Tag: shaky knees music fest
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Shaky Knees Diaries: Day 2
Shaky Knees Diaries: Day 2
Make sure to check out my recap of Day 1 if you haven’t already!
1:00 p.m. – Carlie Hanson
We get to Central Park with the rest of the early birds to catch the first few shows of the day. I really appreciate that all the events start after noon at Shaky Knees, because damn, did I need to sleep in. First up is Carlie Hanson on the Peachtree Stage. Hanson walks out on stage with her freshly, freshly = three weeks ago, shaved head, and I am bemused by the thought that I would hate to perform bald with the sun beaming me during the hottest part of the day (Can you get sunburnt on your scalp?). From where I’m watching, this doesn’t seem to slow her down at all. Her performance is energetic and dynamic. She shows sincere love for the people of Atlanta. Meanwhile, I am sitting on the grass feeling slight to moderate levels of existential dread after realizing she is younger than I am.
1:30 p.m. – Kid Sistr
We leave Carlie Hanson’s show a little early to catch the end of Kid Sistr’s performance on the Criminal Records Stage. I had not previously listened to the all-women band before then, but so many friends recommended the act that we had to check them out. Happy to report that I’m pleased we got to see them perform. The trio clearly consists of seasoned and charming musicians, who are tremendously down-to-earth. Kid Sistr gained a steady following using TikTok during the pandemic and released a six-song self-titled debut EP. To me, it was obvious they were grateful to be back on stage, performing their first festival show.
2:15 p.m. – Arlo Parks
We arrive at Arlo Parks about 15 minutes early and take our places near the stage, which is set up with vibrant flower decorations and a simple yet elegant banner with her name on it. As the show begins at 2:30 p.m., I glance behind me. The field has gotten significantly more crowded. To be honest, I’m surprised Arlo was placed at such an early slot with only 45 minutes of stage time instead of a full hour. She certainly has the streaming numbers to justify a longer set; and although I couldn’t see the full extent of the crowd from the front, it seemed like a big one. Her performance was striking and endearing to witness. During the middle of the set, she plays three of the biggest crowd-pleasers back-to-back, going from “Too Good” to “Caroline” to “Eugene”. It was definitely a set worth seeing all the way through.
3:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. – During this three-hour period, my boyfriend and I don’t really commit to any of the shows. We catch a little bit of everything from Neal Francis to The Collection to Mercury Rev to Larkin Poe. We enjoy the pleasant October weather, thankful for a fall Shaky Knees, which is as perfect as the weather in Georgia can be. It’s warm but breezy. I almost wish it was in October every year, and I think a lot of people would agree.
For all the acts so far, we have enjoyed the show from a distance or in a sparse crowd by the stage. Tonight is going to be different. We’re going to get as close as we can to see today’s headliner – Run the Jewels. But this is a marathon, not a race. Getting front row at a festival requires perseverance and a little bit of prep.
So, first up: dinner. This time we go to the main food truck area by the two bigger stages where the food options are grand. They have everything from noodles to pizza to smoothies. Luckily, the food lines are pretty short compared to the lengthy bar lines. I settle for a chicken gyro and my boyfriend gets a pulled pork sandwich. These are much better than yesterday’s chicken fingers and salty fries. I grab a few lite snacks (Oreos and Nutter Butters) from the press lounge for the road (AKA holding our spot).
Before we stop by Peachtree Stage to scout the situation, I finally cave and use a porta-potty. I managed to go without them yesterday, but I know today I can’t risk it. But hey, here I am, I survived to tell the story.
6:30 p.m. – Garbage’s set on the Peachtree stage ends in 15 minutes. We sit by the grassy hills once again and watch everyone rock out to “When I Grow Up” (no, not the Pussycat Dolls’ song sadly). The set ends at 6:45 p.m. As expected, there’s a good crowd by the stage that doesn’t seem to be moving. So, we decide to join them and make our way down there to wait for the next set. At this point, we’re about six people away from the stage so things are looking good. There’s a group of women in front of us who say they’ve been here for six hours to see Portugal. the Man from the front row – that’s festival life for you.
7:45 p.m. – Portugal. The Man
Before Portugal’s set begins, one of the band members steps out onto the stage. He explains that for every place they get to perform, they ask someone from the indigenous community in the area to begin with an Indigenous land acknowledgment. So tonight, a member of the Atlanta Indigenous Peoples Association joins us over a video to acknowledge that the land originally belonged to the Cherokee and Muscogee communities. She goes on to say that for many Indigenous communities land is considered sacred. She asks for a moment of silence. Once it’s over, a video clip starts interloping Portugal’s hit single Feel It Still with other various clips. It gets the crowd going immediately. Their set is minimal except for a projector that plays various psychedelic images and videos for the entirety of the show. They range from declarations of love from the band to their fans to lots of naked dolls. Not once did the band stop to talk, except for maybe four words I don’t remember anymore. They played songs non-stop. It was a show that was immensely fun to see so up close and personal.
8:45 p.m. – Portugal the Man wraps up right on time. Promptly, Alice Cooper takes the stage at the Ponce de Leon, but unfortunately, we cannot make it. We’ll have to settle for hearing it in the distance. (From the looks of it though, we missed quite the show. Alice Cooper seemed to have taken the Halloween theme to heart.) Anyways, back to me. Shortly after Portugal’s set ends, their fans dutifully leave the crowd. I weasel my tiny self from the sixth row right up to the second. The girls in front of me say they’re not staying for the full set for the headliner and that we can take their place once they leave. Everything is going according to plan.
For the next hour, we watch as the stage is broken down and set up again. At this point, it’s gotten colder, and I’ve put on the new hoodie my boyfriend bought at the merch stand. It’s fluorescent pink with an image of the iconic Run the Jewels logo. On the stage, the crew suspends a larger-than-life version of the same logo above everything else. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, check it out below.
9:45 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Run the Jewels
Alice Cooper fades out in the distance and the anticipation where we’re standing picks up. Right at 9:45 p.m., the crowd begins to chant “RTJ” repeatedly. Then, the DJ steps out onto the stage for the introductions with a remix of “We Are the Champions” playing in the back. The crowd responds by putting up a fist with one hand and a pistol with the other. Killer Mike and El-P step out onto the stage and the show picks up. The speakers in front of the stage are so loud, I can see the cardboard trash can in front of me vibrate. I have a lot of regrets in my life. Getting to the front of the stage for this show is not one of them. Neglecting to bring earplugs is absolutely one of them. There’s so much that happens during the next hour and 15 minutes that I’m not sure I can even do it justice, but I will certainly try.
El-P lovingly jokes that he never sees Killer Mike get nervous to perform, but tonight it seemed as though Mike was in fact nervous to perform for his home city of Atlanta. On top of that, this is the duo’s fourth show in three years. Needless to say, it certainly feels like a special event for everyone. Thirty minutes in and the girls in front of us leave as planned and so, I am now at the barrier still wearing the pink RTJ hoodie.
