Bottlerock, the weekend-long Napa music festival that began with a bang last year but nearly fizzled when it wound up owing almost $10 million to everyone from food vendors to port-o-potty providers, has announced that it will return this year under new ownership. Today, it was revealed that not only do the new producers have support from city officials, they’re ahead of the curve as far as submitting permits for the event at the Napa Valley Expo. “I appreciate the fact that Latitude 38 has brought in a team that has us far ahead of planning at this point last year,” says Napa Police Captain Steve Potter in a press release.
This is revealing for two reasons. First, it shows the faith city officials have in the new producers. The city was shorted over $100,000 the first time, and the Expo Center itself was owed over $300,000. Now, with new producers, everyone is all smiles. “The Latitude 38 team has the right business experience, skill sets and vision to make BottleRock Napa Valley thrive in 2014,” says Napa mayor Jill Techel in a statement. “BottleRock puts Napa on the map in a new and good way and as mayor, I look forward to Napa hosting it again.” Wow, that’s almost second base, right there. Keep the lights on, you two.
Bands will be announced in mid-March, say the event producers, but judging from last year’s lineup, which included the Black Keys, Kings of Leon, the Shins, Zac Brown Band, Jane’s Addiction, the Flaming Lips, Primus, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, the Black Crowes and many others, it will be a big deal. At a pre-concert screening of his movie, “Sound City” last year at the Uptown Theater in Napa, Dave Grohl said it didn’t work out logistically that year, but if Bottlerock happened in 2014 the Foo Fighters would play the festival. That would be pretty darned cool. And while we’re making suggestions, at least one music fan is crossing his fingers for Prince to be top the list of headliners this year, too.
This year’s festival takes place May 30–June 1 at the Napa Valley Expo.
.Napa Officials Profess Love For New Bottlerock Festival Producers
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I wouldn’t hold your breath for the Foo Fighters. They have the same agent as Pearl Jam and many of the other bands from 2013. New owners or not, the brand is tainted because of the epic failure in 2013. Additionally, as was the case in 2013, you have new owners that have never done this before and have no experience producing concerts, let alone large scale festivals.
I am very excited about BottleRock 2.0 in 2014!! What an amazing event it was last year. I am curious if Mr Bartalini even attended BottleRock last year and isn’t this the same Rick Bartalini as in Bartlini events from Marin and Santa Cruz? I have seen your negative postings every where about BottleRock and is there a conflict sir? Are you resident of Napa County? I
I wish another successful Bottlerock and I strongly believe the new owners have proven themselves already. Woo hoo!
I agree with Rick on this… I was actually at BR 2013 for the entire event with a band I tour manager. It was a FANTASTIC event from the artist point of view. Unfortunately it seems like the promotors just bit off more than they could chew, it happens a lot with first timers. Also, as of now we can all see that Rick is correct given the pathetic lineup for BR 2014.