NAPA — It may not have been Sunday, but the Church of Pearl Jam was in session as dusk fell over the Napa Valley Expo. It’s surprising it took as long as it did to get Pearl Jam to BottleRock. It’s as fitting a pairing of festival and band as you can find. The band arrived for the 2024 iteration of the festival—and so did Pearl Jam fans. There was no question who the majority of attendees were waiting on, judging by the mass of PJ T-shirts wandering the grounds.

Pearl Jam

The band took the stage to the ringing feedback of a guitar with the expanse of the JaM Cellars stage crammed shoulder to shoulder.

Pearl Jam opened with “Lukin,” from 1996’s No Code. Donning a number 34 Gayle Sayers Chicago Bears jersey—a nod to his home— Eddie Vedder looked relaxed but was on his game vocally, following up with “Corduroy” and “Why Go.”

“Why go home when we’re in Napa?” Vedder asked afterward. “Is anyone here actually from here? You lucky bastards.”

Vedder built an informal and unassuming rapport with the audience, chatting with fans and making observations about what was happening around as the show unfolded. Occasionally he would take swig from a wine bottle nearby.

“We’ve never played this song so close to where it was actually written and recorded,” Vedder said when introducing “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” a track that came to life in 1993 at nearby Nicasio, in Marin County.

That particular song felt like a religious revival, or a singalong in a crowded bar. The audience sang at full volume, with some raising their hands to the sky.

As Vedder introduced his bandmates—guitarist Mike McCready, drummer Matt Cameron, bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard—he spoke to the diversity of the acts that played at the festival throughout the day, saying that was one of its best aspects. He took note of two men standing near the front of the barrier, both on crutches, and had to find out more.

“Do you two know each other? Are you crutch buddies?” he asked. “I’m going to send this song out to you.”

That song was “Wreckage,” a politically charged song from the band’s latest work, Dark Matter. It introduced a string of moments with political subtexts, including a soaring performance of “Daughter,” mashed up with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In the Wall.” Vedder make a lyrical change, as he’s been doing on tour, amending the line to, “Politicians/ Leave women’s bodies alone!”

Vedder noticed a fan holding up a sign announcing that she had been at the show at Limelight in New York in April 1992. He acknowledged her and quipped about the time that’s passed since.

After a stellar performance of hard-driving new track “Dark Matter,” the band dug into another classic, “Even Flow,” adding an extended jam onto the end. McCready lifted his guitar above his hand and nailed a solo playing behind his back.

Vedder offered a lengthier tale of the origins of “Waiting For Stevie,” speaking about a woman who was having trouble “finding her tribe” until she finally had a shared experience with the community she’d been searching for all along to gain acceptance, and looking back at those who’d treated her poorly to begin with. But he added an addendum:

“The song is called ‘Waiting For Stevie,’ but what we’re all really waiting for is a chance to vote for Steph Curry for President,” he said to a roar from the crowd.

Pearl Jam closed out its main set with “Black,” “Running” and “Porch.” After a brief break, the band returned for an encore that included some unexpected twists.

The encore began with “Last Kiss” before Vedder brought actor Bradley Cooper on stage for a cover of Jason Isbell’s “Maybe It’s Time.” Cooper sat on a stool next to Vedder, who played guitar and sang. Cooper held his own, keeping up with Vedder’s iconic growl. Vedder passed out tambourines to nearby fans as the band finished out its set with “Crazy Mary,” “Do the Evolution,” “Alive” and another appearance from Cooper for a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

Maná

The video screens seemed to mythologize the arrival of Guadalajara, Mexico rock stars Maná to the JaM Cellars stage by showing their faces in black and white. On stage, they wore vibrant outfits, however.

Singer Fher Olvera, in a burgundy-colored button-down shirt, made several references to wine throughout the performance while asserting that tequila was his drink of choice, sipping from a red cup periodically.

“I’m so happy to be here in this spiritual land,” he said. “I’m from the land of tequila. We’re going to really bring paradise to you guys.”

Maná opened with “Manda una señal” (“Send a Signal”) in English, as some fan waved their own signal, a Mexican flag. For the next song, “Corazón Espinado” (“Thorned Heart”), Olvera got down on one knee and looked up toward the sky while bandmate Sergio Vallín shredded on the guitar.

