This past weekend, over 400,000 smiling faces graced the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three nights of what can only be described as a whirlwind combination of friendly faces, massive bass, eclectic costumes and immense, immersive stages. Now in it’s 18th year – Pasquelle Rotella and Insomniac Events have been bringing people together under the beautiful, electric sky for a night of magic, mystery, euphoria and the most beautiful type of mayhem you’ll ever encounter. From it’s humble beginnings in San Bernadino and Los Angeles, to the massive scale festival that’s now situated just beyond the bright lights of Las Veags – EDC has become an internationally renowned festival; and the Insomniac Team has it’s more than earned those bragging rights.
Between the 8 permanent stages of music and mobile art carts traversing the grounds, there was literally something for everyone. neonGARDEN played host to the Deep and Tech House DJs for the night, and was hosted by the man, the myth and the legend Carl Cox the first two nights and hosted the likes f Claude VonStroke, Dusky, Art Department, Adam Beyer, Booka Shade, Maya Jane Coles and Eats Everything. The circuitGROUNDS brought in some of the more bass heavy, electro house like Afrojack, Sander van Doorn, Dada Life, Bingo Players and my personal favorite, Prydz. Even though there were some stand outs in the line-up for me, Martin Garrix would be enough for me to avoid the circuit like the plague on the first night and any stage hosted by Avicii is reason enough for me to meander elsewhere.
Bassrush hosted the BassPod and brought in crowd favorites like 12th Planet, Infected Mushroom and Seven Lions for the first two nights. On the last night, the BassPod boasted a co-curated stage with Andy C’s Ram Records for one of the most epic nights of Drum and Bass I’ve ever seen stitched together with Wilkinson, Loadstar, SubFocus, Netsky….um, yeah. Swoon. In what I consider a monumental move, HARD is back at EDC for it’s second year with a curated stage – bringing in a Dubstep, Electro House, Bass heavy…well, party. They’re covering all the genres with eclectic artists like Diplo, Justin Martin, Oliver, Madeon, Flosstradamus, Knife Party, Chromeo, Brancez, A-Trak, Zeds Dead, Dillon Francis, Bassnectar, What So Not and HARD’s founder Destructo. And for the first year, the DiscoveryProject itself was expanded to encompass costume design, stage design and art installations in addition to DJs and producers.
I consider music my religion, so when I discovered that the kinesticFIELD – the main stage of EDC – had been completely redesigned into a cathedral – the DJ booth was giant pipe organ, adorned by two massive owls with outstretched wings. At over 440 feet wide and 80 feet tall, this is the largest stage in Insomniac history. As I burrowed through pictures on social media – my heart swooned almost as fast as the FOMO set in; yes, I get claustrophobic, sure Las Vegas would’ve been expensive this weekend, and maybe I’m not exactly all the way recovered from my amazing weekend at Lightning in a Bottle. So what?! Oh, man – that’s when I knew I was really missing out on something. It was the first time since EDMBiz ended that I really felt the need to physically be in Vegas for EDC. Through an on-point digital partnership with 7Up, EDC live streamed select stages for ‘EDC Curated’ as a way to indulge those of us that couldn’t attend the spectacle – and I’m so thankful they did! As part of this global consciousness, it’s a great reminder for those of us that’ve been part of this ‘scene’ or whatever you want to call it that we really are connected by the music; and that’s a formidable bond. My first EDC was the last festival held in San Bernadino and my last EDC was the first held in Vegas; the event and the community that engulfs it have become a family and within that, a second home for me. So even though I wasn’t there, it was near impossible to not feel like I was still part of the event.
From stilt walkers to aerial artists, winged fairies and masked marathon dancers – the troupe that Insomniac brings in rivals the high octane energy of each and every smiling face in attendance. Over 400,000 people from 40 different countries and all 50 states came together to experience the epic 3 night event, and for everything potentially lost in the Vegas desert – from cell phones to wallets, id cards and brain cells – with the new friends and a welcoming community, I guarantee much more was found.
If you’re fighting against the grain this Monday, wishing you were in Vegas or itching to get back – I’m pretty sure these EDC sets will help you coast through until 5pm. Enjoy! 🙂
In the tangible world, it’s only been two months since’s Autograf’s last remix; but to tried and true fans of the Chicago triumvirate those sixty some days can feel like a lifetime. Admittedly, he sultry Future Disco forerunners have been keeping themselves busy by taking their signature sound to clubs and parties on the East Coast and releasing exclusive mixes through Dancing Astronaut, Gotta Dance Dirty and most notably, THUMP and Too Future as of late. This morning, they returned to their downtempo, day party vibes with their take on the synth heavy, electro pop summertime anthem ‘Gust of Wind’ from Pharrell and the legendary Nu Disco duo Daft Punk.
Eliciting feelings of Pretty Lights, Griz and Late Night Radio, Autograf’s mix takes an equally eerie and seductive turn – reminiscent of their takes on classics like Marvin Gaye’s ‘Heard it Through The Grapevine’ and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’. The end result is a groove perfect for pool parties and cruising to at high volumes in your ride.
