Shaky Knees Music Festival - September 19-21, 2025 - Atlanta, Georgia

Crowd gathers before an outdoor stage at Shaky Knees Music Festival

The All-American Rejects

Except where noted All Photos © Steve Galli for Full Access Detroit

Story by Chloe Catajan for Full Access Detroit

The summer festival season had an eventful last hurrah as several music festivals took place nationwide last weekend. Portola Music Festival brought disco to San Francisco, Riot Fest stirred up punk chaos in Chicago, and Shaky Knees Festival had rockers rejoicing in Atlanta.

The 12th annual Shaky Knees endured a couple big changes this year, with new stomping grounds at Piedmont Park and a different set of dates. While the fest was held mid-May in previous years, its new September slot fills the place of the on-hiatus Midtown Festival.

But one thing about Shaky Knees remained tried and true: a stacked lineup, this time headlined by Deftones, My Chemical Romance, and Blink-182.

The three-day C3 Presents event drew 55 acts and sold-out crowds across four stages. Friday, September 19, was short, sweet, and a tasteful tease for longer days ahead. Saturday was packed with the most sets, and Sunday went strong through the very end, which included an epic sendoff to Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September” (…everyone indeed remembered the 21st of September).

Veteran photographer Steve Galli shares his Shaky Knees highlights below.

Next-level stage presence and production

Live music is a spectrum and a good performance doesn’t always need many bells and whistles. But some artists showed the immersive magic of stage presence and production with their Shaky Knees sets. Of course, My Chemical Romance headlined the Peachtree Stage Saturday night with a full-fledged rock opera full of dystopian drama, pyrotechnics, and the enduring emo legacy of The Black Parade.

Vocalist in a military-style black jacket spreads both arms amid blue stage lights and smoke

My Chemical Romance – Photo by Pooneh Ghana for Shaky Knees

The Marías brought a condensed version of their Submarine Tour to the Piedmont Stage. Lead singer María Zardoya sang from a circular frame, her silhouette illuminated by deep blue lights, like a siren emerging from a deep-sea cove. During “Only In My Dreams,” a burst of bubbles surrounded her to complete the aquatic theme. Drummer Josh Conway, guitarist Jesse Perlman, and keyboardist Edward James remained elusive as they rolled out the band’s signature dreamy melodies.

Singer with dark hair performs at a microphone under blue lighting

María Zardoya of The Marias

Cage the Elephant frequently tops people’s must-see bucket lists with obvious reason. For starters, the last time they performed in Atlanta, lead singer Matt Schultz broke his foot onstage. And after spending the summer opening for Oasis’ North American reunion tour, the Kentucky rockers showed no signs of slowing down on the Peachtree Stage. Flames flared out as frontman Matt leapt, shimmied, and headbanged across the stage. Guitarist Brad Schulz also jumped into the crowd during “Cry Baby.” And on top of a sharp sound and stage presence, their style was on point too, with Matt rocking Acne Studios and the band dripped out in chains and sunnies. Their setlist consisted of banger after banger, with some added variety from the Oasis shows, including extra songs off Tell Me I’m Pretty and Neon Pill.

Singer in a white shirt raises one hand beside a microphone stand

Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant

“Weird Al” Yankovic celebrated his 2,000th show with an eventful set at the Piedmont Stage. His parody songs came equipped with several costume changes, including a black suit and tie for “Party in the CIA,” a yellow radiation suit for “Dare to be Stupid,” a Star Wars Jedi outfit for “Yoda.” Fans also saw him rolling out via segway for “White and Nerdy.”

Guitarist stretches both arms outward during an energetic Shaky Knees performance

“Weird Al” Yankovic

Singer-songwriter and ordained officiant Lucy Dacus pulled a double-duty shift during her set at the Ponce De Leon Stage. Her performance of “Best Guess” included Dacus officiating a wedding. It’s a feat she’s been offering during her recent Forever Is a Feeling tour. The rest of her set, as always, was moving with poignant, punchy, and diaristic songs like “Hot & Heavy” and “Night Shift.”

