NAPA — After dropping from the BottleRock Napa Valley lineup in 2021 due to continued Covid concerns, Stevie Nicks was due to return. That finally came to pass on a breezy day at the Napa Valley Expo on Friday, the opening day of this year’s music, food and wine festival.

The annual event kicked off in fine fashion with fewer attendees than in previous years, though that’s expected to change Saturday and Sunday, which are both sold out. On Friday, there was room to breathe and enjoy the many performers on stage or just soak up the upcoming summer.

Stevie Nicks

Nicks took to the JaM Cellars stage to Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” in the waning daylight. Wearing all black, including fingerless gloves and sparkly black boots, she and her band got right to it with a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.” The rollicking song allowed the entire band to loosen up and go full tilt.

She kept mostly to the same songs she performed at her last Bay Area appearance, at Chase Center last December, though in a different order. Those songs were primarily from her Fleetwood Mac days and her 1981 solo album, Bella Donna.

“I hope it’s getting dark quick! Bring on the dark!” she shouted. However, it was quite light out until about a third of the way into her set.

The good vibe continued with warm-sounding mid tempo tune “If Anyone Falls,” before turning to more aggressive material with “Outside the Rain,” which melded right into the ever-popular “Dreams.” Stevie Nicks introduced “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” as a “gift from Tom Petty,” where her silver-haired guitarist, Waddy Wachtel, sang Petty’s parts.

Likewise, she dedicated “Gypsy” to “all the nomads and travelers in the world,” and provided context with short stories about the creation of other songs, such as Stephen Stills’ 1966 tune “For What It’s Worth,” which got a sensual, slinky and slightly psychedelic rendition.

During the hard-driving and synth-pop-tinged “Stand Back,” Nicks twirled around, with her dress in her hands. That was followed by a one-two punch of the poppy “Wild Heart” and the slower, more meditative “Bella Donna.” During this performance, she wore a royal blue cloak she said was the original from the back cover of the Bella Donna album, released in 1982. It was a sweet moment; probably sweeter for those who didn’t see her prior Bay Area concert, where it also made an appearance.

Stevie Nicks’ voice was not as powerful as in past years, which wasn’t unexpected, but she and her band found another gear for the performance’s highlight: a nearly 10-minute version of “Gold Dust Woman,” which began a loud singalong that “Dreams” somehow did not. The simmering 1977 song had an extended intro and outro, beautiful harmonization between Nicks and two backing vocalists, and a rocking release.

Not even the show’s second biggest highlight, “Edge of Seventeen,” matched its level of intensity. The band rounded out its set with the folky “Leather and Lace,” on which Nicks dueted with her vocal coach, Steve Real, before concluding with “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.”

Megan Thee Stallion

As night fell, Megan Thee Stallion commanded the Verizon stage with unapologetic energy. The grounds overflowed with fans and her silhouette strutted through a haze of red and white light, before she emerged clad in a striking pink sequined tutu and skirt, pink heeled boots and her hair cascading in voluminous curls. A new look!

She began with “HISS,” accompanied by dancers in coordinated pink ensembles. The atmosphere was one of excitement as Megan Thee Stallion hyped up the crowd. She sang hits like “Thot Shit,” “Freak Nasty” and “Freak Nasty.”

“Welcome to the motherfucking hot girls show,” she proclaimed with swaggering confidence.

With each pulsating beat and dance move (there was a lot of twerking), the stage came alive with pyrotechnics. At one point, she had left and returned dressed in white fur boots and a daring blue ensemble.

She belted out fan favorites like “Captain Hook,” “Supernova” and “Big Ole Freak.” Throughout, she exhibited magnetic stage presence. Even in the absence of collaborator DaBaby, her rendition of “Cash Shit” underscored her undeniable star power.

As the night progressed, she paid homage to her origins, acknowledging the “OG hotties.” Briefly segueing into an a capella snippet of “BOA,” she seamlessly transitioned into the pulsating bass of the full track. “Ride Or Die” followed suit, as Megan Thee Stallion shed her jacket and confronted detractors head-on, urging the audience to defiantly defy their haters.

Transitioning from defiance to empowerment, she encouraged fans to embrace their self-worth and confidence during “Realer.”

She then deftly shifted the show’s tone once more and played “What’s New.” With a final burst of energy, she brought the house down with an invigorating performance of “Savage.” The audience probably left tired from all the dancing they had just done.