“With the hot sunny days upon us, we decided to start the Future Summer remix series. For every month this summer, we’ll be taking a song we’re really feeling at the moment and giving it our Future House, summer-inspired remix treatment…And we’ll be giving them all away for free as a thank you to our fans. As a new group, it can be hard to get noticed, so we really appreciate people taking the time to discover and share our music. For the first one in the series, we couldn’t have thought of a better song to remix than Pharrell’s collaboration with one of our all-time heroes, Daft Punk.”
If the caliber of their remixes is any indication of future success, make sure to keep your eyes and ears out for Autograf in 2014. Be sure to grab tickets to their upcoming shows and stay up to date with them through their socials.
Beyond the release of the two track EP ‘Hit Me’ this past April – 2014 has been awfully quiet for Dirtybird frontman Worthy; thank goodness that’s all about to change. Worthy’s highly anticipated, full length debut album ‘Disbehave’ hits Beatport and iTunes on 6/10. The experimental, 15 track LP comes dance floor approved thanks to BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, complete with praise and parallels to fellow Dirtybird producer Justin Martin’s ‘Ghettos & Gardens’s’. In 2001, the two paired up with Martin’s brother Christian Martin and legendary Claude Vonstroke to form Dirtybird Records in San Francisco with a constant creative vision to break the mold of ‘mainstream’ house music. Between their ample shared success, busy touring schedules and almost cult like following – there’s simply been no looking back.
Whether it’s original singles or collaborations, over the course of the past decade, Worthy has made a definite imprint in the scene and has been instrumental in establishing the label’s signature booty shakin’, bass heavy underground tech house sound. In 2011, he linked up with beloved UK deep house producer Eats Everything on the grungy, underground tech house jam ‘Tric Trac’ which landed firmly in the Beatport Top 10 for Tech House.
The two year project comes out on WORTHY’s label Anabatic Records (formerly Katabatic Records), but the breadth of his genre defying LP – from soulful vocals layered between seductive bass lines to industrial, tech house breakbeats befitting of a warehouse party – is an homage to late nights, dark dance floors and the entire Dirtybird family.
Starting with the intro ‘All our Souls’, the listener embarks on an emotive journey into a dreamlike oblivion, melting into the sultry, bedroom house jam ‘The Words’ featuring the ethereal Audio Angel expertly layered over a grungy bass line. The haunting, often ominously booming ‘Dark Bridges’ and ‘Burned’, a moody track with gripping vocals, turn the album towards the mysterious. All of this leading to the title track ‘Disbehave’; an eerily rhythmic, often dissonant tech house adventure that borders on industrial drum & bass.
As the name implies, ‘On the Floor’ featuring Kevin Knapp (Off, Hot Creations) begs the listener to boogie down, deep into the heart of the dance floor. ‘Infected’ guarantee’s you’ll stay there and the garage-infused ‘Dusted Smoke’ atmospherically wobbles in an equally delicate yet spooky fashion. ‘I Get’ and ‘Damn Fine’ both throw seductive spins on booming, deep house bass lines. The LP forays back into the grungy, warehouse beats starting with the gritty tech house banger ‘Handle It’ and then again with ‘Stars Attack’ a jarring, ominous and often times musically deranged journey strung together by a music mastermind, perfect for afterhours. Equally dark, ‘Luna’ is a bass ridden and otherworldly, leading into the anthemic ‘Free From The Night, and back into an outro of ‘All Our Souls’, which embodies the same relaxing trancelike state the album began with.
“I want to push my new sound, which is leaning more toward a breakbeat old-school vibe, but still want to keep with the fact that I play house and techno. My focus is to stay innovative and authentic and to continually reinvent myself as an artist.” – Worthy
The official release party is this Friday, 6/6 at The Mighty in San Francisco; this is one Dirtybird affair you’d be crazy to miss out on. Following the show, Worthy will embark on a tour across North America.
–Upcoming Shows–
6/6: San Francisco @ Mighty (Get Tickets Here:DISBEHAVE RECORD RELEASE PARTY)
6/8: Beldon, CA @ Raindance
6/14: Weldon, CA @ Native Springs Oasis
6/28: Boston @ Prime
7/4: Driftpile, Cananda @ Astral Harvest
8/1: Brooklyn @ Verboteen
8/2 – LA @ HARD Summer
8/15 – Kasota Park, Idaho @ Heyburn
Keep tabs on the Dirtybird crew, the upcoming North American tour and all things Worthy through their websites and socials –
“Let the beauty you love be what you do;
There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the Earth”
–Rumi
DJ Tennis at the Woogie
Dirt Devil Sized Woogies
Between the epic amounts of live music and menagerie of performers – from stilt walkers to fire dancers and back to the artists live painting as part of The Do Art Foundation’s ‘Lightning in a Paintcan‘, the Lightning in a Bottle music festival has consistently and gracefully walked a thin line between Burning Man, where the festival draws it’s transformative inspiration, and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where The Do Lab’s been curating their own bass heavy, freak friendly stage for the past decade. Originally held in the sprawling Live Oak Campground in Santa Barbara where Lucidity Festival has been located for the last several years, Lightning in a Bottle’s been jumping around Southern California from Oak Canyon Ranch in Silverado in ’10 to Lake Skinner in Winchester for last year’s festival – all in search of a location they can continue to call home; and with the new location situated halfway plush in the hills of Monterey County between their devoted underground music communities of the Bay Area and Los Angeles – it feels like they’ve finally found it on the North Shore of Lake San Antonio.
