NAPA — Former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant showered Napa with a “Whole Lotta Love” Saturday during the second day of the BottleRock Napa Valley festival.
Although the English vocalist was a huge “get” for the festival, those who closed the day with Massachusetts electropop artist Passion Pit probably felt more in line with the youthful, celebratory vibe of the day.
Still, Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters rained Zep treasures such as “Black Dog,” “Going to California,” “Dazed and Confused,” “What Is and What Should Never Be” and “Whole Lotta Love.” They worked in a few from his 2014 album Lullaby and … the Ceaseless Roar as well.
There was something magical to seeing Plant at sunset in Napa, a feeling that the BottleRock festival had exceeded even beyond its founding promoters’ dreams by bringing Napa and Northern California as close as it seems anyone will get to Led Zeppelin circa 2015.
But stylistically, Plant stood out on a day when young groups with a pop vibe ruled the lineup.
Before Passion Pit on the Jam Cellars Stage was Los Angeles electropop duo Capital Cities, whose hourlong performance was one of the festival’s best. The group never gave fans a chance to catch their breath, blasting through “Kangaroo Court” and “I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo” in addition to covers of Michael Jackson’s “Do You Remember,” The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and Madonna’s “Holiday.” They saved their best for last, getting fans to swing an article of clothing overhead (left) for the Cash Cash remix of “Safe and Sound” and turning the Napa Expo into a rave for 10 minutes.
Newport Beach’s Young the Giant's material translated much better Saturday than it has thus far in the studio. Singer Sameer Gadhia showed the crowd his socks in between passionate delivery, winding up for the likes of “Anagram,” “It’s About Time,” “Cough Syrup” and “My Body.” The group went a long way to solidifying the “young and hip” vibe Saturday.
As did Wasilla, Alaska’s Portugal. The Man, which was full of psychedelic goodness without taking itself too seriously. The band played parts of Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Day Man” from the TV show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” along with “So American” and “Modern Jesus.” The pop vibe helped tie together Portugal. The Man, Young the Giant and Capital Cities together as a day two power trio.
Perhaps the day’s biggest surprise was Los Angeles’ Black English, which changed its name last year from No, playing on the relocated City Winery Stage. The band felt reminiscent of Brooklyn’s The National with its foreboding rock tones and Bradley Hanan Carter’s honeyed baritone, which brought dimension to “Leave the Door Wide Open” and a stellar “Another Life.”
San Francisco’s The Brothers Comatose better matched Plant’s folk and bluegrass side as well as The Avett Brothers on the main stage. The band unveiled what singer Ben Morrison called “new-old” material that it’s reworking for a forthcoming third album.
Con Brio started the day on the main stage, with its singer Ziek McCarter unleashing full-body dance moves on the crowd, including something that looked a few steps away from breakdancing. The soulful set got everyone dancing to start the day.
It was also loud enough to bleed into the sound for Doe Eye (right). The San Francisco dark pop group’s whispery contemplation was delivered with conviction, but might be better in a more intimate setting.
The day's most divisive set belonged to Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. A month after a sloppy, off-key, words-forgotten performance of “Vasoline” went viral, Weiland had the words, but was still off-kilter on several standards from his former group Stone Temple Pilots, including “Vasoline” and “Dead and Bloated.” However, material from March’s Blaster album fared better, as did set-closing “Unglued.”
Return Monday morning for a recap of BottleRock’s final day, including notes on No Doubt, Snoop Dogg and People Under the Stairs.
Setlists
Robert Plant
01. The Wanton Song
02. Turn it Up
03. Black Dog
04. Rainbow
05. Going to California
06. Spoonful
07. The Lemon Song
08. Little Maggie
09. No Place to Go >
10. Dazed and Confused
11. What Is and What Should Never Be
12. Fixin’ to Die
13. Hootchie Coochie Man >
14. You Need Love >
15. Whole Lotta Love / Who Do You Love? / Whole Lotta Love
Encore
16. Black Country Woman
17. Rock and Roll
Capital Cities
01. Tell Me How to Live
02. Chartreuse
03. Origami
04. Center Stage
05. Do You Remember
06. Kangaroo Court
07. Stayin’ Alive
08. Farrah Fawcett Hair
09. I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo
10. One Minute More
11. Safe and Sound
12. Nothing Compares 2 U
13. Holiday
14. Safe and Sound [Cash Cash Remix]
Robert Plant plays “Dazed and Confused”
Plant singing “Going to California”
Capital Cities plays “Kangaroo Court”
Fans waving their clothing during the Cash Cash Remix of Capital Cities’ “Safe and Sound”
Young the Giant plays “My Body”
Black English plays “There’s a Glow”
Portugal. The Man covers Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger”
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