Run the Jewels, who are known for their politically charged lyrics and activism, interlace a lot of it into their shows. Like when the crowd chants “look at all these slave masters posin’ on yo’ dollar.” At another point, during “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” I raise my camera up to record the show, and right at that second Killer Mike spots me and performs his lines pointing directly and me and my camera:’) – an absolutely unforgettable moment.
Later on, somebody behind us throws their shoe on stage and security immediately jumps over the barrier to find the culprit that everyone is already pointing at. On the stage (unrelated to the shoe incident), Killer Mike preaches “developing empathy and compassion is gold. Love is gold. And every woman in this crowd deserves to be loved and cherished.” The audience responds sincerely to his sentiments.
Then, the duo does something unusual for a festival. They say their goodbyes ten minutes early and leave the stage. A minute passes, the “RTJ” chant starts back up, and they burst back out for an encore. They perform a few more songs. Finally, Mike takes a moment to bring his kids out onto the stage and asks them to stay for the final song. The show is over but Killer Mike and El-P come back out after the lights go out to thank everyone, but the mics were already cut so we couldn’t hear them. We join the crowds and depart after a second successful day at Shaky Knees.
Shaky Knees Diaries: Day 1
7:15 a.m. – It is Friday morning. My alarm goes off and I am not quite ready to leave my bed, but I know I must because Atlanta traffic is a bitch and I’m coming in all the way from Athens for Shaky Knees. So, I haul ass out of bed. I shower, put on my first-day outfit, and pack a few last items. I make my coffee and head out the door.
8:30 a.m. – I pick up my boyfriend and we are headed to Atlanta. For most of the ride, we listen to the artists we’ll be seeing this weekend and get hype.
10:40 a.m. – We arrive in Atlanta with miraculously little traffic along the way, and we head over to pick up our wristbands at will call.
(There is a brief intermission period here in which I take us in the wrong direction heading to the festival gate, which means we take a 20-minute detour going around the park. And then, I take us in the wrong direction inside the festival trying to find the first act we want to see. The sad part is I was looking at a map both times. Hereafter, I am no longer allowed to navigate anywhere, ever again.)
12:00 p.m. – Specialists
Even though my poor navigation skills cost us a good bit of time, we manage to reach the Criminal Records Stage just in time to catch the Specialists kick off the festival. Hailing in from New York, Specialists have certainly brought the heat (and a few of their friends) for their first-ever show in Georgia. These guys are more than ready to party hard at noon. The energy they have on stage is insanely fun. Once the show ended, I couldn’t help but think “what a perfect way to kick off this weekend.”
12:45 p.m. – Tejon Street Corner Thieves
Then, we walk over to the Ponce De Leon Stage to catch Tejon Street Corner Thieves. Truthfully, I had no idea what to expect from this show. (Looking back on it, I still have no idea what I witnessed.) Tejon Street Corner Thieves gave the audience Americana galore, and they loved it. Much to my surprise, I also loved it. One of them was playing what they called a “washboard skateboard,” which is (get this) a skateboard with a washboard and cymbal attached to the bottom hanging around someone’s neck. There were so many songs about whiskey I lost count. Before ending their set, Tejon Street Corner Thieves ask the audience to circle dance and the audience quickly forms an oval in front of the stage and dances away. Perhaps the most unique act of the day?
1:30 p.m. – It’s been a long day already and having skipped breakfast, I am hungry. For lunch, we turn to the festival food stand, and today, we settle for chicken tenders and fries (at an exorbitant price I would never pay in any other scenario – except perhaps at the airport). The fries are so salty they burn my lips but I’m still happy to be here.
3:00 p.m. – After lunch, we decide we want to sit down and map out the rest of our afternoon and evening. We walk across the grounds and head towards the main stages. Right as we are about to walk away, the next act at the Peachtree Stage begins. A few seconds in, my boyfriend and I exchange a look that says “damn, this sounds good.” So, we sit on the hills that look out towards the Peachtree Stage and find out who it is that made this killer entrance. Turns out to be Noga Erez, an Israel-based electronic musician and producer.
After a few short minutes on the hill, we decide it’s too good and we must get closer. I am immediately glad we do. She looks up close as cool as she sounds from afar. She knows how to occupy the stage so well that I am shocked when she says this is the biggest stage she’s ever performed on. During her set, she covers Kenrick Lamar’s Black Friday and makes it entirely her own. I was surprised that such a small international artist on her first U.S. tour landed on the biggest stage, but whoever made that call behind the scenes at Shaky Knees knew what they were doing. It was clear from my surroundings and the reactions online that everyone who overheard Noga’s charismatic performance would return home and stream her songs (and I certainly did).
4:30 p.m. – The Cults have 15 minutes left on Zelle on Piedmont before the next act is up. I can hear them perform Always Forever in the background as I snack on some Oreos and search for the best place to sit for the next act I am excited to see.
4:45 p.m. – Dermot Kennedy
Like clockwork, Dermot Kennedy takes the Peachtree Stage as soon as the Cults fade out. He establishes a powerful presence immediately. His live performance sounds a lot more rock than his records, but the intensity remains the same. His voice is clear and strong. Enjoying his poetic lyrics with the warm Georgia-November sun shining down, sitting on the grassy hills, and a lively frisbee game happening on the field in front of me, the show was nothing short of perfect (but I might be biased).
5:45 p.m. – Dominic Fike is up next on Zelle on Piedmont. For the life of me, I could not figure out what genre this man was trying to convey, and I am not sure he knew either. When introducing his band, he very pointedly fawned over his “sexy ass drummer” who was “looking so good tonight.” This prompted my boyfriend to say, “this guy sounds like he wants to fuck his drummer.” And that’s really all I can recall from this show.
6:45 p.m. – St. Vincent
St. Vincent came prepared with an hour-long Broadway performance for her sunset show complete with a city backdrop, backup dancers in costumes, props, and spoken interludes. It was the most theatrical performance I had seen on the stage so far and incredibly fun to watch. Even from a distance, it was clear to me that she was a performer in every sense of the word, missing no details at all.
7:45 p.m. – Amigo the Devil
We left St. Vincent’s performance a couple of minutes early to catch the beginning of Amigo’s set over at the Ponce De Leon Stage, and it did not disappoint. The whole reason I wanted to be there was that I got the general vibe that he was very weird, and I needed to see him live. Amigo proved to be as theatrical as St. Vincent except that he was a one-man show – just a guy, his guitar, and his guitar pedalboard. It was violently graphic and humorous at the same time – perfect for a guy named Amigo the Devil. He fooled most of the audience with a slow take on the classic “Pina Colada Song” (not me though), sang (multiple) songs about murder, and dropped nuggets of wisdom like “life is like a sewer. You get out of it what you put in.” Remember when I called Tejon Street Corner Thieves the most unique act? Amigo definitely gives them a run for their money. I think it’s no coincidence they’re signed to Amigo’s label, though.
