Driving six and a half hours from Orlando to Atlanta, I had no idea what to expect at Piedmont Park for Shaky Knees 2025. I’d never been to a music festival, but after this past weekend, I feel I’ve learned some valuable lessons that I can carry with me to every festival I plan to visit.
Shaky Knees Music Festival was founded in 2013 by Atlanta music promoter Tim Sweetwood with the goal of expanding the local indie rock festival scene. In its inagural year, the festival sold out over two days, drawing approximately 9,000 attendees per day at Historic Fourth Ward Park and Masquerade Music Park.
Over the next decade, the festival would continue to grow, eventually changing venues to accommodate the tens of thousands of attendees who would travel to see indie rock legends and rising stars.
The festival offers several ticket purchasing options, including single, two-day, or three-day tickets. You can also buy GA, GA+, VIP, and Platinum for each. Children under 8 receive free admission with a ticketed adult. Depending on the ticket type, attendees gain access to a variety of lounges, refreshments, and viewing areas. It’s also recommend to purchase tickets as early as possible, as prices gradually increase as the festival approaches.
The Soundtrack of Shaky Knees: Artists Who Stole the Show
This year’s lineup spanned across three days (Sept. 19-21) and featured 52 artists from across the nation. Friday’s roster featured Deftones, Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, The Marias, Pixies, Idles, Spoon, Inhaler, Joey Valence & Brae, Lambrini Girls, and Sarah Kinsley.
On Saturday, the following artists performed: My Chemical Romance, Cage The Elephant, The Black Keys, Public Enemy, The Backseat Lovers, TV on the Radio, The All-American Rejects, Johnny Marr, The Beaches, The Linda Lindas, Bilmuri, CMAT, Scowl, Michigander, Fat Dog, Hey, Nothing, Radio Free Alice, Die Spitz, Soft Play, Ecca Vandal, Girl Tones, Junior Varsity, and Songs for Kids.
Sunday featured Blink-182, Vampire Weekend, Alabama Shakes, Lucy Dacus, Devo, Wet Leg, 4 Non Blondes, Franz Ferdinand, Stereophonics, The Stews, Fleshwater, Murder by Death, Mdou Moctar, Improvement Movement, English Teacher, The Criticals, Worry Club, and Songs for Kids. This year’s lineup also featured the special guest “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Of these artists, I was able to catch the performances of Deftones, Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, The Marias, Inhaler, Idles, Blink-182, Devo, Wet Leg, Lucy Dacus, Franz Ferdinand, The Stews, The Criticals, and English Teacher. At a “Late Night” show at a separate venue, we were able to see a full show from the Pixies.
With 52 artists performing hour-long sets over eight-to-12-hour festival days, the schedule can feel overwhelming. In many cases, you must carefully choose who you plan to see before arriving if you want a chance at seeing the best shows. Unfortunately, in just as many cases, your favorite artists may overlap at stages on opposite sides of the park, and you’re forced to make some very difficult decisions.
I had to make many of these harrowing decisions. All of my favorite artists felt like they were warring with one another for my attention. Sublime played at the same time as Sarah Kinsley, another artist I love but unfortunately missed. The Marias played simultaneously with the Pixies but won on Friday because we bought Pixies tickets the following night. Vampire Weekend performed at the Piedmont stage while Lucy Dacus ruled Ponce De Leon, and I stood on the barricade as she married a couple in real time.
I was also unable to attend the second day because tickets were sold out since My Chemical Romance was headlining that day.
Festival Vibes and attendees
Unlike the bougie-r festival scene, my weekend was spent accompanied by the many strangers of Shaky Knees. Festivals like Coachella or Bonnaroo are typically flooded with celebrities and influencers wearing completely impractical looks and spending thousands to watch huge headlining artists while being sponsored by brands to reach millions through their impressionable audiences.
There were, of course, eclectic outfits nonetheless, but the entire park seemed to be filled with people with a real appreciation for the artists they were seeing. The all-ages festival truly included fans of all ages—from newborns to 70-year-old couples reminiscing about their Woodstock days.
Shaky Knees felt like it was made for the everyday person. The entire park was bustling all weekend with community and conversation. Colorful blankets set up on the hills above the stage with strangers sprawled across them—eating and drinking from food trucks in the Atlanta heat. I think I made at least one friend at each show I attended, especially those where I was camped out at the barricade.
Realistically, there was a lot of walking, and it was extremely hot, so it’s important to be prepared. Water bottles are permitted as long as they are empty coming through security, and there are ‘Hydration Stations’ scattered throughout the park. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to take advantage of these.
On my first day, I kept questioning why I saw people wearing bandanas or N95 masks, only to realize when I got back to the hotel how intense the dust was. It had gotten all over my shoes, face, and hair. If you have a bandana or something similar to block the dust, I would highly recommend bringing it, as would the seasoned festival-goer. Earplugs also make a difference! We could hear speakers booming for a mile outside the park, so if you want to preserve your hearing by the end of a show, earplugs may be wise to consider.
Small bags are also permitted, and lockers are available beforehand and at the venue. I personally did not find that I needed anything other than a small purse for the majority of the weekend, but if you want your pockets to hurt a little bit less, it might be wise to bring a larger bag or to rent a locker for some homemade sandwiches and snacks. The local food trucks and tents were solid (as far as food out of a tent goes), but what the people I went with spent the most on was alcohol. If you plan to drink, I recommend saving up another few hundred in case.
In all, I would recommend Shaky Knees to anyone as a first music festival experience. I personally felt the two-day ticket was money well spent, considering the number of artists I was able to see live. The people are friendly, and for the most part, it never felt too overcrowded. Even if you aren’t able to catch your favorite artist at barricade (or if you’re as short as I am), the speakers are clear and the screens were clear for the majority of the performances. Shaky Knees is the perfect festival to set up outside your favorite stages for and just lounge around if that sounds more appealing.
By the end of the weekend, the feeling I walked away with, more than anything else, was community. I implore everyone to use their time at a festival to enjoy the people around them just as much as the music.