Icons, timeless throwbacks, and cross-generational crowds

This year, Shaky Knees had a handful of legacy acts that not only brought out the classics, but also cross-generational impact. From Sublime’s new-gen lineup to Lenny Kravitz’s undeniable rock-and-roll swag (with shades, a leather jacket, and his signature Gibson Flying V in tow), these icons proved to be true class acts.

Guitarist with long dreadlocks plays under a pale circular backdrop

Lenny Kravitz – Photo by Ismael Quintanilla III for Shaky Knees

Sublime brought a taste of Southern California to Peachtree Stage with coastal visuals, fog, and fun onstage inflatables—including a giant dalmatian. They immediately dove into their signature mellow melodies. The band, now fronted by the late Brad Nowell’s son, Jakob, opened with “Garden Grove,” Falling Idols’ “Prince of Sin,” and “Wrong Way.”

Bassist raises both arms toward the festival crowd

Eric Wilson and Jakob Nowell of Sublime

Despite what the Public Enemy song advises, do believe the hype. The duo, fronted by Chuck D and Flavor Flav, gave the Ponce De Leon Stage a lesson on classic hip-hop. They sounded fresh, kept the momentum going, and were clearly on top of their game. Chuck D and Flavor Flav also gave shoutouts to Atlanta’s own Goodie Mob and CeeLo Green. Only two songs from their newest album, Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, made the setlist, focusing mostly on the 1988 breakthrough It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Vocalist in a yellow cap performs with a handheld microphone under red lights

Flavor Flav of Public Enemy

4 Non Blondes made a rare festival appearance with their set at the Ponce De Leon Stage. They performed a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll,” “Train,” and, of course, “What’s Up?”. The latter followed with a massive crowd singalong, which is the only appropriate response to the 90s classic.

Singer in a brown top hat raises both hands toward the crowd

Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes

DEVO brought their special brand of new wave to the Peachtree Stage. Even 50 years later, the band’s synth-pop held up, sounding futuristic, funky, and fun as ever. They ran through “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man),” “Peek-A-Boo!,” “Going Under,” and “That’s Good,” but it wasn’t until five songs in that they put on their signature red dome hats. During “Whip It,” vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh tossed some hats to fans in the crowd.

Vocalist in sunglasses lifts a small red hat while singing

Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO

From A-Punk to Punk Tactics

Shaky Knees is no stranger to rock subgenres, and this year offered no shortage of punk sounds across the scene. Such sets included the boyish angst of pop-punk royalty Blink-182, the post-punk radiance of Franz Ferdinand, and countless more.

Flames rise from a drum kit during a nighttime Shaky Knees performance

blink-182 Photo by Roger Ho for Shaky Knees

Vocalist performs before a Franz Ferdinand stage backdrop

Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand – Photo by Pooneh Ghana for Shaky Knees

So maybe Vampire Weekend isn’t an artist you’d expect in this category, but beyond their brand of collegiate indie rock, the band sound mixes an impressive range from Afropop and chamber music to punky riffs (see: 2024’s Only God Was Above Us). Plus, their song worked well for the header title.

The NYC outfit’s set at the Piedmont Stage hit all the sweet spots, covering their catalog pretty evenly. While their songs were richly textured, Ezra Koenig and company made things look and sound effortlessly breezy. They even threw in a snippet of fellow Shaky Knees act Weird Al’s “Ode to a Superhero.”

Guitarist in a cream shirt sings beside a microphone with one hand extended

Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend

After a successful and viral stint of pop-up house shows, The All-American Rejects took the Ponce De Leon Stage to a crowd that would massively overflow the capacity of any backyard. The Rejects did what they did best, which is have everyone in attendance (working media included) head over heels from their infectious riffs and onstage charisma. Their set gave pure Warped Tour vibes as inflatable beach balls bounced across the golden-hour crowd. While the band sounded great on emo-pop classics like “Swing, Swing” and “Dirty Little Secret,” they also delivered on newer songs like “Easy Come, Easy Go” and “Search Party!”.

