Bottle Rock leader Mike Wilhelm. Photo courtesy of Bernard Butcher.

SAN FRANCISCO – Lake County’s own Bottle Rock Blues and Rhythm Band will play at AT&T Park for this year’s San Francisco Halloween Celebration on Oct. 31. The celebration runs from 4 p.m. until late. Admission is free.

The celebration, which gets national media coverage, has been held in Castro Street in past years but due to ever-larger crowds has been moved to AT&T Park’s Parking Lot A.

The opening segment features ‘60s musicians and is produced by Summer of Love Productions’ Ron Frazier in the name of AIDS awareness. Anyone can be a victim of this deadly disease. Stopping the spread of AIDS begins with being tested.

The music starts at 4 p.m. with Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Cathy Richardson. Big Brother was Janis Joplin’s band back in the ‘60s. The tribute to Jimi Hendrix featuring Ralph Woodson starts at 5:30 p.m. Bottle Rock plays at 6:30 p.m.

The recently formed band’s music is described by leader Mike Wilhelm as “Smokin’ R & B!” Bottle Rock also sprinkles in some ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s rock and roll. Many will remember their well-received sets at this year’s Lake County Fair.

The band features the superb voice and percussion stylings of Neon Napalm, ‘60s legend Wilhelm on vocal and guitar, Stephan Holland on lead guitar and vocal, Bill McMenomy on bass and vocal with Mark Phillips on drums.

Napalm, a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation, was formerly the lead singer of the well-known Native American band Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. The rest of the band members are all veterans of well-known San Francisco Bay Area groups.

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