The inaugural BottleRock Napa Valley Festival will offer four days of activities of which François Rabelais would without doubt have approved. Though the French Renaissance writer (and monk) who coined the phrase "eat, drink and be merry" might object to the amplified volume of some of the music on offer, he’d certainly be down with the food, wine and comedy the festival's organizers have planned.
Following warm up performances on Wednesday, May 8 from KAPTN, Louis Prima Jr., and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the event officially pops its cork on Thursday, May 9. The opening night lineup will feature former Grateful Dead band members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir performing with their jam band Furthur as well as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Primus, Delta Spirit, X, Violent Femmes, and more.
Friday night's entertainment includes The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, The Shins and Blues Traveler. On Saturday night, Jane's Addiction will be treating revelers to a special one-off performance. Kings of Leon, Jackson Browne, Bad Religion, and a collaboration between Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite also share the bill that night. The festival closes on Sunday, May 12 with sets by Michael Franti and Spearhead, Zac Brown Band, Train, Cake, and The Wallflowers, among others.
As if the musical performances weren't reason enough to attend BottleRock, additional entertainment will be provided by a stellar list of comedians which includes the likes of Greg Behrendt (who wrote the New York Times bestseller He's Just Not That Into You, which was later turned into a highly successful film), Demetri Martin, and Daily Show correspondents Wyatt Cenac, Aasif Mandvi, and Kristen Schaal.
To round out the menu for this deliciously civilized event, BottleRockers will be able to indulge in libations supplied by 40 local wineries and enjoy food from a diverse mix of gourmet food trucks. BottleRock takes place over three main stages at the Napa Valley Expo, which is located by the banks of the Napa River, as well as several "after-party" locations in the nearby town. Single, three and four-day passes are available now.
