BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
For a few hours on Sunday, the sun peeked out, the ground didn’t resemble the track at Churchill Downs and Shaky Knees-goers were able to roam Masquerade Music Park/Fourth Ward Park poncho free.
That changed at the stroke of 6 p.m., when Dr. Dog ambled onstage to tear through their hourlong mélange of rock-folk-pop and once again, the first-ever Shaky Knees turned into Mudfest.
But fans were prepared on this second – and final – day of the weekend fest and either scrambled to dig out their rain gear or simply gave up, got soaked and went barefoot (ick).
Random shouts of “FESTVIAL!” and “MUDDDD!” were heard throughout the afternoon and early evening, as many in the well-lubricated crowd decided to surrender to the weather and enjoy the predominately indie rock music provided by 14 acts over nine hours.
While a two-day crowd count hasn't been revealed yet, single day tickets for Sunday sold out shortly after gates opened. It appeared that at least a couple thousand people crammed in front of theDrive-By Truckers' stage and later wandered over to hear show-closers The Lumineers (and count "Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul among those music fans) who started their set, amusingly, with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop the Rain."
Earlier in the day, South Carolina spousal duo Shovels & Rope (Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst) charmed with "O' Be Joyful," the title track to their debut album released last summer, while Indiana alt-country rockers Murder By Death strolled through a cover of INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart" and their own "Foxglove."
Also taking one of three stages throughout the day were Von Grey, Swear & Shake, Frontier Ruckus, T. Hardy Morris, Delta Spirit, The Heartless Bastards, Kurt Vile and the Violators and Oberhofer.
The staggered stages ensured that little to no sound overlap existed and, while festival organizers tried to place straw and plywood over the most waterlogged areas of the parks from Saturday, nothing short of an airplane hanger full of absorbent material would have worked.
Still, this was a music festival – and hey, some of the best of them have been associated with rain and mud – and the bands seemed grateful for the steadfast attitude of the crowd.
Pennsylvania's Dr. Dog – who just announced they're working on a new album for next year – ripped through "Hang On" and "Jackie Wants a Black Eye." The energetic group specializes in songs that build and twist and "Vampire" hit the sweet spot with woozy vocals that escalated into anguished yelps.
Athens’ favorites Drive-By Truckers took to their stage the moment Dr. Dog unplugged and soon Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley were tossing out gritty guitar solos and Jay Gonzalez was pounding boogie-woogie piano riffs on “Get Downtown.”
The band’s drummer, Brad Morgan, looks like an extra from “Duck Dynasty” and kept the band anchored for 90 minutes, from the chugging Southern gothic bent of “Sink Hole” to the punch-the-air anthem “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy.”
While DBT ripped and roared, across the park the Brooklyn dreamscape specialists in The Antlers offered an ethereal blend that might have been a little lost in this environment.
The musical layering of “Wake” was certainly lovely, but sometimes the band’s pillowy music was difficult to discern over the chatty crowd gathered near their stage.
By the time The Lumineers arrived, the crowd was bone-chilled and exhausted. But the most mainstream act on the bill – their “Ho Hey” has been certified platinum and the Denver-based band scored two Grammy nominations this year – easily engaged the throng with pub singalongs such as “Submarines” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Problem,” delivered with staccato vocals and foot-stomping fun.
So maybe the unavoidable elements of this inaugural Shaky Knees festival were unpleasant, but festival promoter Tim Sweetwood impressed with a two-day lineup that seemed to thrill most indie rock fans.
Sweetwood said a few weeks ago that he plans to make Shaky Knees an annual event on the same weekend (no, we haven't talked to him yet to see if he wants to reconsider the date). But what did you think of this year's presentation? Would you return next year? Any suggestions that you think would be helpful for Sweetwood to consider? Sound off below.
(AJC Audience Specialist Yvonne Zusel contributed to this report.)
