So, a pair of VIP tickets to Bottlerock landed in my lap this past Thursday and while I am not a huge fan of festivals, I decided to go because I was going to be in Napa anyway! Nick and I only went on Saturday and here is my official review of the first of what I’m sure will be an annual event.

(The crowds were there, that’s for sure)

It was a very warm 85 degrees in Napa which was nice because there was a great breeze. On the other hand, it was super dirty and the Expo grounds had hay everywhere which was not great for people with allergies. Other than that, the grounds were an okay location for this event.

(We watched the hysterical Jane’s Addiction play. They were great, I was super impressed and stoked that I got a chance to check them out)

(We checked out a little bit of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes. They were pretty good but I think the craziest part was finding out that Dwight’s gf from “The Office” is in the band!)

(Kings of Leon were amazing! I have never been able to see them before and I thought they sounded great! I am so glad they are back together!)

(Our friend Adam was taking advantage of the wine portion of the festival!)

(Nick and I taking a seat in between bands)

Overall, as much as I enjoyed seeing Kings of Leon, I would not recommend this festival (unless you get free tickets, then go). It’s overpriced for what it is and there are so many other festivals in the area that put this one to shame. It’s pretty unorganized and the stage areas are way too small for how large some of the acts are (ie Edward Sharpe). Maybe it’s because it was it’s first year but I thought security was super intense and over the top- it’s a Napa Valley festival for crying out loud. They were more concerned about people smuggling in logs of salami than weapons.  Also, they made you throw out your wine when you wanted to go into the comedy venue- only to be selling more wine inside, shady. But Kings of Leon were amazing and I am glad we went and experienced it!