BottleRock 2024 delivers perfect mix of music, food and celebrity cameos
There’s something about BottleRock. The wine, food and celebrity appearances are all perfectly on-brand for Napa. Oh, and there’s music too — lots of it, actually.
It’s an intoxicating blend that over-delivered Memorial Day Weekend.
On the music front, certified hit-makers like Ed Sheeran, Stevie Nicks and Pearl Jam brought massive crowds to the main stage — and a few surprises.
Actor Bradley Cooper joined Pearl Jam during the last stretch of their career-spanning performance on Saturday. On Sunday, a faulty keyboard added unexpected tension and mid-set adjustments as Sheeran navigated the snafu with comedic grace.
But there were also numerous moments on smaller stages throughout the weekend, whether it was Action Bronson airing out his lyrical dexterity with a live band, Stephen Marley tapping into his father’s genius with a low-key singalong performance or Megan Thee Stallion turning heads with a booty-shaking romp that only she could deliver.
Guitar-driven rock was alive and well with The Offspring (Sheeran made a surprise cameo here, too), and Queens of the Stone Age working to unite the “drinkers” with the “weed and shrooms” contingent of the crowd.
St. Vincent was there, too, but her forward-thinking art rock was a tough sell for this fest. More people (including Bradley Cooper) were into partying with Nelly, who had a competing set with hits from almost 20 years ago and his short-lived country-rap era. That’s the vibe at BottleRock.
Younger acts like 19-year-old The Kid Laroi, Boywithuke and Fleece rounded out the lineup with something new for everyone to take in.
Beyond music, the festival is well-known for its masterfully curated culinary stage with Bay Area food journalist Liam Mayclem and DJ Umami guiding the festivities.
The crowds there often rivaled music stages as A-listers like Stephen Curry, Bradley Cooper and Cameron Diaz; celebrity chefs; and musicians dropped in for entertaining cooking demos and other antics.
The segment with Steph Curry and Bradley Cooper (yes, he was everywhere) ended with the combo lobbing cheesesteaks from Cooper’s new NYC restaurant into the crowd. Fans who weren’t lucky enough to catch one braved a long line to get their own at a Danny & Coop’s pop-up nearby.
Join the Discussion