MF #28
Lightning in a Bottle 2019
Date
May 8th – 13th, 2019
Location
Buena Vista Lake, California
Reason
Fun
After the high that was two weeks working at Coachella Music Festival, I found myself back in the Pro Systems warehouse counting down the days until Lightning in a Bottle. Technically it was only 8 days, but it felt like a lifetime. I couldn’t wait to get out of the warehouse and go to another music festival.
While I initially found the job of working with audio, video, and lighting equipment fascinating, I had been in my position for well over a year. By this point, I had a solid grasp of all the different pieces of gear. With little left to learn in the day-to-day, I found my role of cleaning, prepping equipment, and moving things around shelves in between events rather boring. Still, I loved working the events and I had to do something in between shows.
On the day I was headed to Lightning in a Bottle, I made my way to work determined to do as little as possible. That’s never the right attitude to bring into the building, but I was already checked out and in vacation mode. While I normally would take off around 4:45 pm, my boss decided at 4:20 pm that a shelf needed to be moved 2 feet lower down. I was over the unnecessary requests and told him no, which he did not appreciate. I clocked out, hopped in my car, and took off for Lightning in a Bottle.
I had a five-hour drive ahead of me but as soon as I left work the excitement started to rise. I couldn’t wait to get on site. It had been a full year since I had gone to a camping music festival just for fun. I was headed back to LiB for the second year in a row. Yet again I was going solo but this time I knew several friends who would be in attendance. This was going to be a good weekend.
I arrived on site Wednesday night around 10:00 pm. Thankfully they were still letting cars in and I was soon directed to my camping spot. I paid extra for a car camping spot in an attempt to avoid a long walk to the stages. I had become so comfortable sleeping in the back of my car that I had no interest in setting up a tent. Despite showing up on Wednesday and paying extra for a car camping pass, I still ended up in the furthest possible camping spot.
While most people arrived with groups, I stuck out arriving solo. The friendliest people are at LiB. A bunch of my new neighbors quickly introduced themselves and I received multiple invites to hang out with their respective crews.
The real reason I made the effort to arrive on Wednesday is that my 26th birthday was on Thursday. I was not interested in spending my birthday in traffic. Instead, I spent the day casually drinking by the lakeside while soaking in the desert sunshine.
I received text messages from a few different friends as they arrived on site over the day. Nobody had their bearings, so it was hard to get or give good directions. Still, I made plans to meet up with Harrison and his wife Linda for Proxima Parada at the Grand Artique stage. As the sun set, I made my way over to the venue to find my good buddy Harrison manning the audio console. While he was here mainly for fun, he still managed to land a couple of gigs as the audio guy for a few bands.
My first good photograph of the festival – Proxima Parada
Since he was running the show, I kept myself busy by busting out my camera and photographing my first set of the weekend. Just like all the stages at Lightning in a Bottle, the Grand Artique was an amazing stage for photography. This was one of the smallest stages at the event. It was set up as a courtyard with multiple buildings surrounding the stage. Each building was full of little art setups, small vendors, and fun places to explore. There were numerous balconies to take in a top-down view of the show.
I ran all over the place snapping pictures until I ran into Linda and her friend. We said our hellos and settled into a good spot for the rest of the set. With the show concluded Harrison was finally free to have some fun. We all went on a nice big walk around the grounds in an attempt to get our bearings. Lightning in a Bottle had changed locations from last year. Yet again we were back by a lake in the desert, but this time the terrain was flat.
While I missed the experience of crossing bridges to get from stage to stage, this venue was less strenuous and easier to move around. This was particularly good considering it took a solid 25 minutes to walk back to my car from the stages.
I had already been on site for two days but the festival was still getting started. Waking up Friday morning the energy was very different. The camping grounds were filled in. Now that everyone was here, the show was about to begin.
All of the stages will be open today. While I couldn’t wait to go dance to boom-boom music, I was determined to participate in more classes and activities this year. It took until the final day of the festival last year that I felt comfortable enough to go to a yoga class. This year I planned to go on day one.
I made my way over to the Psychedelic Breath class with an open mind. I was not prepared for the Wim Hof-inspired breathing exercise. At this point in my festival career, I had tried my fair share of narcotics. From LSD to mushrooms to molly and even DMT, nothing has given me as strong of hallucinations as this breathing class.
I simply laid on my back and followed the basic instructions. As I held and released my breath in certain patterns, I watched the world melt. The top of the tent flowed like a river. My fellow classmates let out howls and shrieks of excitement, overcome by the experience. All I could do was watch silently. This was intense.
With my body and mind refreshed and firing on all cylinders, I made my way back to my car to get ready for the day. I loaded up my Camelbak with my camera, water, several beers, and a jacket for the nighttime before turning around and heading right back to the festival. I was ready to go.