Olvera then asked attendees whether they spoke a little Spanish, since his English was not so good. Many hands shot upward. His next question: How many drank Corona or tequila. More hands.

He then explained how “Labios Compartidos” (“Shared Lips”) was about a romantic situation between himself, an ex-girlfriend and another man.

There were minimal introductions for “Ángel,” “Vivir Sin Aire” (“Live Without Air”) and “Eres Mi Religion” (“You Are My Religion”). For “Dónde Jugarán Los Niños” (“Where Will The Children Play”), an enormous elephant prop took up a sizable part of the stage. Olvera explained that the song was about inspiring fans to treat the planet well.

“Oye Mi Amor” was also met with loud cheering from the festival-goers. Throughout the entire set, Maná encouraged audience participation. There was a call and response section and plenty of opportunities to clap along. Outside the festival; grounds, groups of fans gathered to take in the performance.

True to his TapatÍo (Guadalalaran) roots, one of the members let out a cathartic cry, otherwise known as “a grito.” Gritos are complex expressions used to convey joy or sorrow, and are considered an emblematic sound for Mexicans, as a grito signaled the declaration for independence. They’re emotional sounds and they’re political; just like Maná.

Olvera took a sip from his tequila.

“At the end of the day, music is just feeling,” he said.

Kali Uchis

Kali Uchis was outfitted with a skirt resembling extraordinary plumage. It ruffled as she sang the first verse of “Moonlight.” After the verse, Uchis’ transformation took place. Her backup dancers, who were clad in white, removed the skirt to reveal a shorter white dress beneath it all. She was then able to move across the stage unencumbered and sang “Telepattía” (“Telepathy”) and “After the Storm.”

For “Worth the Wait,” Uchis brought a young girl onstage. She directed her to sit in a chair while Uchis’ dancers swirled around her and laid across her lap.

Uchis played songs old and new in quick succession. Among them were “Muñequita” (“Dolly”) and “Labios Mordidos” (“Bitten Lips”), off her latest album, Orquídeas. Her collaborators on those and other songs were not in attendance, though they would’ve been great additions.

When she introduced “Te Mata” (“It Kills You”), Uchis got confessional with the audience. She talked about finding her wings and being sure of who she is in order to attract the right people in her life.

“Life is short,” Uchis insisted. “And that’s why you don’t need people in your life that are poisonous to you.”

Uchis reflected on the idea of unconditional love on “I Wish You Roses.”

The Kid LAROI

The Kid Laroi said he needed to see “full maximum energy” from the audience. He wore a T-shirt with the words “Life to the Saint” paired with camouflage pants and he jumped up and down while encouraging everybody to do the same during “Dima,” in the beginning of his set.

He introduced “Tragic” with an anecdote about a 2 a.m. run to Ben & Jerry’s, where he was recognized by fans who only knew him because of this song.

The Australian rapper played an unreleased song called “Goals,” which he prefaced by saying that he was in a much better and happier place these days. Later, during “Without You” he pointed the mic at the audience, motioning them to sing the last verse.

“It’s my first time up here,” he said prior to rapping “Thousand Miles.”

Another highlight was when The Kid Laroi brought a young fan up to the stage, who held up a sign asking, “Can I sing ‘stay’ with you?” written on it. Sure enough, the two sang part of “STAY” together.

Oliver Tree

Oliver Tree paid tribute to the city where he said he was born, declaring the show a homecoming.

“I was born at Napa State Hospital and went to Stone Bridge School just minutes from this venue!” Tree declared, definitely joking, since he’s from Santa Cruz. “I’m a local through and through.” Sure, we’ll take that as fact.

Tree also spoke of his entrepreneurial upbringing in the Valley.

“I started my first wine business when I was 10 years old,” he said. “Most kids had lemonade stands. I sold wine on the corner until my parents shut down the business when I sold to the other kids.”

The set was high energy and kept the crowd bouncing and clapping throughout with tracks like “Miss You” and “Only One.” He and his bandmates had matching Starter-style jackets and massive denim parachute pants. The crowd responded when Tree strapped on a keytar to lay down a solo on “Bounce.”

It was also the artist that played prior to Tree, T-Pain, for which he shared the most excitement.

“I went to T-Pain’s house one time; he has a strip club IN his house,” Tree said.

