BottleRockers are certainly going to be busy in 2025, thanks to a lineup that includes Bay Area faves Green Day, pop titan Justin Timberlake, blistering hot singer-songwriters Noah Kahan and Benson Boone, SoCal ska-rock act Sublime and hip-hop icons Ice Cube, Public Enemy and E-40.
And that’s really just scratching the surface.
Go a bit deeper into the lineup and you’ll find such sonic treats as Chicago power-pop act Beach Bunny, Palo Alto singer-songwriter Remi Wolf, the reunited 4 Non Blondes and — best of all — the amazing Robby Krieger from The Doors.
In other words, music fans certainly won’t be lacking for acts to see — as well as food to eat, beverages to be sampled and good times to be had — during the 2025 BottleRock Napa Valley festival, which runs May 23-25 at the Napa Valley Expo in downtown Napa.
In fact, there might almost be too much going on during this smorgasbord of tunes and tastes. So much so that, if you’re not careful, you might end up missing some of the best offerings.
That’s where we come in, with plenty of recommendations of how to best prioritize your time at the festival.
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So, just dive into our hourly guide to BottleRock Napa Valley, where we take fans by the (virtual) hand and guide them to the coolest places to be during each and every hour of the festival.
Are you in? We certainly hope so. Because it’s definitely time to BottleRock.
For tickets and more information, visit bottlerocknapavalley.com.
FILE – This Sept. 23, 2009 file photo shows Rappers Flavor Flav, left, and Chuck D of the music group Public Enemy, perform at the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, file)
Day 1 (Friday, May 23)
Noon-2 p.m.
It’s going to be a long (and super fun) weekend, so let’s fuel up right at the start with a stop at the New England Lobster and Crab Shack stand. That should fill you up and get you ready to catch BottleRock veterans The Alive kick off the biggie JaM Cellars Stage at 12:15 p.m. From there, it’s time to move it on over to the Verizon Stage to rock out with One Less Zero, which is lead by powerful vocalist Sara Wright.
Stick with this SoCal outfit until 1:30 p.m. before switching back to JaM for 15 minutes or so of Ultra Q. This Bay Area rock outfit is fronted by Jacob Armstrong, who is the son of Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (the Day 1 headliners)
2-4 p.m.
Beach Bunny starts peddling its punchy indie-pop right at 2 p.m., which should keep you entertained right up until it’s time to check out Bay Area hip-hop icon E-40 at 2:45 p.m. at JaM Cellars. Spend an hour grooving to 40’s hyphy tunes and then hit the White Claw Stage for the remaining portion of L.A. singer-songwriter Miya Folick’s set.
4-6 p.m.
You won’t want to stray too far from White Claw (especially with Bad Nerves coming up at 4:45 p.m.) so just bop over to watch some Palo Alto pop from Remi Wolf on JaM. Then head right back to White Claw for one of the coolest acts on the bill – the aforementioned Bad Nerves. As swell as it would be to watch the U.K. power-pop/punk act’s entire set, well, that’s just not in the cards since Public Enemy – aka, the greatest hip-hop group of all time – is set to do its thing on the Verizon Stage from 5 to 6 p.m.
6-8 p.m.
With Chuck D’s voice still ringing soundly in your ears, move back to White Claw for a big batch of cool indie-pop from Aussie act Mallrat. Sure, it means missing (the 2025 version of) Sublime in order to catch Mallrat. But that’s a trade we’re willing to make.
Actually, the bigger concern is missing Sofi Tukker, who starts at 6:30 p.m. on Verizon. But you should still be able to catch most of Mallrat and still enjoy a half-hour-plus of the EDM duo consisting of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. That leaves you time for dinner — Phat Salads & Wraps, anyone? – before the headliners take the stage.
8-10 p.m.
BottleRockers (as well as event organizers) have had Green Day on their wish list for years – and they’ll finally get to see the East Bay pop-rock act when it takes over the JaM Cellars Stage from 8 to 9:45 p.m.
The band is really good in concert, but its set has been remarkably static over the last couple of decades. Combine the latter with the fact that Green Day has played the Bay Area so often in recent years and we’re making the call that veteran concert-goers would be best served splitting their time between Green Day and the two other Day 1 stage headliners — Kaskade (Verizon Stage) and Mon Laferte (Prudential Stage).
NAPA, CALIFORNIA – May 27 – Lauren Mayberry performs with CHVRCHES on the Verizon Stage during the first day of the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Day 2 (Friday, May 24)
Noon-2 p.m.
The music starts at noon — and so do we. So, let’s get through security and catch a half hour of the Napa Valley Youth Symphony set – a BottleRock tradition – on the Prudential Stage. Then beeline for JaM Cellars and the powerful retro-soul of Jalen Ngonda.
As Ngonda drops the mic, we’re on our way — with a quick stop for a bite of lunch at El Porteño Empanadas – to the Verizon Stage to see Kate Hudson.
