[The Audiofiles] Lightning in a Bottle: A Journey to the Space Between the Sound

July 5, 2016July 5, 2016Leave a comment

A creatively curated three day adventure into a playground of house, bass and underground music equipped with immersive, thought provoking art – Lightning in a Bottle has had a special place in my heart for almost as long as I can remember. When I went to school in Santa Barbara, I heard fantastical fables of a land so close, yet worlds away. For my first few years in Los Angeles, I chased the dragon of a dream, coming in a day late and a wonderful weekend short. When Lightning hit Temecula’s Lake Skinner Recreational Area I finally dove in and experienced firsthand what was so highly revered about the event. Breathing in feelings like fresh air, I floated through the festival on Cloud 9 – forging bonds and breaking barriers, I reveled in my newfangled oneness with the world as I fell in love, over and over again on the grassy nooks and crannies of the grounds. Watching as beautiful souls ordained in otherworldly outfits lost themselves to dance, I fell back in love with the moment. Joining in, I could feel a shift in the senses, an emotional evolution mirrored with a social revolution, inspiring me to fall back in love with myself. As the festival evolved, I grew in tandem – learning to find my place within this novel conscious community as Lightning in a Bottle manifested from a boutique music festival to a staple of the West Coast’s festival scene. Even with a migration to Bradley’s San Antonio Recreation Area, the magic was never lost – it was only magnified as serendipity met synchronicity. Masquerading under moonlight, long lost and new found friends became family as we were initiated with glitter blessings and hugs, laughter and jubilation.

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Since its inception, Lightning in a Bottle has been an artistic catalyst where personal growth and spiritual renewal unfold infinitely into themselves. Senses stream towards overload as colors dance in time with elaborate harmonies emanating from every corner of the fields. The weekend celebrates much more than musical talent and artistic prowess; it’s the reunion and synergy of souls energized by the sunshine and their dancing feet; it’s the church where we revere our minuscule yet infinite place on this rock that’s spinning through space while we’re born again through the bass; it’s the home away from home where we feel so very safe, and so very loved. Over the last three years, for one spectacularly extra-special weekend – I felt the pull, heard the call and knew where I belonged so it should be no surprise that I found myself back there this past Memorial Day Weekend, for another journey down the rabbit hole.

But unlike previous years, it didn’t feel like I was supposed to be there – my energy wasn’t focused on a festival, it was focused on my family; my mind wasn’t lingering on lineups or salivating over set times. For the last decade, I’ve found sanctity and solace in festivals and on the dancefloor – my sweat, my hips, my feet, my heart and soul, and sometimes even tears were taken by the beat, and eventually I had to wonder: with all that we give to these events, our emotions, our headspace, our physical body, our money, our sobriety – what exactly are we getting in return? In a 31 going on 13 moment, I called the only person who could make heads or tails of a spinning situation – my dad; and I caught myself…because who in their right mind would deprive themselves of beautiful experiences, wonderful vibes, fantastic people, ethereal music and an otherworldly weekend? Most certainly not I – so last minute packing became a thing once again while I mused about the upcoming adventure ahead.

Since leaving Temecula, Lightning has been on the Central California Coast in Bradley and now that the event has found a more permanent home, it’s grown roots – both with the outlying community over it’s Permaculture Awareness Day with The Polish Ambassador, as well as implementing permanent infrastructure within the park. Between the water stations and the bridges between areas, seasoned festies were overheard in galvanized conversation about what the very first year at the campgrounds was really like. For the first time, the grounds opened on Wednesday for select ticketholders and offered an extra day to set up, get comfortable and explore many of the non-musically inclined opportunities that the festival has to offer participants. Yes, the world that the Do LaB has created there has massive amounts of music for those that want it – but for others, the festival also has beautiful spaces between the notes and serene silence between the music; the moments and love experienced outside of the stages were tantamount to the lucid dreams and delectable drops created on the dancefloor. There’s something to be said for the experience when the music is turned off, and the community vibes are turned all the way on – each and every one of us was operating at the highest possible frequency, making connections, forging bonds and cataloging moments that last a lifetime.

