The final day of Shaky Knees 2025 carried a bittersweet energy that came with the end of the festival weekend. Despite this, thousands of people flocked to Piedmont Park once again to make the most out of the weekend’s last hurrah and catch the many exciting acts slated on Sunday.
From when the gates opened Sunday morning to Blink-182’s closing fireworks, fans packed in for one last marathon of friends, food and, of course, fantastic music. Sunday especially had shows for every flavor of rock fan whether festival-goers were looking to catch indie anthems from Lucy Dacus and Vampire Weekend or a head-banging hard rock set from Devo and Teen Mortgage.
Sounds from Sunday
Local acoustic-rock quartet Improvement Movement was the first act to rock the Peachtree stage on Sunday. On new pieces like “My Team” and “The Knife,” the band layers a funky baseline over a fast-paced drum beat — the perfect songs to set the mood for the day. Each member of the band has outstanding vocal talent, and when they harmonized, the sum sounded even greater than its parts. Their harmonies during “On the Bus” reveal their dad rock influence with its acoustic melody and layered harmonies reminiscent of a young Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Fans can catch them when they return for a hometown show at Terminal West on Dec. 20.
Early in the day on the Piedmont Stage was Welsh indie rock group Stereophonics. The group has been releasing music for nearly 30 years, and they’re known all over the world for their belting vocal style and emotional lyrics that have resonated with listeners for decades. They played hits from their discography including “Maybe Tomorrow” and “Have A Nice Day,” and they ended their set with the smashing “Dakota,” perhaps their most iconic song with almost 300 million streams on Spotify.
The next to take the Peachtree stage were The Stews, another semi-local band rapidly gaining popularity for college-rock sound and electrifying guitar solos. From acoustic ballads to their fast-paced soon-to-be rock anthems, the band seem to effortlessly riff off of each melody, making the whole set feel like a continuous jam session. It was clear why the band’s live audience is growing.
One of the most exciting rock bands of this decade is Wet Leg, who played on the Ponce De Leon stage in the early evening. The duo is fresh off of the release of their sophomore album “moisturizer,” and they played many songs off the new record. They also graced the huge crowd with some of their past hits like “Wet Dream” and “Chaise Longue.” The latter was a particularly fun moment for the audience as they did a call-and-answer with singer Rhian Teasdale. “Excuse me!” Teasdale yelled; “What?” the crowd answered.
Overall, the festival was a roaring success, even with the many changes this year. The time switch from May to September and the location change from Central Park to Piedmont Park seemed to have paid off and left both new and old patrons of the festival happy with the shifts.
In an interview at the festival, Zach Broussard, third-year ChemE, said, “[At Piedmont Park] there’s a lot more space and room to breathe. You can sit in the back on the hill or you can go right up to the stage… I really like the environment here.”
By pairing a new date and environment with signature Shaky Knees magic, the festival pulled off a grand weekend of memorable performances and unbridled fun. The event’s undeniable success proved yet again the significance of Shaky Knees on Atlanta’s deep-rooted musical culture.