The Dev-heads were out in full force, a sea of red energy domes bobbing across the crowd as Devo took the stage. For a band whose first singles came out nearly half a century ago, they sounded sharp, tight, and ever weird. It was a pleasant mixing of nostalgia and true performance.
Read MoreCriticals walked out like a baseball team taking the field, Salt Shaker by DJ Nuwav spinning them in as if it were their walk-up song. The Nashville-based band might be young, but they came out swinging, guitars blazing and a grin across every face. Right from the first song, frontman Parker Forbes leaned into the mic and barked, “Shaky your knees—whatchu got?” and the crowd answered with a roar.
Read MoreWhat’s your go-to karaoke song? Mine is “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes. I definitely don’t have the voice for it, but it’s fun and I love the song. The band stopped touring in 1994, over three years before I was born, yet their songs have stayed some of the most joyful, cathartic rock tracks out there. When I saw their name on the Shaky Knees lineup, I knew I couldn’t miss it, not knowing when they might perform again.
Read MoreShaky Knees’ Saturday started with a rush of new blood. Getting in early meant catching the up-and-comers before they explode, and one of those bands was Fat Dog, a cheeky young outfit from the UK making a noisy claim on American soil.
Read MoreWhat do crowd surfers, songs about piss, and toddlers moshing have in common? The only answer is Die Spitz. Following the release of their debut Something to Consume and a stint opening for Viagra Boys, the young all-female band from Austin has been steadily carving out their place in the rock scene. If this is your first time hearing their name, you can thank me later. If it’s not, then you already know they’re worth every bit of hype.
Read MoreBackseat Lovers have been steadily building their success, songs blowing up on TikTok and a reputation for their live shows. I’ve followed them for a while but hadn’t had the chance to see them live until this weekend. Seeing their name on the Shaky Knees bill was a thrill, and their set was well worth the wait.
Read MoreTen out of ten. Zero notes. Cage the Elephant delivered an absolutely insane performance. Lively. Wild. And positively electric. Brad Shultz came out first, strumming like a man possessed, building tension with deep rock rhythms as if daring Matt to appear. It worked. Matt sprinted out, leapt into the air like he was suspended there by heaven, and crashed into “Broken Boy.”
Read MoreI have a lot to say about The Black Keys. They were one of the pillars of my teenage listening habits–you can’t talk about 2000s rock without mentioning El Camino. So walking up to their Shaky Knees set, I wanted to feel that same rush. Unfortunately, what I got instead was a reminder of how far they’ve drifted from their peak.
Read MoreAfter the chaos of Die Spitz’s pits, Radio Free Alice felt like a chance to catch my breath without losing momentum. I found a patch of shade and let the Australian band’s sound rebuild my energy. They play like they’ve studied everyone who came before them and are determined to make it their own.
Read MoreThey played the entire Black Parade album to start the show with the cornerstone being “Welcome to the Black Parade.” The crowd erupted at every familiar line. When “Mama” hit, the stage was bathed in deep crimson. Flames shot up. Sylvia (Charlotte Kelso) sang the mother’s part with a haunting presence. Everything was happening as if we were in some gothic cathedral, built from amps and pyros.
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