written by Paul Dobbs
Held in Downtown Atlanta, the inaugural Shaky Beats Festival received lots of attention as a brand new event with a lineup rivaling that of long standing fests. Its four-year-old sister festival Shaky Knees took place in the same location the weekend prior, and Shaky Beats certainly did its part to keep the good times going. Likely thanks to organizers’ experience with Shaky Knees, Shaky Beats was spared from suffering through the growing pains many new festivals are prone to, making for an easy weekend full of Georgia sun and smiles.
Shaky Beats Festival Quick Facts
Camping: No
Capacity: Medium
Crowd type: Ravers / Younger crowd
Music genre: Funk, Future Bass, Rap, Dance
How To Get There
Located in the heart of the city in the beautiful Centennial Olympic Park, the festival is easily accessible through multiple modes of transit. A 20 minute drive from the airport makes for roughly a $15 Uber, and the festival teamed up with Lyft to offer free $20 rides for new users. MARTA, Atlanta’s citywide rail system, is a fast and very inexpensive way to get from the airport into the downtown area. Those lucky to book a downtown hotel may have even been able to walk straight to the festival, avoiding a drive altogether.
Where To Stay
The closer to the park, the better. Not just because the festival was so easily accessible from most downtown hotels, but because the city offers lots to explore before festival grounds opened. Anywhere within a mile radius from the festival was ideal; rooms averaged around $120/night.
Food
A total of 15 food vendors offered everything from cheesesteaks to Peruvian style street food, located far enough away from the two main stages (near the front entrance of the venue) to avoid crowding.
Production
Stage locations and setup were solid, especially given the size of the fest. I have had the unpleasant experience of listening to sound bounce off surrounding buildings at urban festivals, a problem that was avoided at Shaky Beats. Travel from stage to stage was easy—no overcrowding or bottlenecking—though the presence of some vendors between one main stage and the smaller Ponce De Leon stage added traffic to an already busy area. Production in terms of design and effects was up-to-date and well designed, but not out of this world.
Artists You May Not Have Heard of But Can’t Miss
Tory Lanez! I personally am not a huge rap fan, but my friends said he was a must-see and oh man were they RIGHT. His performance was second only to Danny Brown, one of my all time favorites, and seeing him at Shaky Beats definitely got me interested in hitting up another show of his.
Why Go VIP
VIP offers the following:
- Unlimited VIP lounge access
- Viewing platform with great line of sight
- Complimentary beer and wine
- Cash liquor bar
- Small food served twice daily
- Comfortable and relaxed seating
- Reserved air conditioned restrooms
- Access to all regular general admission areas
Insider Tips and Final Comments
Atlanta is a pretty popular city, so events like this tend to attract large crowds that raise the prices of cabs and Uber significantly. Take note of this when deciding on your mode of transportation, and don’t forget about parking! The Olympic Centennial Park is located right next to the Georgia Dome, which opened its parking decks for the event. I was able to park all day for $12, a great deal for anyone not staying within walking distance.
Check out our full photo gallery HERE!