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Rousing ourselves for an early rise on Friday morning, we left right on time – which for us is exactly an hour after we promised we’d have the car packed and be on the road. Perfect. After meeting up with some friends along the way to trade stories and party favors, Danny and I were off, off and away – celebrating our fourth Lightning together and our three year anniversary of saying ‘I Love You’. After a quick entrance, which I can only assume is one of the few benefits of arriving almost a day after most participants, we were onto the next challenge – finding a camping spot. With how much fun we had as just the two of us without a squad at Shambhala, we were excited to set up shop and create ‘Camp New Friends.‘ Claiming a site near the corner of Monkey Business and Croatia, we felt like it was left there just for us; as we began to set up our shade structure and tent – Danny took one look around and exclaimed to our neighbors, “Hey, you – yeah, we’re gonna become really good friends this weekend.” And let me tell you, I love it when he’s right. Cody and Dane from the camp behind us had our backs with the tent, and while we were setting up our shade structure – it felt like parallel worlds collided: slowly and sweetly, a couple waltzed up into our peripheral view. Under his breath, Danny started stammering ‘That guy looks like Mickey….I can’t wait to tell Mickey that I met his doppelganger….’ until….we realized that the doppelganger was Mickey! A well kept secret and wonderful trickery only became more meaningful when we realized how organically we had all just found each other.

As Danny gathered his camera gear to head out to a quick shoot for the LIB Promo Squad, my cell phone vibrated with a silent intensity. My step mom had been back on the East Coast for the last week helping with a family emergency, and I’d gotten to the point that seeing her on the caller ID was equally warming and disheartening. A short breath and two words into the conversation, and I already knew the direction things were headed. With a late stage cancer diagnosis, we knew my aunt’s prognosis was bleak – none the less we’d been hopeful; after all – she’d been stable, she’d been laughing, she’d been being; but now we knew, that whether it was an hour, day, or a week – that was unequivocally all she had. Forgetting where I was for a second, I sank into my skin and the feelings I had before we left, quietly begging me to stay, latched back into me. How would you live your life if you knew your own expiration date? You would push, dare and defy your ego to grow instead of denying yourself of the will to live.

Settling into our surroundings and cracking a cold beer as the sun descended from the sky, we were finally ready to head into the grounds. After wandering through Camp Altered States and catching up with friends over Mija’s basslines, we were off to catch Big Gigantic on the Lightning Stage then slowly sauntered our way around towards the Woogie – I thought. The Favela Bar, which was once a smaller side stage had blossomed into a full on party brigade, fully equipped with all of the bass and all the vibes. The music in there was so good that I could have easily forgotten about the Woogie itself. Taking a break from the massive crowds, we found ourselves on a seemingly spiritual pathway to the Do Art’s artistic arena.

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After spending a solemn moment reflecting on what turned out to be my favorite piece of art at the festival -the powerful and poignant depth of this cascading collection of twisted wood and tangled emotions, we stumbled right into the delicate and deliberate strokes of Negne Mwuara‘s mural from this last Coachella. One of the pinnacles of the event for me has been the live art on the grounds, in between the trees and near the stages but this year it felt more scarce and hard to come by. Taking a lengthy lap between the easels, we literally walked right into our camp neighbors as we were exiting towards the Woogie’s booming techno vibes.

Delectable cucumber jalapeno margarita in hand, we wound our way around the Woogie’s dancefloor – trying to come to a conclusion on how we actually felt about the new stage design. The treehouse DJ booth and whimsical color creations that oscillated like sound waves towards the sky, two facets of the festival that I thought were an iconic staple, were missing and replaced by industrial, neon piping which made me feel more like I was at a warehouse party in a technicolor boiler room than prancing in a magical forest among the faeries. In the mood for the less traveled path, we headed around the back of the stage, down the abyss into the Grand Artique, cartwheeling into the emotive, instrumentation of LAPA. Truth be told, for the first few minutes we weren’t sure who we were seeing – but we knew it made us feel a lot better after collectively missing Emancipator Ensemble; and then after a few minutes, we realized it kind of was Emancipator – it was Ilya Goldberg, Emancipator’s violinist, giving the most intimate of performances in a magical location. Heading back across the expansive grounds to our tent, pockets of after parties popped into existence – but none with the eclectic talent, lasting power or super awesome disco ball of Camp Altered States.

