What I Did This Summer: BottleRock

That’s an un-clever way of saying full disclosure:  I’m about to give a report on the BottleRock festival in Napa, Calif., because I was invited but it’s no junket: I paid for my gasoline, the campground, and all the food and wine offered. But, still, it’s better than looking at it on the internet.

One of the odd things about Pollstar is that we live in Fresno, Calif., and actually never get to see the things we report about and keep track on. This festival, which started on May 27, is within three hours of travel time if one doesn’t include the slowdown around the festival grounds.  In fact, one of the rescuers of the festival was Steve Macfadyen, who has organized the Pollstar Live! And CIC conferences for decades and has invited us to go check out BottleRock but, again, we only have so much vacation time and expendable cash. We also reported on BottleRock a couple of times so it’s logical to see what is actually happening.

Here’s the thing: BottleRock was re-created by three gentlemen after a disastrous beginning and, according to my Facebook feed, people still associate the modern-day version to its forgettable beginnings. This fest has music – sure – but it is clearly based on the “new” founders backgrounds in the F&B world.  There are mountable offers for wine/craft beer and local cuisine.  I asked one person how he liked his fried chicken and he responded, “I have fried chicken about three times a year and this was $19.  But this is the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.”

The first night’s headliner was Stevie Wonder, who got an iffy review in the local papers but was well-received by the crowd. Last night’s headliner was Florence + The Machine, and was commanding. However, while festivals like Comstock are proud to have EIS (Everyone Is Special) philosiphies versus VIP areas, BottleRock strongly embraces tiered pricing and it is phenomenally successful.  There are three VIP pricings. For one, the customer gets a grass/astroturphy-area with its own food booths, a special bleacher section and special performances by mainstage artists. On the other side are 18 “suites,” which are very much like P Diddy’s area at a Vegas club with couches and dedicated bars. And, to stage right, is where the $1,000-per-day customers live – in a building, created much like the structures constructed around a PGA event.  All of these deals include oodles of liquor but this last one comes with staff trained by Meadowoods and drinks by mixologist Scott Beattie (we got a cucumber drink that tasted like cucumber).

It’s an idea that has been embraced by, at least, those in the campground, who have turned high-fiving while saying BottleRock into a thing. Nobody is talking but word is it’s a model that could be extended to other fancy-shmancy wine-drinking retreats like Chile and South Africa.

The highlight, however, is the culinary stage, which has included Gordon Ramsay and a rock ‘n’ roll version of Masaharu Morimoto with a hat and a non-stepped-upon cutting board. For his hourlong event that included two-thirds of Green Day and dubbed “Green Day Fish Filet,” a nearly 200 lb. Tuna was flown in from Japan and marched through the crowd like a Zoo from Farrell’s. Tre Cool banged on a drum made from pots and pans to celebrate Morimoto’s birthday.

Also, of course, Hush Concerts was there with a silent disco area.

Have a good Memorial Day tomorrow.