This guy was doing it right.
As with any year, this location wasn’t without it’s challenges – this wasn’t a festival that happened to have a camping option, this was a pretty rough and rugged camping trip that seemed to organically create a music festival inside of itself; and unlike previous years, the camping was intertwined with the festival grounds. So, whether this was your first LIB or your third – everyone was met with new environmental challenges. Some people came prepared to let loose at a festival for five days, and just happened set up some tents while they did it – others came prepared to really rough it and set up camp for the weekend and happened to enjoy a festival while doing so.
As we waited in line for the mass exodus on Monday afternoon, dirt stained smiles and glistening eyes gave away the Thursday crowd that’d planned for Lightning in a Bottle for months – alternatively, complaints of heat exhaustion, distances to the stages paired with an overall lack of filth emanated from attendants that showed up with a last minute ticket Saturday morning unprepared for the mayhem and the magic. From Thursday when the majority of campers arrived through Monday afternoon when the majority left, we dealt with a high of 100°, a low of 49° (thats more than a 50° shift) and winds of up to 34 mph. If you were there, take a moment and brush that dirt off your shoulders – because there’s an actual chance with all those dust storms and dirt devils that there’s just a little bit still left over somewhere from the weekend, no matter how many times you shower or do laundry. For those of you that have attended Burning Man, you’re well aware that the weather conditions at Lightning in a Bottle are nothing to joke at – and are at par, if not slightly more intense than last year’s Playa conditions.
Though held at Lake San Antonio, the lake was dry and the lake beds were converted into expansive camping space as well as two renegade stages – The Ditch, and The Drift; the former of which was hosted by Distrikt and now has it’s own Facebook page and the later was basically in my front yard and hosted surprise sunrise sets from the Desert Dwellers and Random Rab. And for those that are still feeling the hills in their legs and thighs – there’s another reason to pat yourself on the backs, earlier this month on the South Side of Lake San Antonio, the Wildflower Triathlon was held for it’s 32nd year in a row.
Formerly a Chumash Reservation, Lake San Antonio is currently 30 miles from both a Recruiting station as well as an Army Base. Unbeknownst to festival attendants, residents of Bradley were given free entrance to the festival so they could experience the event firsthand and jump to their own conclusions about our intentions. The second night of the festival, a rugged older gentlemen with an adorably welcoming olive green yoda beanie stumbled into my campsite and sat down with my friends and I. After a small and socially awkward conversation, we realized that not only was he a resident of Bradley – but a US Army Vet with a conservative viewpoint and at that very moment time – a staunch representation of the reason transformational festivals are so important:
“Well, I showed up in my camouflage hunting cap but that felt so out of place, so after looking around at the vendors I found something I was excited to wear – I lean to the right, but I have some real right wing friends and I can’t wait to show it off around them.
I didn’t know people could be so wonderful. Originally, I didn’t want the festival here because I thought it would be a group of ignorant kids trashing the environment. ” He admitted, “But now that I’m here, I see people throwing away their trash and looking after one another. This is a special group of individuals. There’s amazing live music, and the art! There’s so much art being created and being explored; I hope they have LIB here again next year, but if they don’t – I still want to go, and I’ll even pay for it.”
The Courtyard / Giggle Juice Cafe
The three main stages of the weekend – The Lightning Stage, The Bamboo Stage and The Woogie – each had such a unique feel and draw, which brought about three different types of musical crowds. Back at the road, back where the festival land starts is the Bamboo Stage – let’s think of this as your ‘One Night Stand’ or ‘Spring Fling’. You go there for a reason: you want to get your head warped and you feel an overwhelming urge to get hit with an epic bass drop; it hits hard, it’s sexy, it wobbles, shakes, can get sweet for a second but overall – the Bamboo stage is pure debauchery.
What So Not
Baauer
From the time Filabusta opened the stage at noon on Friday until the final set on Sunday, when The Gaslamp Killer gave everyone a lesson in Low End Theory as he hit them with the sound of an Earthquake – what happened at the Bamboo Stage was unprecedented, revolutionary and magical. Sunday afternoon was the hottest day of the festival both temperature wise (99) and musically. From start to finish, the stage was stacked and hosted the surprise set of the whole weekendstarting with Late Night Radio opening to a rapidly growing crowd. There might be a limited dancing, but believe me, each and every last inch of shade was taken up by an eager crowd that didn’t care about a dancefloor. Plantrae followed the only way he knew how, a melodic dubstep set layered with a live electric violin – the skills! Other notable sets of the weekend came from What So Not, Cashmere Cat, who turned up the sexy on Saturday night, and Baauer who payed proper tribute to the Rap and Hip-Hop influences so readily heard in EDM.