Bassist shades his eyes while looking into the festival crowd

Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects

IDLES brought visceral energy to the Piedmont Stage as they opened with “War,” “Gift Horse,” and “Mr. Motivator.” It was a post-punk catharsis for both the band and fans, with mosh pits and sweaty breakdowns going in full force.

Tattooed vocalist with pink hair sits near the front of the stage

Joe Talbot of IDLES

With a song like “PUNK TACTICS,” you can only expect the highest energy from Joey Valence & Brae. From their walk-up mix of DMX’s “Party Up,” Cypress Hill’s “Throw Your Set in the Air,” and Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff,” things were already off to a good start. The duo’s brand of hyper rap had the crowd hyped to no end, especially on opening song “THE BADDEST.”

Fresh off the release of private music, Deftones closed out the Peachtree Stage Friday night with a glorious 18-song set. They opened with hits “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” and “My Own Summer (Shove It),” which undoubtedly had the pit in a riot. Lead vocalist Chino Moreno was on point switching between the melody and screams, while the band was fierce and fuzzy in all the right ways. Each note was punctuated by an assault of lights and distorted visuals, adding to the chaos of it all.

Guitarist jumps over a stage monitor amid bright lights and smoke

Chino Moreno of Deftones Photo by Pooneh Ghana for Shaky Knees

Highly Suspect created a moody atmosphere as they opened with a jam session at the Piedmont Stage. They leaned into heavy-duty grit as they let their guitar-driven melodies do the talking. Once lead singer-guitarist Johnny Stevens’ vocals kicked in on songs like “Bath Salts” and “Bloodfeather,” the Cape Cod band’s sound evolved into something anthemic.

Guitarist in a cap and glasses plays a yellow electric guitar

Johnny Stevens of Highly Suspect

Art rock met experimental soul at TV On the Radio’s divine set on the Peachtree Stage. Their performance pulled from mostly Seeds, Dear Science, and Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes and featured lush harmonies, polyrhythmic drums, and glitchy synth-pop. The six piece had fans in what seemed like pure bliss, with many waving their hands in the air and getting in the groove.

Singer in sunglasses and a sleeveless shirt performs with a handheld microphone

Tunde Adebimmpe of TV on the Radio

Goodbye Britpop summer, hello Britrock fall

As Oasis led what the Internet affectionately dubbed as “Britpop summer,” Shaky Knees seemed to ring in Britrock fall with a handful of acts from across the pond.

Inhaler kicked off Friday at the Piedmont Stage harnessing pure post-punk and alt-rock energy. The Britrockers paid homage to their motherland with first cut, “Dublin in Ecstasy” and later channeled some My Bloody Valentine licks on “Just to Keep You Satisfied.” Doubling up the distortions were their complementary visuals, which projected the band in fractals and split tones.

Guitarist raises one hand while singing into a microphone

Elijah Hewson of Inhaler

SOFT PLAY might have claimed that “Punk’s Dead” in one of their cuts, but they led the way with hardcore fury, unleashing snarled vocals and fiery riffs at the Peachtree Stage. The English duo pulled from mostly Heavy Jelly and Sugar Coated Bitter Truth for their set, but also included a song from vocalist Isaac Holman’s solo work, “Mirror Muscles.”

Tattooed guitarist jumps beside a shirtless drummer at Shaky Knees

Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent of SOFT PLAY

Guitar legend, Mancunian, and former The Smiths member Johnny Marr brought his signature magic riffage to the Peachtree Stage. He blended solo material with Smiths classics, including “How Soon Is Now?,” “Panic,” “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” and “This Charming Man.” Marr treated fans to shimmering reverb, occasional improvised licks, and acoustic renditions that felt like a guitar masterclass.

