The first BottleRock was 13 years ago. I’m an avid concertgoer and Bay Area native, but, for whatever reason, making my way to BottleRock just hasn’t worked out. This year, however, there was a near-perfect synthesis of life and lineup working out for me to make my way there for a day.
I made my way to the festival grounds around 11:30 am to beat the lines and get my bearings. My first impression? The whole footprint of the grounds was significantly smaller than expected. There are as many stages as Outside Lands, but it’s much more compact. You can easily get between stages within about five minutes. Adding to the efficiency? “Blanket Zones”! There are sectioned-off areas for folks who want to post on blankets all day. BRILLIANT! No trying to dodge people’s stuff while getting around. I couldn’t believe how nice it was.
Folk Bitch Trio
It was pretty sunny and warm, so we eased into the day with the stunning harmonies of Folk Bitch Trio. They may have been a little *too* mellow for the start of a day of hard partying, but they made for a nice intro to the rest of the day. Most importantly, the grove watching them was attentive, and the sound was pristine.
The Return of Jackie & Judy
My main motivation for making the journey was to see this project. Sleater-Kinney is my all-time favorite band. The Ramones introduced me to rock music. This unexpected Sleater-Kinney side project of all Ramones covers? Well, it’s exactly what you’d expect and sounded amazing. Carrie Brownstein perfectly embodied Joey Ramone- his mannerisms and vocal inflection were replicated perfectly. It was a little odd seeing a band known for a big, dynamic, thundering sound being stripped down to very basic, primal rock n roll was a little disorienting for me at first, but they do this Ramones show really well. My only complaint is that they skipped “I Want To Be Sedated,” the track that would’ve gone over best with a festival crowd.
Nancy Whang at the Roller Disco
I’m not an LCD Soundsystem fan. But I like a good challenge. So I decided to try the roller disco. I failed miserably on the roller rink. Y’know who didn’t? Nancy Whang killed it with the perfect set of 80’s pop and freestyle jams that lent themselves nicely to the more coordinated festival-goers.
Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra were booked for the same time slot as Rilo Kiley, and it made me sad. Then they released something called “Backstage by United” and billed Better Than Ezra for a 30-minute set. Sadly, we got closer to 15, and there was only one member, but it was a ferocious solo acoustic set. Kevin opened up with a spirited version of “Good” before hosting a sing-along cover of Gorillaz’ “Feel Good Inc.” before ending with a joyful rendition of “Desperately Wanting” that made me want to buy tickets to a proper Better Than Ezra show. Or at least a full hour of Kevin.
Midnight Generation
With a line-up stacked with household names, I didn’t think discovery was on the horizon. However, I found myself with an hour or so of acts I wasn’t very familiar with. I started snacking on some HopMonk Tavern Fire Fries when I got a text saying, “Midnight Generation are totally my thing.” So I finished my fries on the way to see them. We were treated to what was groovy, Daft Punkian disco jams. It was fun stuff that I never would’ve sought out on my own.
The Warning
HOLY SHIT! I didn’t know that I needed some good, old-fashioned, chunky hard rock. But The Warning was perfect. This band of three sisters from Monterrey, MX, played a ferocious set that got some real headbanging in the crowd. I was shocked we didn’t get a pit. They were tight, heavy, and their hour-long set was far too short. It felt like they only played 10 minutes, and I’d still be there today if they kept playing. 
Arrested Development
Yes. Foo Fighters were the headliners. I’ve seen them. I’ve never seen the 90’s socially conscious hip-hop legends Arrested Development. I’m glad I made the decision that I made. The current incarnation of this group has its show down solid. Only lead vocalist Speech and choreographer Montsho Eshe remain from the classic lineup, didn’t slow down the show. Speech’s mic skills remain untouched, with a nimble, melodic style that filled me with a childlike joy, moving me back to the first time I saw the “Tennessee” video when I was but a tween. I didn’t realize how much these songs were ingrained in me- “Fishin’ 4 Religion,” “Revolution,” “Ease My Mind” – all songs that I found myself rapping along to every lyric. The set closer of “People Everyday” was a massive party, and was the right way to end my day. I’m sure Grohl was killing it on the other side of the grounds, but I was sated and ready to plan my visit next year.