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The next morning, thousands of house heads and festival lovers flocked to The Woogie for a beautiful tribute to the musical legend of Pumpkin. The hearts in our community have weighed heavy since his passing, and for really the first time since – the entire LIB community was together to celebrate the life he led, and the life he had inspired within all of us. Per usual, the heat beat its way into every daytime activity, making it necessary to have a water bottle in hand, a bandanna around your neck and a mister or fan in the friend group. Taking our leisurely time, we meandered across the grounds to the food court near the Pagoda Bar to level up on some food. Unlike previous years of LIB, the vendors this week had more to offer than just vegan and vegetarian offerings and we were excited taking full advantage of the situation and then head back to the sanctity of the campsite. Two days into LIB, and we’d already overused our joke about “Camping in a Bottle 2016” – there were literally some moments that it just seemed too hot to do stuff; blame it on our age, blame it on our psyches or willingness, but mostly blame it on the heat – all we could seem to do was sit around camp and share stories in the shade, which is an honest highlight of my weekend.

Saturday night we were on a mission, and found a perfect place to plant ourselves for the Lucent Dossier Experience. Transfixed in the moment, the crowd almost ceased to dance, move or breathe until the tantalizing performance came to an emotive close – only to erupt in jubilant cheer. As we sat on the ground, patently waiting for the Jamie XX to take the stage we found ourselves involved with what I still consider one of the most impressive glow stick ropes of all time.

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It started small, with our neighbors sitting in front of us gleefully funneling the pieces down a supply chain of silliness and we couldn’t help but join in once the chain reached us. Once the people around us realized what was happening, it felt like all hands on deck as the glowing snake wrapped itself from the lighting booth and up to the front row – and back again before the start of the set. I wasn’t familiar with Jamie XX before his set but I’ve easily been converted into a believer after watching him effortlessly move between three different equipment set ups and what sounded like all of genres: disco, house, funk, industrial, and some groovy warehouse tracks with heavy bass that were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. We felt the pull of the mindwarping, brain melting bass coming from Minnesota and G Jones B2B set at the Thunder Stage but after a few tracks, found ourselves back at the Lightning for the genius that is Jamie XX to finish our night.

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Both a festival and a nature adventure, Lightning in a Bottle was rich with reasons to ditch the cell phone and live in the moment, harmonize on your serendipity when you find long lost squad members and create new bonds when you can’t. And for the most part, I’d left my phone on airplane mode all weekend less talking to my parents when we set up shop on Friday, but Sunday I had a gut feeling that never left, and a last text to reaffirm my unfortunate suspicions – it was Sandy’s final night, and full of light and love, her life’s candle was snuffed out as her soul dissolved back into the collective unconscious.

With little sleep in our veins, the whole camp was up and at’em early on Sunday morning, and with good cause – with all of our powers combined, we pulled off some epic bacon bagel sandwiches and finally had a family meal in the shade as we geared up for our last hurrah. Gathering our bearings, we were excited for a day outing with just a little less heat. Making last minute wardrobe changes in the middle of a champagne campaign, I mused about the circumstances that brought us together and the friendships that we’d curated. And for the first time all weekend, all the camps that we’d bonded with were making it out to the dancefloor together; five camps that had fused into one – ten life trajectories that were tangled in all the right places for one a beautiful weekend.

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Dancing our way over to the Russ Liquid Test, the beat controlled my body as I giggled and grooved to this modern day jazz experiment, a funky side project that was perfect for my Sunday Funday get down. We ebbed over to the ethereal temple built from cans and upcycled materials and took in the final sunset while Desert Dwellers effused a tantalizing, tribal set that sent waves of euphoria through my veins. Drinking in the moment, and a tasty margarita, our inner spirit animals came loose one last time, howling in delight as the sun made it’s last LIB descent, pulling a curtain of galaxies closely behind her.