The first thing I did was set out on a mission to photograph every stage. I went to the Stacks, then to the Thunder Stage, then to the Lightning Stage. As I was photographing a small opener performance at the Lightning Stage, I heard someone calling my name. It was Cole, Clozee’s manager who was sitting with his fiance Lauren. We had all just hung out at Coachella two weeks prior and it was cool to touch base.
Despite a day full of music, there was only one set on Friday that I could not miss. Gramatik was performing. Not only was Gramatik one of my favorite artists, but he and Clozee used the same trumpet player for live performances. This trumpet player, Will Magid, had stuck up for me when security tried to throw me out of Coachella. I was a fan and wanted to capture a few good photos of the show.
As the show started, I maneuvered through the crowd to get a bunch of different shots from all different angles. While moving through a packed crowd can be a bit tricky, I had a secret advantage. I was wearing an orange high-visibility vest. The vest and camera combo got people moving out of my way.
Stehreo and Balkan Bump join Gramatik for a Live Performance
With my shots captured, it was finally time to enjoy the music. I put away my camera and started to soak in the show. Man – now would be a great time to hang with some friends. I had been so focused on my photography that I hadn’t made an effort to contact any friends. Just as I was feeling a little lonely, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Harrison. Turns out I was surrounded on all sides by his group of friends whom I had met the night before.
This was just a classic Lightning in a Bottle moment. I went from being alone to being surrounded by a group of friends organically. It just happened. Now that I was in the group and done being a photographer, I put away my camera surrendering myself to the group plan, and hung out with everyone for the rest of the night.
I followed Harrison and the crew and the next thing I knew I was participating in a cacao ceremony in a nearby campsite. Our host prepared the cacao over a campfire stove while telling us all about how his friend sent him the supply directly from Guatemala. While the group was small during the preparation process, word got out once the cacao was ready.
Around 20 people gathered in a small circle as our host passed out small cups of cacao. Before it started, our host let us know that there were mushrooms in the mixture in addition to the cacao. This didn’t dissuade anyone. With the approval of the group, he led us in a communal chant, a guided breath exercise, and then finally instructed us to drink the cacao.
It tasted like a rich hot chocolate. I instantly felt relaxed and heightened. It was the perfect mix for the upcoming show. We all made our way back to the Lightning stage in time for Flying Lotus. This was the final big set of the night and it was going to be special. The visuals would be in 3D!
Right before the show volunteers came through the crowd passing out the necessary 3D glasses. Our group all managed to secure pairs. There was little in the way of organization. The glasses people would show up with a bunch of pairs and then move right on to the next area.
Right before the show Flying Lotus made the announcement asking people with totems to put them down or move to the side. This was my favorite announcement of the entire weekend as I hate totems. With all visual obstructions removed, the show began.
The combination of the cacao, the mushrooms, the friends I was surrounded with, the 3D visuals, and the music was an intense emotional experience. It was a set that made you feel all sorts of things, but by the end, it was just one massive dopamine release. It was the perfect end to the first night.
I woke up smiling Saturday morning. This festival was amazing. The people were amazing. Everything just kept working out. I took it easy but I was still determined to take part in at least one class per day. Today was yoga day. My friend Matt’s girlfriend Mary Clare was also at Lightning in a Bottle. While she made the drive with a few neighborhood friends, she was new to their group and pretty much on a solo adventure.
In my happy place – Lightning in a Bottle 2019
I texted Mary Clare and invited her to the vinyasa yoga class. She agreed we both headed that way. While we were excited to stretch it out, neither of us was prepared for the intensity level of the class we joined. It wasn’t long before we abandoned following the instructor and both just started doing our routines. After about 45 minutes, we had enough of the class and left to go get lunch. I knew an amazing gyro vendor whose food could give me enough energy for the entire day.
With lunch consumed, Mary Clare invited me back to the RV she was staying in to meet the rest of their crew. On the way there she gave me a warning and described the RV as a time warp. She said it was easy to get stuck in there. She wasn’t wrong. The group she was traveling with had brought everything you could want in their RV. Food, drinks, drugs, music. It was all there. Compared to the harsh outside desert, it was too comfortable.
Sure enough, I lost a few hours in the RV hanging out with the rest of the crew. By the time I emerged, the sun was setting. The whole group slowly made our way over to the Thunder stage, before heading to Masego on the Lightning Stage.
This was a stunning performance. Masego offered a soulful reprieve from the constant bass music that dominates LiB. Despite the lack of driving bass, the crowd danced through the entire set. It was jazzy, funky, and downright fun.