Mixing in tracks like “Swing and a Miss,” “When I’m Down” and “Cowboys Don’t Cry,” the stories just kept coming for the charismatic singer. He spoke of the 30-hour flight he took the day prior from Kazakhstan (no mention of pubis farms) to get to Napa and the horse meat he was served in Kyrgyzstan.

“I try to eat the food of whatever country I’m in; don’t judge it until you try it,” Tree said.

Tree left the stage to the “Seinfeld” theme.

My Morning Jacket

Kentucky rock quintet My Morning Jacket delivered a roaring set at the height of the midday sun. The performance had several movements, from rock to folk and subdued Americana. It was tailor-made to enjoy from the comfort of a blanket in the faux grass and appreciate the musicality happening onstage.

Some songs included extended and intimate jams, with guitar or vocal interludes. MMJ opened with “Mahgeetah” and “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt 1.” Vocalist Jim James was a versatile frontman, sometimes strapping on a guitar, other times attacking the stage without one.

By and large, My Morning Jacket let the music do the talking, leaving little to no banter in between songs. That allowed the momentum to keep building on tracks like “Spring (Among the Living)” and “Gideon.”

Sometimes, the band flexed its Southern rock muscle; other times tracks took on a groovier sound. Either way, MMJ offered a compelling performance, at one point covering George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth).” The band continued with “Off the Record” and “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2.”

Even cooler, My Morning Jacket brought up the USC Marching Band for a set closer of “Wordless Chorus.” The musicians stood along the back of the stage until it was their moment to rise to the occasion and take the set home in rousing fashion.

T-Pain

“I have to throw out an apology,” rapper T-Pain said a couple of songs into his hourlong set at the Verizon stage during the mid-afternoon. “They told me this is supposed to be family friendly. … But all these people are my family. And they are friendly. So kiss my ass to whoever hired me. I’ll try to keep the cursing to a minimum, but this is fucked up.”

The man who popularized the use of Auto-Tune in hip-hop and beyond played plenty of bangers that got thousands of mostly younger fans shaking their butts in unison, but he also showed that he’s a darn good singer without any vocal processing. The clear highlight was his new single, “On This Hill,” a freaking power ballad that he performed with a robed choir. More impressive was that they were performing the song with zero rehearsals. T-Pain was belting, beautifully, in tune. He and the choir nailed it.

The crowd didn’t know how to take it. Mot fans seemed to be for the bootie-shaking songs like “What U Need,” “I’m Sprung,” his verse from Huey’s “Pop, Lock, & Drop It” and “Shawty.”

He also mixed in snippets of ones by others like Too $hort’s “Blow the Whistle,” Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow,” Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It” and his line in Kanye’s “Good Life.”

T-Pain, in red pants and a black T-shirt, was constantly in motion, prancing, moonwalking and thrusting his pelvis around. The second half of the set included “Go Head,” “Booty,” “2 Step,” “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” Rick Ross collab “The Boss” and “Can’t Believe It.” The audience lapped all these up.

Holly Humberstone

Holly Humberstone jumped right into her set with “Bottle Up That Feeling.” Sporting a green cutoff T-shirt paired with a gauzy black skirt, she said that it was a treat to be at BottleRock, and she urged everyone to simply enjoy the moment.

The performance included “Kissing in Swimming Pools,” from her latest album, Paint My Bedroom Black, and several songs like “Overkill” and “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” from 2022’s Can You Afford To Lose Me. Humberstone’s introspective songwriting shined through on “Vanilla” and “Antichrist.” The outros were soft and her voice was gentle and, at times, raspy.

She also showcased a few songs from her forthcoming album. The last portion of her set featured “Lauren,” “Flatlining” and “Scarlett.” She closed with the poignant “Please Don’t Leave Just Yet.”

Moonalice

Bay Area funk and rock and roll band Moonalice is one of several BottleRock house bands. But with a lineup including several iconic musicians and local favorites, Moonalice remains a good time. Performing at the Prudential stage, the large band began with the T Sisters’ sweet harmonization and choreographed shuffling on the jazzy “Woo Woo,” punctuated by Lester Chambers’ harmonica playing. The song worked in a part of gospel standard “This Train Is Bound for Glory.”

Chambers’ son, Dylan Chambers, sang lead on “Love, Peace and Happiness,” trading lines with his dad while the T Sisters provided backing. The performance was a very visual one without relying on production gimmicks. The members wore colorful outfits, moved around a lot and made the stage look like a recording studio in the way they interacted with each other. This gave it an intimate vibe.

