SHAKY KNEES FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Friday, May 13
Songs for Kids (noon); David Ramirez (12:30 p.m.); Beach Slang (12:30 p.m.); Foxing (1 p.m.); Saintseneca (1 p.m.); the Japanese House (1 p.m.); Kaleo (1:45 p.m.); Craig Finn (1:45 p.m.); Brian Fallon (2:30 p.m.); the Front Bottoms (2:30 p.m.); Matt Vasquez (of Delta Spirit) (2:30 p.m.); Baroness (3:15 p.m.); Wolf Alice (3:15 p.m.); Crystal Fighters (4:15 p.m.); the Sword (4:15 p.m.); July Talk (4:15 p.m.); Cold War Kids (5:15 p.m.); Against Me (5:15 p.m.); Savages (6:15 p.m.); the Struts (6:15 p.m.); Alex G. (6:15 p.m.); Bloc Party (7:15 p.m.); Ghost (7:15 p.m.); the Kills (8:15 p.m.); Slowdive (8:15 p.m.); All Them Witches (8:15 p.m.); Jane’s Addiction (9:30 p.m.); the 1975 (9:30 p.m.).
Saturday, May 14
Songs for Kids (11:45 a.m.); Polyenso (12:30 p.m.); Son Little (12:30 p.m.); Barns Courtney (1 p.m.); Strand of Oaks (1:15 p.m.); Hop Along (1:45 p.m.); Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors (2 p.m.); the Hip Abduction (2 p.m.); Day Wave (2:30 p.m.); JJ Grey & Mofro (2:45 p.m.); Noah Gunderson (3:15 p.m.); Shakey Graves (3:45 p.m.); Baskery (3:45 p.m.); the Dear Hunter (4:15 p.m.); Deer Tick (4:45 p.m.); Wild Nothing (5:15 p.m.); Phosphorescent (5:45 p.m.); Twin Limb (5:45 p.m.); the Vaccines (6:15 p.m.); Huey Lewis & the News (6:45 p.m.); Silversun Pickups (7:15 p.m.); Lany (7:45 p.m.); the Decemberists (7:45 p.m.); Foals (8:15 p.m.); My Morning Jacket (9 p.m.); Walk the Moon (9:30 p.m.).
Sunday, May 15
Songs for Kids (noon); Julien Baker (noon); Caveman (noon); Ought (12:45 p.m.); Coin (12:45 p.m.); Atlas Genius (1:30 p.m.); Murder by Death (1:30 p.m.); Adia Victoria (1:30 p.m.); Frightened Rabbit (2:15 p.m.); the Orwells (2:15 p.m.); Unknown Mortal Orchestra (3:15 p.m.); Parquet Courts (3:15 p.m.); Diet Cig (3:15 p.m.); St. Paul and the Broken Bones (4:15 p.m.); Eagles of Death Metal (4:15 p.m.); Houndmouth (5:15 p.m.); the Black Angels (5:15 p.m.); Nothing (5:15 p.m.); the Head and the Heart (6:15 p.m.); Deftones (6:15 p.m.); Young the Giant (7:15 p.m.); Explosions in the Sky (7:15 p.m.); the Shelters (7:15 p.m.); Florence + the Machine (8:30 p.m.); At the Drive-In (8:30 p.m.).
Jane’s Addiction will treat fans to a performance of its 1990 classic “Ritual de lo Habitual” album.
Huey Lewis & the News will tee up its 7 million-selling 1983 landmark “Sports” album in its entirety.
And about 75 other acts — including Florence + the Machine, the 1975, Walk the Moon, the Decemberists, Foals, At the Drive-In and Bloc Party — will commandeer five stages at Centennial Olympic Park and International Plaza May 13-15 for the Shaky Knees Music Festival.
“It’s eclectic, but still rock ‘n’ roll at the end of the day,” said Shaky Knees creator Tim Sweetwood of the event’s sprawling lineup. “I’m still always very happy with what I book. I’m not going to book artists that I’m not into. If I’m afraid to put an artist on my iPod, they won’t be at the festival!”
This is the fourth year of the indie rock-focused fest, which moves to the centrally located downtown area from last year at Central Park near the Civic Center and the year prior, Atlantic Station.
The event is named after the My Morning Jacket song "Steam Engine," and on May 14, the Jim James-fronted Kentucky band will make its first-ever Shaky appearance (James played the inaugural festival in 2013 when it was held in what devolved into a mud pit behind the Masquerade). Sweetwood has plans for "something special" to coincide with MMJ's performance.
The Shaky Knees brand will continue into the wee hours on May 13 and 14 with a series of “late night shows” taking place around Atlanta.
J. Roddy Walston & the Business will launch the music-stuffed weekend at 9 p.m. May 12 at Terminal West with a pre-fest concert featuring Craig Finn.
Some of the post-fest performances include Silversun Pickups and Foals at 11:30 p.m. May 13 at Center Stage, and the Struts with Coin at 11:30 p.m. May 14 at the Masquerade. Visit www.shakykneesfestival.com/late-night-shows/ for the full lineup.
The weekend following Shaky Knees, Sweetwood is introducing a new event, the Shaky Beats Festival.
On May 20-22, a parade of top names from the EDM/livetronica world — mixed with a little hip-hop — will take root at Centennial Olympic Park.
Major Lazer, Big Gigantic, Odesza, Nas, Chromeo, ASAP Ferg, Carnage and Porter Robinson are among those who will pump the beats. Tickets for Shaky Beats start at $77. Visit www.shakybeatsfestival.com for more information.
But if you’re heading downtown to rock at Shaky Knees, here are some guidelines to help you navigate.
When to go: Shaky Knees takes place May 13-15. Festival gates open at 11:30 a.m. each day. Centennial Olympic Park and International Plaza are located at 265 Park Ave. W. N.W., Atlanta.
Tickets: $97 (general admission single-day ticket); $215 (advance three-day general admission; price increases to $236 once advance tickets sell out); $250 (VIP single-day ticket); $614 (advance three-day VIP; price increases to $692 once advance tickets sell out). Children 8 years old and younger are free with a ticketed adult. All ticketholders are allowed to enter and exit the festival as needed up to three times per day. You must be scanned upon exit at the gate in order to re-enter that same day.
A note of advice: Only tickets sold through frontgatetickets.com and via the www.shakykneesfestival.com tickets page are 100 percent guaranteed. Be wary of buying tickets from any other outlet. In the event of a festival cancellation, only those purchased through official measures will be refunded.
Wristbands: If you remove it, you void it. Security will check wristbands each day to ensure they have not been removed or replaced. If such an action is determined, you will be removed from the festival grounds.
Getting there: Take MARTA Red Line to Peachtree Center (follow signs to Centennial Olympic Park) or Blue Line to Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN station.
A three-day parking pass for the Red Lot at Georgia World Congress Center is available for $40.
Single-day advance parking at the same lot is available for $14.
Some items you CANNOT bring (visit www.shakykneesfestival.com for the full list): Firearms, drones, selfie sticks, professional recording devices, pets (aside from service animals), chairs, coolers, aerosol containers, fireworks, umbrellas.
Some items you CAN bring: Two factory-sealed bottles of water, blankets, empty water bottles and hydration packs, baby strollers, binoculars, nonprofessional cameras (no attachments allowed).