Beats Antique Closing the Lightning Stage
The Lightning Stage is the ‘Long term, Serious Relationship’ stage: It’s moving, emotional, light hearted, romantic – but serious, committed (And if it’s Amon Tobin, it can be straight aggressive). And just as anything emotionally important, the stage was tucked deep into the heart of the festival and was chalk full of emotionally moving music all weekend long. Between amazing live experiences from Norwegian trio Kraak & Smaak, The Do Lab’s own Lucent Dossier Experience, Chet Faker and Phantogram as well as headlining sets from Gramatik and Gold Panda; each and every artist told a story, strung together beautifully and deliberately.
On Friday night, Moby threw a party straight out of a rave 5 years ago – as we shimmied up to the stage, Infinity 2008 (Klauss Remix): Guru Josh Project: was blaring from the speakers – a bouncy, fun moment – but not what I had in mind when I chose LIB. On Saturday, Amon Tobin threw an exceptionally well DJed party for himself and didn’t seem to mind that literally no one in the crowd was moving a muscle to the heavy, aggressive and industrial Drum & Bass tracks. In contrast, The Polish Ambassador’s Sunset set on Friday night had everybody movin’ and groovin’ to his fresh beats, including the jumpsuited passe he habitually brings on stage with him and Beats Antique closed the festival with a visually stunning performance, getting the entire crowd – including local police officers – to get weird with friends and neighbors alike as they danced their cares away for one last night.
The Polish Ambassador at Sunset
Last but definitely not least, just a hop, skip and a jump across “The Ditch” – there’s that Woogie – your little sultry, sexy, little thing on the side where you go when you want to dance your cares away. From noon til midnight, Friday through Sunday, the Woogie was movin’ and groovin’ to deliciously deep house thanks to a brand new sound system from Pure Groove Audio.
Simian Mobile Disco holding down the Woogie
As the torch was passed from Los Angeles resident Tara Brooks to Maxxi Soundsystem and the bassline for ‘Regrets We Have No Use More’ came on, the dance floor exploded in energy; only to be topped by DJ Tennis, Damian Lazarus and the Dirtybird legend himself, Sir Claude VonStroke. The jams continued into Sunday night where Lee Burridge played an All Day I Dream Set during the final sunrise and Simian Mobile Disco whipped up a seductive, old school set and reminded the crowd why they’re one of the best DJ duos in the business; simply put – if we ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’, they ‘Wake Up, Make Dope Music, Go To Sleep’
One thing I found – even though my days and nights were packed with activity, I felt like I both saw it all and saw absolutely nothing of the camp grounds. On the first night during Ryan Hemsworth’s set at the Bamboo Stage, we jumped on the shuttle to Camp 13 (The RV Camp), because….well….just because – and it let us see just how expansive the festival grounds really were; absolutely astounding.If you had time between sets, you could wander into the vendor area to ease your hunger pains or get your fix of adorable festival worthy gear including Spirit Hoods, Jammy Packs, Electro Fur and amazing jewelry from the team at Third Eye Pinecones. As far as food was concerned, it’s a camping trip – so it’s always recommended to bring your own. That said, the event offered some amazing food options ranging from Vegan to Vegetarian, and even Pescetarian if you were lucky enough to find the mouth watering sushi. Between the breakfast burritos, seaweed salad, pizza fresh from the Do Lab’s Dough Lab that I’d gladly purchase any day of the week and smoothies – you could have your cake and eat it, too. I’m all for conscious eating, so this was a great time to actively engage in the practice – but at the end of the trip, all I could think about was bacon. Next year, if my camp plans a little better – we’ll just bring our own bacon, cook it – and add it to the breakfast burrito; hunger problem, solved.
Though it wasn’t as heavily advertised as the main lineup, other stages boasted smaller, but equally talented musical acts. San Francisco’s Silent Frisco hosted an after hours silent disco for the event once the main stage music had ended. San Diego’s Vokab Company and The Herbert Bail Orchestra wowed The Grand Artique – another alternative source of music for the weekend. One wandering through the area was enough to delight and amuse the festival at large – with a mock election for Mayor, and a hidden speakeasy with some deliciously free pickle bottoms if you happened to know the password, or Joaquin Murrietta.
During the day, The Temple hosted talks from Bashar and Lucent Dossier Experience creator and Lightning in a Bottle co-founder Dream Rockwell. Author Daniel Pinchbeck spoke on his book ‘Breaking Open The Head’ – a personal favorite’, Moby gave his thoughts on art as therapy and Youtube creator Chad Hurley divulged his secret recipe for following your dreams. Each night after the speeches were over, the venue hosted music – Wildlight – the emotive sideproject from The Polish Ambassador and Ayla Nereo – wowed the crowd early Saturday morning. Sunday evening the was curated by up and coming Los Angeles locals, The Luminaries who brought in The Human Experience to close with a moving set on Sunday morning.
Wildlight at The Temple
Beyond the large, ornate and often fire engulfed art sculptures – thanks to The Do Art Foundation, easels scattered throughout Lake San Antonio filled with color as the festival grounds filled with happy campers. A menagerie of local artists, including Vyal, Andrew Knights, Anthony West and Max Neutra, used inspiration from the festival to create paintings displayed at a showcase Sunday night of the festival, fully equipped with a silent auction. All proceeds go directly to the artists and a small percentage will go to supporting the public arts through the foundation, run by The Do Lab.