The joyous “You’re All I Need to Get By” had a funky breakdown. The band followed that with folkier “Happy Here Now” and soulful “People Get Ready,” a cover of the Impressions staple.

We weren’t prepared to learn that singer-guitarist Bastian Evans is the last remaining original member of this BottleRock fave. After all, we’d witnessed him and his bandmates grow up over the last decade. That said, he and his new-ish bandmates put out an entertaining set of hard rock, thrash and a bit of grunge early in the day at the Verizon stage.

The songs ranged from crunch and bass-led ’90s-like alt rock, downtempo churners, thrash bangers and heart-pumping rockers. Evans and co. threw in a cover of Nirvana’s “Drain You,” though his voice wasn’t quite deep enough to match Kurt Cobain’s, and a much more appropriate and authentic take on “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead.

Grace McKagan

Kicking the day off at the Verizon stage, Grace McKagan was all swagger on songs like mid-tempo garage rocker “Checkmate,” the messy, bass-driven “Ting Tang” and the seductive “Baby That’s Rock N Roll,” which recalled The Kills. Wearing a sheer teal dress over a black one-piece swimsuit, she cooed the lyrics.

Her red lipstick smudged on her face as she pressed her microphone against her lips. And at one point, she must have shared an intimate moment with her guitarist’s instrument, because there was lipstick smudged on his white pick guard.

After the uptempo “So Hyper,” she performed a new, unreleased song, “Bitch Get In My Uber,” an angular post-punk song with hilarious lyrics. The latter part of the set included “Jimmy (Lookin’ like Trash),” the Yeah-Yeah-Yeahs-influenced “Heart of Hearts,” which was both sweet and melodic, and “Surrender.”

Linka Moja

It was perfectly fitting that singer-songwriter Linka Moja opened up Saturday’s BottleRock slate on a day when Pearl Jam headlined. Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder discovered Moja and offered her a spot to play at Ohana Music Festival. Sometimes grunge, sometimes folky, Moja was a breath of fresh air, putting a unique spin on well-known songs. A take on Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” was true to form while a decidedly folky rendition of “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People brought fresh energy.

“You guys are awesome; we didn’t think anyone would be here at noon, but here you are,” Moja said.

Other tracks included The Pixies’ “Where is My Mind?” and a punky take on Harry Styles’ “Kiwi.” Moja had a quiet confidence in her performance, offering a strong vocal, solid songwriting and a tight band.

Aquadolls

Another Ohana Fest veteran act, the Aquadolls brought a brash and fun energy to the Truly stage. The trio delivered a spirited performance that ranged from aggressive punk rock to upbeat grunge. Donning a faded pink Fender, frontwoman Melissa Brooks had an infectious sarcasm and a youthful snarl to the set, which included tracks like “Wander” and “Burn Baby Burn.”

“This next song is from a Lindsay Lohan movie,” Brooks said before the band launched into “Take Me Away,” from “Freaky Friday.”

Biggest meh: Stephen Curry and Bradley Cooper with José Andrés at the culinary stage

Here were three huge names, significant for different reasons, and the appearance of two of the three felt wasted. Curry was Curry, the people’s champ willing to sign shoes that were thrown onto the stage. But Hollywood A-lister and star director Bradley Cooper didn’t act, didn’t joke and was basically turned into a cheesesteak delivery and pitch man. And chef José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen—which recently had seven aid workers lose their lives in Gaza—missed an opportunity to inspire thousands of people to help some greater cause.

But Andrés was there to party, helping Cooper pitch his new cheesesteak business and pouring drinks for his friends on stage. There was a seven-second moment of silence called for by Foodie Chap Liam Mayclem, during which the whistles from the insanely packed crowd never stopped, and then it was time to pour alcohol and throw out snacks.

Cooper didn’t have any jokes, but Andrés had several.

“What are you trying to do, a basketball team or what?” he asked after mentioning that Curry’s wife, Ayesha, had just given birth to their fourth child four days earlier. Curry, who was also there shilling his new brand of bourbon, declared that the Warriors will be back to winning soon.

“Don’t worry, we’re coming back for no. 5,” he said, shortly before bringing out some fan gear he autographed and tossed out into the crowd.