NAPA — A cover of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand by Me” and an admission from Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds capped Friday’s events at the 2015 BottleRock Napa Valley festival.
“I’m tired of playing this song,” Reynolds confessed as the band readied for “Radioactive,” its inescapable 2012 hit. “I didn’t know it would be in elevators.”
On the other hand, Reynolds said it’s favorite to play. “I’ll play it until I die,” he said before the Las Vegas pop rock group used it to close its 90-minute main stage headliner set on day one at the Napa Valley Expo in Napa, California.
Earlier, the band played King’s “Stand by Me,” a tribute to the soul crooner who died last month in New Jersey. The band also inexplicably covered R. Kelly’s “The World’s Greatest,” which Reynolds called his favorite song.
Despite having only two full-length albums, Imagine Dragons carry both the popularity and panache to helm the main stage. They connect with the audience. During “On Top of the World,” Reynolds found his way down the emergency pathway at the front of the stage, high-fiving fans and leaning into them as he sang.
Reynolds wasn’t the only main stage performer to actively engage the crowd. Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant, also known for his zealous delivery, found himself shirtless and crowd surfing by the end of his band’s 75-minute stay. The Kentucky-based six-piece rock group arrived in the middle of a hot afternoon, turning up the temperature with emphatic readings of “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and “In One Ear.” During “Aberdeen,” Shultz knelt on guitarist Dave Shultz’s back and stood tall above everyone (right).
Day one’s best performer was indie rock darling Courtney Barnett, who showed the hype for her Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit album is justifiable. Barnett roared through a 45-minute set composed primarily of Sometimes I Sit songs, delivering a pulverizing “Pedestrian at Best” to close the set. During the intro to “Avant Gardener,” she booted an errant beach ball back into the crowd while continuing to play. Her guitar work dazzled, with torrid renditions of “Small Poppies,” “Dead Fox” and “Nobody Really Cares if You Don’t Go to the Party.”
East Los Angeles’ Los Lobos was a late-day treasure, closing down the Miner Family Winery Stage with a torrid slab of blues and Latin rock. The band plowed over the end of its set time by at least 15 minutes – and had a late-night gig planned at City Winery Napa – but showed a palette in keeping with a day full of musical diversity. One of the day’s most beautiful moments came during “Someday,” as the indigo clouds at sunset matched the purple-blue of The Wolves’ lighting. David Hidalgo mixed in a string of songs on the accordion and How Will the Wolf Survive classic “I Got Loaded” came near the end of the night.
While Los Lobos closed the Miner stage, Michael Franti & Spearhead brought the day to a spirited close on the Jam Cellars Stage. Inflated balls bounced through the air as Franti sang “Sound of Sunshine,” earning an A-plus for crowd interaction by surfing and high-fiving many fans. Between the lights and Franti’s enthusiasm for working the crowd, both fans of the group and those seeing Imagine Dragons were treated to similarly vibrant performances.
Hip-hop legends Public Enemy rely heavily on their old school moves and material, but also showed a work ethic to shame rappers half their age. Chuck D felt freshest when he was adlibbing, including dedicating “He Got Game” to an NBA Finals-bound Golden State Warriors. Hype man Flava Flav, dressed in a Brooklyn Nets jersey and his trademark clock, worked his way through the front row during “Fight the Power.” With “911 Is a Joke” and “Don’t Believe the Hype,” the band played to a crowd of hip-hop heads who know what they were getting themselves into by skipping Foster the People.
Also hailing from New York City was Brooklyn-based Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds (left). The band’s namesake is an energetic sprite with a rich voice, projecting well for the horn-fueled single “Sugar” as well as the midtempo “Mama Knows.”
Xavier Rudd and the United Nations leaned deeply on their recent collaboration, Nanna, during a dinnertime set at the Miner Family Winery Stage. Rudd’s earthy, ethereal themes paired with the reggae sound put him in good company on a day that included Franti as well as main stage openers Pion 2 Zion. “Are you feeling it, Napa? You feel the love?” the Australian multi-instrumentalist asked before playing “While I’m Gone.” Noticeably absent was Rudd’s trademark didgeridoo.
San Francisco’s Afrolicious kicked off the day on the Jam Cellars Stage, delivering a danceable, groovy 45-minute set of soul.
They followed Northern California surf rock band The Deadlies, who opened the day on the Miner stage. The group unveiled a brand new tune as well as a medley of classic rock and pop songs done Deadlies style, such as The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” as well as The Troggs’ “Wild Thing.
Opening the festival on the main stage was Napa reggae rock group Pion 2 Zion. After “Rey de Tu Corazon,” saxophonist Chad Schuler told the crowd it was “surreal” to be playing BottleRock just one year after standing in its crowd. The group carried the day’s diversity banner well, kicking off the festivities with a joyful vibe.
Come back tomorrow to see the day two recap, including notes on Robert Plant, Capital Cities and Young the Giant.
Imagine Dragons plays "I Bet My Life"
Imagine Dragons plays Ben E. King's "Stand by Me"
Los Lobos plays "I Get Loaded"
Public Enemy plays "Fight the Power"
Cage the Elephant plays "In One Ear"
Courtney Barnett's tasty guitar licks
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