Not Just the Headliners: 5 Shaky Knees Underdogs Worth Showing Up Early For
Written by Emily (Mily) Ward |
Shaky Knees always pulls a killer lineup, but this year’s not just about the headliners. While the top of the bill is stacked with household names such as Deftones and Lenny Kravitz, there’s something electric brewing in the lower lines.
Since 2013, Shaky Knees has been Atlanta’s indie rock sanctuary – where breakout bands and cult favorites collide across three stages of sweaty tear-eyed fans, stacked lineups, and no VIP ego. Taking place less than a month away, September 19-21, 2025 in Central Park Atlanta, the festival has built its reputation on real guitars, real fans, and real music – skipping the influencer energy in favor of what matters: bands that have passion and crowds that actually show up early.
And early is the key word here. While the headliners are always the big ticket names and drive sales for festivals, the most electric sets are often hiding in the fine print of the poster. Here at Hard Launch, we were especially excited about this year’s openers and we compiled a list of our top 5 artists we are most excited to see in Atlanta this year.
Show up early. You’ll thank us later.
Die Spitz (Saturday)
If your emo, teenage self and sludge rock had a baby and was raised in a haunted DIY basement , you’d get Die Spitz. This all-female punk band is all bark and all bite. Expect screaming guitars, punchy vocals, and the kind of set that makes you want to bae-blade through a mosh pit.
2. Worry Club (Sunday)
Sad boy, pearl-wearing indie rock, but skip the male-manipulator vibes. Worry Club blends lo-fi bedroom feels with full-band punch – think late night texts you regret and the playlist you make after deleting them. Live, they hit way harder than expected.
3. Michigander (Saturday)
We had the pleasure of seeing Michigander live in January at The Social in Orlando – and we shed a tear. It’s indie rock that’s cinematic, emotional, and built for people who used to look out the window in the back of the car and pretended they were in a music video. Michigander (A.K.A Jason Singer) writes the kind of songs that sneak up on you – one second you’re swaying, the next you’re having an internal crisis. If we could pick one subliner you had to see at Shaky Knees, it would be this.
4. Girl Tones (Saturday)
Good ol’ Florida garage pop with a mean streak – Girl Tones deliver sunshine glazed hooks drenched in angst with the right amount of sarcasm. Their set feels like flipping off your hometown and skipping town with a boy you just met last night at a dive bar. Gritty, sexy, and “cool girl” without trying.
5. The Criticals (Sunday)
These Nashville boys serve swagger that came from an early-2000’s garage – but fresher. The indie rock live show is all hip-shaking energy, razor-sharp riffs, and “dancing down a poorly-lit street with a bottle of smirnoff” vibes. Think The Strokes if they were raised with southern humidity.