited vocals on “Hey Stoopid.” He played some harmonica, too — appropriate for someone whose favorite group is the Yardbirds.
“He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)” included choreographed steps from the three guitarists and bassist. The crowd roared and pumped fists to 1972′s “I’m Eighteen,” and another highlight was “Poison,” a song that went Top 10 in the U.S. and U.K. in the late ’80s.
The set ended the only way it could, with Cooper switching to a white tuxedo for one of the ultimate youth anthems, “School’s Out.”
The crowd was almost as loud as the band and then Cooper introduced his band members, a fitting end to a set that highlighted the band’s ferocity and cohesiveness. Alice Cooper may be well past 18, but based on Saturday night you’d scarcely know it.
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Run the Jewels
Headlining the night’s festivities was the dynamic duo Run The Jewels, Atlanta’s own Killer Mike and New York City’s El-P.
Trackstar the DJ kicked things off with a sample of Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” a hopeful nod to the Braves’ opportunity to punch their World Series ticket (which they ended up doing after the show but before the night was through).
A huge crowd bounced along as El-P, enjoying the view, said “Let me settle into this view for a second.” While the group was consistently good throughout the set, the highest point was probably the second song, “Ooh La La” from last year’s RTJ4. The hypnotic “Ooh la la, a oui oui” chorus had the crowd chanting along.
Playing in front a red and blue light show and gigantic props of the RTJ pistol and fist logo, the group noted it was just their fourth show in three years. Killer Mike was clearly moved to be in front of a hometown crowd again, noting “I’m so proud to be from this city” and highlighting his pride in wearing a Braves hat, a Dominique Wilkins Hawks jersey and, with some exceptions he joked about, some Falcons gear.
El-P and Mike both spent considerable time and focus on positivity and doing the right thing, highlighting the need for all women to be respected, for more affordable housing in Atlanta and for those struggling with mental health in the pandemic era to know they are loved and ask for help if they need it. In addition, El-P returned the favor from earlier in the day, giving a shout-out to Shirley Manson and Garbage.
“Stay Gold” from their third album was another set highlight, along with RTJ4′s “Walking In The Snow.” Celebration remained the order of the night, with a birthday singalong organized for the duo’s co-manager, and Killer Mike bringing his children on to the stage before the last song.
Run the Jewels’s enthusiasm for performing in front of the large crowd and emphasis on the positive was contagious, a perfect sendoff from a day and night full of spirited sets.
