The heat could not keep us away from the divine vibes that DoLab’s Lightning in a Bottle delivered during this Memorial Day Weekend. Five days and nights of silly, campy, grimey, sexy chaos ensued almost instantly. This event is considered one of the best camping festivals in the World. The elements were in our favor, and each artist delivered a one-of-a-kind experience. Nevertheless, this is something we will cherish forever. Now, let’s look at the highlights of this year’s LIB.
Lightning in a Bottle
The Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area has been the host to LIB in the last few years, and it still shines bright. The festival grounds and campsites surround the lake nearby, which is open to the public. Moreover, there are massive campsites which allow car-camping and RV camping. There are glamping options for attendees as well. As it is an all-ages event, the venue offers multiple amenities for adults and children alike. This includes a kids-only section.
The Vibes
As much as the weather posed a challenge to festivalgoers, including high temperatures, humidity, dust, and wind, attendees shared their love for the music and arts. They endured despite the harsh climate. From respectful and kind gestures to sexy and fun dance moves, everyone sparked electricity with every step. Security and festival staff were within the same vibrations as us. They provided pleasant, joyful, and respectful interactions throughout the 5 days. We definitely felt safe and in good hands the entire time.
The Music
Where do we start? This was definitely as much of a diverse lineup as Coachella, but in a much more intimate setting. Lightning in a Bottle brings the A-game out of artists, from the mainstream to the underground. Each set felt special and unique to the event. Each set had its own breath of LIB into it, which made the collective experience even more transcendental.
Musical guests echoed across multiple stages, influencing our ears with tasteful and ethereal soundscapes. Keeping the tradition alive, The Junkyard and The Stacks stages gave us surprise after surprise guests. This included ZHU: BLKLZT, Monolink’s sunset set, Dimond Saints and John Summit b2b Subtronics.
Major highlights include Four Tet, Jamie XX, Sultan + Shepard, Eli & Fur, Azzecca, Underworld, Sama AbdulHadi, John Summit, and Francis Mercier.
The charm of the festival was truly on wheels. Multiple art cars drove across the festival grounds all week. They showcased new and fresh talent consistently into the sunrise. From the banana to the monster and the bug, we followed the art cars left and right. We enjoyed their auditory blessings.
A major highlight of the weekend was the A Club called Rhonda Takeover. The crossroads stage was in full bloom alongside a stacked lineup of LGBTQ+ legends and nonstop dancing. Saturday night’s closing sets by Parris Goebbel and Biianco sealed the deal, with heavy basslines and heart-racing dancing. We definitely achieved a collective dancefloor euphoria in there.
The Culture
Lightning in a Bottle proved to be more than a music and arts festival. The experience extends to cultural exchanges and multiple workshops. These aimed to help and guide us even after we left the grounds. From morning Yoga to finance and cooking workshops, attendees used up the daytime to learn. They enriched themselves with wisdom from international guests. My favorite non-musical experience of the weekend was the Fire Ceremony during the sunset.
The organizers invited elders from the Mayan tribe. Elders from multiple tribes across the globe joined to showcase a ritual that connected us as a community. Whether we live by different rules, gods, or religions, the ritual aimed to find a positive and serene outlook. It elevated our experience.
All in all, Lightning in a Bottle brought us home, and connected all of us through music, arts, and love.