Keanu Reeves was everywhere at BottleRock music fest

Reeves’ day started with Dogstar’s first live performance in more than 20 years, an event that Keanu fans had been looking forward to for nearly a year. The rock trio, who sound somewhat like a grungier version of Matchbox Twenty, achieved modest success in the 1990s and early 2000s, playing “The Tonight Show” and once opening for David Bowie. But on Saturday, it was clear why thousands packed the Verizon Stage nearly an hour before Dogstar was set to perform. Unlike during Post Malone’s headlining nighttime set, the crowd had to brave the scorching afternoon sun to see Reeves and his bandmates.

While the crowd waited, different roadies came out to adjust mics and equipment. Each time someone new showed up, the crowd roared — just on the off chance that it might be Reeves. 

When the “Bill & Ted” actor finally did take the stage, he could do no wrong. Every song break was punctuated with a “We love you, Keanu!” from an audience member. If he so much as looked up from his bass, the screams started anew.

Reeves played the role of stoic bassist, barely speaking during Dogstar’s one-hour set, ceding the mic to lead singer Bret Domrose, a small-time actor and composer. Dogstar’s drummer, Robert Mailhouse, is also an actor, with roles on shows like “Seinfeld” and “NCIS.”

“Thanks for coming over to the Verizon Stage. We were hoping we wouldn’t see a lot of grass. This is awesome,” Domrose said about halfway through the performance. 

Had he forgotten how famous his bandmate is?

Following its set, Dogstar joined celebrity chef Roy Choi at the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage to make kimchi fried rice and Korean barbecue burritos. BottleRock’s culinary “performances” are often kitschy and forced, and Reeves seemed only slightly interested in the cooking process. 

That is until George Kittle, a culinary stage regular, made a surprise appearance to help throw burritos into the crowd. Upon meeting Reeves, Kittle mimed dodging a bullet, a la Neo in “The Matrix.” Returning the favor, Reeves mimed making an over-the-shoulder catch and spiking the football, a la Kittle in any number of Niners highlights.

And with that, like John Wick at Grand Central Terminal, Keanu Reeves was gone.