Second strike, same magic. My return to Lightning in a Bottle in 2025 brought all the awe-inspiring wonder and adventure.
The anticipation in the air as we drove into Lightning in a Bottle was palpable. The more the dust rose as we made our way toward Buena Vista Lake in Kern County, California, the more excited we became. My fellow coverage team member and I anxiously awaited the road signs pointing us in the direction of what would be our home for the weekend. It would be my second time, and her very first, attending LIB.
Up until that morning, the two of us had never even met. But that’s the cool thing about Lightning in a Bottle: Even before we entered it, I had a new friend. By the end of the weekend, I would feel reaffirmed and reminded through my experiences why Do LaB is a one-of-a-kind festival promoter that genuinely embodies the magic of the community it’s built.
From legendary acts to stunner sets, exhibits, creative art activations, unique festival fashion, and nonstop parties, there was no shortage of adventures to be had and memories to be made. Whether dancing or vibing, you could tell that everyone was not only in the moment—they were the moment. All of us there, down to our spirits and souls, collectively added to what was to be a beautiful weekend of shared experiences and harmony.
As we went through security and finally pulled up to our campsite, we immediately knew we were in for a spectacular weekend.
Getting there didn’t take that long; excitement and anticipation tend to make you think time is dragging on longer than it is. We were greeted by the friendliest of staff, who exhibited so much kindness and joy along our way into the festival and over to our campsite. You could tell that, even working the festival, they were just as stoked to be there as the attendees. The elation was contagious.
We parked at the campsite that was to be our home for the weekend. With it being my second time and Anx’s first, we definitely had some concerns about the free-for-all camping format, worrying about whether we would have room for our setup. That concern was alleviated when we were warmly greeted by our awesome neighbors, who encouraged us to take up space: something that, for me, is always a challenge in my social life, both physically and emotionally.
So soon, I was reminded why the unity and respect in this community are like no other. We even had a friendly neighbor from across the road who offered us a rubber mallet so we could stop using my Demonia boots to try to hammer in our stakes (what can I say, rookie mistake)!
Finally, it was about time to make our way from the campgrounds and into the festival.
We set up our camp fairly quickly and decided to coordinate our outfits for day one. Shout out to Anx for suggesting our iconic “Coachella vibes!” Even the walk into the festival was beautiful. We stopped along the way to appreciate the view of the lake, and couldn’t help but to record a few videos of ourselves doing happy little dances in front of it like faeries.
We gazed upon the unique displays of campsites and art cars along the way, completely mesmerized by the hard work that people put into their setups. Once we got to the gates, we were again greeted by staff and security, who made the walk into the festival a breeze. Now it was time to go dance our booties off!
In terms of production, Lightning in a Bottle was nothing short of breathtaking.
Between the sights you see and the onslaught of talented artists, it’s very hard to stay at one stage for too long unless you’re truly committed to a set. That being said, there’s beauty in wandering the festival. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just frolic like the silly little wook that you are.
The Lightning Stage had to be my favorite of the weekend, not only for its production and sound but because of the sets we saw there. It hosted some of my favorite artists over the weekend, like the absolute legend Four Tet, who curated an insane performance that had to have been my favorite of all the times I’ve seen him live. The thing I most appreciated about his set was seeing so many individuals and solo adventurers having the absolute times of their lives and appearing on the same wavelength. The crowd had an amazing feeling of togetherness.
Another standout set at the Lightning stage was Sammy Virji, who I hadn’t realized was the very same artist whose song, “I Guess We’re Not The Same,” has been playing on repeat on my Spotify. He had the crowd going absolutely wild, and it felt like a giant dance party that kept us all vibing nonstop. Rounding it out with unstoppable force was the man of the hour, John Summit. He crafted an intoxicating set that was highly anticipated, and he did not fall short of expectations.
The Thunder Stage had no shortage of spectacular moments as well. I knew not to miss Flowdan‘s set, but the dude simply did not hold anything back. Hearing the crowd sing back “Rumble” felt like such a collective core memory that the whole crowd was sharing in sync. And of course, I had to see my one of my favorite acts, PEEKABOO. He never fails to disappoint with the filthy drops and high-energy sound that he consistently brings to his performances.