Guitarist in sunglasses lifts his instrument high above the stage

Johnny Marr

The Welsh rockers of Stereophonics took the Piedmont Stage on Sunday with their melodic rock swagger. Their set layered gritty guitars with vocal hooks that had fans swaying, heads nodding, and singalongs abound. They performed 12 songs from across their catalog, including Just Enough Education to Perform and Keep the Village Alive.

Guitarist raises a sunburst electric guitar while looking toward the crowd

Kelly Jones of Stereophonics

Girls to the front!

Shaky Knees iconically diversified the bill this year, featuring a handful of acts like The Linda Lindas and Wet Leg, who are often lauded for their riot grrrl-esque snarl and compelling impact in the music scene.

Girl Tones brought rockstar energy to their Saturday noon set at the Piedmont Stage. Surf-rock melodies met garage grunge riffs as Laila and Kenzie Crowe laid out the melodies from their recent singles “Blame” and “Cherry Picker.” With just a drumset, a Supro electric guitar, and dreamy vox, the sister duo radiated nothing but good energy for the warming crowd.

Two guitarists perform with a drummer on an outdoor Shaky Knees stage

Laila Crowe and Kenzie Shultz of Girl Tones

Die Spitz leaned into cool underdog energy, offering a mix of youthful ferocity and melodic grit. They riled up the Criminal Records Stage with a sense of unpredictability, layering raw vocals on top of heavy riffs that ebbed, flowed, fuzzed, and broke down in the best way possible. Songs like “Red40,” “I hate when GIRLS die,” and “My Hot Piss,” not only had some of the raddest titles of the day, but also stirred up endless mosh pits.

Red-haired guitarist sings into a handheld microphone

Ellie Livingston of Die Spitz

The Beaches are pros in the festival circuit, bringing the coolest vibes to their major festival sets—Shaky Knees being no exception. They opened with “Last Girls At The Party,” which already had fans screaming along. Their performance leaned into surfy garage rock as they went on to play songs off their most recent album, No Hard Feelings. But of course, the band closed with fan favorite, “Blame Brett” from 2023’s Blame My Ex.

Bassist in a black top sings while playing a patterned electric bass

Jordan Miller of The Beaches

Rock & Roll in many forms

Between blues rock from The Black Keys and Alabama Shakes, art-rock greatness from Spoon, and indie-folk rock from The Backseat Lovers, it’s safe to say that Shaky Knees highlighted all the best sounds to come from the rock scene.

Guitarist leans back while playing a mint-green electric guitar

Brittany Howard and Noah Bond of Alabama Shakes

Improvement Movement rolled out bite-sized epics with their emotive, psychedelic rock. Their harmonies were breezy, instrumentals soft, but every crescendo would evolve into what felt like a spiritual awakening. Under blue skies, their vibrational sound felt right at home at the Peachtree Stage.

Tattooed bassist in a cap and blue shirt sings at the microphone

Marshall Ruffin of Improvement Movement

Hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigander sounded heavenly as Jason Singer and company leaned into synth-pop melodies, dreamy tones, and an effective fog machine. Songs like “East Chicago, IN” and “Emotional” were poignant and pensive, like anthems for all the yearners and romantics in the crowd.

Guitarist in glasses points toward the crowd while singing

Jason Singer of Michigander

The Criticals seared through their early Ponce De Leon set, opening with triple threat “Good Lookin,” “Here Comes My Doll,” and “Reba.” While they mostly kept cool and collected onstage, their aura felt fresh and fierce. The band kept things sharp as lead singer Parker Forbes’ vocals packed a punch.

Vocalist leans forward while holding a microphone stand

Parker Forbes of The Criticals

The Stews tore up the Peachtree Stage with driving rhythms, bruiser tones, and vocals that had Southern flair. Songs like “Fireline” and “9-5” had the crowd in the mood to rock, with some even shoulder riding and jamming away.