8:45 p.m. – The Foo Fighters
The weekend’s biggest headliner takes the stage right on time. We hang back for this one too but that’s because we know we’ll be fighting for that front-row seat tomorrow. The Foo Fighters are pros at this point and know how to work a crowd. Everyone is having a blast and it is a wonderful end to the first day of Shaky Knees 2021.
Shaky Knees 2021: An hourly breakdown of must-see artists
As we lead into my most anticipated Georgia festival, infinitely more so that I’ve been robbed of all gratifying festival experiences for years now, I am ecstatic to share with you the many acts I will be spiritually bracing as the moments inch closer to Shaky Knees.
Although not able to supplement a far more groundbreaking pre-pandemic lineup, Shaky Knees is nevertheless widely and eagerly anticipated by most, if not all, indie Georgians alike. It’s projected to be the ultimate make-up fest to compensate for all recent failures, although I do advise all attendees (both now and forever) to keep their high hopes at bay, as we still attempt to recover from the live music abyss.
I feel strongly about careful creation of festival schedules, not only because I love living by them through the weekend, it’s also how I get my friends to the same sets in time. So let’s dive in friends, and I’ll see you there!:
Friday, October 22nd.
12-12:45 – Glove
Allow your first performance at Shaky to be one that transports you. Glove are a funky, Tampan four-piece that sport a groovy union between dance-rock, 90s post-punk, & new wave. They’re a nostalgic glimpse at a distant music era’s past, and simultaneously future-driven techno. All of Glove’s releases so far are mindlessly danceable, making their set perfect to kick off the rest of the magic that is Shaky Knees weekend.
2:15-3:00 – White Reaper
You haven’t heard about White Reaper yet? They’re only The World’s Best American Band, no big deal. White Reaper are a modern rock staple, and effortless revivers of power punk and garage rock. They’ve earned the right to flaunt their vintage band persona, with three delicious studio rock albums under their belt. Not only are they an objectively phenomenal and seasoned band, they’ve been one of my top anticipated act for years now. Check out the time Vinyl got to document these guys’ Sasquatch moments via film disposables!
3:45-4:45 – Cults
A mid-day trance welcomes you in the Cults crowd. Cults’ twinkling experimental indie pop is an ideal cool-down set after some White Reaper carnage.
5:45-6:45 – Ty Segall & The Freedom Band
Swinging back into the knee-shaking, head-banging, mosh material that brings me back to this festival every year, Ty Segall’s set will be a definite one to remember, as all of his past and current projects have been. I’m infinitely ready to experience this fuzz god in all of his glory.
6:45-7:45 – Black Pistol Fire
Black Pistol Fire are the explosive, blues-rock moment that is quintessential to the energy of Shaky Knees. Channeling an arena-rock sound that is signature to any indie festival, you won’t want to miss the discernible spirit of their set.
Saturday, October 23rd.
1:45-2:30 – Geese
I’m psyched to see Brooklyn-based Geese make one of their debut performances this weekend. As a young band with implosive potential in the realms of psychedelic and punk, they were readily signed to renowned indie label Partisan Records, joining britpunk favs IDLES and Fountaines D.C. And it’s no mystery why. With only a few released singles and a plethora of unreleased music under their belt, Geese have rightfully earned considerable buzz in NY’s underground scene.
2:30-3:15 – Arlo Parks
Parks is acclaimed for her laid-back, relatable, charismatic nature; present in her lyrics, in every note of her songs, and in her charming musical persona. She combines lo-fi bedroom pop with up-lifting, crisp hip-hop sounds, creating an incredibly graceful and immersive style of music. Your weekend won’t be complete without giving due praise to this London-based poet mid-day Sat.
5:45-6:45 – Garbage
Shake-up your Shaky schedule by catching 90s experimental rock novelties, Garbage. I’m not alone in my excitement to find that Garbage has made an epic return over the last year with the release of new record, No Gods No Masters. Garbage began as grunge game-changers, and have since blossomed between varying influences of electronic, hip-hop, and arena rock, now returning with a vengeance to embody their myriad of musical quirks.
6:45-7:45 – The Hives
I was both ecstatic and surprised to find these iconic 2000’s Swede rockers on the bill for this year. Known for their otherworldly live performances, The Hives are an act you may not have the opportunity to catch again any time soon. I already feel grateful and thrilled to watch these raucous Swedes perform on Saturday evening.
8:45-9:45 – IDLES
I’m stoked to welcome Shaky second-timers, IDLES—the pinnacle of Brit-punk angst—back to the stage this year. Their 2019 set consisted of a raging, non-stop mosh, start to finish. So, if you enjoy hard-hitting, belligerent, and heavily British punk, IDLES is the act for you. Warning: bodies may very well be thrown.
Sunday, October 24th.
4:30-5:30 – Orville Peck
How could you even bring yourself to miss this groundbreaking, majestic cowboy once finding out they exist? An anomaly to the country music world as we’ve always known it, Orville Peck has been envisioned as an abstract dream for months now, and as the days lead closer to their performance, I must recurrently pinch myself awake. A genuine mystery box famously labeled as “The Masked Cowboy”, Orville Peck’s voice alone is enough to shake the world of country down to its core, all besides the magnetic charisma, the flamboyance, and the iconic mask + outfit combos.
6:30-7:30 – Black Midi
Nearly wrapping up the weekend are British post-prog + punk fusion crusaders, Black Midi. A project whose sound is pretty impossible to describe in simplistic musical terms, Black Midi are quite the avantgarde-ers of our time. They’ve complicated and experimented the genres of post-punk and progressive rock into an unforeseen oblivion, meshing together art rock, prog/math rock, jazz, noise, in a massive, fiery, non-conforming cauldron. Lest I say Black Midi are an impeccable delight to catch on the last ‘eve of Shaky.
7:30-8:30 – All Them Witches
All Them Witches have taken psychedelic and stoner rock to an entirely new level of prowess, and passion. Since their formation 8 years ago, they’ve released six full-length studio albums, each bursting with unceasing momentum, through which we’ve discovered an incredible fervor for psychedelia, prog metal, and classic psych rock. I don’t know about you, but I’m already bracing the excellence of them witches. All of them.
