Blogging BottleRock: Hair of the dog

You can read entries from Day 1 of BottleRock here.

I hate how old I feel these days. For 27, my later nights almost always get rewarded with painful mornings, yet I bring this on myself every time.

In alcohol's defense, I was drinking whiskey and wine at different points in the night, so really it's a human issue at the root of today's hangover. The Taco Bell drive-thru on the Uber ride home at 2 a.m. also didn't help.

So I started today on the slower side of life. After adding the last chunk of the night to yesterday's blog — which you should read — I made my way to BottleRock around 2 p.m. to try and catch a vibe on Day 2.

But first, I've got to lose this headache.

+3 

I went back to my true self to try and shed the hangover. Lagunitas "12th of Never," why are you so delicious?

Yousef Baig, Register

William Sonoma Culinary Stage, 2:57 p.m.

I linked up with some Southern boys from Savannah, Ga., and we started to wander through the culinary garden, but Dirty Heads and Chef Tim Love were just called onto the culinary stage. The surprise, however, was the third person introduced, actor Miles Teller. 

You know Teller, right? The dude from "War Dogs," co-starring with Jonah Hill. He was also in "Whiplash."

What took place after the intros was absurd. Teller is even more hungover than I am, and he starts saying all sorts of ridiculous things. At one point, he and Love start jamming on two drum rigs made of pots, pans and cutting boards. 

Teller was actually into it, though. "You really want to see a hungover guy bang pots and pans?" When he got up, he slid across the stage saying, "Slayed it." Then they began cooking ribs.

Teller looks like he's one of the boys, too. He's rocking a Phillies hat, a Grateful Dead shirt and some Nike Air Max's. He honestly makes me feel less jaded about people in Hollywood. 

+3 

Th Devil Makes Three entertains the crowd at BottleRock on Saturday.

Samie Hartley, Register

Samsung Stage, 3:53 p.m.

The Southern boy in me comes out when I see bands like The Devil Makes Three. I can't put my finger on why, but I think it has something to do with the stand-up bass. The boogie comes out naturally. It probably also has something to do with some good old-fashion banjo plucking. 

Under the hot afternoon sun, The Devil Makes Three feels right. My mind goes to campfires and singing whiskey songs — which is something I've never actually done but always feels familiar enough for me to use it as a descriptor like I have.

As hard as this is to leave, especially after you got caught up for a good 45 minutes, I'm all about turning schedule conflicts into compromises. Mavis Staples, this sinner is coming.

Miner Family Winery Stage, 4:31 p.m.

After we cross the path that opens up to the side exits, the music at the stage becomes clearer. She's playing her cover of Funkadelic's "Can You Get to That", which I recently found out she recorded with Jeff Tweedy (that's now two mentions of Tweedy this weekend) a few years back. Needless to say, this completely validates the early exit from The Devil Makes Three.

Staples is like the Yoda of soul and gospel music. There's a prophet-like energy to her as she growls into that microphone, making the hair on the back on my neck stand. She glides across the stage. Her presence is captivating, even if a lot of the people around me too self-involved to realize it.

This is the kind of moment that will linger long after this weekend. The same thing happened last year when I watched Buddy Guy shred his set at this very same stage.

And for perspective, Gregg Allman died today. That one really, really hurts — like most of us were just getting over Butch Trucks' death. To be able to see foundational pioneers like this are rare, so I don't take this for granted.

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"I'm a soldier," she's shouting, "and I'm in the battlefield."

I'm going to soak up every little detail of this before I have to run back to the media room.

Cross Hatch Eatery, 5:05 p.m.

OK, I'm really hungry and walking back with a seat waiting for me at the final destination of this short trip.

I just saw the words "pork belly bao buns" at the Cross Hatch Eatery booth by the Miner Stage.

"Crispy pork belly with cucumbers, picked vegetables, onions and house hoison sauce."

Uh, yeah bro, this is definitely happenin'.

+3 

Cross Hatch Eatery's pork belly bao buns, you win.

Yousef Baig, Register

Media Room, 6:02 p.m.

I'm writing on-deadline while House of Pain is playing "Jump Around" right outside at the Samsung Stage. This is the less glamorous side of covering events like this — when you have to actually work.

Source: Blogging BottleRock: Hair of the dog