Show Review: Counting Crows with the Wallflowers at America’s Cup Pavilion, 7/18/2013

Thanks to Daniel Gluskoter (dgpics.com) for the awesome Crows pics!
Thanks to Daniel Gluskoter (dgpics.com) for the great Crows pics!

Imagine a terrible day: you’re sick.  You’ve been fighting with one of your best friends all day.  You’re late to an important appointment because traffic is insane, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.  Said lateness makes you miss  a fantastic opportunity, so you’re even more upset than you already were.  Oh, and it’s chilly outside, with the wind picking up.  Your saving grace: you’re seeing two awesome bands that night. Do Counting Crows and The Wallflowers have the superpowers necessary to turn your whole day around, and end it on a bright note? I showed up last Thursday evening at America’s Cup Pavilion to find out. Continue reading “Show Review: Counting Crows with the Wallflowers at America’s Cup Pavilion, 7/18/2013”

BottleRock 2013 Review: Napa’s Inaugural Music, Wine, and Food Festival

A brand new festival just outside my front door.
A brand new festival just outside my front door.

When rumors about the first ever BottleRock Napa festival began to circulate, they were impressive: early flyers listed Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam as headliners (neither was ever confirmed). Still, the festival had the attention of the Napa Valley and surrounding music lovers long ago.

Once the final lineup had been released and tickets purchased, however, it was time to finally see what all the hype had been about. Because my home is in such a central location within “Napa proper,” as we all call the city of Napa (so as not to confuse it with the rest of “the Valley”), I didn’t actually experience the crazy traffic so many locals worried about. And while I did hear on one of the first few days (Weds or Thurs, though I’m not 100% certain which) that it took someone approximately 90 minutes to reach the Napa Expo from Fairfield (normally a 25-30 minute drive), I know for sure that the traffic relaxed and was relatively comparable to any other holiday weekend. (Which is to say, not insane as predicted.) The parking situation was the same as it usually is, I know for sure. The first three days, I arrived well before noon. As such, I beat the crowds and was able to find nearby parking with such ease that I chalked that up to my knowledge of the neighborhood, vs. all those who were coming in from out of area who didn’t know where to look (and as a result, were paying $25-40 to park much farther away). Continue reading “BottleRock 2013 Review: Napa’s Inaugural Music, Wine, and Food Festival”