8:30-10:30 – The Strokes <3
Not only does it feel like I’ve waited my entire life, in both the conscious and subconscious realms of existence, to finally revel in The Strokes live—it also feels like I waited a past life or two. Unparalleled in the history of band fall-outs and re-formations have we witnessed such a transformative, invigorating reunion. One that had the power to restore broken spirits, mend insoluble heartache, heal deep emotional wounds, right all wrongs, and salvage the nearly-forgotten feelings of ecstasy one only knows to be true when listening to their favorite band knowing they’re still out there rockin’. If you, too, feel like you’ve been eternally preparing for the moment you see these dudes do their thing on stage, I’ll catch you in (or on top of) the crowd, Sunday night at Peachtree. May The Strokes live on, quite literally, forever.
See you this weekend.
Rundown Recap: Shaky Knees 2016
It has long been known that spring officially begins in the South the weekend of The Masters tournament in Augusta. The ‘tradition unlike any other’ offers new beginnings with each dirt cheap pimento cheese sandwich and $3 domestic draught. However there’s a growing argument that spring doesn’t quite get rolling until Shaky Knees takes over whichever plot of Atlanta real estate its founders find suitable.
In four short years, this festival has risen to the top of the region’s music scene by offering up 3+ days of consistently solid lineups. Like most festivals, Shaky Knees offers full weekend passes, single day tickets and VIP treatment, but the biggest coup here is the late night sets at local clubs throughout the city. After each headliner finishes pouring it on at the Peachtree Stage, music spills over into some of Atlanta’s most happening spots including Terminal West, The Masquerade, Variety Playhouse, Center Stage, and The Earl. The late night sets allow further examination of a day’s new find or simply a chance for non festival-goers to see a huge act in an intimate setting. It’s the perfect ending to a sunny spring day.
Though in it’s fourth year, the festival has yet to find a permanent home and I can’t figure out why the festival keeps jumping around…Are the coordinators trying out every venue until they find one that sticks, or do they just keep getting kicked out for noise complaints? I know the Old Fourth Ward Park and Atlantic Station were too small, but I thought Central Park was a great host last year. The sports fields and parking lots provided plenty of room to spread out and shade trees were plentiful. This year’s installment was housed in Centennial Olympic Park and and on the lawn in front of the Georgia Dome. Atlanta’s Olympic memorial handled the large crowds well but didn’t provide much in the way of sun relief. Drinks were easy to get, restroom facilities were clean, and food options were great. I especially admired the incorporation of local restaurants into the various food courts. Food trucks were again front and center but one could also snag a BBQ sandwich from Fox Bros or a burger from the Grindhouse tent. Nice touch. I do wish festivals would take a page out of Augusta National’s book and stop charging $7 for a Dos Equis…but I digress.
Overall it was a well coordinated endeavor, aside from the pedestrian bridge over Marietta Street connecting the Peachtree, Ponce de Leon, and Buford Highway Stages to Boulevard and Piedmont in front of the Dome. At peak times the bridge became a log jam and forced 10-15 minute wait times to get to the other side of the park. Next time just pay whatever the city wants to shut down two blocks of traffic…
Now here’s a rundown of our favorite (and not so favorite) acts from this year’s fest:
The Front Bottoms
The hot afternoon sun didn’t stop the crowd from enthusiastically singing along to the catchy tunes of “Au Revoir (Adios)” and “The Beers.” With their earnest lyrics and witty banter in between each song, catching The Front Bottoms was like catching up with old friends over a few cold beers. – Camren Skelton
Craig Finn
Finn’s laid-back, confident style and thoughtful lyrics made for a performance that was more introspective than other acts of the weekend. Although taking in Finn as a solo act is different than hearing him with The Hold Steady, the performance is still just as captivating and intense. – Camren Skelton
Beach Slang
Although they were playing an early set, I was impressed at the large, engaged crowd these punky newcomers attracted. After taking requests from the crowd and making jokes throughout, Beach Slang put on an entertaining show that kept the crowd singing along until the very end. – Camren Skelton
Wolf Alice
Heading over to the main stages, I was able to catch British alt rockers Wolf Alice, and they did not disappoint. As people made their way into the gates, they trickled into the area around the stage, just as enthralled in the band’s folk/grunge/electronic elements as I was. Despite the hot Atlanta sun, the band brought a big crowd and put on a performance that was a favorite of the weekend. – Camren Skelton
Barns Courtney
The acoustic set Courtney delivered made for a performance that was unlike any other I saw throughout the weekend. Although he was standing on stage alone with his guitar, he filled the stage with a big sound and proved that he earned his spot on our Artists to Watch list. – Camren Skelton
Hop Along
This freak-folk/grunge-pop outfit from Philadelphia absolutely blew me away. Emotive vocals, angsty lyrics, and intricate guitar licks fuel their heavy pop sound. I love how lead singer Frances Quinlan’s voice perambulates the spectrum of screech-scream to delicate whisper through each song.
Catchy, painful, even epic at times. The soundtrack to your next breakup. – Chris Hunkele
Day Wave
If Weezer, Washed Out, and Real Estate were puréed in a blender, you’d end up with the smooth synth sounds of Day Wave.
Soundtrack to your next road trip. – Chris Hunkele
Baskery
Sirens, man…These Swedish sisters were everything of which Circe warned Odysseus. The self-proclaimed “banjo punks” commanded the stage with infectious, foot-stomping energy. It was impossible to look away as they flawlessly harmonized their way through the mid-afternoon Atlanta heat.
Your girlfriend’s favorite band, your new guilty pleasure. – Chris Hunkele
Silversun Pickups
Holy Crap! – who thought shoegaze could be so intense? The plan was to watch through “Lazy Eye” and head over to see Huey Lewis & the News, but an hour later I found myself trying to shake Brian and Nikki’s fuzzy guitar tones from my ears. I never expected a performance that good. – Chris Hunkele
The Decemberists
The unexpected dig of Silversun’s set made me late for The Decemberists, which honestly wasn’t a bad thing – ’twas damn near impossible to slide into melancholy after such an energetic performance. It was kind of a bummer as I was really looking forward to seeing the Portlanders for the first time, but my gut tells me they’re the kind of band that requires four walls to really lock you in. – Chris Hunkele
My Morning Jacket
I made my way over to the big stage (aka Peachtree) looking to get sucked into an epic Jim James performance, but all I saw were a lot of theatrics. I was hoping to hear something to make me fall in love with MMJ again, but the half a dozen or so songs I stuck around for only served as affirmation that my ears will never hear anything the way they first heard 2005’s Z. – Chris Hunkele
Murder By Death
The second night of Shaky wrapped up with a late night Murder By Death set that absolutely rocked. As tired as I was, it’s never hard to get in the mood to belt out “Lost River” or “I Came Around”. I Scooped up these tickets the day it was announced and am really glad I was able to power through to the 1am start time. – Chris Hunkele
Parquet Courts
These guys rip. Saw ’em at the 40 Watt last year and was curious to see how their sound would translate to the great outdoors. I definitely recommend seeing them in a club, but if all you have is a festival chance, get there early and try to move up front. – Chris Hunkele
Nothing
I was so looking forward to this I sat through their sound check. The heaviness of their new record was replicated on stage, but the vocals were…well…just bad honestly. Almost cringeworthy. Though they did do a pretty sick cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”. – Chris Hunkele
Deftones
Completely blown away by Chino and the boys. Any heaviness or on point vocals I was hoping to get from Nothing, I received tenfold from Deftones. If this year’s Shaky Knees was an episode of Supermarket Sweep, their set would’ve been the Farmer John golden wrapped hams. – Chris Hunkele
Artists to Watch: Shaky Knees 2016
The fourth annual Shaky Knees Music Festival returns to Atlanta May 13-15 with an impressive lineup that is sure to keep you busy bouncing between stages. Headliners include Florence + The Machine, My Morning Jacket and Jane’s Addiction, but the acts that fall in between are sure to be just as exciting. Check out the 10 acts you won’t want to miss in this year’s lineup:
1. The Front Bottoms
Hailing from New Jersey, this indie rock duo brings an eclectic blend of pop, rock and punk sounds to the stage. That, in addition to the witty lyrics that offer a glimpse into the world surrounding them, makes The Front Bottoms an act to catch at this year’s festival.