“This was my second year live painting at LIB and once again I was blown away by the amount of love and dedication that goes into LIB. Painting at LIB allows me to paint in a wonderful setting, converse with strangers about a variety of subjects and consequently feel true connectedness, spirituality and healing. When I paint I try to put the feeling of the music or talk into my work! Last year my painting evolved with the music I heard from the two stages I was I between. This year I positioned myself by the temple of consciousness and my painting slowly evolved into a psychedelic mandala! My surroundings inspire the direction of my work! I love how LIB allows me to push my work into new frontiers. The energy at the festival is my souls food!” – Andrew Knights
Andrew Knghts with wife Amanda by his finished masterpiece
On Monday afternoon, as the temperature crawled past 100 – and everyone, for lack of a better term, was miserable. As I looked around, I thought of everything could do – I asked the Do Lab to turn the hoses back on, but they were busy – and rightfully so – trying to delicately tear down the Woogie. So I did the only thing that came to mind – grabbed a friend, unloaded squirt guns from our luggage, reloaded them with water and aimed them at the three hour line waiting for a shuttle that felt like it would never come. Slowly, a collection of unspoken frustrated faces instantly lit up with excitement as they were drenched with some of the free water that was provided to the camps all weekend. A two person team became an eight person army, filling misters and hoses – bringing about smiles and laughs, camaraderie and community.
For five days – we camped under stars and a clear sky, told our darkest secrets to strangers and our deepest dreams to friends, laughed at the sight of bubbles and cried when we ran into an unexpected friend. We’ll always light up when ever we hear the words ‘Woogie’, ‘Drift Party’ or ‘Picklebacks’ and howling as the sun goes down might become second nature. We weathered dust storms and heat waves with smiles on our faces and a bounce in our step. Whether we met or not, if you were at Lightning in a Bottle – we’re forever bonded by this event.
As we left our beautiful, blissful weekend to returned to reality Monday evening, we were all confronted with current, tragic events in Santa Barbara. For those of you that are new to the LIB Family, the festival community and the and Santa Barbara are incredibly close knit – the Live Oak Campground where Lucidity Festival was held this past year played host to Lightning in a Bottle back from ’06 to ’08. This past weekend was a beautiful, necessary and touching reminder that humanity at its core is wonderful, creative, giving and ever evolving. We build communities and families together, we help our weak and empower our strong. we dance with friends and laugh with strangers, we battle the elements and wish on stars.
We aren’t trying to say that it was the perfect conditions for the festival, but I’d like to argue that it was the perfect storm. The dry lake beds were more than we bargained for, but where some people lamented the exercise – others gleefully ran across, some holding hands, others balancing ornate sculptures on their chins or giving their friends a piggy back ride – and some of us, including myself, had dance parties in the middle of the ditch and made new friends. We’re a problem solving community that works together, in the moment, to find the best solution. We’re strong, charismatic, energetic and whimsical with a lead by example attitude where no stranger is left behind. Strangers instantly evolve into a camp, a tribe – a family. People watch out for each other with flashlights, buy two drinks instead of one because they know if they’re thirsty – someone else has to be, too.
Every single person at Lightning in a Bottle – from your best friend to your camp neighbors, stilt walkers to the burlesque show at Amori’s Casino, the painters from ‘Lightning in a Pantcan’, costumed actors who stayed in character all weekend and the musicians themselves – each and every individual has a unique gift to share with the world. And we’ve proudly staked our claim as an empathetic band of weird and wacky humans just itching for our chance to give back.
As with any collective, as humans – we’re only as strong as our weaknesses; the time is now to explore your gifts and give back to the community that’s provided your personal inspiration. It’s not the ‘Maybe Lab’ – it’s the Do Lab; do it with love, and do it now – there’s a whole family of people that can’t wait to see what happens next.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead
Sunrise Set: Desert Dwellers with some Ditch Dwellers
Speakeasy!
My Loves
Hosed Down during Plantrae
A huge thank you to The Do Lab, The Confluence, the Do Art Foundation and the extended Lightning in a Bottle family for such a beautiful weekend. For every dollar donated to the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, The Do Lab will match the donation. Please visit The Chumash Sanctuary Website for more information.
Sleep hasn’t come easy these past few nights. Slowly but surely, we’ve been starting to pack for Lightning in a Bottle and every night I’ve been lying in bed, rehashing plans and crossing my fingers I’m not forgetting anything. Thank goodness I’ve developed into a semi pack-rat about things; after some quick thinking, I unearthed my packing list from the festival last year and with a few fell swoops I’ve developed a new, improved and rather idiot-proof list of festival essentials that you won’t want to leave home without!
Tent
If you’re camping, this is almost a ‘No-duh!’ moment. Of COURSE you want a tent, but what kind of tent? First, take into account how many people you’re camping with (if you’re small, add one – trust)) and before you make that impulse purchase that sounds too good to be true (read: it probably is), Google that shit and see how it ranks on Amazon. We got our 3-Person Coleman tent at Big 5 on an uber discount, but Amazon as always is also amazing.
Don’t forget your sleeping bags, some toss away pillows and second hand blankets that you’re okay getting a little trashed over the weekend.