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After a quick rendez-vous at the camp site, we gathered our squad for one final hurrah as we tromped through the festival grounds. We drank from a giant spoon as we gleefully gallivanted over to cacophony of carins in the shadow of the Ferris Wheel. Heading to the Favela Bar, B.R.E.E.D.’s tantalizing brand hip shaking, booty popping, soul writhing bass music was calling us and made it was easy to forget that anyone else was playing, let alone Mr. Carmack and Moderat.

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One of the only sets that caught my squads’ attention for it’s entire duration, B.R.E.E.D. had the entire side stage engulfed in the masterful, musical moment. A perfect segue to closing the festival out with pantyraid on the Thunder Stage.

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Over the last decade, Lightning in a Bottle has evolved from a benevolent birthday celebration to a 20,000 person festival and growing. As long as the Do LaB has operated their stage at Coachella, there has been a technicolor wormhole that sieves rave babies and bros towards LIB. In turn, the festival as no choice but to grow at an exponential level – and with those growth spurts come growing pains. Now featuring a sold out crowd, almost every space feels cramped for the night time sets as stages filled with neon totems that in mass essentially block the stage. Within the five or six weeks between the two festivals, it feels near impossible to inform thousands of fist pumping, neon Sparkle Ponies on the ethos of LIB’s ‘Pack in – pack out’ and ‘Leave it better, leave it beautiful’ mentalities though they’re certainly hit over the head with reminders to buy their ticket and take the ride. Beach cleanups pair up nicely with events they’ve paired up with like Subtract On The Pier while block parties and BBQs with street cleanups, and I believe there are ways to implement their green mentalities year round and in their home communities of Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area. But a place to buy extra trash bags, or a location to collect recycling and donate funds to the community or back into the event are also viable options albeit outside of the original ethos of the event.

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The magic and music of Lightning in a Bottle will always pull an esteemed crowd of audiophiles and art fanatics, merry makers and music lovers, festival families, LIB virgins and seasoned veterans – all coming together to celebrate this thing called life. Put together with love and passion by the team at the Do LaB, this year’s festival boasted an immaculate range of talent and a community thirsty for Lightning’s transformative power. If you couldn’t get enough of the Do LaB crew at LIB, try out their Summer sister festival – Woogie Weekend just a few days away! Soak in the sunshine while you bounce around to International House legends and locally loved Techno talent.

Tickets for Woogie Weekend are still available here.

For more on Lightning in a Bottle and the Do LaB, connect with them on their socials:

Lightning in a Bottle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

All photography courtesy of Daniel Leist Photography

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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[The Audiofiles] Make Wednesdays Wobble at LA’s Low End Theory

September 9, 2015Leave a comment

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Basking in the success of their second annual Low End Theory Festival, Los Angeles’ Low End Theory stands as the wobbliest weekly Wednesday night adventure in town. Reveling in rambunctious lineups, stacked to the brim for your listening pleasure, their calendar perpetually showcases blossoming local talent alongside international stars and talented residents Daddy Kev, Nobody, Nocando and The Gaslamp Killer. Beyond their weekly gigs in the City of Angels, Low End Theory heads to Japan on a quarterly basis and bounces off to San Francisco, New York City and even off to Europe every once in a blue moon. With Echo Park’s The Airliner as their home base, the Low End Theory Squad has cemented more than just a name for themselves on the West Coast, they’ve started a movement, paying homage the fusion of Hip Hop within Dance Music with Glitch Hop, Future Bass and Experimental Dub.

With almost nine years under their belt, their underground following has catapulted them to international acclaim while refusing to go mainstream – letting the artists and their work marinate within the counter-culture and breed creativity within the dance music community. Artists like The Glitch Mob, Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, Baths, Thom Yorke, Erykah Badu, Earl Sweatshirt, Mr. Carmack, Daedelus and TOKiMONSTA have all graced the decks at Low End Theory, leaving a strong legacy of auditory taste-makers behind. For a closer look at the ethos of Low End Theory, go ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’ in a documentary produced by founder Daddy Kev and Music Documentarian Matthew F. Smith.

