SHAKY KNEES 2026: THROUGH RAIN OR SUNSHINE, WE DANCED OURSELVES CLEAN
Aerial by Andrea Escobar Garcia for Shaky Knees
September 18 - 20, 2026 — Melophile Media had the chance to experience our first ever Shaky Knees Music Festival in the great city of Atlanta, GA! It was a three-day celebration where we rocked out, got rained out, and ultimately danced ourselves clean! As our rain boots on the ground reporter, I was on the scene taking in the entire atmosphere. Here’s how it went!
DAY ONE
My Friday was a grueling one of travel, landing late in the afternoon and getting settled in my hotel before catching the MARTA down to Piedmont Park. As I walked up towards the entrance, I could already hear the thunderous opening notes of Fontaines D.C. echoing through the trees. Inside the fest, I was immediately met with the smells of all the food stands, but I couldn’t let that distract me from getting to the Piedmont stage. Because it was already the final act of the night, Piedmont Park was packed shoulder to shoulder. The sea of humans was so dense, I couldn’t tell where the crowd over at Piedmont ended and the crowd at Peachtree began. Even from the far perimeter, you could feel the energy from the crowd, matching Fontaine’s high voltage performance, with songs like “Big Shot”, “Six Shot Morning”, and my personal favorite, “Starbuster”!
Fontaines D.C. by Andrea Escobar Garcia for Shaky Knees
Trying to get my bearings, I headed over to the Ponce de Leon and the Criminal Records stage to explore the grounds. My timing could not have been better, because I soon began to hear the opening of The Simpsons theme, which for a few seconds felt like maybe I was hallucinating. Nope, it was the legendary Danny Elfman! Decked out with a live band and orchestra, it was surreal to hear it live, becoming even more transcendent when he played the Batman AND Batman Returns themes! Not something I’d ever expect to hear at a music festival, but myself and the crowd were ecstatic!
Danny Elfman by Taylor Regulski for Shaky Knees
9:30 PM was creeping closer and closer, so once I got situated where everything was at, I booked it to the Peachtree stage for our Day 1 headliners, The Strokes. Coming off their most recent release in over 6 years, Reality Awaits, I was stoked to catch them for the second time. I weaseled my way through the thick crowd of people, plopping myself firmly on the side of the stage, where I had a clear view of the entire set. Right on the dot, the opening riffs of “Dine N’Dash” began, which was met with loud cheers. I could hear the crowd's applause from the front of the stage all the way to the back where people were camping out on the hills. Julian’s autotune vocals were still nothing short of incredible, proving to everyone in Atlanta why The Strokes still have their star power almost 20 years later. Their set was curated for both old and new fans, with songs such as “Hard to Explain”, "The Adults are Talking”, “Bad Decisions”, and "Selfless.”
The Strokes by Stephanie Cousino for Shaky Knees
The stage production was mesmerizing; the band bathed in rich blues, purples, and deep reds, while the screens projected trippy, psychedelic visuals that made the whole performance feel hallucinatory, Before starting “Going Shopping”, Julian vamped due to technical difficulties, something that didn’t stop them from performing to their absolute best, but did cause them to end with “Reptilia”, with the printed setlist coming out later and showing that “Lonely in the Future” and “Ode to the Mets” were on it. Nonetheless, it was the best set to close out my long day of travel, and the first night of Shaky Knees.
DAY TWO
My Saturday started bright and early, hopping on the MARTA and heading straight to Piedmont, because my first act of the day, Sophie’s Body, was one that I had been anticipating all week. At the gates, I was met with a long line of dedicated Twenty One Pilots fans who had been camping out since 3AM to get barricades for their set tonight. If only they knew what curveball was waiting for them hours later.
As I made my way through security, Sophie’s Body had taken the stage and begun their set. I could hear the loud and open guitar riffs, the hard punches of the drums, and Sophie’s vocals echoing through the entire park. You know when you hear an electric car and it sounds like angels coming down and you think “Well...my time is now”, that’s how I would describe hearing them from across the park. It was unreal how stellar they sounded, moving like seasoned veterans on that stage. The crowd through the loud and brash bubble-grunge energy right back to them. When “LASH” came on, it was an ethereal experience. Their set made me just the more excited to talk to them later in the day.
As I came back down to earth after their set, my stomach very profoundly reminded me I had not eaten anything yet. I grabbed some delicious tenders over from Mac n’ Me (shoutout their insane fries), and then made my way to Peachtree stage, as The Inspector Cluzo took the stage. A pretty decent sized crowd was already there, with fans decked out in their own Twenty One Pilots outfits, many donning the signature yellow and red tape on their shoulders and across their bodies. You have to give it to them, this is a creative fanbase.