Different Types of Footwear
As awesome as it is to gallivant around in sandals all day, sometimes – they’re just not practical. I always have a pair of toss-away boots on me in case the weather gets wacky – and if you’re feeling fiesty, there’s no better feeling than getting a new pair of electric or neon inspired kicks.
Bubble Guns
Fact: you can’t say the word ‘Bubble’ and be unhappy. Try it. Now again. That very feeling is the reason I looooove running around with a bubble gun at festivals! Not only are you constantly making your day with your own floating, translucent Technicolor army – but you’ll be making the weekend a prettier place for everyone.
Try your local convenience store, CVS, Rite-Aid or Target for awesome options!
Wagon
See all that stuff you’re planning on bringing? At some festivals, you get to camp with your car which is absolutely perfect. Others, like Lightning in a Bottle, you have to buy a separate pass for car camping and some – like myself – choose not to. So we don’t have to break our backs lugging stuff (and people!) too and fro, we’ve invested in this handy dandy garden cart. Check your local Home Depot or gardening stores (or, per usual – Amazon)
Water
Whether it’s a pallet of water bottles from Costco, or a refillable, personalized water jug – you should always know where your next drink of water is coming from. Plus, if you’re the creative type – it’s always
fun customizing something you’ll be able to use at future festivals!
Mini Supply and First Aid Kit
You never know what could go down at a music festival, and it doesn’t hurt to be prepared – snag a little first aid kit from your local convenience store and make sure you’re fully stocked with hydrogen peroxide, band aids, tums, wet wipes, ear plugs.
While you’re at it, throw in a hammer, pair of scissors and a roll of duct tape just in case; you never know what you could need!
Mini Grill
One thing I forget to think about at festivals is food, and even though there are always ample options in the food court – they can cost a pretty penny. Which for one day, and one meal – it’s not so bad….but on day four of a festival, you might wish you’d brought some of your own snacks. Invest in one of these, pre-freeze some hamburger patties, get some ketchup, mustard and buns and have yourself a little festival tail-gate. Plus, food is a phenomenal way to meet friends.
Fanny Pack
Having a small bag at all times to house your little gear – like travel sized SPF, chapstick, your cell, wallet and a camera – is 110% necessary. Some ladies love the over the shoulder satchels, but I opt for something a little more retro and hands free.
Waterproof Camera Case
EDC week in Las Vegas last year was the first time I’d played around with a waterproof camera case, and ever since I’ve been on the prowl for one of my own. So, when we were at Big 5 the other day grabbing a tent – I couldn’t resist the impulse purchase! Now, instead of worrying about getting sprayed with water, jumping in the pool or ruining my camera – I can get that epic shot I’ve always wanted. I’m also bringing an extra, fully charged battery, sturdy case and a charger just in case it runs out of juice.
Mini Flashlights
At night time, it can be hard to find your way – especially back to camp. I stocked up on little flashlights so everyone in my camp can have one – and it’ll definitely make going to the bathrooms at night a lot easier 😉
Festival Friendly Beauty Products Model in a Bottle: You definitely don’t need much makeup during a festival, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want the option. I absolutely SWEAR by this product – spritz it on after applying makeup for a set that’ll last through water, sweat, tears and lots of epic raving. I’ve used this at every EDC since ’08 and my makeup’s been flawless post-ragefest.
Fenix Sunscreen: Most suncreens deposit a layer on your skin that the sun can still fight through, Fenix products reflect sunlight instead of absorbing – which is so much better for your skin!
Real Spray Aloe: If your sunscreen fails, it’s nice to have something as backup and spray aloe is the way to go.
Ouidad Climate Control: Frizzy, Curly, Straight – whatever you want your hair to do, it might not be so willing on Days 3 as it was on Day 1 to control itself – get a little glob of this on your hands and through your hair and you’ll be set for the entire day.
Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to bring a towel so you can dry off quickly after galavanting through spritzing water, a quick shower or for something to catch some rays (and Zzzz’s) over the weekend.
Oh, and some good vibes and great company – but you knew that already, I’m sure 🙂 Friends might say that I’m in rare form this year – on the regular, my social schedule can get pretty packed, especially in the Summer months. Blame it on age, or being happy in love and filling my life with a world beyond festival life – but over the past year, I’ve more or less removed myself from the festival circuit. Electric Daisy Carnival, Together As One, Love Festival, How Sweet it Is, Nocturnal Wonderland – you name it, if it’s been in Southern Cali in the past 7 years I probably raved it. Gradually, my taste in music evolved and I migrated from being an open minded observer, to a full on member of this beautiful, international community of music aficionados and perpetual dream chasers. I started the year with Sea of Dreams, and besides Lightning in a Bottle – and maybe Sun City in Texas, there’s nothing on my agenda – so I have to ask: what are your favorite music festivals and what are your must have packing essentials?
I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning with a huge bounce in my step and a smile on my face; why, you ask? Because I can count down the days until Lightning in a Bottle on my fingers and toes! As of today, there are only 15 days left until my favorite music festival; 15 days until I leave the ‘real world’ of Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 jobs that leave us yearning for some semblance of self satisfaction; 15 days until I cruise up to the San Antonio Camp Grounds up on the Central Coast of California for a weekend of fun, sun, beautiful people and wonderful vibes. After last year’s amazing experience at Lightning in a Bottle, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to cover the event for The DJ List and I couldn’t be more thrilled. So, with 15 days left until the big weekend – I give you the 15 acts you have to see.