Low End Theory is gearing up for their 9 year anniversary, coming in hot on October 14. Don’t sleep on this wonderful occasion, snag your tickets now and get wobbly with your Wednesday.

RSVP HereTonight, join in on the fun with Daddy Kev, The Gaslamp Killer, Nocando and Nobody as they’re joined by TEEBS, DAYE JACK, OICHO and B.R.E.E.D! The Airliner is 18+ to Dance, and 21 to drink with a $10 cover at the door. Featuring house regulars TeachingMachine on visual duties and Pure Filth with sound reinforcement, it promises to be one wonky evening!

For more on the Low End Theory – head to their socials:

Low End Theory: Website | Facebook | Twitter

[The Audiofiles] The Comprehensive Guide to Shambhala’s Stages and Side Parties

August 4, 2014August 4, 2014Leave a comment

The Pagoda Stage

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Depending on who you ask, there are a host of variable definitions for Summer – dogs sticking their tongues out while riding shotgun in cars, short shorts and flip-flops, beach days and sunkissed skin, time away from school or an excellent reason to play hooky from work, and last – but certainly not least – festival season. Where before I would inhabit boisterous spaces and sparking places like Coachella, Together as One, How Sweet It Is, Electric Daisy Carnival and HARD events – I’ve caught myself yearning for something more: that cherry on top of the ice cream sundae, that je-ne-sais-quoi, that extra ounce of oomph and pizzazz. I’m beyond grateful to have found all of that in more in events sponsored and influenced by members of The Do Lab, my favorite rump shakers and taste makers inside the music industry.

Starting with New Years Eve in San Francisco at Sea of Dreams, this has been a formidable year of firsts for me. Not only was it the first festival that I covered for The DJ List, but it was my first event outside of Southern California. Then, just the other week – I gallivanting across the MidWest to Colorado and Red Rocks for the 13th anniversary of Global Dance Festival and my first out-of-state festival. And now, it looks like I’m going to fulfill yet another first this weekend as Danny and I road trip up to Salmo, BC! I’m packing my bags, exchanging currencies, making playlists and preparing to embark to my first festival outside of the US, and according to friends, musicians and mentors alike – there’s no better place than the hallowed grounds of Shambhala Music Festival.

There’s something just so right about a weekend where costumes are encouraged, so you can either come as you are right now – or you can come as you really are. So, whether you choose to dress up as a cat, superhero, a tried and true tie-dyed hippie – or simply yourself – there’s a community out there right now that’s been waiting for you. One last caveat: not that it should matter – but this is a dry festival. Meaning not only are there no obnoxious alcohol sponsors promoting a $22 beer, you get to actual enjoy your surroundings. If you’re sitting there saying “But, I can enjoy them with a drink or two…” – sure, you can; but do you enjoy the music, your community and your social circle of friends and peers without a drink or two? It not, you’re doing it wrong.

In ’98, 500 friends joined forces on the Bunschuh family’s Sunny Salmo River Ranch over Labour Day weekend for a party that would go down in history. Now, 16 years later – it’s one of the foremost festival destinations in North America. Now, boasting over 10,000 attendants – the grounds attract internationally renowned talent and one of the most enigmatic music communities in the world. From live art to music, and organic food – Shambhala reaches out to local vendors to cultivate a rich atmosphere and bonded community. The weekend features food from: Night Owl (locally roasted coffee from Oso Negro), Farm Phresh (fresh, organic ingredients made into smoothies) and Blaze Burgers (meat produced from happy cows raised on the Salmo River Ranch). During the year, the grounds boast a 500 acre farm riddled with horses, cows, pigs, farm dogs, chickens and even miniature donkeys – not to mention the pristine Salmo River, which runs through it all.

From Pre-Festival parties with your new best friends, to theatrics, acrobatics and amazing music on one of the 6th specially curated stages – no matter what you’re craving this weekend, there’s an exciting, costumed adventure to go on that’ll satiate your most immediate cravings for Wanderlust.

