Knox Review: Atlanta 2026

Nothing beats a night of high-energy, upbeat, pop-rock music, and fans gathered at The Masquerade for a Knox show that delivered on every level. His stacked setlist of bangers got the room jumping and singing at the top of their lungs for every song.

The night started strong with Emi Grace, known for her sharp fusion of rock, electronic, and fiery guitar work. Leaning heavily into a raw, punk-rock edge, she came out guns blazing. Several songs had relatively lengthy instrumental breaks, and both she and her backing musicians jumped and ran across the stage. Between songs, Grace frequently engaged with the audience, praising their energy with “I knew you guys were fun” and also remarking on how warm and clean Atlanta was when she explored the city earlier in the day. Introducing “Patiently,” she shared her personal story of moving from a small town to a major city, delivering a heartfelt message about never giving up on yourself. The track built from a slower pace, picked up, and finished with Grace on the harmonica. She then closed out her set with the hard-hitting “Talk About It,” which had the room clapping along and thoroughly hyped for the show to come.

Knox’s headlining performance kicked off dramatically as pulsing lights flashed and a dramatic atmospheric drone played over the PA. His band took their positions before Knox sprinted onto the stage, launching directly into “4.3 Forty” and maintaining that momentum through “After the After Party,” with lots of running and jumping across the stage. Strapping on a guitar for “Man Down,” the track transitioned seamlessly into “Love Letter.” Taking a quick breather, Knox gave a shoutout noting that only three dates remained on the US leg of the tour, promising to dive into the new, the old, and everything in between before playing “What Do I Know.” He then told the crowd he wanted to get their voices warmed up, launching into call-and-response vocalizations for “Mixed Feelings.” Keeping the momentum high through “Ready Or Not,” he stepped onto an elevated platform on the side of the stage with a mic stand positioned right in front of him, and he later in the song got the crowd clapping.

Proclaiming, “Let’s play some old shit,” Knox launched into the fan-favorite “Now & Then.” He brought down the tempo slightly for a snippet of 5 Seconds of Summer’s “She Looks So Perfect,” which morphed effortlessly into his own song “D.N.A.,” pushing the room’s energy back to a high. During “She’s Not Okay,” the room chanted “Hey, hey, hey, hey.” The crowd singing expanded as Knox teased, “Let me know if you know this,” before kicking off “Go for Broke,” where fans took the lead on the opening line after a quick cue from Knox and sang the first chorus by themselves. The final chorus seamlessly transitioned into “All American Tragedy.” For “50/50,” Knox asked the room to light up the room with their phone lights as his devoted fanbase sang the last chorus.

Known for his playful stage presence and sharp sense of humor, Knox paused during a quiet interlude to marvel at how surprisingly polite and quiet the room became between songs. Catching the eye of a few fans in the front two rows who mentioned it was their very first concert, he jokingly warned them to cover their ears so he could sing “like a douche” before launching into “Long Story Short.” He then ran around a popped a couple squats for “Better Than Me,” to add to the attitude of that song. A classic throwback tease of “Time Machine” over the speakers caught day-one fans by surprise, sparking instant excitement before transitioning into “Porch Lights.” He then guided the room through another interactive call-and-response during “Gone Missing.”

Knox then reminisced about his Atlanta show last year at Center Stage, noting that one of his favorite videos ever captured was filmed there when the crowd screamed back his next song. He joked that while tonight’s room might be a bit more intimate, he knew they could easily surpass that volume. Inviting the crowd to scream the chorus of “You Happened” as loud as possible, the room eagerly obliged, raising their hands and later taking over the entire final chorus. Admitting that he was going to play a song he “doesn’t even like” (though the fans adore it) and telling the audience they better dance because of that, he launched into “Treadmill.” Asking if he could share a quick story, he smoothly hit his beat to sing, “Let me tell ya’ a little story how it all went south,” which was the opening hook for “Voicemail.” He invited the room to sing along to the next track, and from the very first note, the crowd joined in as the intro of “Going Going Gone” segued directly into his hit “Sneakers.”

As the main set wound down, Knox announced it was time for the final song while giving the rundown of the upcoming encore paired with a heartfelt speech. He laid out the game plan: he would lift his guitar into the air, the audience would throw their fists up, and their tour photographer would capture the photo. Then, after the band walked off, the crowd was instructed to chant specifically for guitarist Johnny rather than the usual “Knox” or “one more song.” Pivoting to a more emotional tone, he talked about his roots in Carlisle, Ohio, a place where opportunities like this are rare, expressing immense gratitude for his career in music and promising that as long as fans keep showing up, he’ll keep playing. With that, he launched into “Sad Song,” the closing track on his latest record.

Following the script, the crowd erupted into loud chants for “Johnny” to call the band back out. They returned with a snippet cover of Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance,” which transitioned right into his biggest hit “Not the 1975.” Knox took a pause to introduce each band member by name, reassuring the venue that Atlanta remains one of his absolute favorite cities to play before delivering an energetic finale with “Pick Your Poison.” After the final chords struck, Knox stepped down in front of the barricade to hand a setlist directly to a fan, closing out a fast-paced, high-energy night of pop-rock that left the room thoroughly satisfied.