Nelly

Judging by the massive gathering, just about everyone on the festival grounds and the greater Bay Area was at the Verizon stage for rapper Nelly. It felt like the place to be whether they knew much of the material or not.

The set was heavy on collective nostalgia, mixing Nelly’s hits with some of the biggest songs by other rappers from the ‘90s and ‘00s. As for the man himself, he seemed to have been preserved in carbonite in the years that have followed his peak. Flanked by a DJ and a hype man, Nelly brought tight flows and high energy. He seemed truly happy to be there.

“How many of you here were with me 25 years ago?” he asked early in the set, shouting out his oldest fans multiple times.

The performance was fairly simple and no-frills, but also a ton of fun. Songs like “Ride Wit Me” and “Hot In Herre” felt more uptempo than their studio counterparts, which worked well. Nelly didn’t limit himself to hip-hop, also mixing in verses and collaborations from his hit “Cruise,” with Florida Georgia Line, and “Over and Over,” a country No. 1 chart hit.

“Back in those days, I would wear a Band-Aid under my eye,” Nelly said of his earliest work.

Ironically, the biggest reactions may have come for the songs from other artists the rapper mixed in during the show, including T-Pain’s verse in Flo Rida’s “Low,” as well as references to Lil Jon.

St. Vincent

Singer-songwriter Annie Clark, otherwise known as St. Vincent, electrified her audience at the Verizon stage as she snarled into the mic during her opening song, “Down,” from her 2021 album, Daddy’s Home. Supported by Jason Falkner and Charlotte Kemp Muhl on guitar and vocals, Clark commanded the stage and occasionally picked up the guitar herself to display her own impressive chops.

Her set was a vibrant mix of new and old songs, transitioning seamlessly from “Los Ageless,” from Masseduction; to “Big Time Nothing,” from the just-released All Born Screaming; and “Surgeon,” from Strange Mercy.

“Hello BottleRock; happy chardonnay to you,” St. Vincent said as a greeting, several songs into the performance. She then dove into “Surgeon” and “Flea.” Her performance reached a crescendo with a heavy guitar and drum solo, eliciting enthusiastic cheers.

The energy shifted as she played “Broken Man,” and delivered more raw rock and roll.

“I think you’ll know this one,” she said as she launched into “New York.” She mingled with the crowd, walking in the pit between the general audience and VIP sections as she sang the song. The set concluded powerfully with “Born Screaming.”

Bebe Rexha

Bebe Rexha brought an underdog mentality to an absolutely stellar midday set on the JaM Cellars stage. The performance channeled her personal and professional frustrations into positive energy for a ferocious and determined effort. The set was mostly filled with hits, but also her own material and some she wrote for others.

“This song is ‘I’m a Mess,’ and it’s about me,” Rexha said early on.

She kept up the conversation with fans, sharing her story, starting with her time as a teen songwriter: “My first ever placement was with a K-pop group.” She cautioned that it can sometimes be a tough job, as with the David Guetta track “Hey Mama,” which she performed.

“They used my voice in the hook without even crediting me; most people didn’t even realize it was me,” she said.

Her voice was powerful and just about flawless. Her dancers boosted the energy, and her band delivered a top tier performance that infused elements of hard rock, hip-hop and soul. The new tracks included “I’m the Drama” and “Chase It,” the latter bringing a thunderous club-ready beat.

She was also particularly blunt about her own weight.

“Your girl likes to eat; no Ozempic for me. I’m scared of that shit,” she said. “I’m all natural, and if you don’t like that, you can kiss my fat fucking ass.”

The crowd returned all of the energy, something Rexha wanted to reciprocate by venturing down to the barrier, though she wanted to make sure her journey would be a safe one.

“I want to go down there, but they’re saying ‘no.’ Can I get there?” she asked her bodyguard before adding, “You go first, Sergio.”

She made it down to the fans, singing tracks like “Meant to Be,” jokingly thanking fans for not throwing their cell phones at her once she went back to the stage.

“They’re eating, they’re slaying, they’re giving everything they got,” Rexha said of the crowd.

She closed with “I’m Good (Blue),” keeping the crowd jumping to the end.

