Shaky Beats 2016 Recap : First Time's a Charm
By Jennie Bass, Gregory Bellis, and Sanai Meles
The first annual Shaky Beats Festival set out to deliver a weekend full of performances that would quench Atlanta’s thirst for electronic and hip hop music; and deliver, it did. Held in Atlanta’s Centennial Park from May 20th-22th (the weekend after Shaky Knees), Shaky Beats emerged as the newest addition to the Shaky family and the funky, electronic cousin of Shaky Knees. Boasting 45 remarkable artists, 3 unique stages, incredible views of the surrounding skyline, and enough food trucks to feed a small country; Shaky Beats came together to form a mind-melting marriage of EDM and Hip-Hop music in Atlanta. Festival attendees, young and old, traveled from across the nation to revel in music that ranged from Porter Robinson’s “Divinity” and Nas’s “Street Dreams.” These as well as the other artists contributed to the expectation shattering, euphoric celebration of Atlanta and summer that was: Shaky Beats.
DAY 1 (Friday)Jennie Bass: Things kicked off on a rainy, but upbeat Friday with 11 artists gracing the 3 Atlanta themed stages (Peachtree, Piedmont, Ponce de Leon). 24 year old up and coming artist Jai Wolf opened the main Peachtree stage with an electrically amped track list that included a range of songs from Flume’s “Hyperparadise” to The Game and Skrillex’s “El Chapo”. Closing with his most popular track “Indian Summer”, Jai Wolf hyped up the audience and set the bar tremendously high for the rest of the weekend. After Jai Wolf, it was a quick walk to the Piedmont stage where AlunaGeorge continued to draw in the crowds as she slayed her set list, which included tracks such as Disclosure’s “White Noise.” Rocking a red, sequined bra and gray sweatpants with sequined cartoon faces, AlunaGeorge commanded the stage as she belted out the lyrics to her hit collaboration with DJ Snake, “You Know I Like It.” Despite approximately 45 minutes of heavy rain during the course of her performance, the crowds were not deterred from watching, dancing, or rejoicing in the energy of the music. Zhu followed and continued to keep the crowd hyped by playing hits such as “Faded” and “Working For It." After two insane performances, it was time for a quick water refill before heading to the Ponce stage.
Artists from the LA based Soulection record label, radio station, and music collective dominated the Ponce de Leon stage the entire afternoon. The stage was located on the far end of the park on a lowered, partially tented, plot of grass which acted as an intimate venue with surrounding seating that allowed for prime views of the artists. Starting off was Joe Kay, who is the Co-founder of Soulection, a radio host, and an international DJ. Esta and Sango followed and both played a fun, refreshing, mix of electronic tracks.By the time that Duke Dumont took to the main stage to perform, the rain had ceased and the crowd had nearly doubled in size. The British DJ and record producer blew away the audience with his amped up, House music set list. No one in the crowd could resist rhythmically waving their hands and dancing to the upbeat, electronic beats and drops in the hit track “I Got U." Duke Dumont pulled out all the stops for Shaky Beats, even sponsoring his own snapchat geofilter with an exclusive logo that was only available during his performance. His hyped up set was the perfect burst of energy that the crowd needed in preparation for Friday night’s headliner, Major Lazer.
After 30 minutes of anxiously waiting, the crowd went crazy when members of Major Lazer (Diplo, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire) hit the stage. Playing a set that was jam-packed with hits such as “Light it Up” and “Lost," Major Lazer delivered the exact performance that the crowd needed. The mix of Caribbean inspired beats, reggae, electronic, and house styles came together to create a worthwhile experience. And for a bit of hometown touch, Walshy Fire and some of the on stage dancers donned Atlanta Hawks jerseys. Finishing the set with their top hit “Lean On”, it was clear that Major Lazer had concluded the day with the ultimate combination of performance energy, digital/visual accompaniment, and music. As the crowd made their slow procession to the exit, comments about the mind-blowing day and anticipation for an even greater Day 2 lingered in the air.DAY 2 (Saturday)Gregory Bellis: After a spectacular first day Shaky Beats began Saturday, ready to enthrall festival goers with an even more spectacular lineup. Overall attendance increased significantly as the clouds parted and the weather became beautiful throughout the course of the day. I arrived just in time to watch Tory Lanez at the Piedmont stage. Lanez walked atop the crowd, climbed up a light pole, and created musical fervor in the crowd through his raps. Lanez owned the crowd, so much so that they were willing to let him literally walk on their hands. It was impressive to say the least. He performed his best -"Say It", "LA Confidential," and of course "Diego;" all the while bantering with the audience. After his set, my group decided to make a quick stop by the near infinite line of food trucks, refill our water bottles at the convenient Camelbak refilling station, and swung by the Samsung installation for some free Samsung gear.
Jennie Bass: After Lanez, marshello would follow up next keeping the crowd hyped and dancing on their feet to the tune of hits like “Keep It Mello” and “Summer." After the back-to-back mind melting performances, I went and grabbed some food before snagging a prime seat on the exterior of the Ponce de Leon stage in preparation for Trippy Turtle.Trippy Turtle, who is DJ Lido’s alter ego, delivered a dance-crazed, unbelievably enjoyable performance. His upbeat EDM songs are identifiable by his references to turtles and Fofofadi. Fofofadi is a collective of DJ's that includes artists such as Cashmere Cat, Trippy Turtle, Booty Beaver, Drippy Dolphin, and other animal themed DJ's. Trippy Turtle ignited the crowd with his dance inspiring beats, even causing me to jump out of my seat when the famous “Trippy’s Theme” came on. After the dance-filled hour, I headed back over to the main Peachtree stage to grab a good spot for Odesza.