2. Wolf Alice
An alt-rock outfit hailing from North London, Wolf Alice mixes folk, grunge and electronic elements with vintage ’90s indie rock. The band released their first full-length, My Love Is Cool, last summer. Check them out in this year’s lineup as you eagerly anticipate what they have in store for the future.
3. The Struts
The loud sound these English rockers bring to the stage will be hard to miss at this year’s festival. Their classic rock style and big, bright vocals make for a performance you can’t help but sing and dance along to and the upbeat tempos of their latest release, Everybody Wants, will be more than enough to sweep you off your feet.
4. Beach Slang
This young band’s tireless love for music and life shines through in their part punk, part pop sound. With youth and vulnerability at the core of each intriguing live show, Beach Slang brings a sound that will stay with you long after they leave the stage.
5. Alex G
The multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter started his career through a series of DIY releases on Bandcamp. After the critical acclaim of his sixth album, DSU, a series of re-issues of past albums, and signing with Domino Recording Company, Alex G released his first album with the label, titled Beach Music, in 2015. With an already impressive resume, this young artist is one to catch in this year’s lineup.
6. Barns Courtney
After spending most of his childhood in Seattle, Barns Courtney returned to his native UK, and this change comes across clearly in his eclectic mix of U.S. blues-rock, hip-hop and grunge with British indie melodies and an undeniable U.S.-British twang. His interesting sound and undeniable catchy melodies make him an act you will want to follow.
7. Son Little
Singer, instrumentalist and songwriter Aaron Livingston—aka Son Little—brings an eclectic sound to the stage with his blend of acoustic blues, vintage soul and hip-hop. His expressive lyrics are refreshingly personal, and give the listener a small glimpse into his perspective on the world around him.
8. Diet Cig
This pop rock band from New York has a fun and upbeat sound that captures the innocence of adolescence. While the young duo is relatively new to the music scene, they are already well on their way to a strong track record. Each song is overflowing with an intense and undeniable energy, making Diet Cig an act you won’t want to miss at this year’s festival.
9. Kaleo
You won’t want to miss the driving indie folk sound this quartet brings to the stage. Hailing from Iceland, the band started playing together as teenagers, adopting the name Kaleo—a Hawaiian word for “the sound.” Inspired by a mix of blues, folk, country and rock, the band’s eclectic sound is one you won’t want to get out of your head.
10. The Dear Hunter
Originating in Providence, Rhode Island, The Dear Hunter began as a solo, side project of Casey Crescenzo. Now, the progressive rock band’s sound features a wide variety of instruments and styles, and their eclectic style and energy makes them an artist to watch out for.
Shaky Knees 2014: Local Natives x Vinyl Mag
Local Natives graced us at Shaky Knees with their glorious presence on the final day of the fest, the last to play the Peachtree Stage before the day’s headliner, The Alabama Shakes. Luckily for us (and for you readers, actually), the band also graced us with an interview to discuss their too-short Shaky Knees experience, their favorite live song (and why they want to top it), as well as what’s coming for the band.
VM: I read that you said “Sun Hands” is the your favorite song to end every show. Why do you think that is? Do you think you will always end with that song?
Taylor Rice: “Sun Hands” is the song that we are able to completely let go and allow things to get completely unhinged. It’s a personal goal of mine to unseat it as our show closer as we’re writing our next album.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Kelcey Ayer: We were in Charlotte, NC on Record Store Day, and we heard Lunch Box Records was a sweet little spot to check out. When we got there however, there was a line of about a hundred people going out the door and down the street. Apparently Bruce Springsteen tweeted that he might go (he had the rival show in town), so it was rammed, on top of all the normal RSD madness. We tried and failed, but we tried just the same! F*cking Bruce Springsteen, man.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
TR: Alabama Shakes. I saw them play once at a German festival we played together last summer and was blown away by how great Brittany’s voice is live.
KA: I wish we had been there the whole weekend. Spoon played on Friday, and we’re all the biggest Spoon fans. We just got off a six-week tour, so we went on a little vacation afterwards that went right up until the Sunday we played.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
TR: At a festival, you’re dealing with this huge mass of kids before you who did not necessarily buy a ticket to see you play. There’s a willingness there, but they won’t just give it up for you; you have to win them over. I like feeling that edge in and amongst a big crowd.
KA: Festivals give you a chance to play in front of bunch of new people, so that’s fun to bring your A-game and try to prove yourself. I prefer regular shows though, because you get to have your own lights, all your own equipment (if you’re flying into a festival, you have to rent amps/drums you’ve never used before), you can play whatever you want instead of cater to a crowd who has never heard you; you basically get to put on, what you think in your head is, the perfect show. Our fans are there and on our side, and it just doesn’t get better than when you feel in absolute unity with the audience, and everyone is going ape-sh*t.
VM: You have a little over a week between Shaky Knees and your next show in Santa Barbara – what are your plans during that time?
KA: We’re trying to get our practice space in Los Angeles up and running again so we can start writing for the third record. I’m not sure how far we’ll get this week, but it helps that the next show is in Santa Barbara, so that’s super close to us.
TR: We’re making music, getting ourselves ready to bring another album out of the mist.
VM: How has response been to Hummingbird in comparision to response to Gorilla Manor – how are the albums different? Some bands consider their new material to be a continuation of the same sound, while others are constantly trying to evolve/experiment/change their sound – which mindset do you relate more to, and what is your writing process like?
