PHOTOS: Shaky Knees Festival 2026 - Day 1

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PHOTOS: Shaky Knees Festival 2026 - Day 1

The three-day music festival in Atlanta draws thousands of fans of alternative rock and complementary sounds and styles.

Fans jump around in the crowd as Geese performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

A crowd forms as Geese performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Midwest emo band Hot Mulligan plays the Peachtree Stage on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Shaky Knees in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

A crowd gathers to see Hot Mulligan perform Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage at Shaky Knees in Piedmont Park in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Indie rock band Geese drew a large crowd late Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, despite the high temperatures at Shaky Knees in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Ben Howard kicks off Shaky Knees Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Piedmont Stage. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Fans gather for Ben Howard Shaky Knees on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Piedmont Park. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Indie rock band Geese drew a large crowd late Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, despite the high temperatures at Shaky Knees in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Indie rock band Geese drew a large crowd late Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, despite the high temperatures at Shaky Knees in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Hardcore heroes Turnstile brought their raucous, frenetic energy to Shaky Knees as the sun set on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Hardcore heroes Turnstile with lead singer Brendan Yates brings their raucous, frenetic energy to Shaky Knees as the sunset on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

New wave singer and film-score composer Danny Elfman played songs spanning his time in Oingo Boingo to classic movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Shaky Knees in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

The Strokes closed out Shaky Knees on Friday night, Sept. 18, 2026, on the Peachtree Stage, bringing their genre-defining indie rock hits to a packed crowd in Atlanta. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

People gather to watch Geese perform at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Geese drummer Max Bassin performs at the Shaky Knees Festival at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. The three days of music features a lineup including the Strokes, metro Atlanta band Cartel, Twenty One Pilots, Wu-Tang Clan and Gorillaz. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

A crowd forms as Geese performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

People cheer as Geese performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Food vendors serve dinner at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Geese lead singer Cameron Winter performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Geese bassist Dominic DiGesu performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Fans cheer for Geese at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Geese Lead Singer Cameron Winter performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Geese lead singer Cameron Winter performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Fans cheer and jump for Geese at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

A fan cheers for Geese at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Fans cheer and dance as Cartel performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. The three days of music features a lineup including the Strokes, metro Atlanta band Cartel, Twenty One Pilots, Wu-Tang Clan and Gorillaz. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Cartel guitarist Nic Hudson plays at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Cartel guitarists Nic Hudson and Joseph Pepper perform at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Cartel lead singer Will Pugh performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Cartel performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Cartel drummer Kyle Adams performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Fans crowd as Cartel performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

People hide under shade at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

Fans listen to Cartel perform at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

People walk through the festival grounds at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

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Credit: Abbey Cutrer/AJC

Fans jump around in the crowd as Geese performs at Shaky Knees at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC)

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