The inaugural BottleRock Festival, to be held May 9-12 in California’s Napa Valley, has an impressive lineup for a first-time event, including the Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Zac Brown Band and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. Plus, a partnership with eBay Celebrity and eBay Giving Works is helping bring memorabilia and exclusive experiences with those acts to attendees and music fans across the globe.
A two-part online auction launched April 15 and continues through May 8, with 100% of the proceeds going to 20 different community non-profits that help raise autism awareness. EBay has been increasing its music presence in recent years, with the Grammy Awards and Bonnaroo festival among its other auction partners, and was looking for a way to showcase the eBay Mobile platform through another music event.
“We were able to make what was originally intended as a silent auction into a global auction that connects people at the festival, and also people outside of it,” eBay chief marketing officer Richelle Parham says. “This shows the power of eBay as a global platform that brings a greater level of exposure not only to the festival but to the cause.”
The auction’s first wave featured signed artist memorabilia and meet-and-greets. The second wave begins May 8 and will include unique auction items direct from acts during the festival, with an additional on-site auction programmed by eBay Giving Works. Among the artist-selected items will be signed harmonicas and other memorabilia from Blues Traveler. Drummer Brendan Hill teases that backstage pass holders may also get to witness some priceless reunions, too.
“You never know what’s going to happen with different groups getting together that haven’t seen you in so long,” Hill says. “There’s going to be so many killer musicians there–we shared a bill with the Black Crowes in ’96; Erin O’Hara is a friend of ours. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of magical moments.”