Last year we impulsively checked out BottleRock Napa Valley and it turned out to be one of the best weekends of our lives. This year, we return to the rolling hills of California wine country for another stacked weekend, with a line-up featuring some of the biggest names in music history as well as several high profile current superstars.
As we prepare to take in all the delicious wine, spectacular eats, and fantastic music, Nathan brings us his five predictions for BottleRock 2022.
Metallica will set the bar on Friday night
The Californian heavy metal icons will have homefield advantage Friday night as they headline the first night of BottleRock. Billed at the same time as Norwegian DJ Kygo, you can expect two very different crowds at two very different shows.
Metallica have been on the road playing a setlist which encompasses their entire career, giving fans exactly what they want with a perfect combination of nostalgia and head banging rock.
My money is on the opening riff of “Enter Sandman” being the highlight of the entire weekend. I can’t wait to hear the entire crowd erupt as James Hetfield yells “We’re off to Never Neverland!”
Hip Hop royalty will have something to prove
The biggest surprise of the schedule was seeing hip-hop supergroup Mount Westmore get bumped to the second headliner stage in favour of Twenty One Pilots.
Formed in 2021, Mount Westmore consists of four of all-time Californian greats – Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40, and Too Short – and will make their festival debut this weekend.
Missing out on that mainstage headliner slot is sure to motivate them to bring a little extra, and with a setlist full of rap classics including the likes of “It Was a Good Day,” “Straight Outta Compton,” and “Boyz-n-the-Hood”, Saturday night is sure to be a night the hip-hop fans in attendance will never forget.
People will be blown away by P!nk’s theatrics
P!nk has evolved in ways no one would have ever imagined 20 years ago, when she dominated the pop charts alongside Britney and Christina. Yet here we are in 2022, seeing her headline not one but TWO of the biggest US festivals – BottleRock and Austin City Limits.
Her shows are known not only for huge singalongs to two decades worth of chart toppers, but also her incredible death-defying acrobatics, floating above the crowd. Anyone walking up expecting to see that girl with pink hair singing pop hits of the 2000s are in for both a shock AND an incredible show.
Saturday’s undercard will be tough to top
We all that know one of the best parts of going to music festivals is scouring smaller stages looking for future headliners, and the second day of BottleRock is absolutely loaded from top to bottom with bands that fit the bill. Saturday alone features 5-6 bands playing before the headliner slot that offer just as much excitement than any at the top of the line-up – the major headliners better be watching their backs!
Banks and Rainbow Kitten Surprise would be my two top picks as future BottleRock headliners. Banks, boasting just as much talent and stage presence as Dua Lipa, is guaranteed to crush Saturday early evening. And Rainbow Kitten Surprise brings it every single live show, with Ela Melo‘s haunting vocals, and memorable performances are guaranteed to gain the band several new fans.
Other Saturday highlights include The Black Crowes, Silversun Pickups, Bahamas and Noah Kahan.
Can Twenty One Pilots rock harder than Metallica?
My first memory of Twenty One Pilots was at Bonnaroo, watching lead singer Tyler Joseph climbing the scaffolding as festival organisers begged him to come down. That small snapshot should give a little insight into what a Twenty One Pilots show can be like.
The two piece Ohio band has quickly gone from side tent act to headliner, due in no small part to the theatrics and high energy of their live shows. But it’s not all crowd participation, illusion, and constant surprises – their sound has evolved too, as they have aged and as their popularity has grown.
It’s a sure fire bet that Twenty One Pilots will bring everything they have to justify their presence at the top of the BottleRock bill.
BottleRock Napa Valley takes place from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th May. For more info, including last minute tickets and schedules, head to the BottleRock website HERE.
We’ll be exploring the very best BottleRock has to offer this weekend, so stay across our socials and check back here for all the action!