Yes, that Kate Hudson. The one who has starred in such films “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “You, Me and Dupree,” “Fool’s Gold” and, of course, “Almost Famous.” She also released her debut album, “Glorious,” last year — and it’s really good.
2-4 p.m.
Hudson’s set ends at 2:15 p.m., so at that point you should head over to catch the last 20 minutes of Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory on JaM. The next move is pretty easy — just head for Verizon Stage and the tremendous vocal work of Lauren Mayberry, who came to international fame as one third of the great Scottish synth-pop act Chvrches. Then waste no time in making it back to JaM to take in the mighty Lawrence experience.
4-6 p.m.
Stick at JaM until the brother-and-sister soul-pop sensation leaves the stage then catch maybe 20 minutes of the Icelandic blues-rock outfit Kaleo on Verizon.
That won’t feel like enough Kaleo, mind you, but it’ll still be time to return to JaM to catch Linda Perry and the reunited 4 Non Blondes. You pretty much have to stay there until they play the ‘90s anthem “What’s Up?” — right? That will probably come at the end, but if it arrives earlier use the opportunity to scoot over to versatile singer-songwriter Sasami, who plays White Claw 5-5:45 p.m.
You’ll want to be at White Claw for the next act, which begins at 6:15 p.m. So, in the interim, maybe just go grab a sweet treat at It’s Always Sunny Sorbet.
6-8 p.m.
After the realization hits — once again — that sorbets aren’t nearly as good as ice dream, return to White Claw for some fun alt-pop tunes from New Zealand’s Balu Brigada.
G. Love is sharing the Prudential Stage with Donavon Frankenreiter at 7:15, which sounds like a decent way to spend a half hour. So, let’s do that before venturing off to grab some ‘za at Pizzeria Delfina for dinner.
8-10 p.m.
We might lose some of our hard-earned Raiders cred for even suggesting that you miss any of Ice Cube in order to see Justin Timberlake. Yet, we’re willing to take that chance because we think JT is going to have a big night at BottleRock. So, start out at 8 p.m. with Cube on Verizon and then switch over to Timberlake on JaM around 8:45.
Bay Area native, Grace Bowers performs with The Hodge Podge on the JaM Cellars Stage on the first day of the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Day 3 (Sunday, May 25)
Noon-2 p.m.
Kick off the last day of the festival at the JaM Cellars with Goldie Boutilier, who should mesmerize the BottleRock early risers with her solid mix of pop, disco, country and rock.
Stick with the Nova Scotian singer-songwriter for her entire 45 minutes and then go fuel up for the rest of the day with some lunch. A double veggie burger at the Amy’s Drive Thru booth should do the trick.
Moving on with a full belly, we’re right back over to JaM Cellars to see Grace Bowers, who actually opened up this same stage on Day One of the 2024 BottleRock. This young blues-rock phenom, who relocated to Nashville from the Bay Area, performs with her Hodge Podge band from 1:15-2:15 p.m.
2-4 p.m.
As the last note on Bowers’ set ends, make your way to Prudential Stage for some jam-rock courtesy of the NorCal’s own Moonalice, which is led by venture capitalist/musician Roger “Chubby Wombat Moonalice” McNamee (no, we didn’t make that nickname up). Soak up the tie-dye for about 15-20 minutes and then make a u-turn to the Verizon Stage for Aussie indie-rockers Vacations.
We’re thinking a little early afternoon sweet treat at this point, so make a stop at Mariapilar Ice Creamery booth on your way to seeing L.A. alt-folk artist Jensen McRae on the White Claw Stage at 3:45 p.m.
4-6 p.m.
McRae should get 30 minutes of your time, then it’s back to JaM – in more than one way – with rising jam-band stars Goose. The Connecticut act has created a huge buzz on the scene in recent years, which – as longtime “phans” of Phish – really makes it easy to recommend this BottleRock set.
Ride with Goose for a full hour then hightail it over to Verizon for Flo Rida, fully ready to rap along with the platinum-plus-selling hip-hop star on “Low.”
6-8 p.m.
There are a lot of options for your time during this time block, but none better than heading over to Prudential for The War and Treaty, the terrific husband-and-wife country/soul/blues/folk duo consisting of singer-songwriters Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter.
Stick with the Trotters for their full set then grab one last BottleRock bite for 2025 – perhaps at Taqueria Rosita – before heading right back to Prudential to see legendary guitarist Robby Krieger of The Doors at 7:45 p.m.
8-10 p.m.
Yes, Noah Kahan is Sunday’s big headliner – and the act that will surely draw the single-largest crowd of the day. But we’re recommending that you skip him – entirely – in order to soak up as much Krieger as possible. Not only is he one of the greatest guitarists in rock history, but he also will be playing from one of the finest songbooks – that of the Doors – of all time. We can think of no better way to close out your 2025 BottleRock Napa Valley experience.