Back when I first set eyes on the LIB’14 flyer, I recognized less than half of the artists on the bill – which is better than last year’s lineup, where I probably knew about a third of the acts pre-festival. In an effort to educate my eardrums, I decided to start from the bottom right corner where the lesser known acts resided and work my way up to the top where mainstream headliners like Moby, Phantogram and Little Dragon sit comfortably. Beyond the fact my taste in music has evolved over the last year, what I realized while winding myself through the lineup is that there’s just so much good music out there to discover for everyone. From Goa and Psy-Trance to Ambient Chillscapes, Glitchy Dubstep to Liquid Drum and Bass, and Funky Deep House to Nu-Disco Soul Music – this year’s lineup for Lightning in a Bottle absolutely has something for everyone’s taste in music.
When I started rummaging through the line-up, I had no idea that my plan to make it from bottom to top in a day at the office would be thwarted. Not by the fact I had a meeting, or a heavy workload – but because third from the bottom is Late Night Radio and once I started listening, I simply couldn’t stop. Even though my heart has found it’s way into an EDM groove over course of the past decade, Hip-Hop and Rap have a way of speaking directly to my soul – and that bassline, oh, that bassline – it most certainly was the gateway drug that converted me to Electronic Music. So, when I started grooving to the Vinyl Restoration series from LNR – I was absolutely sold. Known to friends as Alex Medellin, LNR effortlessly blends ambient Electronic instrumentals with a Neo-soul, Hip-Hop groove – and the result is absolutely insatiable. Hands down, he’s my #1 Must See at LIB.
Admittedly, I’m a sucker for remixes – reworks, really – if you want to get down to brass tax. There’s a guy on Soundcloud who goes by Virgin Magnetic Material and he’s known for his masterful mix downs of hit songs. My first Tourist track reminds me of VMM in the best of all possible ways – it was ‘Your Girl’, a rework of the 90’s song from Aaliyah. The more I tore into his discography, the more I fell in lust with his downtempo, melodic and sometimes eerie, Deep House vibe. One of my personal favorites right now is ‘I Can’t Keep Up’ featuring the vocal stylings of Will Heard; it’s absolutely breathtaking.
Even though TPA is half of Wildlight, it’s difficult to put them into the same category of music – unless that category is called: awesome. The Polish Ambassador excells at working the festival crowd and has made a name for himself through his funky fresh remixes of jamslike ‘No Diggity’ and ‘Girl Control’; Wildlight, on the otherhand, is a side project with the amazingly talented Ayla Nereo that fuses her ethereal voice with earthy instrumentals, creating what I can only describe as World Music that your parents could appreciate. They’re two drastically different sounds, but they’re equally moving – and I highly recommend catching both.
Ask anyone who’s attended any All Day I Dream event, and they’ll all gush the same thing: Lee Burridge is an expert at throwing day parties. From the beautiful vibes his smile elicits, his “Get Weird” attitude, right on to the lovely house grooves coming off the decks – Lee’s Sunday set will undoubtedly attract all of the Deep House fanatics at LIB.
My first Slow Magic discovery was the song ‘Youth Group’ – a synth heavy, melodic anthem that makes you want to stomp around. Since then, I’ve been dabbling in all things SM and it’s been getting me really amped for their set!
A few Summers ago, I had what I’d like to call a ‘Love Affair’ with Deep House. It was perfect for lazy Summer days by the pool where you didn’t want to move an inch, or lazy Sunday afternoons where you were soaking in memories of the weekend. But at the time, what Deep House didn’t do for me was move my body. Thank goodness my friends introduced me to Maxxi Soundsystem. Their music is an infectious, rumbling journey into the melodic side of deep house – trust me when I say you won’t be disappointed.
Back a few months ago at King King, I got my first introduction to Random Rab and immediately, I was hooked. Most music – I can describe fairly well, but Random Rab provides almost meditative, downtempo soundscapes that you can drift into a daydream with.
I have an incredibly vivid memory from How Sweet It Is ’09 – Fedde Le Grande was headlining the Main Stage, but because of capacity issues – officers on horseback ushered us away from the main tent and told us to find another stage. Keep in mind, this is when I was firmly planted in Electro House and Progressive Trance – and the thought of going to the Neon Gardens or Bass Pod at the time almost terrified me. Immediately, some fast friends of ours noticed our shift in mood and announced that they were going to introduce is to something magical and mindblowing. As we shuffled into an almost empty tent, our ears were full of live instruments and MCs – it was all so brand new, so exciting and so beautiful. Between SHY FX, Booka Shade and Kraak & Smaak – I was introduced to so much good music that night that’s since then, heavily influenced my life. Their epic hit ‘Squeeze Me’ gives me goosebumps to this day; I can’t wait to see K&S again now that I’m familiar with their catalog.
