Bottlerock is one of those events that everyone should go to one time in their lives. The festival has been held since 2013 nestled in the charming town of Napa Valley Expo in Napa Valley, California. This event is filtered over three days on nine stages and is always jam-packed with diverse talent. This festival is so popular that they have even put tickets on sale for Bottlerock 2025 because it sells out so fast.
Grace Bowers 12:30 pm Jam Sellers Stage
Seventeen-year-old Grace Bowers started the festival. Intelligent and interesting in her performance, she commanded the stage. The band kept up with her as she shredded on the guitar like a woman on a mission. Well thought out and poignant, she is one to look for in the future as she is sought out by Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson, Devon Allman and more.
Fleece 1:15 pm Verizon Stage
Fleece is a Canadian band with a limited history and a big sound. Heading out of the eastern side of Canada, they brought their level for fun westward to Napa. While the audience wasn’t quite there yet, Fleece was. With four members in the band, they pounded out their set like seasoned pros. Playing a short set, it was just what was needed for the day.
Pete Yorn 2:00 pm Jam Cellars Stage
When Pete Yorn said he was to be attending, people were skeptical. Having canceled last year due to an unplanned surgery, he was dialed in this year. Playing his fifth sober show, he played to the crowd and didn’t disappoint anyone. Drinking a Guinness Zero, he made his way through the set with an ease and canter that was pleasing to the soul. Playing his music was just what the crowd needed for the rest of the day.
Setlist:
1.Never Go
2. Life on a Chain
3. Blood
4. Calm Down
5. Murray
6. On Your Side
7. Just Another
8. Someday, Someday
9. Strange Condition
10. Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order cover)
11. ‘Til the End
12. The Man
13. For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)
2nd Set Solo Acoustic
14. In Between Days (The Cure cover)
15. Closet
16. Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison cover)
17. Life On A Chain
18. Strange Condition
Boywithuke Verizon Stage 2:30 pm
Boywithuke took the stage with his boyish charm. His outfit consisted of black pants, a white hoodie, and a black mask with big eyes. The microphone, well that was a fake, the vocals were being transmitted through his mask, and the microphone was just for the show. Coming out of the gate hot, he jammed through his first two before slowing it down on the third song. The third song, while slower, kept the attention of the ever-growing crowd. The artist was fun and engaging as he blasted through his set.
Setlist:
1). Lucid (interlude)
2). Camouflage
3). Two Moons
4). Migraine
5). Problematic
6). IDGAF
7). Bad Things
8). Trauma
9). Can You Feel It?
10). Ghost
All Time Low was purely amazing. This five-piece band blasted it from the get-go. The rocking band jammed from start to finish and all points were in between. The stages weren’t slowing down in the least as they rocked their set, starting with “Weightless”. As they plowed through their set, they hit tracks like “Poppin Champagne”, “PMA’ and “Dear Maria, Count Me In” before heading off stage.
Setlist:
1). Weightless
2). Lost in Stereo
3). Poppin’ Champagne
4). Perfect Day (Hoku cover)
5). Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)
6). Something’s Gotta Give
7). PMA
8). Dark Side of Your Room
9). New Religion
10). Sleepwalking
11). Monsters
12). Dear Maria, Count Me In
Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power with Nelly and Tinx Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage 4:30 pm
To slow things down a bit, we jetted over to the culinary stage for the first time this year. The celebrities were Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power with Nelly and Tinx. They were sporting Cameron and Katherine’s wine and cooking a little bit up there. It sure was a nice break during the day to get some rest.
Bebe Rexha Jam Sellers Stage 5:00 pm
Bebe Rexha is a successful songwriter with credits from Eminem‘s single “The Monster” which won a Grammy. With her band in tow, she sang her heart out. Heading through her songs, she knocked every one of them out of the park. A great performance and has us all wanting more.
Chevy Metal Prudential Stage 5:30 pm
Chevy Metal charges forth with their cover set. Playing the tunes the whole crowd knew and loved, they performed with several special guests. Chris Shifflett from the Foo Fighters, Bastian from The Alive, one of their photographers, and Grace Bowers who learned the song minutes before she played it live on stage. It was a good set filled with solid songs that we all enjoyed.
Setlist:
1). Next to You (The Police cover)
2). Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy cover)
3). Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love (Van Halen cover)
4). You Really Got Me (The Kinks cover)
5). Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin cover)
6). Psycho Killer (Talking Heads cover)
7). The Wizard (Black Sabbath cover)
8). Bitch (The Rolling Stones cover)
9). Moonage Daydream (David Bowie cover)
10). Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath cover)
11). Live Wire (Mötley Crüe cover)
Nelly Verizon Stage 6:30 pm
Nelly brought the R&B/Hip Hop to the stage and the audience dug it. He brought passion all his own and the audience loved every minute of it. Dressed in a black shirt and shorts, he commanded the performance and owned the stage. Jamming through his hits, he had no naysayers at the end and that was the point.
1.E.I.
2. Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
3. Ride Wit Me
4. Cruise (Florida Georgia Line cover)
5. Lil Bit
6. High Horse
7. Grits & Glamour
8. Over and Over
9. Hey Porsche
10. Grillz
11. Hot in Herre
12. Dilemma
13. Just a Dream
Tyler Florence and Tommy Lee Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage 7:30 pm
Tyler Florence and Tommy Lee were up next on the culinary stage. Tyler was selling his restaurant in San Francisco California to the people and Tommy was just there to have another face to the mix. While Tommy’s vocals are limited, he put forth an effort as they made a Tomahawk Chop with all the fixings. Delish! They also made a “mock” tail since Tommy doesn’t drink and more. Overall, a pretty good kitchen.
Megan Thee Stallion Verizon Stage 8:15 pm
Megan Thee Stallion co-headlined with Stevie Nicks. Megan Thee Stallion was incredible. She took the stage and the beats fell. Wearing a purplish pink outfit, she was in complete control and then the dancers came out and they had purplish pink on too. Megan strutted around the stage and the dancers kept up with style. Playing her hits, Megan stole the show as only she could. Starting the set with “Hiss” the audience went crazy before entering it to “Ungrateful”. She held all the folk in the palm of her hand and she knew it. It seemed like a short time but in effect, it was long, the show was over and it was time to go. People were happy they got to experience it.
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Photographer of about 10 years, I have been shooting concerts for about 8 of those years. I started to get serious about concert photography about 6 or 7 years ago and now try to shoot as many as I can. I shoot mostly rock but, have done some country and big band stuff. I love music and since I am nowhere close to being a musician, this is a way I can be a small part of what, in the words of Henry Rollins, “gets me through the highs, the lows and everything in between”.