Shambhala’s Side Parties

In preparation for my first Shambhala, friends and peers alike have made one thing clear – the journey is the destination; so when it comes to the menagerie of activities over the coming weekend: soak it in and live it up. For the complete list of side events -check out this thorough schedule put together with help from the entire breadth of their festival family; for quick reference, print a copy – and don’t forget to bring an extra watch in case your cell phone runs out of battery. While the music is turned off, there’s no reason to turn down – there’s plenty of Shambhala shenanigans to indulge in with your new Farm-ily.

Starting tomorrow, there’s TuTu Tuesday, to Day One’s Day Onesie – which would make The Polish Ambassador beyond proud, and well into the weekend with assorted events daily afternoon hoop jams scattered throughout the grounds, Hatha Vinyasa Yoga in the yoga garden, theme parties ranging from Star Wars and Harry Potter to Pokemon, a treasure hunt through The Grove and various full moon celebrations. From embracing my age to falling down rabbit holes, touring Salmo River Ranch and watching a dance battle during Andy C’s Sunday set – these are the 5 parties that you shouldn’t miss out on.

5. Geriatric Raver Takeover at The House Legends Showcase | Saturday, 11p-2am | The AMPhitheatre

DJ DAN – 11:00 PM | DONALD GLAUDE – 12:30 AM | MARK FARINA – 2:00 AM

“Crusty old ravers unite for The AMPhitheatre Stage’s House Legends Showcase at Shambhala 2014. Bust out your phat pants, kikwear, kandi… we know you still have it in a box somewhere. Pair it up with a grey-hair wig or old lady / old man mask. And voila… welcome to Team #GeriatricRaver. We’ll show them young whippersnappers how to party. We’ve been listening to electronic music since before you were born, sonny. Now get off my lawn.”

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4. A Funky Mad Tea Party | Sunday, 2-7pm | Fractal Forest

“You are cordially invited to the second annual Funky Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. The location of the event will again be held in the Wonderland section of the Fractal Forest in Shambhala Music Festival at the beautiful Salmo River Ranch. The event will be help during the famous Fractal Funk Jam. Come as your favorite Wonderland character or the character that you are. Until the time is ripe, I bid you adieu.” – The White Rabbit

3. 3rd Annual Captain Thomas’ SHAMB VIRGIN TRAIN TOUR | Friday, 2-3pm | Camp Caturday

“Join us on a magical train tour through the mystical land of Shambhala on the opening day of all the stages. We will be touring through all the stages at Shambhala Music Festival on an imaginary train and WE WANT YOU to join us!

Allow the infamous Captain Thomas to guide you along a magical journey through the festival grounds. This tour will feature exclusive entertaining commentary, super special Shambhala secrets, an imaginary train and a whole lot of silly! You should probably just jump on board and…JOIN THE TRAIN TOUR!”

Live in Vancouver? Find out more about Caturday at www.caturdaycrew.org

2. Caturday Morning Dishco w/ Joseph Martin | Saturday 8:30-10am | The Fractal Forest

“Cat calling all of our feline friends to share the good mews, it’s our favfurrite time of the year! Caturday Morning Disco returns to the Fractal Forest at Shambhala Music Festival, with your host Joseph Martin. Start your day off with a good strut full of cattitude, we’ll be dressing up & sporting our best cat-themed attire, feline good while pawtying down to funky disco house mewsics!”

1. Dance Battle Extravaganza DJed by Andy C | Sunday Night 12:30am | The Village

“We will be meeting at the Village, dead-center, for a Drum & Bass Dance Party! At the build-up to the set, we will politely ask people to step back to make room for a spacious, but modest pit. That way, we can show Shambhala how the Drum & Bass people really groove! Bring your most outrageous costumes, muster all of your endurance, and prepare your war face for a super-stepping dance battle extravaganza you will never forget! Sunday Night at 12:30am!”

