Shaky Knees Music Festival 2024, day three at Central Park in Atlanta, Georgia

The rains finally arrived, but that did nothing to dampen the mood as Shaky Knees Festival 2024 concluded with an exciting final day.

that of New York Arcy Drive The afternoon began with a lively set on the Ponce De Leon Stage. The self-proclaimed Attic-rockers first gained a lot of popularity via Tik-Tok, but make no mistake, the musicality and songs are 100% there when they play live. “Wicked Styley” from their latest EP, Beach plum, got the crowd in the groove behind a lazy performance from singer Nick Mateyunas. You can hear Beach plum on Grand Jury Music and see Arcy Drive at the Governor’s Ball (New York) this summer.

Things really picked up when Nova Twins took the Peachtree stage by storm. With just 45 minutes remaining, the British duo wasted no time in making an impression on the large crowd gathered. Amy Love (vocals/guitar) showcased her powerful vocals on “Cleopatra” (Supernova) and “Taxi” (Who are the girls?) while bassist Georgia South roamed the stage to play for the crowd. The duet ended with the obligatory “Choose Your Fighter” head-banger. Nova Twins are touring the United States and Europe throughout the summer. Not to be outdone by their British counterparts, The struts hosted their glamorous 70s party at Shaky Knees. Like a few other bands playing this weekend, seeing The Struts is a complete experience. The band strives to show everyone a good time, and it shows through their performance on stage. Vocalist Luke Spiller is the definition of a true frontman, providing vocals while cheering and playing to the crowd throughout the show. Fans got a sampling of the band’s entire catalog and a setlist of their favorite cover of Lorde’s “Royals.” The Struts are touring the United States throughout the summer. To slow things down a bit, things turned to the Peachtree Stage and the Canadian band Men I trust. Adjectives to describe the sound of Men I Trust could be “soothing,” “spatial,” and “relaxing.” They have been described as “dream pop”, which might be the more accurate label. Emmanuelle Proulx (vocals/guitar) started the set with the atmospheric track “Show Me How” featuring the incredible bass work of Jessy Caron. Men I Trust provided the perfect counterpoint to the musical genres we had heard earlier in the day. They are touring the United States throughout the summer. The rains finally came, and they didn’t stop for over an hour. The Kansas City-based artist was undeterred Waxahatchee (Katie Crutchfield). After a short delay to move equipment on stage, the band played for an hour to an adoring (and soaked) crowd. The set was dominated by songs from the recently released group Tiger Bloodbut fans enjoyed some gems from the 2020s Saint Cloud (“Lilac”, “Fire”). A real treat, they were two songs from Crutchfield’s I walked with you in a way album with Jess Williamson, released in 2022 (“Hurricane”, “Problem With It”). Performing with a “Storm In The Area” message on the video boards, Waxahatchee kept the crowd happy despite the conditions. They are touring the United States and Europe to support Tiger Blood this summer. Chants of “Billy!” Bowl!” could be heard in the crowd as anticipation built for the rock legend’s arrival Billy Idol. Starting to sing the first verse of Generation X’s “Dancing With Myself” offstage, the crowd went into a frenzy as he made his appearance on stage. Idol’s vocals were in top form, as was his band, as he took the crowd through some of his biggest hits. Guitarist Steve Stevens had plenty of opportunities to showcase his formidable talents and did not disappoint. The haunting “Eyes Without a Face” was a highlight, shattering a list of rockers. You can see Billy Idol across the United States and Canada this summer. The duo of Matt and Kim closed the Ponce De Leon stage with a rave-style set that became their trademark. Matt Johnson (vocals/keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums) constantly interact with the crowd between and sometimes during songs. The duo feeds off the energy of the crowd and strives to generate energy from the crowd throughout their set. “It’s a Fact (Printed Stained)” and “Like I Used to Be” proved to be crowd favorites and a great soundtrack for the “Dance Orgy” (in Johnson’s words) that followed. Matt and Kim can always be counted on to bring the fun, and that’s exactly what they did in an incredible setting to close out the Ponce De Leon Stage on Sunday night. As an incredible weekend of music came to a close at Shaky Knees Festival 2024, those leaving Central Park wondered who they would see next year.

SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVAL
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