Mountain Winery announces epic concert lineup
Mountain Winery is set to unveil a mammoth concert lineup for it's 2024 concert season.
The season — the picturesque Saratoga venue's 66th overall — will consist of more than 70 concerts, touching on everything from country, comedy and classic rock to pop, funk and oldies.
Big names on the bill include Rod Stewart, Natalie Merchant, Parliament-Funkadelic, Daryl Hall, Elvis Costello, Chelsea Handler and Harry Connick, Jr.
The venue is announcing the lineup today at 8 a.m. The presale for Loyalty Club members begins at 10 a.m. on April 2, with the general public on sale following at 10 a.m. April 5. Visit mountainwinery.com
The full lineup is at www. mercurynews.com/music, but let's take a look at the 10 shows I'm be most excited to see. I'll run through the list chronologically.
1. DWIGHT YOAKAM (MAY 17) >> I had the chance to see the country troubadour last year, as part of Blue Note Napa's Summer Session at the Meritage Resort, and he sounded fantastic. His songbook includes some of the genre's finest tunes of the last 40 years, including “Guitars, Cadillacs” and “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere.”
Can someone explain to me why it took until 2023 for this legendary performer to get inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame? Seems like “Delta Dawn” alone should've secured her passage into the hall at least a decade earlier.
2. TANYA TUCKER (MAY 21) >> 3. MEGAN MORONEY (JULY 19) >>
Yes, I'm well aware that my list opens with three straight country music singers. The first two are flat-out icons, while Moroney is one of the most talented
and promising new talents to be found in any genre. Her self-assured debut, “Lucky,” was my pick for the best album of 2023. And it's also the main reason why this show ranks as the one I most want to see at the Mountain Winery in 2024.
4. JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT (JULY 20) >>
Who doesn't like Jason Isbell? Judging by the reviews that this Americana artist has gotten from so many of his past albums — which includes last year's “Weathervanes” — the answer is pretty much nobody.
5. THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW (AUG. 9) >>
It's rare that a tribute act would make one of my top 10 lists, but I'm just so in the mood to hear those epic David Gilmour guitar parts played live. And Mr. Gilmour hasn't
toured the Bay Area since 2006. Sigh.
6. GARY CLARK JR. (AUG. 18) >>
Speaking of cool guitar work, this Austin blues-rocker will surely light up the frets when he visits Saratoga. The four-time Grammy winner is touring in support of his recently released fourth studio album, “JPEG Raw.”
7. LOST 80'S LIVE (AUG. 31) >> Just a really fun lineup, with A Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, The English Beat, Missing Persons, The Vapors, The Escape Club, Stacey Q, Animotion, Musical Youth and Dramarama. The best part is the sets tend to be short, so expect the hits and not much else.
8. AIR SUPPLY (SEPT. 6) >>
I def-*
initely don't have to sell this one to the band's incredibly devoted fans — lovingly dubbed “Airheads” — who will turn out in mass to see Air Supply perform such classic cuts as “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “The One That You Love” and, best of all, “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”
9. THREE DOG NIGHT &LITTLE RIVER BAND (SEPT. 7) >>
The latter has so many awesome songs, but I'd buy a ticket just to hear these first-tier Yacht Rockers play “Cool Change” alone. Toss in Three Dog Night — and the chance to scream along to “Joy to the World” — and this one definitely looks like a winner.
10. CLINT BLACK (OCT. 17) >> opened with country and I'm closing it, especially since Black is touring in celebration of the 35th anniversary of arguably his finest album — the 1989 multi-platinum debut “Killin' Time.”
Best of the rest
Here are some of the other notable shows included in Mountain Winery's 66th season.
• Seal, May 5
• The Roots, May 11
• Ringo Starr & his All Starr Band, May 24
• Natalie Merchant, May 28-29
• Thievery Corporation, June 1
• Daryl Hall & Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, June 10
• Parliament-Funkadelic feat. George Clinton with Dumpstaphunk, June 12
• Harry Connick Jr., July 9-10
• Happy Together Tour: The Turtles, Jay & The Americans, The Association, Badfinger, The Vogues, The Cowsills, July 11
• Melissa Etheridge and Jewel, July 21
• UB40 with Maxi Priest, July 25
• Stray Cats, July 30
• Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Aug. 3
• Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw, Aug. 8
• Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys with Son Rompe Pera, Aug. 11
• An Acoustic Evening with Rick Springfield and Richard Marx, Aug. 12
• Rod Stewart, Aug. 13-14
• I Love The 90's Tour feat Montell Jordan, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, Rob Base, Aug. 16
• Elle King, Aug. 25
• Blue October, Matt Nathanson, Switchfoot, Aug. 30
• Chris Isaak, Sept. 9
• The Temptations & Four Tops, Sept. 16
• Kansas, Sept. 17
• Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sept. 19
• Bonnie Raitt with James Hunter, Sept. 20-21
• Amos Lee & Indigo Girls, Sept. 24
• Crowded House, Sept. 25
• Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour featuring Dweezil Zappa, KWS, Eric Johnson and others, Sept. 26
• OneRepublic, Oct. 3.