If you’re opening for Shpongle, chances are – your music is insanely progressive. When Shpongle graced the stage at Avalon last month, they brought friends and fellow Goa/Psy Trance aficionados Desert Dwellers with them as their opening act and it was absolutely perfect. Slightly more downtempo than Shpongle, DD creates gorgeous ambient soundscapes that you can effortlessly lose yourself in but with just enough bass and harmony where you can dance to your heart’s content.
Hands down, Pumpkin was one of my top five sets from last year. I have to hand it to the Gent, he really knows how to get the crowd movin’ to the music. A Los Angeles local, Pumpkin’s been in high demand within the festival circuit at Coachella, Sea of Dreams as well as Lightning in a Bottle over the years. Just take a five minute peak into his set at LIB and you’ll more than see why!
Dimond Saints is the brain child of Trip-Hop phenom An-Ten-Nae & friend ReLeece. For the last few months, they’ve been pushing hit after hit out to the Hypem charts and I’m really diggin’ what I’m hearing them put down. An-Ten-Nae threw down one hell of a set at Sea of Dreams as LowRiderz with Laura Low and has more then proved himself as a versatile artist and producer. He’s definitely going to be one to watch over the next few years.
The first time I heard of Thriftworks was through the Sea of Dreams lineup, and now I just can’t get enough of him. Somewhere in between the down-tempo Glitches and Trip-Hop beats, I lose myself in the music; some Thriftworks in the afternoon sun sounds simply perfect.
One thing’s for sure – there ain’t no party like a Dirty Bird party, cause a Dirty Bird party don’t stop! On NYE at Sea of Dreams, I saw Worthy and J.Phlip hold it down for the Dirty Bird crew – and now, I’m excited to see the Big Papa of the crew back on the decks! I saw him at Avalon back in ’12 and I’ve been itching to see him ever since. J.Phlip will also be in attendance for LIB, fingers crossed we’ll see some back to back Dirty Bird action goin’ down at the Woogie stage!
The first time I saw Beats Antique was back in ’08 when they opened for Bassnectar at the El Ray; that was right around the time that my mind was expanding exponentially with new music. No longer was it just House and Trance for me; all of a sudden – there were new, glitchier, funkier, grimier, more industrial sounds to explore – and Beats Antique was my first real introduction to them. At the time, I called it ‘great music to ride a horse to’ and while slightly ignorant, I still hold to my statement; Beats Antique elicits a bohemian bazaar feeling that immediately transports me back hundreds of years with their ‘World Music’ inspired sounds.
Tickets for Lightning in a Bottle are selling like hot cakes, so be sure to get yours now before they’re sold out – this is one weekend you don’t want to miss out on; trust me, I’m a festie.
For the last few weeks while I’ve been moving, I’ve been making a point of slowly but surely migrating from the bottom right of the Lightning in a Bottle flyer up to the top left just so I could really understand the entire breadth of the line-up. I made it about three lines up until I had to stop myself because my ears were swimming with a new sound; something that found it’s identity somewhere between the groovy rhythms of MoTown Soul, the raw emotions of Hip Hop and our new age electronic influences. Originally from Houston but now residing in Denver, Late Night Radio – known to friends as Alex Medellin – puts a fresh take on old favorites; transforming classics into revamped masterpieces in incredible Vinyl Restoration series as well as his EP’s – Far Into The Night and Concrete Collage. They’re so funky and retro, but with a unique flare of Electro Soul that keeps you dancing minute after minute.
Each time I’ve gone back to the lineup, I find myself going right on back to LNR – and each time I listen to his mixes, I find a new moment to covet or song to obsess over. I’ve even converted my boyfriend and our housemate into fans – and as it stands, we’re more excited about LNR at LIB than almost everyone else on the lineup. His collaborations with Robotic Pirate Monkey are obscenely amazing but I’d have to say, my current favorites are ‘For Dreamers’ – and his latest mix in the VR series.
I can picture it now: a lazy Saturday afternoon in the beautiful, Monterey sunshine – hundreds of smiling faces, of every age and every type of music lover – grinnin’ and groovin’ to some of these LNR sounds…
Keep up with Late Night Radio across their socials –
![Pharrell - Gust Of Wind (ft. Daft Punk) (Autograf Remix) [Future Summer. Issue 1]](https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000081523077-iwbr77-t500x500.jpg?30a2558)
dealt with a high of 100°, a low of 49° (thats more than a 50° shift) and winds of up to 34 mph. If you were there, take a moment and brush that dirt off your shoulders – because there’s an actual chance with all those dust storms and dirt devils that there’s just a little bit still left over somewhere from the weekend, no matter how many times you shower or do laundry. For those of you that have attended Burning Man, you’re well aware that the 
For five days – we camped under stars and a clear sky, told our darkest secrets to strangers and our deepest dreams to friends, laughed at the sight of bubbles and cried when we ran into an unexpected friend. We’ll always light up when ever we hear the words ‘Woogie’, ‘Drift Party’ or ‘Picklebacks’ and howling as the sun goes down might become second nature. We weathered dust storms and heat waves with smiles on our faces and a bounce in our step. Whether we met or not, if you were at Lightning in a Bottle – we’re forever bonded by this event.
Mini Supply and First Aid Kit
The Bouncy Kitty 
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