Odesza was the headliner on Saturday, and band members Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight brought their best when they provided a live band for the entire performance. It was extremely refreshing to see an electronic performance that involved live instruments instead of recordings on a laptop. Odesza even brought in a guest trumpeter and trombone player to play during the performance. Despite being tired, the crowd became re-energized, jumping and dancing to tracks such as “Sun Models." Odesza finished the set with the fan favorite, “Say My Name.” Lastly, as a shout out to Atlanta, they brought out the Atlanta Falcon’s drum line to join the performance. I was blown away by the synchronized rhythm of the drum line working in perfect cohesion with the beats being blasted through the speakers.
Gregory Bellis: Yup, Odesza blew everyone’s minds. The drumline served as not only a great musical addition, but brought with them hype, city pride, and spontaneity, all things that the musical festival crowd in Atlanta thrived on. Odesza finished the night with a new single, yet to be released. I wish I could tell you the name, but trust me, you can’t wait for it.DAY 3 (SUNDAY)Jennie Bass: Although Sunday’s crowd was not nearly as large as Saturday’s, the festive, happy vibe was more prominent than ever. I began my day at the Peachtree stage for Aer’s fun and relaxed set. They finished with two of their best hits, “Feel I Bring” and “Float My Boat." After Aer, I hopped over to the Piedmont stage for NGHTMRE’s performance and had a blast dancing along to his remix of “Limelight.” The crowd went nuts when he played his new track “Feel Your Love” featuring Flosstradamus. I quickly walked back to the Peachtree stage to snag a prime spot for rapper A$AP Ferg. Ferg is a member of the rap collective A$AP Mob that originated in Harlem, New York and includes rapper A$AP Rocky and the late co-creator, A$AP Yams.Gregory Bellis: On the far side of the park, Treasure Fingers was performing at the Ponce De Leon stage. The venue was significantly smaller than the others and included amphitheater style seating, making it a perfect place to take a break, relax, eat, and observe the most interesting of the festival-goer breed twirl their hula hoops and balls on rope. Treasure Fingers was great, but this eccentric audience really grabbed my attention.
Jennie Bass: Back at the Peachtree Stage, Nas was getting ready to perform and no one was ready for what he was about to drop on the audience. It was hands down the most captivating and commanding act of the whole week! Beyond just playing hits such as “The World Is Yours” and “Life’s a Bitch”, Nas revealed one of his sources of musical inspiration by playing a bit of Beethoven during his set and then hardening the bass and remixing it. I especially appreciated Nas’ shout out to Atlanta when he sang “A.T.L. State of Mind” instead of the original “N.Y. State of Mind” during his set. Following an hour of singing along to timeless classics, Nas closed with his famous track “If I Ruled the World” and reminded the crowd “Hip Hop is #1”.Gregory Bellis: What truly sold Nas as the greatest performer for myself was not only his crowd engagement, but his homage to other artists and his propensity for motivational speaking. He stopped the set for a moment to talk about the old greats. Everyone thought he was referring to Biggie, Tupac, etc., but he quickly clarified that Beethoven was the original great. He had his DJ play "some of the shit I listen to dawg” and immediately Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 began blasting through the speakers across Centennial Park. The crowd went wild as Nas conducted the great composer’s work and as it got closer to the “drop” a beat started in the background. As soon as the symphony reached its climax Nas jumped right into "I Can" and the audience erupted.
Jennie Bass: After Nas, I decided to pop over to the Piedmont stage to catch the end of Carnage before the final that was Big Gigantic. I was pleasantly surprised to see the crowd turning up and overflowing in a wave away from stage. From the back of the crowd I had both a great view of the elaborate and mesmerizing light show as well as the eclectic mix of dancing fans.Big Gigantic was Sunday night’s headliner as well as the final performance of Shaky Beats, and they did not leave the crowd disappointed. Big Gigantic band members Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken used a live saxophone and drums in order to do justice to their jazz infused, electronic tracks. Beyond just blowing the crowds minds with their live electronic jams, Big Gigantic brought out two guest performers during their set. The first guest was Outkast member, Big Boi who came out and performed his famous hit “Shutterbug” as the crowd went wild. The second guest was EDM and rap producer Carnage, who came out and sang along to a few of Big Gigantic’s tracks. Overall the performance was the perfect end to Shaky Beats because it incorporated aspects of both the EDM and the Hip Hop/Rap sides of the festival.
The Verdict?Jennie Bass: As a whole, the Shaky Beats festival surpassed everyone’s expectations in terms of the variety of artists and overall experience. After such a successful first year, expectations are high as to what performers are selected for year two. All I can say is that I can’t wait until the next Shaky Beats where I can once again celebrate music, Atlanta, and the summer with my fellow music lovers.Gregory Bellis: The first annual Shaky Beats was an amazing success. Between the lineup, the food, the venue, and the beautiful weekend itself I can’t imagine anyone left on Sunday feeling cheated or unsatisfied. I know my expectations were shattered and I’m sure many others’ were as well. After such a successful inauguration I’m confident we’ll see Shaky Beats next year, and it’ll only get better.Sanai Meles: I believe that Shaky Beats filled a void for musical festival lovers here in Atlanta. Despite the initial bad weather, everything else seemed to go smoothly throughout the weekend. The festival were carefree, eclectic bunch who were as diverse as the music lineup itself. Besides the music, there were a variety of food trucks and sponsor installations (Samsung, Coca Cola, Heineken, Jack Daniels, Camelbak, etc.) offering free merch, drinks, activities, and more. Being my first music festival, it was a wonder to behold and I look forward to next year.
Check out our Shaky Beats 2016 Festival playlist, https://play.spotify.com/user/jbass12/playlist/09xdIfuOOuMrlaje0897JS