Are you curious about Burning Man, but not sure if you can handle a camping festival amid heat and wind? Maybe you’ve had your fill of Coachella and other similar commercial festivals, and would like to try a weekender with a bit more of a lifestyle bent. Or perhaps you’re just looking for something new and different. Whatever your motivation is, Lightning In A Bottle (LIB) is well worth considering for your annual festival rotation.
Nestled along the shores of Buena Vista Lake in Bakersfield, CA, this annual gathering of roughly 18,000 attendees offers arguably the greatest depth and breadth of activity and entertainment per capita of any festival on the map. Music is the main draw at LIB. To that end, this year’s edition didn’t disappoint. The slate was as strong as it’s ever been, from the top down.
James Blake and Labrinth both offered impassioned vocal performances backed by electronic beats that were equal parts earthly heavy and heavenly ascendant. James’ set, in particular, featured the debut of his latest single, “Thrown Around”, which launched on streaming services two days after his Friday appearance. M.I.A. reminded the audience of her quirky, punky self, with a set punctuated by conspiratorial rants and cheeky nods to her own influence—specifically, teasing Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” and Lorde’s “Royals” en route to her own “Paper Planes”. Skrillex closed out programming on the Lightning Stage with a Sunday night throwdown that included nods to nearly his entire catalog, from early classics like “Cinema” and “Bangarang” to recent staples such as “Rumble”,” “Baby again..”, and the newly released “Push”. This, after the artist known as Sonny Moore arrived the evening before to play a surprise set at The Stacks at 3 a.m. from Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Like Coachella and Burning Man, Lightning in a Bottle is plenty prone to surprises. The 2024 slate also wound up with a special appearance from Rüfüs Du Sol, who put on a DJ set that packed The Junkyard stage well beyond its usual bounds. All told, the sheer variety of electronic artists who performed was beyond reproach.
For the more mellow-minded, the ambient sounds of Tycho at sunset on Friday served as a de facto opening of the festival’s core proceedings. For those on the heavier end of the spectrum, Maddy O’Neal and Of The Trees were among the many providing pulse-pounding, fist-pumping, bass-in-your-face vibes. ISOxo did much of the same during his set, with the assistance of a ripping guitarist, Joey Falcone. Barclay Crenshaw enlisted break-esque dancers to add a bit of flare to his dubstep offerings.
Nia Archives combined singing with her own style of drum and bass, while Aluna contributed her own vocals over her trance tracks. Bob Moses didn’t bring their instruments to LIB, but they, too, provided live vocals over their songs during a club set at the Woogie stage. Meanwhile, Mura Masa had a hype woman for his pop-filled performance at the Lightning stage.
There were, of course, more conventional EDM performances, including Honey Dijon’s dance-worthy appearance on Thursday night and Nora En Pure’s Saturday evening stop—both at the Woogie. But no straightforward DJ set drew quite the reaction that Fatboy Slim elicited from the crowd on Friday at the Woogie. The British big beat legend seemed to be having a blast as he guided attendees through the past, present, and future of dance music.
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To be sure, there was much more to LIB’s lineup (and the overall experience) than just EDM.
Bomba Estereo brought Latin beats, sensual dance numbers, and a colorful setup from Colombia to the Lightning stage. Cannons made the considerably shorter commute from Los Angeles to Bakersfield to regale fans with their distinctive brand of dream pop.
Hip-hop made its way onto the bill, as well, with help from Pawpaw Rod and Qveen Herby. And for those looking to avoid electronic music entirely, there were frenetic jams to be found at the Martian Circus and an abundance of more acoustic styles—including roots, bluegrass, and folk—on offer at the Grand Artique stage.
Even all of that comes as just the tip of the iceberg that is Lightning in a Bottle. For the hungry, there were tasty perogies, woodfired pizzas, Killa Dillas, and a wide assortment of delicious treats. For the tired and sore, there was a bustling massage parlor. And at seemingly every point in between, there were fire spinners lightning up the beach at night, art cars drawing crowds to their impromptu dance parties, art installations captivating imaginations, live painters perfecting pieces for sale, installations staffed by actors and other performers, as well as improv comedy shows for those seeking some laughs.
At times, all of that could be found on a simple stroll through the festival along the lake. Seasoned Burners might well liken such a jaunt to the experience of circling Esplanade at night—and encountering all kinds of entertaining surprises—before venturing off from Black Rock City to Deep Playa.
It all makes for a magical experience, one that’s worthy of capture both in its own right and as a stepping stone to other immersive events.
Check out a gallery of images from Lightning In A Bottle courtesy of photographer Josh Martin along with a collection of fan-shot videos from Rage Sage Repeat.
Tipper — Lightning In A Bottle — Full Set
