Haerts
My day started with Haerts. I had seen them at Bonnaroo last year but wanted to give them another go since I enjoyed their recent album so much. They did not disappoint. Artists that are so vocally driven are always a concern live because an off night from the singer can make the whole show way worse. Nini Fabi is great live though. Her voice is every bit as big and strong as the album, and they’re definitely worth looking into if you get a chance.
Mitski
I went to Mitski based off a lack of interest in Jukebox The Ghost and the recommendation of a friend. He has been listening to her 2014 release Bury Me At Make-Out Creek on a regular rotation and gave it a thumbs up. The three piece band certainly has a sound of their own, and they did well putting it out there. The vocals and lyrics are unique and thought out, but I am just not sure that it is something that clicks with me. Others who also went were impressed with the show, so it may just be me.
John Grant
The Iceland based singer was on oddball on the lineup for a couple of reasons. On the rock focused lineup, Grant’s music are piano and synth based ballads about failed relationships. Given this, being on one of the big stages was a weird for him as his music seems tailor made for a dark initiate venue. This was a really great show for me. The music sounded great, and Grant’s lyrics are somehow sad and funny at the same time. His crowd interactions were engaging and really added to the show. He definitely got added to my list of acts I will see if they come in my area.
Wavves
I had some trepidation about seeing Wavves after checking out a lackluster video of one of their performances from this year. Gladly, they were much better than that show. They were the first really packed show of the day. The crowd was really into it with crowdsurfing and dancing taking over the front third of the audience for most of the set, despite the sun and heat being in full effect. Halfway through the show, a mother and daughter emerged from the crowd. The daughter was obviously suffering some ill effects from the heat and needed assistance. I helped her to a shady spot while a friend ran to the aid station. It’s just a reminder that summer festival weather can be rough. Make sure you take care of yourself and each other.
Clutch
This was the fifteenth time I’ve seen Clutch over the years. And it didn’t take long for them to remind me why that number is so high. Every member is good in their own way, but Neil Fallon remains one of the best front men in music right now. His stage presence is really impressive. Their setlist was solid. They played some older songs from their first few releases, some songs from their most recent release, Earth Rocker, and a few from their upcoming September release, Psychic Warfare, which appears to be continuing on the sound they had on Earth Rocker.
TV On The Radio
I saw Tunde Adebimpe at a King of Pops stand about an hour before their show. I took that as a good sign which ended up being spot on. They sounded great. This was my fourth show with them, and it was probably my favorite of the four. Like Clutch, they had a great setlist that touched on a majority of their catalog while hitting most of the songs that people wanted to hear, with Wolf Like Me especially setting the crowd off.
Mastodon
This was also the fourth time I have seen Mastodon. It wasn’t my favorite show from them, but it was a really great show nonetheless. It’s been interesting to watch their live sound change and improve over the years. I personally enjoyed how they repeatedly referenced how great it was for them to be able to be playing in their hometown again, and they really looked like they were having fun up there. They closed with a guest spot from Neil Fallon on Blood and Thunder which was a definite highlight of the day for me.
The Strokes
The Strokes were probably the most interesting act of Shaky Knees in terms of random banter. People’s reviews of the show seemed to be heavily affected by what they thought about them beforehand. People who love them loved the show. People who either didn’t like them or their live show were critical of the show. I have seen them three times now. I will admit that it was certainly the best of the three, but I wouldn’t call the show good. Despite improvements in the stage show and how much I like their first two albums (which were featured heavily on the setlist), I just cannot get into their live show. The crowd as a whole was ravenous in some sections of the field, and it was easily the most packed show of the day that I saw. Given this, it’s safe to say that Shaky Knees day one delivered in a big way.
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