Chris Shiflett

Half the BottleRock battle for the Foo Fighters’ guitarist Chris Shiflett was just getting to the gig; he had caught a 6 a.m. flight from Nashville.

“It was like planes, trains and automobiles,” Shiflett said, adding that the journey included a flat tire as his van noisily entered the driveway of the Napa rental where he and the band were staying.

“All the signs said, ‘don’t make a racket, the neighbors hate Airbnbs and will get pissed,’” he said.

But the show went off without a hitch. Shiflett was relaxed and informal, making the festival setting feel intimate. He chatted with the sound tech on the mic throughout the set and referenced his own crew between songs.

“Fresh guitar!” he announced.

Shiflett is a skilled guitarist, songwriter and performer. He played songs from Lost At Sea, like lively rocker “Black Top White Lines,” as well as selections from throughout his career. He spoke of his time living in San Francisco, playing with No Use For a Name, though he offered a sarcastic quip when he asked the crowd if they remembered the band.

“You’re telling me no one at BottleRock grew up in the ‘90s punk scene!?” he asked, playing “Good Night Little Rock,” which told the story of his time in the band.

All Time Low

All Time Low brought relentless energy to their afternoon set at the Verizon stage. They kicked off with “Weightless,” followed by “Lost in Stereo.”

The band made excellent use of the stage, asking the crowd to clap, raise its hands in the air and, at one point, to hop onto each others’ shoulders. Many seemed happy to oblige.

“All right, we’re starting to get a vibe cooking,” singer Alex Gaskarth said as he introduced “Perfect Day,” which he said he wrote for actress Reese Witherspoon.

Old favorites like “Something’s Got to Give” and “Monsters” turned into singalongs.

The second half of the set featured new songs like “PMA” and “New Religion.”

“I knew one day we’d be here,” Gaskarth announced after a few more fun antics like tossing their instruments across the stage and sharing a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “It was written in the fates.” All Time Low said their goodbyes and closed out with “Dear Maria Count Me In.”

Jessie Murph

Alabama singer-songwriter Jessie Murph is just 19, but her voice carried much weight at the JaM Cellars stage on Friday afternoon. Raspy, dramatic and powerful, it allowed her to convey numerous emotions from desperation to joy on songs that blended pop, rock, hip-hop, country and electronica.

Taking the stage in baggy black pants and a colorful top, she was accompanied by a band that included backup singers in matching denim outfits and a guitarist and bassist in matching white pants and tank tops. They kicked things off with moody and bass-driven, “While You’re At It.” After an impressive doo-wop-inflected song and ballad “If I Died Last Night,” she broke out hit “Cowboys and Angels,” which blended hip-hop and roots music. “Best Behavior,” an unreleased song, also had rapped lyrics over a hard rock melody.

“Does anybody here listen to Rihanna? Murph asked before kicking into a swinging, rock (hard rockabilly?) version of “S&M.” When she held her microphone out over the crowd, fans sang along.

A selection of ballads came next, including the vulnerable, piano-led “Always Been You,” and “How Could You,” which began only with light fingerpicking before taking an ethereal, melodic twist. She sat down to sing this one.

Otherwise, Jessie Murph spent most of her set walking back and forth across the front of the stage, waving to fans.

Without Diplo and Polo G, “Heartbroken” was a straightforward country song. So was “Texas,” but she rapped the bridged on this song, which was set against images of an empty rodeo grounds. Following new single “Cold” and a waltz-like cover of country classic “Tennessee Whiskey,” Murph entered the last stretch of her performance with “Pray” and hard-hitting hit “Wild Ones.”

Boywithuke

Charley Yang, better known as Boywithuke, brought an eclectic spirit to his energetic afternoon set. The mask-donning Korean American bounced around and commanded the stage, starting, ironically, without a uke.

“I have a confession to make,” Yang said. “This mic is not real.”

Yes, it turned out Yang’s actual microphone was under his mask, which had large golden circles for eyes. He joked that the fake mic, while not serving a technical purpose, looked better for the assembled photographers. The music had a slick, poppy swagger, recalling Twenty One Pilots.

Moving through tracks like “Two Moon” and “Migraine,” Yang kept up the pace and got the audience involved, while also adding commentary along the way. He also told stories about being in the studio, including making one track on which he recruited an outside producer (for the first time), just so he could get a very specific drum fill.

