Magical. That was the word that emanated throughout the entire five days of the twenty-first edition of Lightning in a Bottle over Memorial Day weekend. Taking place at Buena Vista Lake at the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area, there were attendees from all over the world who came to experience the unique event that combined music with a variety of lifestyle curated activities.
Musically, the headliners of Skrillex, Lane 8 and Labrinth were perfect matches to complement the vibe of LiB, which can be chill and laid-back to the flip-side excitable and enthusiastic personality that all of us are comrpised of. Word spread like wildfire about the surprise DJ sets by RÜFÜS DU SOL (James Hunt and Jon George) at the smaller dance area Junkyard and Skrillex in the tiny spot Stacks were a major highlight for many. The experience to see both RÜFÜS and Skrillex was described as magical from many fans, especially fans of the former who just wanted to be close to their favorites.
Bonds were created over the course of the five days on the campgrounds as evidenced by the many campsites filled with groups of people, many of whom didn’t know each other prior to coming to LiB. The sense of community was a standout vibe from first-time attendees as they shared meals with their campsite neighbors and wound up heading into the festival to enjoy the likes of PawPaw Rod, Blaq Pages, Elephant Heart and venbee. PawPaw Rod brought his groovy upbeat dance/disco vibes that had many dancing, especially to his latest releases, “Rainy” and “Love on You”. LiB veterans, Elephant Heart were exciting to watch and incredibly interactive as they had fans open up the middle and proceed to square dance do-si-dos. It was a fun and jovial moment amongst friends and strangers-now-friends that represented the festival well.
The mantra of “let your freak flag fly” that has stuck to LiB continued this year with many unique and colorful outfits observed. Musical artists like M.I.A., Bomba Estéreo and Qveen Herby had diverse audiences who were energetic and expressed their solidarity weather was related to current politcal events, equal rights or those of social awareness. M.I.A. was especially vocal in between songs as she spoke about religion, the effects of technology as she referenced reflecting the 5G emanating through the air and of political oppression. She even came into the crowd late in the set to see the fans up front as fans cheered her on.
Electronic music is a staple at LiB but the unique blend of influences were heard all weekend. UK artists James Blake, Overmono and Fatboy Slim had exciting and visually stimulating sets. Overmono in particular had great visuals to accompany their technical expertise in breakbeat, while electronic breakbeat veteran Fatboy Slim was interactive in controlling the audience, especially late in the set as he mixed in classic tunes by The Doors and Doobie Brothers to his 90s hits “Praise You” and “The Rockafeller Skank”. As he played the latter song last in the set, Fatboy Slim came out to thank the crowd and took a sign from a fan that read they were conceived at a Fatboy Slim show. The energy of Skrillex fans was unparalleled as fans during his main set were not just packed up front but dancing, head-banging and fist-pumping throughout the entire set that was filled with fireworks, flame-throwing and lasers.
There was plenty of sunshine during LiB but not too overbearing, which made it perfect lake weather. Attendees were seen cruising the lake in their boats and floats while the music from various stages emanated. It made this year’s twenty year anniversary of LiB a magical experience that many said it was. From the Learning Kitchen where people learned some new methods of sustainability to the gatherings for Yoga or workshops, the annual event was seen as the most well-rounded festival where the musical lineup was a complement to an annual community gathering of like-minded people. In the current climate where society that has become more fragmented and divisive, LiB was a moment in time where people came together to enjoy life, help one another and create lifetime bonds. Truly magical, indeed.
