Feel Like Going Back
Guests attended the bittersweet finale of Shaky Knees Festival on Sunday, March 10th. Concert-goers arrived early in order to catch Los Angeles natives, Mini Mansions, perform at the Peachtree Stage. The stylish group were dynamic and vivacious. The band members engaged the crowds with their spectacular instrumental performance. They wore gorgeous printed paisley suits which matched with their musical instruments.
Mini Mansions opened with a gripping song, "Sherlock Holmes." The Indie Pop song is a love ballad about how a man wants to meet the expectations of his high-maintenance lover. The band performed upbeat and energetic songs such as "Creeps," "Any Emotions," and "Death Is A Girl". Mini Mansions performed a captivating show which included a cover song from Blondie's "Heart of Glass."
The crowd patiently awaited for the song performance of "Vertigo," in which they anticipated an appearance by Alex Turner, lead singer of Arctic Monkeys. Fans of the Arctic Monkeys hoped he would make a cameo appearance during this song performance. Alex Turner had been frequently providing guest appearances at Mini Mansions' recent shows. However, fans would not get to see him this time. Instead the bassist and drummer, Michael Shuman, sang Alex Turner's verses.
Concert-goers crowded around the Peachtree Stage two hours before Ryan Adams' performance scheduled at 6:45 pm. They watched as his crew set up the stage prior to the show. The crew decorated the stage in eclectic collectible items which included arcade games and enormous speakers. A small cardboard frame of a cat adorned the top of an arcade game. An avid fan mentioned that Ryan Adams owns several cats and loves being a cat owner. Also, the fan mentioned that Ryan Adams enjoys playing vintage arcade games.
Fans wondered if Ryan Adams would display any on-stage antics during his performance. This prolific singer-songwriter is known for his sovereign melodies, whimsical lyrics, and eccentric personality traits. The audience were expecting him to request them not to take pictures or videos during his set. A fan mentioned that they had recently seen him in concert and he performed a two hour set along with an encore. He began his set with his brand new song, "Let It Ride."
The crowd lit up their cigarettes and raised their drinks during his performance of "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)." He was surprisingly interactive with the crowd. Ryan Adams would say jokes between songs and converse with the audience. He played his guitar solos close to the edge of the stage and provided an intimate performance to the front row attendees. Crowd-goers watched and listened attentively when he sang "New York, New York" and "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Fans were enthralled by his powerful performance of the song about yearning, "Come Pick Me Up." The enchanting song encouraged the audience to slow dance with one another.
Tame Impala were the headliners and final performers of Shaky Knees Festival. Fans mentioned that they had waited since the early morning underneath the heat rays at the Peachtree Stage. They endured the brutal heat in order to be front row at Tame Impala's psychedelic show. The audience watched eagerly as Tame Impala's sound engineers arranged the gigantic stage gear and technical sound equipment. They appeared as mad scientists since they were dressed in white lab coats.
Tame Impala performed underneath the Atlanta moonlight skyline at 9:00 pm. The band opened with their dazzling song, "Mind Mischief." Photographers from various magazines crowded around stage to capture the exquisite light show and Kevin Parker's bohemian stage presence. The group performed a variation of songs from their prominent albums, "Inner Speaker" and "Lonerism." The band performed new songs from their latest acclaimed album, "Currents." The audience cheered as the group sang their new singles, "Let It Happen," "Disciples," and "Eventually."
The audience cheerfully sang along to Tame Impala's renowned whimsical ballad, "It Feels Like I Only Want To Go Backwards." Tame Impala bestowed an unforgettable concert experience upon the audience. However, a recommendation would be for their bass to be turned down several notches since it obscured Kevin Parker's singing and the band's collective sound. Despite the intense sound, the audience did not want Tame Impala's musical set or the festival to end. Fans will anticipate the next Shaky Knees Music Festival and Tame Impala performance.