Stages and Solid Sets

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For five fun-filled days, a seemingly deserted ranch manifests into the biggest city in the West Kootenays. Staffed by 1,000 dedicated workers and volunteers – over five days, 10,000 happy humans will bustle and bounce through the majestic grounds, enjoying a seductive synthesis of live art, live music, the workshops above – and most importantly, one of the most beautiful music communities on North America. In a world where the majority of music has become infiltrated with dollar signs, watered down with mainstream techno-pop and rich with musical monopolies – Shambhala’s 100% Attendee-Sponsorship offers a breath of fresh air. In a bold move that I hope US festivals follow, Shambhala River Ranch – referred to by Vets as ‘The Farm’ – rejects all forms of corporate sponsorship in an effort to mirror their vision of their musical community at large. Each of the six uniquely themed stages is maintained and manage by their own Stage Director – they’re not only music curators, they’re dream weavers; providing for an exceptionally unique, exquisite, astounding festival experience that you simply can’t get anywhere else. To make your festival schedule ahead of time, head on to the Shambhala Schedule page right here; now, onto the stages!

Pagoda Stage

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The Pagoda stage is the main stage of the weekend, and essentially embodies the vibe of the entire festival – the curators simply want to make you dance the night away with a huge smile on your face. Not to mention, the stage is one of the world’s foremost pioneers in video mapping technology since the idea first became possible, and it’s home to one of the best audio / visual productions on the planet. My top sets on the Pagoda are Bassnectar, Beats Antique, Hannah Wants, What So Not, Justin Martin, J.Phlip and Skream.

The Fractal Forest

If the Pagoda stage is the main course, consider The Fractal Forest™ your dessert. A show within a show, the talent plays in the heart of the forest out of a burnt out old-growth cedar tree stump in an enchanted forest. I’ve been told this is the crème de la crème of stages, and something that should really be experienced in person, so I’m beyond excited to report back! No matter who’s performing, the The Fractal Forest™ will be the place to be all weekend – highlights include Z-Trip, Griz, Rob Garza from Thievery Corp and my first official Beardyman experience. Oh man, yes! Check out the video below and get familiar with this guy; he’s amazing.

The Village

Oh, The Village – where do I start with my unrequited love. From the epic Drum & Bass infused, Andy C spun dance battle on Sunday to my first Danny Byrd experience, an unprecedented Hip-Hop showcase hosted by Emotionz with Zion I, Eligh and Amp Live, EOTO (Half of String Cheese Incident), Excision, Griz and the last live season for the Lucent Dossier Experience – in the words of Griz, this stage is getting live. Breakdancers, tree forts, turntabelists, catwalks to tree bridges, performance art and the most epic of stages nestled underneath a half geodesic structure – The Village has it all. Oh, and did we mention a 200,000 watt premium PK Sound System ready to shake your soul silly? Yeah, it has that, too.

The AMPhitheater:

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For the past 16 years, the AMPhitheatre/Rock Pit has been known to cover a diverse spectrum of top-quality music. And now that it’s under new management, you’ll get a menagerie of musicians – from former favorites to a new variety from around the world, all ready to delivery a dose of bass straight to your face. With artists from G.Jones to Thriftworks, Grandtheft and Commodo – you’ll get a firsthand experience of the evolution of EDM.

The Living Room Stage

If Shambhala is home, this stage – well, the name has it all – it’s your living room. That comfortable space that you can curl up with your crew. The only non-permanent stage of the festival, The Living Room evolves with the needs of the ranch, and it’s ever changing musical atmosphere. And in an effort to reclaim an endangered art form, they’re devoting an entire day to Vinyl and it’s where you’ll find Mark Farina’s epic three hour extended Mushroom jazz set.

The Grove

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Last, but most certainly not least – it’s The Grove. Deep within the forest, it’s dance floor beckons you – surrounded by art installations and lush lounge spaces. Formerly known as the Labrynth, during the day – the Grove becomes a place of mental manifestations with workshops on creative thought and live painting; at night, it’ll will feature ample downtempo tunes, from live bands to glitch hop, all while listeners can bob and weave through the Dream Temple Art Gallery, the Hive tea Lounge and the Mythosphere. Groups like Emancipator, Opiuo, Odesza, Desert Dwellers and Kaminanda will provide the perfect emotive soundscape for the weekend with their rich music and live performances.

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There’s still a limited amount of tickets left – purchase them here!

