EVENT PREVIEW
Shaky Knees Music Festival
Noon-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-10:30 p.m. Sunday. $84-$575. Atlantic Station (lower lots), 1380 Atlantic Drive N.W., Atlanta. Box office is located at 1300 Market St. in Atlantic Station, next to Dillard's. 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
This year, there will be pavement.
The expanded Shaky Knees Music Festival will commandeer Atlantic Station this weekend — from 12:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday evening when Alabama Shakes will close out the musical festivities.
Created last year by local concert promoter Tim Sweetwood, Shaky Knees embarked on a successful — if soggy — maiden voyage at Masquerade Music Park with 29 bands and three stages.
This year, four stages will dot the Atlantic Station lower lots — the usual event space at the complex — and more than 50 acts will perform, including headliners the National (9:30-11 p.m. Friday), Modest Mouse (9:30-11 p.m. Saturday) and the aforementioned Alabama Shakes (9:10-10:30 p.m. Sunday).
Shaky Knees organizers expect a full house of about 20,000 each day.
Other notable artists performing include the Gaslight Anthem (8 p.m. Friday), the Replacements and Jenny Lewis (playing different stages from 8-9:15 p.m. Saturday) and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Violent Femmes (playing different stages from 7:45-9 p.m. Sunday).
As with last year's event, indie rock is the prevailing style — Sweetwood named the festival after a lyric in the My Morning Jacket song "Steam Engine" — and such popular names as Jason Isbell, the Hold Steady, Cage the Elephant and Dawes also will grace the stages. The Songs for Kids collective will launch each day of the festival with a set at 12:30 p.m. on the Peachtree Stage.
With the festival's new location at Atlantic Station, MARTA is a solid transportation option (hop off at Arts Center Station and shuttles will take you to the site) or limited parking is available at the Atlantic Station parking garage for a fee. Parking passes can also be purchased for $23 per day or $59 for a three-day pass.
Entry into Shaky Knees is $169 for a three-day pass and $84 for single-day tickets. VIP three-day passes are $575 and include access to special lounges and viewing areas, private bathrooms, complimentary food and beer and more.
The box office will be open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. through Thursday; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.
In addition to the music at the main festival, Shaky Knees is also hosting a slew of late-night shows at the Earl, Terminal West, the Masquerade, Center Stage and Vinyl at Center Stage. All of those shows require a separate ticket.
For more information about vendors (food trucks!), nearby accommodations and directions — and to download the fest's mobile app — visit www.shakykneesfestival.com.
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