This article is part of BruinLife’s BottleRock music festival coverage happening from May 24-26, 2024. Check back regularly for newly posted content of the festival.
The BottleRock music festival in Napa Valley has some amazing headliners for their 2024 lineup. Megan Thee Stallion, Pearl Jam, Stevie Nicks, Queens of the Stone Age and Ed Sheeran are sure to give performances audiences won’t want to miss — but so will the second- and third-billed artists.
In addition to these musical greats, there is also an incredible selection of up-and-comers who might just become next year’s headliners.
The Moss
This band will grow on its listeners like moss. The Moss is an alternative rock band that delivers some of the most heartbreakingly relatable lyrics. “Celebrate” from their 2019 album, “Bryology,” is the perfect indie anthem for anyone on the quarter system wishing for something more out of their lives. On the same album, “801” is a shot through the heart that will have listeners crying as they are reminded of the one that got away.
The band’s second album, “Kentucky Derby,” expertly captures the feeling of being in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same. The entire album is incredible, but the stand-out has to be “Heartbreaker.” The intro is more poetic free verse than a lovesick pop song, and the pain in Tyke James’s voice as he sings the chorus will have audiences right there with him.
But heartbreak doesn’t last forever, as seen by The Moss’s later releases. While most of their “Insomnia” EP still carries the same theme of lost love, the song “Carousel” and their latest single “The Place That Makes Me Happy” are more about accepting that life won’t go as planned and people just need to find what makes them happy. For audiences looking for the most relatable band at BottleRock 2024, The Moss might just become their new best friend.
BoyWithUke
For anyone who cannot get “Riptide” by Vance Joy out of their head, this artist might hit the spot. The 2021 internet sensation is providing a fresh take on emo-pop with intensely emotional lyrics and a ukulele. The anonymous artist has a unique boyish innocence to what he writes, making his songs vulnerable in unexpected ways. His views of love and how to express it are so endearing in an industry dominated by sex, drugs, et cetera. His song “2.9 Miles Away” from his first album is about wanting someone to watch Hulu with. “Galaxy” from the same album is the song people have in the back of their heads on quiet walks alone at night that they cannot put the words to.
BoyWithUke’s later works shed some of their innocence as his content expands beyond more than just romantic love and the rhythmic structure leans more towards rap. “Toxic,” from his third album “Serotonin Dreams,” focuses on the frustration that comes from a toxic friendship. “Rockstar” from his most recent album deals with his internal struggle of wanting to be able to escape the spotlight and go back to the days when he would make songs with GarageBand in his room. While he may not want the spotlight all the time, BoyWithUke deserves an audience.
The Beaches
American audiences better get ready for a glam rock girl group that smashes every Canadian stereotype. The Beaches is a ‘70s-inspired blend of punk-pop meets girl group with brash lyrics that are sure to make people listen. “Blame Brett,” from their Canadian Albums Top 100 charter “Blame My Ex,” is an unashamedly explicit post-breakup anthem about sleeping around because love is too messy. “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid” is a blunt and earnest exploration of the social anxiety that can arise from a harsh breakup. For those who have trouble relating to others, “Everything is Boring” is about how hard it is to connect with people when there is nothing to talk about. Although BottleRock takes place in a valley, The Beaches is the place to be for some hard-hitting punk-rock entertainment.
These three artists are only a taste of what BottleRock 2024 has to offer. With so many other talented groups like Colony House, The Takes, Deep Sea Diver, Fleece and The Alive taking the stage, it would be impossible to talk about them all. So while at BottleRock 2024, don’t just focus on this year’s headliners, but also watch out for the lesser known but still incredible bands that could be next year’s.
Past performances
Lizzo on JaM Cellars Stage during her set of 2023 BottleRock. Photo courtesy of BottleRock Napa Valley
Reeves on the Verizon Stage during 2023 BottleRock. Photo courtesy of BottleRock Napa Valley
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Featured photo courtesy of BottleRock Napa Valley
