It’s the most wonderful time of the year. As the cherries ripen and swarms of mosquitoes emerge in bloodthirsty vengeance, responsible citizens in every part of the country will ceremoniously shed layers of clothing and propriety to taste the fruits of festival season. Suits will be abandoned for shorts and ratty T-shirts; the tenets of hydration and safe alcohol consumption will be forgotten in favor of habitual day-drinking. And collectively, humanity will renounce civility and return to its most primal state: sweaty, potentially intoxicated glory.
Dormant through fall, winter and spring, festival season awakens in us all the urge to be nomadic and reckless and hedonistic, if only for a brief time. It’s a thing of beauty, really. Every year, more and more people are going west to Coachella or north to Lollapalooza. And as the movement continues to grow, more of these festivals are popping up.
Shaky Knees Festival in downtown Atlanta is a testament to this phenomenon– Sunday marked the end of its second year in business. Despite its youth, Shaky Knees boasted an incredibly impressive alt-rock lineup this year at a price few other festivals can match: $169 for a three-day pass, plus whatever you spend on lodging and food truck fare (note: be sure to reserve funding for a few $3 artisanal popsicles). The chocolate sea salt flavor is like a fancy, hipster-fied Fudgesicle and should not be missed.
And, like any good festival, the Shaky Knees crowd was sizable and diverse, but not overwhelmingly large. Even the headliner concerts remained small enough that, feasibly, the lead guitarist of Local Natives could look you in the eyes from his perch on stage (swoon). Moreover, the schedule was cohesive and well-organized. I was not forced to choose between seeing Modest Mouse and Jenny Lewis, and for that, I am grateful. I could happily trot from one act to the other without fear of missing any of my favorite bands.
Shaky Knees 2014 had its faults, make no mistake. The festival took place in a giant mall parking lot. If you were to glance away from the magnificence of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros rocking out on Piedmont stage, you would have seen a Dillard’s sign hovering on the horizon. And, admittedly, Shaky Knees had little to offer beyond music and volatile weather from noon to midnight. And late night shows were an added expense. If you’re not a die-hard indie rock fan willing to risk getting drenched to see Spoon, this festival is not for you.
Yet, there is much to be said for Shaky Knees, despite its shortcomings. Amid the wide array of music festivals, Shaky Knees provides a refreshing break from bigger, more commercialized options. Unlike Bonnaroo, I doubt Shaky Knees will ever invite Kanye West to perform, and among festival purists, that is a selling point.
And where there are popsicles, my friends, there is promise.
Hanna Lustig is a rising junior in College Scholars. She can be reached at [email protected].
