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BottleRock Napa Back Bigger and Better

BottleRock Napa 2014 is back for round 2 with The Cure, Sublime with Rome, and Gin Blossoms in a Bigger, Better and Stronger with another year of great bands, great food and great drinks in the Napa Valley.

After a bumpy first start with BottleRock Napa year one year two of the music and wine festival proved to be splendid. From the word go CelebNMusic247.com started our day a 9am as we ventured to the media parking which was located by Napa Valley College. We found parking swiftly and were quickly on the bus transportation that dropped us next to the festival gate, making it a smooth transition to the festival. From there we checked in and were quickly on our way to cover the second annual Bottle Rock Napa Music Festival 2014. The Festival has switched ownership and this year as we stepped into the venue we could already see the many changes.

From a media standpoint we were happy to see that this year the media tent was an actual building with air conditioning to facilitate the many interviews that we will be featuring this week. Although we noticed some immediate changes like all food and drinks were cash only and that the ticket system from year one was discontinued. As well as a new VIP and VIP platinum areas were created to give festival goers a unique experience with and exclusive feel. The tickets for VIP which run for $699.00 and VIP Platinum which goes for $3000. for the 3-day pass gives festival goers a top notch experience. VIP Festival goers have designated areas to watch all bands on the Toshiba Stage, Sprint Stage and Miner Stage. There VIP can sit back relax, drink and watch bands from designated areas with spectacular views.

Compared to a bumpy first year BottleRock Napa year two is new and improved. This year Bottle Rock 2014 came back strong and kicked things off with a nostalgic mix of music that ran through the 90s to 2014 with stellar performances by Moon Taxi, Delta Rae, Empires, Moon Alice, Matisyahu, Hurray for Riff Raff. It was an amazing to a full day of great music, food and drinks.

We started off our festival experience with a delicious Cajun shrimp sandwich the fueled CelebNMusic247.com’s day as we ventured around the festival to tackle all four stages that was filled with high energy talent. BottleRock Napa 2014 had multiple crowds in multiple areas rocking to the music. There was a little bit of something different for all palates, from food that delivers the best in Napa Valley cuisine to the valley’s best wineries strutting their stuff from lounge style tents to wine booths that delivered your favorite Cabernets, Pinots, Chardonnays, and Merlots. The festival delivered everything like last year minus a couple areas.

This year BottleRock Napa 2014 cut the comedy tent, and the philanthropy section of the festival, but has plans to bring back the philanthropy aspect in 2015. Year one may have been turbulent for BottleRock but thanks to a new group of owners who specialize in festivals there was a big difference. Getting in and out of VIP was easy and efficient, but all security needs to be familiar with the photographers who cover the festival. There were a couple miner bumps this year, but we know year three will be on point. Though, the mild changes made a great difference for the festival and working the event. Things ran way smoother all the way around except for one factor, and that was all the performance starter 15 minutes apart so it was none stop music all day long, but if there was an addition 10 minutes between acts that would help photographers get to each location smoother. Maybe in 2015 the Toshiba Stage could have two main stages at both ends of the field so when one band is done another can start across the lawn. The same setup can be placed at the Sprint Stage with two main stages set side by side so after each band another band can be setting up. This way there would be multiple stages with smoother transitions and more music. These are just some suggestions for year three which we are hearing to already set to be amazing with an extraordinary line-up and headliners.

The other suggestion would be a smoother way for photographers to get around the festival without having to fight the crowd. Last year we were able to run through the back areas of the festival to get to and from each stage and this year we were not which made it extremely difficult to fully cover the event. Day 1 was a smooth as the venue was around 20+ thousand people attending, but day two reach high over 33+ thousand. The more people made it almost impossible to cover the event this year as we did the run, but could not hit all the stages like normal. Without going through the festival the back way made it very hard to cover the multiple acts and stages.

Like we said those are just some hopefully changes from a coverage standpoint, festival goers seemed to have a blast. There was plenty to do for festival goers who came to enjoy great wine, food and music. This year the festival did NOT disappoint for festival goers as it offered many options from bear courts to wineries and world renounced fine dining cuisine. In the Whole Foods Garden festival goers are able to savor great food. However, we noticed one feature we would love to see come back to the Whole Foods Garden. The HUGE video screens in the food areas and around the festival for the Toshiba stage and the Sprint Stages, so festival goers can see their favorite groups while eating or if they need to sit while the bands performed. It would be great to see screens for the Toshiba stage in the Whole Foods Garden and maybe on the opposite side Sprint Stage Screens, so the area is set up like a sports bar but festival goers can see.

When it comes to screens for the festival, The Miner Family Winery Stage also needs a couple screens set to the sides as well as the area where the Whole Foods Garden so it can be a hub for festival goers to see who is performing and were to be.

As the day moved into the later hours festival goers were able to enjoy groups like the Gin Blossoms who blew the roof off the Miner Family Winery Stage, Robert Delong (the only EDM act) the had festival goers going crazy, followed by Mayer Hawthorne who had festival goers begging for more. Over on the main stage (The Toshiba Stage) TV on the Radio brought the rock to the festival with an electrifying performance. TV on The Radio was the perfect act as a lead in for The Cure who had fans going wild as Robert Smith took you through a thirty year catalog of music. The Cure kicked off with “Dog Eat Dog,” “Fascination Street,” “Friday I’m In Love,” “Pictures of You,” “Primary,” “A Forest,” and many more. The Cure set was over two hours and gave fans a sure dose of The Cure. Robert pulled many of his classic moves and expressions with smearing his makeup and more. If you are a diehard fan of the Cure this was one show NOT to miss. While festival goers rocked out to the Goth rock of The Cure, others were over at the Sprint Stage going crazy for Sublime with Rome who
gave fans of the 90s rock band tablespoon times 100 of rock. Sublime with Rome ignited the stage with an electrifying performance playing hits like “Santeria,” “What I Got,’ “Wrong Way,” and many more hits from the Sublime, 40 Oz to Freedom and Second hand Smoke albums.

Sublime with Rome’s lead singer didn’t want to set off anyone’s allergies outside his dressing room last night in Napa Valley … so instead he toked up on-stage. On Friday night over on the Sprint Stage Sublime with Rome played the BottleRock festival without bothering anyone like The Cure, TV on The Radio, Gin Blossoms, Mayer Hawthorne Delta Rae or EDM artist, Robert Delong.

See, last week Sublime with Rome ran into some issues with Linkin Park after Tucson cops say security for Linkin Park approached them to report Sublime’s dressing room weed-fest. According to the band, one of LP’s guys is allergic to smoke.

Sounds like Rome Ramirez lit up on-stage last night in protest.