Grace Bowers

It was a joyous homecoming for young guitar star (and Danville native) Grace Bowers, whose band drew way more people to the JaM Cellars stage than any festival-opening act had any right to.

Wearing a black slitted dress with a beaded lines and gold boots to match her golden curls that bounced in her face as she played, she and her band, The Hodge Podge, delivered a blistering set of funk, blues and jazz-inflected rock. Most of the songs were from the band’s forthcoming debut album. Some were entirely instrumental. The band started with an extended jam session, limbering up into her first solo of the day.

Bowers made it look easy as her fingers danced up and down the fretboard, around the band’s hard-hitting rhythm, section. The opener built into a crescendo before ending in a drum solo. Vocalist Esther Okai-Tetteh appeared during the jazzy second song, the band’s first single, “Tell Me Why U Do That.” Bowers played by bending strings and hammering them.

The set included a cover of Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” and a funky song called “Get On Now,” which Okai-Tetteh will open the album.

“This next one is about a man who’s no good,” she said. “And you know what’s crazy? Everything’s made up!”

The Hodge Podge is Bowers’ vehicle and operates much like Santana, with the bandleader providing the licks while the others do the talking for her.

Akira Galaxy

Outfitted in black, Seattle-born singer-songwriter Akira Galaxy delivered a short set with aplomb. Accompanied by two guitarists and a drummer, Galaxy (her real name) performed all five songs from her EP. She started the set with “What’s Inside You” and “Wanna Be a Star.” A light breeze rustled the leaves behind the Prudential stage as Galaxy’s ethereal, husky voice cut through the dense percussion.

The band found their stride with “Silver Shoes.” Next up was her cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop,” which was as ethereal and moving as the original, and “Cosmic Touch.” The latter ballad faded out as slowly as it had begun. Akira Galaxy and her band concluded with “Virtual Eyes.”

The Takes

Portland rock quartet The Takes opened up the first day of BottleRock to clear skies, warm weather and a cool breeze. The young band cites the likes of Bob Dylan, the Allman Brothers and Neil Young as influences, and those sounds were evident in its material. The band was tight with chops beyond their years. While its roots are in the Pacific Northwest, the band has a rootsy Southern sound.

“Have y’all started drinking yet?” vocalist- guitarist Sumner Rahr asked to cheering approval. “Oh, that’s good for us.”

The band shouted out bassist Phoebe Webb’s birthday as it rolled on through its set. The Takes are touring in support of their just-released album, Lay Hold.

“This song is inspired by Oregon and its beautiful rivers,” Rahr said, leading into “River.”

The set was a solid mix of acoustic folk and bluesy, soulful rock and roll.

Chevy Metal

“We’re a cover band,” Chevy Metal bassist Wiley Hodgden said, introducing his trip. No truer words have been uttered, and yet this ws no run of the mill cover band. Hodgden, guitarist Brent Woods and drummer Shane Hawkins—the son of the late Taylor Hawkins—brought up up several guests during a high-powered set of, yes, classic covers.

The three rolled through a punky “Next to You” (the Police), a power pop take on “Jailbreak” (Thin Lizzy) and “Psycho Killer” (Talking Heads) that seemed to pick up speed as the song went along.

Throughout, Hodgden, the ringleader, spewed whimsical humor.

“‘Paul McCartney once told me, ‘Wiley, don’t namedrop,'” he announced before leading into the next tune. Then he introduced Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” as a 2 Live Crew song. The Foo Fighters’ Chris Shiflett goes on this one, a performance highlight.

“He used to be in this band,” Hodgden quipped.

Elsewhere, Bastian Evans of The Alive played guitar on a hard rock rendition of “You Really Got Me” (the Kinks), Grace Bowers on “Children of the Grave” (Black Sabbath)—”She just learned her part earlier today!” Hodgden said—and well-known rock photographer Danny Clinch played a harmonica on Sabbath’s “The Wizard.” The biggest guest turned into a no-show. Tommy Lee was supposed to play on Motley Crue’s “Looks that Kill.” He was there but Chevy Metal scrapped the song, possibly due to time constraints.

Shane Hawkins had numerous opportunities to shine, had a killer long solo on “Moby Dick” (Led Zeppelin).

“He’s 17, so he can’t drink wine. But next year he’ll be able to die for his country,” Hodgden said.