The DoLab is back with its annual 5-day camping music festival on beautiful Lake Buena Vista, in Southern California: Lightning in a Bottle. This large-scale event features educational and fitness classes, a variety of gourmet food carts, and music on music on music.
It has been described by former Burners as “Burning Man Lite.” You still get the colorful art cars, cacao ceremonies, and desert vibes. But things are just a little less resource-intensive… only a two hour drive from Los Angeles, there is a massive water feature to help one cool off from the heat, and even a children’s entertainment section on the grounds. You can start your morning with an integrated yoga/pilates class, follow it up with an astrocartography lecture, and then shop for some locally made costume pieces for your evening of dancing.
This year, Empire of the Sun will be closing out the festival. The duo (Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore) is known for their 2008 debut hits “We Are The People” and “Walking On A Dream.” In 2024, Empire of the Sun released their first studio album in eight years, titled Ask That God. They have a reputation for wearing wild and outrageous costumes. Their music is a very performance-driven style of electronic that creates a kind of spectacle to behold. This out-there EDM is very much in line with the tone that LiB likes to set.
Midnight Generation is another act that we are excited about. They are a Mexican retro-electrofunk ensemble band that has taken Latin America by storm. They evoke bits of Chromeo with their disco, and Daft Punk with their manipulated vocals. Their attire and style is fueled by the 1980s tracksuits ala The Big Lebowski’s bowling league. They are going to bring the party.
And speaking of party, we should probably mention an up-and-coming house act: AYYBO. Hot off his first Coachella performance, Anaheim’s own Aaron Bonnema has a knack for producing cool, dark beats with vocals (often his own) in the lower registers. Perhaps he is the other side of the Kaskade coin, known for his bright feminine voices. There is something grounded and bumping about AYYBO’s production style that is sure to make those festival ground squirrels groove hard.
And these are just a few of the litany of artists on the dozen or so stages across the festival grounds. On a journey from the Main Stage to the Woogie, you’ll walk by throbbing bass, indie-folk arias, live painters, bluegrass jams, chanting monks, whirling dervishes, and if you’re lucky, the ever elusive Sploot.
As of now, weather reports are showing a sunny long weekend with highs in the 90s and lows in the 60s. This should make for comfortable days floating in the lake, and perfect evenings dancing under the waxing crescent moon. Tickets are almost sold out, so get yours now! See y’all out there.
The Indy Review 