TR: Hummingbird is a more intimate album. It was a very cathartic record to make for us, and deals with facing some existential crises we were going through; realizing that the music we make is now our full time job, long term relationships falling apart, and death. We relate more to feeling that our style and music is always evolving and changing. We have a constant need to push each other and ourselves to do something we’ve never done before. That’s all done within the small universe of who we are, so I’m sure there are lots of similarities between records.
KA: We definitely relate more to evolution. I think that’s pretty obvious when comparing the two albums; they were written in very different times in our lives, and we just look up to artists that don’t have a consistent sound. The Beatles, Bowie, Radiohead, Damon Albarn; guys like that, who find their genius by fucking with the formula. I love that. Comparing the responses between a debut record and a sophomore one seems like apples and oranges to me. On your first record, there is an excitement, because you’re a new band who no one has ever heard before, and they can’t compare it to anything you’ve done, because it’s the only thing you’ve done. But on the second album, everyone already has expectations and has the first record to compare it to. I think people weren’t expecting Hummingbird, so it threw some people off, since it’s a bit darker in content and sonically less ‘plug-in-and-play’ and more ‘plug-in-and-add-something-then-f*ck-with-it.’
VM: What is next for Local Natives?
KA: We’re doing a few smaller festivals over the summer, but the main focus is going to be trying to work on the third record. I’m over the moon about where we are in our career, in our heads, mentally, and just about overall life. I think that’s going to show on the record. It feels time to be happy again.
TR: It’s time to conjure another record out of ourselves, and we’re getting set up for that. We’ve already teased out a bunch of pieces.
Shaky Knees 2014: Blood Red Shoes x Vinyl Mag
After postponing our interview with Blood Red Shoes at Shaky Knees until after The Gaslight Anthem went on (none of us were willing to miss it), we finally met up with the band in the press tent.
The interview started off with Steven being in a bit of a “silly mood,” slow to take things seriously, but eventually (after a few “for f*ck’s sake” jabs from Laura) offering up some very insightful takes on the peculiarities of the industry. Ironically, while I was swooning over their accents, they declared that they love American accents, particularly the southern accent. After we wrapped up the interview, we moved to the artist bar, where Steven took over pouring drinks for a rather inebriated bartender and poured me a “proper English cocktail,” which in this case was a Newcastle tall boy.
VM: We heard that we delayed this interview so you all could see Gaslight Anthem, which I really appreciate, because I really didn’t want to miss Gaslight. I just went backstage illegally and met Brian Fallon, and it was the greatest moment of my life.
Steven Ansell: That’s the greatest moment of your life?
VM: Yes. I also met Glenn from Walking Dead when I was checking in.
SA: Have you ever sneezed four times in a row?
Laura-Mary Carter: You just met Glenn from Walking Dead? Is he here?!
VM: He’s here!
L-MC: What?!
VM: I was checking in at press, and I turned…
SA: Which one’s Glenn?
L-MC: You know, Glenn – the baseball guy.
SA: Aw, he’s a good guy. Can we get Glenn in the interview as well?
VM: He wouldn’t do it. I was like, ‘Can I get a picture?’ and he was like, ‘Really fast. Super secret.’
SA: Sorry, what are we doing? Who are you?
VM: I’m Emily from Vinyl Mag.
SA: Is it made out of vinyl? A magazine?
VM: Naw, it’s online.
SA: So, it’s not like a magazine, is it? You’re just a liar, really.
VM: It’s sort of an oxymoron –
SA: Don’t call me a f*cking moron…
VM: So, how was Gaslight?
L-MC: Yeah, it was great. We went on tour with them for couple of weeks, and we haven’t seen them since the tour.
VM: Have you met up and seen them?
L-MC: Yeah, we saw them earlier, but we were going to go say hey to them after this before we leave.
SA: I’m going to give them all a bit of a ‘noogie’ after this.
VM: A ‘noogie?’
SA: Yeah, where you get them in the headlock and then ‘err’ on the head.
VM: Are you going to do it to everybody?
L-MC: Definitely not the bassist, Alex.
SA: Definitely not Brian.
VM: Not Brian, why? Because he has perfect hair, and you don’t want to mess it up?
SA: Something like that. Also, last time I tried, he just got really upset. The rest of them could deal with it; he couldn’t. It’s obviously not his thing.
VM: How has response been to the album, Blood Red Shoes?
SA: So far, fairly bad.
VM: Fairly bad?
L-MC: No, Steve!
SA: Alright, sorry. I’m just in a really silly mood.
L-MC: I know!
SA: Can you ask [Laura]?
VM: [To Laura] Alright, how has response been?
L-MC: It’s been really good actually, because it’s kind of a raw record. It’s much heavier than our last ones, and it’s been cool. I think people really like it live, and it’s really nice. I think more younger people are coming to our shows.
VM: Why did you choose this one to be a self-titled, because I usually think of that as the first album? Did you feel like it was the most representative of your sound?
L-MC: Yeah, it’s basically that. Like, we’ve made three records, and this one was sort of like, we know what we’re doing; we know our sound, and we completely recorded it and self-produced it.
VM: Yeah, I read that you did it all yourself.
L-MC: We didn’t think of a name; we just didn’t really come up with a name, and we just thought that meant it should just be Blood Red Shoes, because it really is. It was just us in a concrete room in Berlin; we wrote and recorded it.
VM: Did you already know how to do all that, like producing, or did you just decide you wanted to do it and learn?
L-MC: Well, early on, we recorded our first ever seven inches, and during that time we got more equipment. Steve was a sound guy – believe it or not – before this, so he’s quite technical.
VM: [To Steven] You’re a very professional guy?…we need liner notes for this interview, just to describe everything that’s happening [referring Steven’s antics].
VM: So, why Berlin?
L-MC: Because we play in Germany a lot; Berlin’s a cool place, and we wanted to get out of the UK. We wanted to get out of Brighton, and we just looked up places we could get, just rooms we could set up our gear and write and just be in a different environment. That was the one that came back; they still had space there that we could rent for cheap and make loud noises. It’s a cheap places and cool place to hang out, and there’s a lot of history of music that’s been made there. It just seemed right.
VM: This is just me wondering, because Record Store Day was recently- did you get anything cool for Record Store Day, or did you guys do anything?
L-MC: Did we do anything for Record Store Day?
SA: Yeah, I played at 4 p.m.
L-MC: We did something. When was it? I can’t remember now.
VM: It was a month ago, maybe not even a month.
SA: We were in Holland at a festival.
L-MC: That was it.
VM: Did you buy any records, like of the Record Store Day releases?
SA: No, absolutely not.
L-MC: I didn’t buy a record and, to be fair, I do buy a lot of records in general. Record Store Day – I feel like it’s every week…but I always support independent record shops.