My all-time favorite set of the weekend (possibly ever, to be honest) was also hosted at Thunder and delivered by none other than Subtronics. The dude had everyone feeling like we were transported into a whole other dimension. The crowd was feral and loved the bleep-bloops and wubs, with bass faces melting left and right.
Finally, Bou brought the DnB heaters to LIB, and the crowd went nuts. Considering he was closing out the stage for the weekend, his set proved that the dedication of drum and bass lovers is peak-level madness in the best way possible.
If you’re going to Lightning in a Bottle or any Do LaB event, it’s an absolute rite of passage that you hit The Woogie.
The dream team, Girl Math, comprised of bestie duo VNSSA and Nala, kept the crowd moving and grooving during their set at The Woogie. You could tell they were a favorite of the whole weekend. Additionally, Claude VonStroke made a much-anticipated return to the stage, and he was eagerly welcomed back by a crowd of house heads who clearly missed his true and original sound.
If you’re a bass head like me, The Stacks was a stage not to be missed. As expected, it delivered on the wonky, wubby goodness. My favorites for this stage were Sumthin Sumthin, who is a non-negotiable set for me to catch anytime he’s in town or at a festival I’m attending. As expected, he delivered the filthiest drops and glitchy textures that I love so much. And of course, The Stacks hosted one of the most iconic surprise sets and b2b’s of the weekend from John Summit and Subtronics (aka Subjohnics).
Other stages that we encountered our sidequests were spots like The Grand Artique, where it was a full-blown dance party in every direction, complete with wacky fixtures and even wackier characters, some of which who had bubble guns. The Junkyard hosted a really special BLACKLIZT surprise set from ZHU, where the whole crowd was feeling “Faded” in the best way possible. The vibes during his performance were nothing short of immaculate. While it was obviously a set that tons of people gravitated towards, it still felt intimate and personal.
Lightning in a Bottle’s activations, art exhibits, workshops, and food vendors made the festival special.
One of my favorite weekend moments was accompanying my friend while he shot for Phoenix at Crossroads during her Self Seduction: Sensuality, Power and Pleasure Beyond the Others Gaze workshop. While I won’t go into the personal details that attendees shared, I commend her for holding such a sacred and powerful space for shared human experiences and expressing self and trauma, which brought me and others to tears. Work like this is so profound, impactful, and important. This, by far, was one of the most beautiful examples of collective support and community that runs deep through the culture of Lightning in a Bottle.
Another fun sidequest was stopping by The BeatBox art car, where they had one of the most unique and cute activations I’ve seen at a festival. Attendees were encouraged to write little messages to put into small bottles that they’d then fill with colorful sand, which you then turned into a necklace. I had to stop by twice because fueling my inner child with fun crafts was so much fun. I still haven’t taken my necklace off, and I’ll treasure it forever!
Slowing down, we took a very calm and present stroll through the Art Clave, which played host to incredible artists and live painters with some of the most unique works I’ve ever seen. It’s always a cool experience to come back to the same artists from time to time to see how much their art has progressed throughout the festival.
Another form of art—and perhaps my favorite—was food. While I wanted to diversify while I was at LIB, Anx and I couldn’t help but return to the pizza spot, which was both reasonably priced and insanely delicious. It truly gave us the energy to keep dancing and frolicking throughout the weekend.
Most importantly, I have to give a shout-out to the community of attendees that make Lightning in a Bottle the festival that it is.
As I type this, tears are in my eyes as I reflect back on the memories I made at LIB. I truly hope that everyone I interacted with knows that they contributed to what was one of the best festival experiences of my lifetime thus far.
If you read my previous article, you’ll know that I touched on just how special of a home Lightning in a Bottle feels to me. I’ve come to it in some of the most trying and transitional times of my life, and this year was no different. I truly believe it’s here when you need it most.
I read a quote making its rounds on social media the day I got back from LIB: “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is have fun.” For me, that quote is my takeaway from the weekend and what Lightning in a Bottle gifted to me as yet another profound and much-needed experience. Whether we’re fueling our souls through dance, finding a sense of self and community, or nurturing our inner child through silliness and self-expression, Lightning in a Bottle is more than a festival. It’s a place that holds room for you and welcomes you to take up space.
I hope you and everyone else who attended this weekend will take that energy with you as we continue. Until next year, Lightning in a Bottle.