For details, keep up with Shambhala on their socials – Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[The Audiofiles] The Lucent Dossier Experience ‘Lights the World’

July 29, 2014February 12, 2015Leave a comment

Last weekend, I was both thrilled and honored to cover the Los Angeles based avant-garde performance troupe, and all around fun-makers the Lucent Dossier Experiencence. The brain child of Dream Rockwell, the effervescent and enigmatic leader and co founder of The Do Lab, Lucent Dossier has found it’s way into the hearts and homes of underground music lovers nationwide.

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Known for their fusion of Middle Eastern influenced Dubstep beats and emotive soundscapes married with aerial acrobatics, social commentary on our technologically driven society, live music paired with body contortionists and fire dancing – LDE fully immerses their audience within their unique environment and refuses to relinquish their hold until the 2am call time hits. Both before and after the show, the group was scattered about the famed Club Nokia as concertgoers mingled to the music of The Human Experience, an emotive musical journey from local Angelino David Block, pre show; including the debut of a brand new project with Haley Reinhart. Once Lucent was over, Nico Luminous was brought on stage to party with patrons and troupe members alike until the early morning hours.

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Drawing well deserved parallels to the famed Canadian ensemble Cirque du Soleil, the latest Lucent Dossier Experience endeavor ‘Light the World’ pushes the boundaries of performance art; eagerly asking it’s audience what emboldens them and makes them come alive. How do we choose to illuminate our lives? And the answer is to take a token from the troupe itself – embrace your individual beauty and let your love shine through, because what the world needs are passionate people that come alive.

“I come from the heavens
Stardust soaking up space
Regardless of gravity
Energy pulling on energy
With empathy.

I am made of love
Particles of me wanting to come together
Fighting daily
with the honorable longing to expand
by splitting each other
& ironically that’s what it humanly feels to love another.

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I am made of epic conflicts
Chemistry acting to react
To produce feelings
So that kissing becomes melting galaxies
I am a woman & for me kissing
Is made of secrets
Secrets I must hold trapped in my tower
to hide the invincible pool of my power
But tonight, right now, right this perpetually propelling forward moment
So precious & so unique in its mystique of being ever passing..

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Tonight I shift & you will lead me
Tonight I celebrate me
Calling upon the Athenas, the Minervas, all you goddess warriors
Walking upon this earth
I wish to rest with Aphrodite
I will choose to resurrect with kali

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I will take the shape of mother earth
& give birth with every single one of you
to the glow that will glue us all
into one bright lite
soft skinned & tainted eyes
in one night I will live a thousand lives
I will listen to the echo of your dreams
I’ll sing through woven threads of connection
& I will wear your sorrow & your bliss

& you will wear mine in return
I will burn my karma
Dharma transcending
Understanding the meaning of being
A woman, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a lover.
I will let man hold my hand in teaching
Following devoted the perfection of the reflection
Permeated in their offering
Man, panning blindly across my softening

Guide me through
Wake me & I’ll rise from the root of you
To color your leaves with sunset”
– Llinda Borini for Lucent Dossier’

For more information on Lucent Dossier or Dream Rockwell, try their socials: The DJ List | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Photography by Daniel Leist
Full album on our Facebook page

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[The Audiofiles] Worthy Urges You to ‘Disbehave’ with Debut LP on Anabiatic Records

June 4, 2014June 5, 2014Leave a comment

– Cross-published in The DJ List–

Pre-order your copy on iTunes today

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. worthy

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 –

[The Audiofiles] LIB ’14: Let The Beauty We Love Be What We Do

May 30, 2014June 4, 2014Leave a comment

“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.

Lightning in a Bottle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

Photography Credit: Daniel Leist

[The Audiofiles] Required Listening for Lightning in a Bottle ’14

May 6, 2014May 6, 2014Leave a comment

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.

Late Night Radio: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Tourist: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

The Polish Ambassador: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

Wildlight: Facebook | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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 jams like ‘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.

Lee Burridge: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud| The DJ List

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.

Slow Magic: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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!

Maxxi Soundsystem: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Random Rab: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Kraak & Smaak: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Desert Dwellers: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Pumpkin: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud |The DJ List

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: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Thriftworks: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.

Claude VonStroke: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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!

Beats Antique: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | The DJ List

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.