BottleRock Brings Summer Sounds to Napa Valley

Festival Features Green Day, Sublime, Justin Timberlake, Benson Boone, Noah Kahan, and Khruangbin

William Sonoma Stage | Credit: Nataschia Hadley

This year, BottleRock Festival in Napa Valley was my first sign of summer. There’s something about it that reminds you of an all-American, white picket fence Fourth of July barbecue. It’s time to turn that grill on and torch some hot dogs.

From May 23-25, you could enjoy incredible live music set to the beauty of Napa Valley. Headliners included Butter Chardonnay — best danced to with a glass of Justin Timberlake. Or enjoy the notes of Pacifico with a glutinous gallon of Green Day.

I would like to be invited back, so I am just kidding. And for clarity’s sake, the headliners this year were Green Day, Sublime, Justin Timberlake, Benson Boone, Noah Kahan, and Khruangbin.

I remember coming across the lineup and thinking to myself, “This is so good!” I recognized names I knew well, such as Dope Lemon, Sofi Tukker, The Balvths, and La Lom. Never having been to Napa and being a North Carolinian, I was also excited to see the famous wine country.

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BottleRock sits on a flat field. With several stages, a Lululemon skating rink, food vendors, sunscreen reapplication stations, and an indoor nightclub, it’s a maze for the directionally challenged, but eventually you get the hang of it.

The Williams Sonoma stage is a unique feature where you can watch celebrities and chefs cook — or try to. And I know, dear Indy readers, you may have preferred a recap of Kate Hudson, Noah Kahan… Trisha Yearwood. But I had plans to sit through a whole 30 minutes of Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers making ice cream instead. So, the pictures will be of that.

We walked in as E-40 inspired some Bay Area pride with “I Got 5 on It.” The stage looked deceivingly close as we waded through crowds stretched across the grass. Yet, as we walked, it felt like the field would never end.

Off on one end was the Jam Pad, where artists performed stripped-down acoustic sets. Saturday especially was packed, so the Jam Pad offered a more mellow escape. We caught two Aussie acts: on day one, singer-rapper Mallrat, and on day three, the band Vacations’ lead singer, Campbell Burns.

Back on the Jam Cellars stage, Remi Wolf lit it up. Remi is electric. She challenged the crowd with operatic call-and-responses, showing off her talent. Though I’m not the most versed in her world, I enjoyed every song I heard, starting with “Cinderella,” her cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” and “Liz,” which stood out to me.

We took several food intermissions. BottleRock is the most vegan-friendly festival I’ve ever been to. I couldn’t even decide. I ended up getting a “Hella Vegan” Indian burrito from Curry Up Now. It came packed with samosas and chutney. On Saturday, I grabbed a vegan chicken sandwich and oatmeal cookie from Amy’s Drive Thru — also excellent.

Later we saw Sublime, as the sun was fittingly shrinking, they serenaded the crowd with their beachy tunes. The crowd thickened even more for Green Day. Shoulder to shoulder, I pushed through, hoping to get some snaps of the band. Punk isn’t always my thing, but I can’t deny the showmanship. It wasn’t just a concert — it was a theatrical three-part tour through their discography and history.

On Day Two, I spotted a man in a three-piece purple top hat and waistcoat juggling beside a towering gin joint. The steampunk-inspired Hendrick’s Gin Mill drew a crowd with its iron-clad wheels and whimsical cocktails — Cucumber Lemonade, Butterfly Effect, OASIUM Fizz, and Desert Sun. It felt like something out of a surreal garden party.

Everyone at BottleRock toted some kind of drink… wine, beer, cocktails — hopefully water at some point too.

Justin Timberlake’s set was the talk of the day.

But there was plenty leading up to it. Names that Santa Barbara locals know well: Donovan Frankenreiter and a certain reggae-rock band called Rebelution. Choices had to be made: see a legendary Isla Vista band or watch Benson Boone jump off something dangerous? Scroll to the photos and find out who I picked. 😉

Earlier, at 3:45 B.T. (Before Timberlake), we caught Costa Rican band The Saint Cecilia. They had a definite ’70s look, the lead singer’s hair reminiscent of Robert Plant. After a couple of their hard rock songs, we shuffled over to try to catch La Lom and Jalen Ngonda. Also playing was 4 Non Blondes — I saw them two weekends in a row, having previously caught their set at Wonderfront Festival in San Diego. Reuniting after about 30 years apart, they made us nostalgic while also working in some new music. Their performance of “What’s Up” felt like a national anthem, with several screens across the fest playing their show and every person singing along.

Timberlake delivered. A consummate professional, his comedic timing added flair beyond the music. Pop shows rarely miss, and this one definitely didn’t — it was inspiring.

By Day Three, I was feeling the fatigue from my sole (seriously, it’s a lot of walking). I was excited to see Chaparelle, a country band made up of the sultry Zella Day and her cowboy companion Jesse Woods. I saw them at SOhO a year ago, and they were as lively as ever.

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Afterwards, we saw The War and Treaty. The husband-wife duo delivered powerhouse vocals that made everyone get on their feet. I recently watched their CMA Fest performance of “Call You By Your Name” and think they might be my next concert. If you told me they scored the Sinners soundtrack, I’d believe you.

I think my ultimate set of the day was Carín León. He performed a heartfelt show, continuing through a set that blended regional Mexican genres with modern influences. The music brought an unmatched passionate energy. It swept you up into a different place.

Cage the Elephant competed with Noah Kahan for the final act of the weekend. We chose Cage. Lead singer Matt Shultz played the eccentric frontman, leaping across the stage, feverishly grabbing the mic stand. I thought I only knew “Cigarette Daydreams,” but I was more familiar with the music than I realized. They didn’t engage much with the crowd, simply playing their hits without fluff — as if playing them for the first time.

I woke up the next morning in a panic. “Oh my god,” I thought, “I need to get to the festival.” Then I remembered — it was over. That urgency had become routine, and now there was a little tug at my heart about leaving Napa.

And then I remembered I was going home to Santa Barbara.

Actually, we have a lot in common with Napa. I think BottleRock is right up the Santa Barbarian’s alley. Wine country meets music meets… more wine?

I’ll toast to that.

See bottlerocknapavalley.com.