I was unfamiliar with The Inspector Cluzo, but they made damn sure we remembered them after the set. It was a staggering and explosive performance, with intense drumming, screaming, and some of the most high-octane energy I would see from an artist all weekend. Malcolm was up there sweating but giving it his all, same with Phil on the drums. The craziest part was when Phil got up from the drums and jumped into the crowd, with Malcolm throwing the cymbals off the stage right after. Already sweating from that performance, I headed over to the press tent to cool down and get ready to talk to Sophie’s Body. However, anybody who knows me knows I always stop for a treat, and I couldn’t help that Butchie Boy’s Whips was right next to the press tent. I got myself a pineapple and strawberry swirl dole whip, which was housed immediately. Not long after that, I got to meet Sophie’s Body and talked to them about their performance, their upcoming music, and new beginnings. You can read the whole interview here. Huge shout out to them for taking the time to sit with me! Highlight of my weekend.
Sophie’s Body by Christian Hernandez
Wrapping up the interview, I headed over to Piedmont to catch the end of Minus the Bear’s set! I unfortunately had never checked them out prior, but the crowd made up for my lack of knowledge. The people around me were fully immersed in the moment, singing along to every song, cheering for their favorite moments. They closed with “Absinthe Party At The Fly Honey Warehouse”, which was received very well with the fans. As the crowd began to dissipate, I took this as my chance to plant myself at the barricade for my most anticipated set for Saturday, Blood Orange. Little did I know, I was in for something different.
As I waited the hour between sets for them to take the stage, lots of murmurs around me began noting that the forecast said we’d be expecting rain. Not feeling deterred, I held out hope. Shortly before he was set to take the stage, bright blue backdrops with the text “WEATHER IN THE AREA” illuminated the screens. Still not feeling deterred, I held out hope as 6:30PM rolled around and Blood Orange took the stage. I was shaking with excitement, as I had been a huge fan since Negro Swan back in 2018. He opened with “Somewhere in Between” and “Saint”, which sounded beautiful live with his live band. He then took a moment to cover “All Is Full Of Love” by Bjork, which he sang full of love and energy, all the while playing the cello. The backdrop played with videos of his childhood, as well as pivotal moments in UK history. As he belted out the final note, the beginning notes of “Sutphin Boulevard” began, which I met with loud screams, as I had not thought this song would have been played, my favorite song of his!
However, not 30 seconds in, was the song cut short, followed by a stage hand coming on stage with a microphone and telling everyone that the performance was temporarily paused due to weather. He advised everyone to stand away from the barricades and wait for more instructions. Everyone around me followed the demands, stepping as far back as we could. Not much later though, the same person came back on stage and told everyone we needed to evacuate. Confused, people were at first standing off-ish, as no one wanted to lose their spot. However, as the clouds darkened and the rain started coming down, we quickly realized it was time to go. I ran over to the press tent to get my things and made my way out of the fest.
Unsure of what to do, I and several others took shelter under a bridge, completely soaked and waiting to hear about what to do next. No one was sure what was going to happen; people heard murmurs that it was canceled for the day, or that they would be reopening back up. Everyone was stressed, but at least everyone was safe. After about an hour and a half of waiting, still drenched and overwhelmed, I decided to cut my losses and head back to the hotel. It wasn’t until I was already back on the MARTA that I got the notice that gates would be opening back up for Twenty One Pilots. Unfortunately, I was well away from turning back, so it was an early night for me. However, I did get to speak with some mutuals who were there at the show and it was astonishing what they were able to still put on after everything. You could see in their performance that they wanted to put on the best show they could given the circumstances, and it looks like those who made it back felt it was all worth it.
Twenty One Pilots by Taylor Regulski for Shaky Knees
DAY THREE
I can’t put into words how excited I was for this day. This day was the whole reason we even applied to come out and cover. Everything had let up to this day. I was so relieved to see that the gates would be opening at regular time and all sets would proceed as normal.
I got up nice and early, ready for a long, but full day of music. Hopping off the MARTA once more and heading inside Piedmont, I sprinted over to the Ponce de Leon stage, catching the tail end of Showing Teeth’s set, getting to hear their searing vocals during songs like “Rip” and "Labyrinth". If anyone in the crowd was feeling tired from the previous two days, this set was sure to wake them right up, leaving everyone frenzied and awake.