SA: I feel like we should all be honest about Record Store Day, shouldn’t we? I like the idea of Record Store Day; I like the idea that it’s about supporting independent record shops. There are some really great ones that have died in Brighton, but what’s happening with Record Store Day is now it’s turned into this thing where our record label calls us and says, ‘what are we going to do for Record Store Day?’ At that point you’re saying to yourself, ‘am I putting a piece of music out because it’s a good piece of music and people need to hear it, or because it’s Record Store Day?’ Then every f*cking major label and every sh*t band that you don’t care about is making something, because it’s Record Store Day. Now it feels like it’s about product, and just throw out any old sh*t.
VM: Supply and demand and all that.
SA: It’s because everyone thinks Record Store Day is cool. I feel like, as a musician, you have to be really aware of the fact that what you put out needs to actually matter and need to be out. We write a lot; we jam all the time. We could throw out a tape of us rehearsing and jamming on a song and be like, ‘hey, Record Store Day. Here’s a half-finished piece of sh*t jam.’ But we put it on vinyl, so it’s cool on Record Store Day and makes people think it’s special, but it’s bullsh*t. So, Record Store Day is a weird thing. I think, on one hand I understand and want to support record shops that have been supportive of bands like us and actually do pretty good music, but on the other side, it’s been polluted massively by people just saying, ‘let’s throw any old crap, because people will buy it’…there’s something about it that doesn’t sit right.
L-MC: I think, for us, we always buy from independent record stores anyway, and if we’re going to buy something, make it right. We do our bit, but when it comes to Record Store Day, I don’t go out and buy records. I could do that anyway.
VM: How do you think American crowds differ from crowds in England? We interviewed Charli XCX and PEACE, and they both said British crowds were more subdued, and American crowds were much crazier.
L-MC: I think American crowds are very vocal. Even when we play here to 10 people at some shows, they’ll still be really loud. You would not get that back home; it would just be really awkward, and when you finish the song it just feels weird. Even with 10 people, I feel like people really appreciate it and are vocally loud. It’s a good feeling. You can’t deny that that makes a difference. If people are just there, they might enjoy it the same, but when they’re more vocal, it makes you feel up for it.
SA: There’s nothing worse than when you play your heart out, and – it might be a small show – everyone just stands there. We had that in England. We played for 15 people, and they sat there. They might have even really loved it, but they don’t really show it. They’re so reserved in England. Everywhere, so far, we’ve been in America and North America, if people like you, you f*cking know about it. You really know about it, because they’re going crazy already. They don’t care if no one else is dancing. You’ll get one guy that’s insane who will by himself, and he doesn’t care because he’s having a good time. For us, that’s amazing; to go to a place where no one knows us. We’re going to play better; the whole night will be better.
VM: I think that would be much more inspiring.
SA: It is much more inspiring. It sounds lame, like we’re trying to be like, ‘oh him, we’re in America, we love America,’ but it’s f*cking true. People are definitely less reserved, and if they like something or feel like you’re more comfortable with the show, I guess you’re less reserved about it. In England, unfortunately, people really hold themselves back. No one must be the first one to dance. No one must be the first to go, ‘actually, I really like this.’
VM: Are you like that at shows, or are you the dancing guys?
L-MC: I think we like to headbang and actually move. I wouldn’t say that I’m very vocal; I always cheer at the end loud, but it’s not like I shout stuff.
VM: Who did you get to see here?
L-MC: We went and saw Band of Skulls. We saw a bit of White Denim, Foals, and Gaslight Anthem.
SA: Cage the Elephant. We got to see a lot…where’d you guys get here from?
VM: Athens, Georgia. It’s like an hour and half…
SA: That’s where the B-52’s are from!
VM: I know!
SA: We were talking about this. We were like, ‘what’s in Georgia?’ The only thing we heard of was some specific type of barbecue food. It’s different regionally, yeah?
VM: We’re very proud of our barbecue.
SA: You have more of a vinegar sauce. Is that right?
VM: It’s sort of like ketchup and vinegar. South Carolina has mustard. North Carolina has straight vinegar.
SA: Yeah, right. There’s a regional thing for barbecue sauce. I knew that, and then Athens, Georgia has the B-52’s. I like REM, but B-52’s!
VM: We’re proud. What do you like about playing festivals as opposed to regular shows?
L-MC: I think just the atmosphere is cool, getting to see other bands, and when you tour all the time, you don’t get to see many friends, and you get to know lots of bands. So, it’s a nice kind of community when you come to play festivals, because you can play a show. You can try and cover people – it’s like your band as well, because it’s new people, so that’s a challenge. Then you can hang out with your friends that you haven’t seen since last year’s festival, and you get to see other music, which is inspiring. You kind of need to see other stuff.
SA: Yeah, it’s healthy to be in a place where you’re not just dealing with your own band.
L-MC: Yeah, it gets you more inspired, and you learn something.
VM: Tell us more about your current tour.
L-MC: Well, we’re at day three.
SA: Day three. So far, what’s happened? I am going to go to the hospital in the morning – liver failure, acute liver failure. I’ve had too many shots.
VM: But you’re waiting until tomorrow, though?
SA: Well, you know, always try to sleep it off. I don’t like to unnecessarily cause a fuss and call the doctor.
VM: But you’re anticipating that you will have to.
SA: Probably, yes.
L-MC: I’m not taking you there, so you can get there on your own.
SA: Well, you do everything bigger and harder in the states, don’t you? Those shots I’ve been doing – much bigger than the UK. You have big everything here. Really, freaking me out.
L-MC: It’s been so cool so far. We get to go to places we’ve never been, like we’re going to Salt Lake City. Tomorrow we’re going to Richmond, Virginia.
SA: Yeah, we’ve never been this far south.
VM: Really, do you like it?
SA: Actually, yeah.
VM: We’re friendly.
L-MC: Really like the accent.
SA: We played Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday, and at that point it was the furthest south we had ever been. Everyone was really friendly there; I’m noticing a tendency.
VM: Southern hospitality.
SA: Yeah, people are really warm.
VM: Besides the tour, what is next for you guys afterwards? Are you writing on tour?
L-MC: We do a little bit, but not so much. It’s hard on this tour, because there’s so much driving. We are going back home, and then we’re going straight into festivals basically, all in Europe.
VM: You’re doing Reading and Leeds, right?
L-MC: Yes.
VM: [You’re playing] a couple slots away from Jimmy Eat World, and that’s awesome.
SA: Touch my hand, and I’ll touch one of those guys’ hands for you.
VM: Oh, I’ve met them twice. I’m a stalker.
SA: I was going to try and be nice and say, ‘you touch my hand, and I’ll touch their hand, and then it’s connected.’
VM: Well, you touch my hand, and I’ve already touched their hand, so I have connected them to you. You didn’t even get to meet them though. You should. They’re cool.
SA: That’s cool, because now I don’t have to put in the effort. I don’t have to go knock on their door and say hello or any of that stuff.
