Kaiser Chiefs Predict Riot
Shaky Knees Festival kicked off their concert series on Friday, May 8th. The diverse music festival was hosted in Atlanta, Georgia. It was held in the spacious and vibrant landscape of Central Park. It was the first time in the three year history of the festival that it did not rain on the first day. Guests arrived early to the festival to catch the opening performances. The groups were Black Pistol Fire, Halsey, Jukebox the Ghost, Tennis, The Kooks, Mac Demarco, Kaiser Chiefs, Death From Above 1979, Mastodon, James Blake, The Strokes, and many other artists.
Black Pistol Fire are a dynamic and talented music duo formed by lead vocalist and guitarist, Kevin McKeown, and drummer, Eric Owen. The high-octane group are originally from Canada and are touring throughout the United States. Their bold and passionate performance was the ideal way to start festivities at the Shaky Knees Festival.
Black Pistol Fire has an upbeat musical style filled with exuberant guitar and drum rhythms. Their musical resemblance is reminiscent of the gutsy artist, Jack White. Kevin McKeown engaged the crowd by playing fast paced electric guitar and singing powerful chords. He stepped down from the stage to perform in front of the crowd. The crowd cheered when he performed his songs "Jezebel Stomp," "Bottle Rocket," and a cover by Fleetwood Mac.
Jukebox the Ghost performed a relaxing and fanciful performance on Friday morning at the main stage, Peachtree. Their insightful songs were dreamy and reflective. The group's romantic and idealistic lyrics entranced and calmed the audience. The starry-eyed group is formed by Ben Thornewill, Tommy Siegel, and Jesse Kristin. Their musical performance was meditative and whimsical. They performed several songs from their self-titled album, "Jukebox The Ghost." Their glamorous and lighthearted performance fitted the current state of the festival with the lyric, "You want Hollywood and this is real life."
Tennis whisked the crowd in a dream state at their intimate performance at the Buford Highway Stage. Their music's genre can be best described as Indie Pop. The group was formed by husband and wife, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. The ideal music couple create playful and entrancing melodies. Alaina Moore is the vocalist and keyboardist of the band and she is accompanied by her husband, Patrick Riley on guitar. This magical duo captivated the crowd with their lucid tunes.
Concert-goers rushed to the Peachtree Stage to get a glimpse of the British band, The Kooks. The band opened with the pleasing tune, "Around Town." The crowd danced and sang along to the lyrics, "Love me when the chips are down." The band performed continuous hits such as "Westside," "Sway," "Junk of the Heart," and "Naïve." Luke Pritchard's vocals were dynamic and refined. He sang deeply into the microphone for each song performance. He fulfilled the childhood hearts of many fans that awaited to hear and see live performances of their albums, "Konk" and "Inside In/Inside Out".
Marc Demarco is a quirky and sassy singer songwriter from New Jersey. He performed at the furthest stage at the festival, Ponce De Leon. His musical performance was laid-back and country which was suitable for the local culture. He wore a pair of army patterned overalls during his acoustic set. Marc Demarco creates lethargic lyrics accompanied with unconventional rhythms. He was comical throughout his performance by screaming or shouting in between song lyrics.
His band performed a cover of Coldplay's hit melody, "Yellow." The group celebrated the birthday of one of their members during their show. Marc Demarco is an artist fans can easily relate to since he is seemingly down-to-earth musician. He is an innovative and quizzical songwriter. The audience was calm and focused during his performance of his acclaimed song, "My Kind of Woman."
Kaiser Chiefs were among the headlining artists of the music festival. The lead singer, Ricky Wilson, continuously interacted with the audience by chatting with them during song intermissions. He would provide interludes before each song and give the background on how the song originated. He sat and sand closely to the eager and attentive audience. He climbed unto the band's equipment and speakers as he vocalized and echoed melodies into his microphone.
Ricky encouraged the crowd to sing along or clap during their songs. He also would let the crowd finish the lyrics of his song's chorus. The group performed their hit singles such as "I Predict A Riot," "Ruby," "Never Miss A Beat," "The Angry Mob," and "Everything is Average Nowadays."
The boisterous Rock group, Mastodon, are originally from Atlanta, Georgia. They informed the crowd that they lived down the street. The magnetic band performed at the main stage, Peachtree. The audience moshed throughout Mastodon's performance. A female concert-goer comically mentioned that she thought she was not going to make it through their concert. The audience moshed intensely at the front of the stage.
Alas the audience waited anxiously to see the Strokes at Shaky Knees Festival. The Strokes performed various exclusive and rare songs during their set. This festival reunited the band members of the Strokes after many years of retirement. The group reunited for their first show and sounded better than ever. Albert Hammond Jr. fascinated the audience with his electric guitar skills.
The charismatic lead singer, Julian Casablancas, was energetic and emitted an exciting positive vibe. The group's performance was seamless as if they had never stopped touring. Their alluring performance was effortless and flawless. Their lengthy music set provided an absolute magical musical experience. Overall the first day of Shaky Knees Festival was a wonderful and euphoric musical experience.