EXCLUSIVE: Mountain Winery announces epic concert lineup for 2024

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 upon 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 (March 28) at 8 a.m. The presale for Loyalty Club members begins at 10 a.m. April 2, with the general public on sale following at 10 a.m. April 5. Visit mountainwinery.com

The full lineup is listed below, but let’s first 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.”

2. Tanya Tucker (May 21) — 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.

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 definitely 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) — I 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.”

Mountain Winery 66th Concert Season 2024

Seal, May 5

The Roots, May 11

Dwight Yoakam, May 17

Tanya Tucker, May 21

Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, May 24

Xavier Rudd, May 25

Natalie Merchant, May 28-29

Thievery Corporation, June 1

George Lopez, June 8

Daryl Hall & Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, June 10

Parliament-Funkadelic feat. George Clinton with Dumpstaphunk, June 12

The Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute, June 15

Jim Gaffigan, June 21-22

Hauser, June 28

Demetri Martin, June 29

Harry Connick, Jr., July 9-10

Happy Together Tour: The Turtles, Jay & The Americans, The Association, Badfinger, The Vogues, The Cowsills, July 11

Straight No Chaser – Summer: The 90’s with Lisa Loeb, July 13

One Night of Queen, July 17

The Revivalists with Dawes, July 18

Megan Moroney with Special Guest Logan Crosby, July 19

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Adeem the Artist, July 20

Melissa Etheridge and Jewel, July 21

Ben Platt, July 23

UB40 with Maxi Priest, July 25

Rumours – Fleetwood Mac (tribute act), July 26

Midland, July 28

Stray Cats, July 30

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Aug. 3

Gipsy Kings Featuring Nicolas Reyes, Aug. 6

Jason Mraz & The Superband, Aug. 7

Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw, Aug. 8

The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Aug. 9

O.A.R.with special guest Fitz and the Tantrums, Aug. 10

Los Lobos & 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

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Aug. 15

I Love The 90’s Tour feat Montell Jordan, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, Rob Base, Aug. 16

Heather McDonald, Aug. 17

Gary Clark Jr, Aug. 18

Chelsea Handler, Aug. 24

Elle King, Aug. 25

Blue Oct, Matt Nathanson, Switchfoot, Aug. 30

Lost 80’s Live feat A Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, The English Beat, Missing Persons, The Vapors, The Escape Club, Stacey Q, Animotion, Musical Youth, Dramarama, Aug. 31

Yächtley Crëw, Sept. 1

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Big Boi, Sept. 3

Air Supply, Sept. 6

Three Dog Night & Little River Band, Sept. 7

Chris Isaak, Sept. 9

Mitchell Tenpenny, Sept. 13

The Temptations & Four Tops, Sept. 16

Kansas, Sept. 17

Julieta Venegas, Sept. 18

Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sept. 19

Bonnie Raitt with James Hunter, Sept. 20-21

Brian Regan, Sept. 22

Amos Lee & Indigo Girls, Sept. 24

Crowded House, Sept. 25

Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour feat Dweezil Zappa, KWS, Eric Johnson and others, Sept. 26

Wynonna, Sept. 27

Kings of Late Night: Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall & Craig Ferguson, Sept. 28

The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, Sept. 29

OneRepublic, Oct. 3

Get the Led Out (Led Zeppelin tribute), Oct. 4

Jerry Seinfeld, Oct. 6

Patton Oswalt, Oct. 11

Common Kings, Oct. 12

Clint Black 35th Anniversary of Killin’ Time Tour, Oct. 17