VM: You don’t even have to go. You can just say, ‘dude, I’ve done it.’
SA: ‘I met a girl in Georgia; it’s fine.’
VM: Yeah, don’t tell them that. I think I freaked them out.
SA: Did you…???
VM: I did! And I don’t do that very often, but there are like two bands that I would [lose my cool with]. Yeah, I was not cool at all.
SA: The only person I ever got weird with that we’ve ever met as a band was one of the guys in Smashing Pumpkins. We met in New York once, and Laura was totally cool as f*ck.
L-MC: He just came into our dressing room.
SA: He just showed up in our dressing room.
VM: Oh, really?! So he came to you.
L-MC: Yeah, he was at our show, and he just came in the dressing room. I turned around, and it was him.
VM: [To Laura] And you were totally cool?
SA: It was James Iha, the guitar player.
L-MC: I’ve been emailing him ever since. Actually, I haven’t in a while, but we were.
SA: But he showed up; Laura’s super cool.
L-MC: Yeah, I love that band, but I never got obsessed.
SA: I like that band, too. Usually, as I’m sure you can imagine, I’m just being a little c*cky d*ckhead to anyone who helps me, even if they’re in a band I love. Smashing Pumpkins, I really loved when I was a teenager. I literally looked at him and was just like, ‘you’re in the Smashing Pumpkins band!’
VM: That’s exactly what I do.
L-MC: I would do that if it was someone like Courtney Love. I’ve had three chances to say something to her.
SA: You could’ve. She had a dressing room almost next door to us.
L-MC: Yeah I went in, but she wasn’t in there.
SA: Physically she was, but mentally, there’s nothing in there.
L-MC: I just thought sometimes you just shouldn’t meet your f*cking heroes.
VM: I agree with you on that.
L-MC: I think she might be one of those.
SA: Yeah, I’d be scared to meet Iggy Pop, because he’d probably break my heart. He’d probably just be like, ‘have you seen today’s papers?’ He might be really boring.
Shaky Knees 2014: The Whigs x Vinyl Mag
If you follow us on social media, you already know we pretty much had a blast of a time at Shaky Knees this past weekend. But aside from seeing an impressive amount of impressively talented artists, we also got to talk to a few of them (impressed?).
Fellow Athens natives, The Whigs, played the festival Friday afternoon at the Ponce de Leon stage at Atlantic Station and then turned around the next day and played beloved East Atlanta venue/bar The EARL. In April, the band released their fifth studio album, Modern Creation, and is currently touring the album. See them. After you read this interview, duh.
VM: You recently played the Late Show with David Letterman and also had a video on Conan – awesome. How do you get those gigs/how was it?!
Parker: We’ve been fortunate to have some sweet opportunities with the release of our new album, Modern Creation. Conan debuted the “Hit Me” music video, and the Late Show had us on to perform the song live. Both were thrilling and an honor.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Parker: Yeah!!! Purchased Duke Ellington, James Brown, Andre Previn piano records and a sealed Phil Spector Collection vinyl at Wuxtry Records in Athens.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
Parker: I got to see a little bit of Charles Bradley and Band Of Skulls on Friday. I stayed in Atlanta the whole weekend and was super excited to see The Replacements and Modest Mouse but didn’t get to see either unfortunately.
VM: Why didn’t you get to see [them]?
Parker: I missed their sets, because I was loading in equipment and sound checking for our late night show at the Earl in East Atlanta.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
Parker: It’s fun to see buddies from other bands at festivals. It’s also a nice setting to get turned on to a new group. I wouldn’t say I prefer either to the other.
VM: You are playing Shaky Knees Friday and then The EARL, also in ATL, on Saturday. Two very different Atlanta experiences two nights in a row. Was there a reason you wanted to play the festival there and then a smaller venue?
Parker: The opportunity arose for us to rock both occasions, and we were psyched. Definitely an opportunity to tailor a performance to two radically different environments.
VM: What was different about the performances?
Parker: The EARL show was definitely more intimate, and we began and ended the set with different songs than at the festival performance. Showcased a few more songs from Modern Creation and got back to our roots with some older Whigs songs. We also did an encore at the EARL which featured a slight costume change to coincide with a David Bowie cover.
VM: As a fellow Athenian, how would you say that Athens has influenced your sound?
Parker: The Glands, R.E.M, Elephant Six Collective, and later the Drive By Truckers were some of our biggest models on and off stage. The Athens scene inspired us to want to create instantly entertaining music with conceptual depth.
VM: Compare the Athens music scene to the Atlanta music scene. How is the Athens music scene unique from any other?
Parker: I’d say they’re both eclectic with Atlanta’s being understandably larger. I’m personally more in tune with the eclecticism of Athens’ bands over Atlanta’s, with a few exceptions. I haven’t spent a substantial amount of local time in all the other scenes, so I can’t speculate on what differentiates Athens from everywhere else.
VM: How has response been to Modern Creation?
Parker: I’d say it’s been generally positive.
VM: I LOVE the album cover – can you tell me about it? Who came up with it?
Parker: We were doing an photo shoot, and I asked someone on the set to snap a photo of us with my iPhone. The image was cool, and when we were brainstorming album cover ideas, I sent the photo to the band. Tim relayed his idea of framing the photo with a skull to Julian, who made the vision a reality.
VM: Who does most of the writing/what is the process like?
Parker: I’ll write song ideas and bring them into band practice where we’ll jam and see which ones gel. As we hone arrangements and structures, we’ll see which songs survive over the course of an album cycle. The most durable jams get the anointed finished lyrics, which I write with guidance from Tim and Julian if I get stuck or have questions on direction, clarity, etc.
VM: In three words, describe your sound to someone who has never heard you.
Parker: Raw, real, rock.
VM: What is next for The Whigs?
Parker: Tour!
Tour Dates:
MAY 15 RADIO RADIO INDIANAPOLIS, IN
MAY 16 DOUBLE DOOR CHICAGO, IL
MAY 17 OFF BROADWAY ST LOUIS, MO
MAY 24 16TH STREET MALL DENVER, CO
JUN 12 FITZGERALD’S (DOWNSTAIRS) HOUSTON, TX
JUN 13 RED 7 AUSTIN, TX
JUN 14 ELM STREET MUSIC AND TATTOO FESTIVAL DALLAS, TX
JUN 15 STICKYZ ROCK’N’ROLL CHICKEN SHACK LITTLE ROCK, AR
JUN 18 DULING HALL JACKSON, MS
JUN 19 WORKPLAY THEATRE BIRMINGHAM, AL
JUN 20 HI-TONE CAFE MEMPHIS, TN
JUN 21 MERCY LOUNGE NASHVILLE, TN
JUN 25 WFPK WATERFRONT WEDNESDAY LOUISVILLE, KY
JUL 26 BRAGG JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL MACON, GA