Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
(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”
(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”
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”
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”
Although I gravitate towards, and certainly cover, a lot of heavy and angry music, my tastes are more eclectic than I let on. It’s a bit of a mood thing for me, as I’m sure it is for many, and believe it or not, but my moods fluctuate rather wildly. I may not be the picture of poly-jamorous, but I’m just as comfortable listening to avant-jazz as I am death metal. So, it might be surprising to learn that I have never seen Swans before. I’ve listened to them on and off for years and even been ridiculed by my more obsessive peers for never having made it to one of their performances, so when the opportunity finally lined up, I pressed that go button.
It’s been too long since I’ve covered a show. Legitimately over half a year. That’s not to say that I didn’t get out of the house and into the dancehalls, but my camera stayed home, and the gigs were few. I’m not really sure WHAT to chalk this all up to, but I certainly hope that this drought is ending. Notably, the first show I’ll be heading to is at the Moroccan Lounge, where I last covered TsuShiMaMiRe.
Continue reading “Show Review: Reba Meyers at The Moroccan Lounge, 08-24-2025”
(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”
(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”
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”
(You’re reading Day 3. Be sure to check out Day 1 and Day 2!)
The last day of BottleRock Napa Valley 2024 started out warm and clear. Despite arriving at the Napa Valley Expo a bit later than the two days preceding, I had a full day planned. First up was The Beaches at the JaM Cellars stage. I almost missed this set because the band name didn’t ring a bell. Fortunately, another photographer mentioned that they were an all-girl band, which caused me to take a minute to look them up. As soon as I did, I realized that this was a band I’d been hearing recently (“Blame Brett”), so I tagged along to check them out. They’re a fairly high-energy pop-rock band serving plenty of attitude, and their set was a good time. The ladies of the band were cracking me up as they first took the stage, talking about wine hangovers and being “so ready to crush some grapes later!” They were trying to function after one hour of sleep, guitarist Leandra Earl explained, due to having played Red Rocks the previous night. “Who’s ready to be hungover again tomorrow?” lead vocalist Jordan Miller asked as they began “Grow Up Tomorrow.” BRNV is pretty good at putting the right bands at the right times, and this was no exception. You can find their entire setlist here. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2024 Festival Journal, Day 3”
