Shaky Knees 2025: Day 1
Idles by Sloane Johnson
Atlanta doesn’t play about punk rock. This was clear the second I stepped onto the festival grounds. Piedmont Park, an amenity I’m lucky enough to visit regularly, is now unrecognizable. Four massive stages are now perched in each corner, framing a vast lawn that’s buzzing with more eccentric show-goers by the minute. In line at Will Call, I started chatting with a fellow fan as we waited to grab our wristbands. Both of us anxious to get in, we giddily exchanged who we were most looking forward to seeing. She was completely covered in tattoos, but I still didn’t expect her to flash me the Shaky Knees logo on the back of her elbow. “This means I get in free,” she told me with a smirk, “it’ll be my third year.”
The first set of the evening did not disappoint. At Piedmont stage, British post-punk band Idles were met with unbridled energy from their fans. Lead singer, Joe Talbot, was electric. His animated antics were more than captivating — neighing and trotting like a horse at the start of their song “Gift Horse”, for example. During any slight moment of downtime, Talbot would launch his spit impressively high into the air and then catch it in his mouth. He did this multiple times and never missed. Before performing their song, “Mother” Talbot explained the song was originally written when his mother passed eleven years ago, but given the state of the world today, it has since taken on a whole new meaning. He went on to announce he would be singing it to the men and boys in the audience, emphasizing how important it is they learn to have empathy, especially toward women. He replaced “Tory” (the conservative political party in the UK) with “Fascist”, and the crowd sang along, “The best way to scare a Fascist is to read and get rich” — a relatable sentiment, now and always.
Joey Valence & Brae by Sloane Johnson
Deftones by Sloane Johnson
I had the chance to catch up with the lively hip-hop duo, Joey Valence and Brae, ahead of their show at the Criminal Records stage. They shared about the eclectic range of influences that comes through in their music: from club pop to edm to indie electronica to east coast rap, there’s much more to JVB than the hip-hop they’re known for. When I asked them each for one record they think everyone should own, Joey Valence answered Discovery by Daft Punk and Brae went with Mac Miller’s Swimming. Since they’re very steadfast about the importance of dancing and letting loose in the presence of good music, I asked them whose crowd they wished to sneak into at the festival. “I mean I feel like Deftones”, JV answered, “and also Sublime!” echoed Brae, as the iconic ska-punk band was performing within earshot during our conversation, “it would be so fun to go dance to Sublime”. Later, the duo threw an absolute rager for the hooligang, as they dubbed their fans, who were packed to the brim in front of the Criminal Records stage. One of the smaller stages in the park, the sizable crowd they drew more than made up for it. As expected, when JVB jumped on stage this corner of the park got loud and didn’t let up for the duration of the show. Opening with their club anthem, “THE BADDEST”, showed those unfamiliar what they’re all about. The duo repeatedly called, “Who’s the baddest bitch in this club?” and the crowd responded, “I’m the baddest bitch in this club!” — a chorus that fulfills JVB’s ultimate goal as performers: creating a party so enticing you have no choice but to join in.
At the Piedmont stage, The Marías christened the grounds with their mellow psychedelic atmosphere— a perfect follow up to the sun’s descent into the horizon. Under glowing blue lights emerged María, each step she took in time with the tone of a sonar ping. This, of course, was meant to represent their latest album, Submarine, from which they played several songs to open. Among them was “Real Life”, a longing melody that ebbed and flowed between the urge for closeness and separation. During “Hamptons”, María revealed that Atlanta is her hometown before asking everyone to jump with her to the instrumental break. “Don’t let me down!” she pleaded, and the crowd happily complied. When they moved on to “Care For You”, the lights shifted red and a spotlight shone on Gabe Steiner, who spun atop a rotating platform while performing a dazzling trumpet solo.
The headlining performance drew the entire festival to congregate at the Peachtree stage by the night’s end. Deftones: undoubtedly the main motivator for many attendees, as the sheer number of tee shirts with the iconic “Around the Fur” album cover proved. Die-hard fans of all ages were united in their love for the band’s iconic shoegaze infused nu-metal. Among their opening songs was their massive hit, “My Own Summer (Shove It)”. That first fuzzed-out guitar lick elicited a wild reaction. Even from blocks away from the park on my trek back, I could still hear the muffled melancholy of “Cherry Waves” wash over me. With that, I knew Deftones were nearing the end of their set and wishing Atlanta a goodnight — a perfect close to day one.