The primary reason I had rushed over was for an act I had been eager to see again since first catching them in March: The Two Lips. The pop duo has had a phenomenal year, securing slots at major festivals and embarking on regional tours. Their music is infectious, and their stage presence is pure, sparkling charisma. The crowd was a wonderful mix of dedicated fans and curious newcomers. Taking the stage in their signature pink and black outfits, Andrea and Jewlz lit up the lawn. Delivering tracks like “talk” and “play” alongside unreleased material, they put on a delightful show. The absolute climax arrived when they covered Metric’s “Black Sheep,” which had the entire audience jumping in unison.
The Two Lips by Stephanie Cousino for Shaky Knees
The moment they stepped offstage, I darted over to the adjacent Criminal Records Stage for another highly anticipated set: BIG SPECIAL. Hailing from Black Country in the English West Midlands, lead vocalist Joe Hicklin and drummer Callum Moloney took their places. I was completely unprepared for the raw power of what came next. While I was familiar with their studio tracks, I wasn't sure how Joe’s spoken-word delivery would translate live, but my goodness, did they deliver. Their set was a fiery, high-octane explosion that electrified everyone within earshot. The crowd was raucous and magnetic, visibly surprising the duo, who seemed genuinely blown away by how many fans were singing along. It quickly became my favorite performance of the entire weekend.
The energy reached a fever pitch during “Trees,” when Joe hopped off the stage with a crash cymbal, set it up right in the middle of the crowd, and let fans take turns hitting it throughout the song, all while accepting a joint from an audience member and lighting it up mid-track. As the song reached its peak, Joe instructed everyone to crouch down low and launch into the air as the beat dropped, inciting a joyful, frenzied pit.
Still reeling from their set, I then ran back next door to the Ponce De Leon stage to catch OK GO’s set. Even with technical difficulties, the crowd was resilient, singing loud and proud, whether they were up close with them, or way in the back taking shade.
Keeping up the pace, I made my way across the festival grounds to the Piedmont Stage, eager to secure a spot for the evening's headliner. Before we reached the main event, however, we were treated to a set by indie rock legends Modest Mouse. It was a hilarious performance, with front man Isaac Brock humorously cursing out the blazing Georgia sun between songs. Neither the intense heat nor the bright skies could deter them from delivering a career-spanning set that fans had been eagerly awaiting all weekend.
Modest Mouse by Andrea Escobar Garcia for Shaky Knees
The moment they ended, I wiggled my way up to the front and planted myself at the barricade, surrounded by other long-time fans of the stage’s headliner. What felt like an eternity of anticipation finally came to an end. It was time for the act I had traveled all the way from Texas to experience: LCD Soundsystem. From the second the opening synth pulses of “Tonite” began, it felt like a total sensory rebirth. When they launched into my personal favorite, “I Can Change,” I sang every word through tears of joy. Bathed in deep blues and vibrant reds, driven by heavy basslines and James Murphy’s commanding vocals, their set felt like the defining centerpiece of the entire festival. When the synth intro to “Home” kicked in and the massive disco ball suspended above the stage finally lit up, dousing thousands of fans in a shimmering canopy of light, I wished the moment could last forever. The collective roar when the beat dropped on “Dance Yrself Clean” was magical; for that hour, everyone’s worries completely dissolved. Even when the sound was blown out during “All My Friends,” the crowd didn't miss a beat, singing the lyrics at full volume to keep the magic alive.
LCD Soundsystem by Charles Reagan for Shaky Knees
You would have thought this was the set to close out the weekend, but as soon as they ended, everyone rushed over to Peachtree, as Gorillaz was underway! I could hear the flute in “The Mountain” take over the park, as crowds formed up at the front all the way to the far backs of Piedmont. As 2D, Russel, Murdoc, and Noodle illuminated the screens, each met with thunderous applause, and Damon donned his military outfit, surrounded by his live orchestra, the show was underway! They played through most of their hits, with songs including “Tomorrow Comes Today”, “19-2000” and “On Melancholy Hill”. To everyone’s surprise, we got plenty of special guests too! 6LACK joined the stage for “The Pink Phantom”, DRAM for “Andromeda”, freaking Earthgang for “Opium”, Bootie Brown for “Stylo” and “Dirty Harry”, and finally Del the Funky Homosapien for “Clint Eastwood”. The set was the cherry on top of the sundae for me, walking back to my hotel grinning from ear to ear.
Gorillaz by Roger Ho for Shaky Knees
Our first time at Shaky Knees had it all: incredible new music, sudden downpours, memories, smiles, and high-energy performances. Thank you so much for having us out, and till next time!
