Gallery • 13 Photos

Kelsey Riemer

P!nk

BottleRock Napa Valley’s closing day was a celebration of pop-excellence and the perfect finale to an incredible weekend of music. 

The opener for day three was Sonoma-local Jaleh. With eerie minor keys and a chiseled vibrato, vocalist Jaleh brought a dreamy airiness to the stage that BottleRock had been lacking. Her lacy-jeweled look accompanied by flashy horns and dramatic tempo transported the audience to an era of la la land old hollywood movies. Her band, The Spells, was decorated in whites and creams and played on instruments inspired by the nighttime sky, including a crescent moon-shaped tambourine. 

“We’re releasing music by the light of the full moon, so stay in touch, stay aligned, and stay in the light,” Jaleh says. The celestial singer was not exaggerating; her and her band release a new song once a month on the full moon. After a daze of crystal jewelry and ethereal vocals, Jaleh had left the stage and it was on to the second set. 

The pattern of female-powerhouses was continued with a set from Blu DeTiger.  This electric pop star delivered catchy, indie rhythms that spoke to her freedom-seeking teen audience. DeTiger produced a solid vocal performance but was truly in her element with a bass guitar in hand. Her incredible ability with the instrument was fascinating to watch, and it was interesting to see a frontman opt for a bass rather than a guitar. On percussion, was the New York-born performer’s brother, Rex Detiger, who completed Blu’s upbeat, electro sound with his energized drumming. 

Once DeTiger was off stage, the crew began to set up for a performance by Michael Franti and Spearhead. Franti serenaded feel-good hit after feel-good hit, but the true star of the show was his interaction with the audience of BottleRock. In a population of 120,000 people, Franti found a way of making every festival-goer feel personally welcomed and loved; from pulling groups up on stage with him to dance it out, to filing into the pit himself to jump around with fans. As well as a spectacle of a musical performance, Franti used his platform to speak about some pressing issues. 

“Stay human. Hold on to your humanity. And pass common sense gun laws. Our kids should not be left to hide under tables,” Franti preached. 

The fourth act of the day was bubbly and vibrant Alessia Cara. Cara, like Franti, used her hour on stage to discuss some topics close to her heart. Besides heartfelt performances of hit after hit, the pop star dove into the problem of mental health, preaching self love and acceptance accompanied by the anthem, ‘Scars to Your Beautiful.’

“People are gonna remember how we made them feel and what we left behind,” Cara says. 

 Her vocals were incredibly strong, the singer seemed never to lose her breath or stumble over her words as she bounced around the stage and belted out her lyrics. 

Shortly after, Vance Joy took the stage. Vance Joy, most known for his song ‘Riptide,’ consumed the crowd with his folky, acoustic choruses and charismatic persona. Shifting between guitar and ukulele regularly for the duration of his set, the Australian singer had everyone chanting his memorable ballads.

The final act of the entire weekend was pop visionary, P!nk, who reminded everyone there exactly what they had been waiting for. The stage was decorated with lanterns and lights, dancers dressed in glittering outfits, and a band of amazing ability; but in the center of it all was P!nk. P!nk is a star whose talent is undeniable and character is infatuating to watch. She dominated the stage with her enormous voice and kept us enthralled with her perfected dancing. Later in the set, P!nk took to the sky on a metal platform and finished her performance above the crowd. 

Over the last three days, we’ve experienced fun, sun, food and music that we’ll never forget. BottleRock Napa Valley 2022 was a weekend to remember – full of amazing artists, people, and community.