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. Continue reading “BottleRock 2026: A First Timer’s Impression”
Tag: Napa
BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 3
(You’re reading Day Three – be sure to catch up on Days One and Two, too!)
Day Three of BottleRock Napa Valley for 2026 started just as most days like it do: I was tired, sore, and a little bit sad that the fun of shooting a phenomenal music festival was winding down. It’s the kind of day where you know you’re going to have to dig deep to make it to the end, but it’s always worth it. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 3”
BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 2
(You’re reading Day Two. Be sure to catch up on Day One’s fun!)
Saturday dawned sunny and cool in Napa Valley. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to get back to the Expo for another fun day of music.
First up, I caught some of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ set at the Prudential stage. This isn’t the first time this act has played BottleRock, but I didn’t catch them last time, so I had to make sure not to make the same mistake this time. I enjoyed hits like “Cherry Bomb,” “I Love Rock & Roll,” and “Bad Reputation.” Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 2”
BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 1
Hello from Napa! The weather has been gorgeous in these parts lately – blue skies, few clouds, gorgeous breezes, birds singing… this must be what the powers-that-be behind BottleRock call the “first taste of summer!” Indeed, it’s time again for this year’s festival, and as usual, I was ready with bells on!
Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Festival Journal, Day 1”
BottleRock AfterDark Review: Rilo Kiley with Whitmer Thomas at Uptown Theater – Napa, 5/22/26
Rilo Kiley has been a major part of my life for multiple decades and life changes. I’ve seen them play electric and acoustic. I’ve seen them in teen centers and massive outdoor sheds. We used “More Adventurous” to walk down the aisle at my wedding.
I love this band. Enough to travel an hour away for a late-night show. Continue reading “BottleRock AfterDark Review: Rilo Kiley with Whitmer Thomas at Uptown Theater — Napa, 5/22/26”
Festival Preview: BottleRock Napa Valley 2026
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time again! BottleRock Napa Valley has announced the lineup for this year’s festival, taking place May 22-24, 2026 at Napa Expo.
Prior to today’s announcement, BRNV took to the socials to drop some hints about the artists coming our way this year. I sure didn’t guess any correctly, but I’m looking forward to catching quite a few, as usual. It’ll be fun to see the return of Foo Fighters as headliners once more, and I’m really going to enjoy both Teddy Swims and Sombr as well. Other headliners include Backstreet Boys, Lorde, LCD Soundsystem, Lil Wayne, and Zedd. Continue reading “Festival Preview: BottleRock Napa Valley 2026”
BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 3
(You’re reading Day 3. Be sure to check out Day 1 and Day 2!)
The third and final day of a festival is always bittersweet: you know you’ll miss the free-spirited, listen-to-music-all-day-instead-of-the-rest-of-your-life vibes, but on the other hand, you’re tired and your feet hurt. It’s your last chance to catch some great set or discover a new artist. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 3”
BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 2
(You’re reading Day 2. Be sure to check out Day 1!)
Saturday started off warm and bright at BottleRock. I started my day at the Verizon stage for Kate Hudson‘s set. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 2”
BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 1
Friday was a beautiful day in Napa, and a great day to kick off BottleRock 2025. 72 and sunny with a nice breeze is exactly what I want, and this weekend shows up for us every single year. My day started with Ultra Q on the JaM Cellars stage. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2025 Festival Journal, Day 1”
Festival Preview: BottleRock Napa Valley 2025
It’s that time again, music festival fans: BottleRock Napa Valley has announced the lineup for 2025’s festival, which will take place this May 23-25 near downtown Napa.
Headlining this year’s event are Noah Kahan, Green Day, and Justin Timberlake. I’ve seen Kahan once, but am happy to catch him again. I’ve never seen Green Day and can’t wait to finally get my chance! I’ve seen Timberlake many times, but it’s been nigh on two decades since then (not since 2007/ FutureSex/LoveShow days). I’m definitely curious to see how his performances have evolved over the years, as I haven’t really followed his music much (unless Trolls counts)…
Anther act I’m looking forward to checking out is Khruangbin (though I would have loved this even more if the powers-that-be had arranged it when Leon Bridges was there as well, so they could perform together a little). I’m hoping to arrange my schedule to catch some of the following artists as well: Cage the Elephant, Ice Cube, Sublime (loved them with Rome, but I’m really excited to see Jakob Nowell as the new frontman), Goose, Sofi Tukker, 4 Non Blondes, E-40, Flo Rida, Kaleo, Allen Stone, Sharon Van Etten, Two Feet, Kate Hudson, and BBY.
On top of all this fantastic music, remember you can always count on BRNV to provide an endless stream of insanely delicious food and wine choices (this is Napa, after all), plus craft beer & cocktails, shopping, BottleRock Spa, Silent Disco, the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage (the lineup for that will be announced as we get closer to the actual event, but it’s always a good time), and much more!
I’m ready now, but the event is still months away. To pass the time, check out this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley Preview Playlist here: I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do! If you don’t have tickets yet, you can get them here. See you in May in Napa!