Mary Clare getting Wompy at Big Gigantic
Big Gigantic headlined the main stage and closed out Saturday Night of LiB. While there was still music scattered throughout the venue, I stuck with Mary Clare and spent time wandering around the festival grounds exploring art installations.
We had been together pretty much the entire day. I was in no rush to leave. I stayed out exploring with her before finally dropping her off at her RV around 3:00 am. Despite the hour, I was still full of energy.
This was a good thing as I had a massive walk back to my car. It took almost 40 minutes to walk from the RV back through the venue and out the other side back to my campsite. I arrived at the campsite after 4:00 am to find my neighbors still up and partying. I stopped by and said hello, but I was exhausted from the long day and quickly made my way to bed. I intended to have energy on the final day.
I woke up late Sunday morning, sleeping as late as I possibly could. Looking around the campsite, it was clear it was the final day of the festival. Everyone looked exhausted but spirits were still high. It was the last day. Time to leave it all on the field.
I met up with Mary Clare early. While I was excited to see her again, the real reason we were meeting up so early was that she was leaving. She had plans to get back up to the Bay Area that evening and would be missing the final night’s activities.
We were sitting by the lake about to smoke the final joint of the weekend when we were joined by a fellow festival attendee. Our new friend asked if he could get a hit. I’m never one to turn down a request to share a joint at a fest, but maybe I should have.
As we passed a joint around our small circle, this character began to tell us about his Lightning in a Bottle experience. Apparently, he had consumed over 50 hits of LSD in the last 48 hours. As he hit the joint, the effects of the insane amounts of acid started to rise. He soon had a sobbing breakdown right in front of us.
I just sat there and stared in disbelief as Mary Clare attempted to keep this guy somewhat attached to reality. Thankfully, he regained his composure and quickly departed from the scene. All we could do was just laugh about the insanity of the situation. Don’t abuse psychedelics, people!
Mary Clare and I said our final goodbyes before I made my way over to get lunch. It was time for another gyro. This was perhaps the best gyro I have ever eaten. My body was desperate for energy and it was full of it. It was Sunday at a music festival and somehow the lettuce still had its crunch. The gyro spot at LiB is not to be missed.
With Mary Clare gone, I hit up Harrison and asked him if he was interested in going to Paul Stamets. He let me know that he was already planning on it and to come by his campsite. I joined him and Linda along with a few of their friends.
Apparently everyone was going to the Paul Stamets talk.
Aiming to get a decent spot, we made our way over to the Beacon early and were rewarded with space on a wooden seating structure. Most everyone was sitting down on the floor, and within 10 minutes the venue filled in. People were surrounding the tents on all sides when Paul Stamets finally entered the stage.
This was a keynote lecture at a music festival. Paul Stamets had a full video screen presentation showcasing visual examples of various mushrooms. Paul talked in depth about the power of mushrooms, the interconnectedness of mushrooms, and the importance of mushrooms.
As fascinating as this talk was, there was a slight issue. On the walk over, I had eaten a good amount of mushrooms. These were the magic kind and they were now starting to have their effect. While I listened to the lecture, I stared at the wood seating structure and watched the grain patterns melt. Thankfully, the visuals kept my ADHD at bay and I was able to sit through the entire talk without having a breakdown or disturbing the show.
Our group went back to Harrison’s camp after the lecture. One of Harrison’s friends Nico was sporting an artist wristband. I asked if he had performed over the weekend and he let me know that he was just friends with one of the bands and they had given him a pair of artist wristbands. He was only using one and had a spare in his bag.
I told Nico that I was attempting to become a concert photographer and that I was really excited to shoot the Clozee show tonight. With that small of a nudge, he offered up the second artist wristband. Wow! What a gift. Now I could get to the same place as the actual photographers.
I made my way to the Clozee set extra early. I was back in photographer mode. My only goal was to capture the set. Using my brand new artist wristband, I made my way backstage without issue.
I surveyed the stage while Opiuo finished up his performance. I even grabbed a few test shots just to make sure I would be in the best possible position. I found myself gravitating towards the corner of the stage. There was a little cut out there where I could be super close to the artist but still see a view of the crowd from my lens.
I held onto my spot during the set change. While most of the other photographers fought over being front and center, I held down my side of the stage spot and snapped away.
Side Stage for Clozee – The Final Performance of the Festival
This show was incredible. Clozee was throwing down hard and the crowd was responding. The set was full of surprises. Highlights included a live trumpet player, multiple dance acts, and a finale featuring a fire-spinning dance team. The set was intense, heavy, fun, and visually exciting.
As I captured my favorite photographs of the weekend, I took a moment to appreciate the festival. Lightning in a Bottle had been absolutely perfect for me. I had been there since Wednesday evening. It was Sunday night. I had nothing but fun spending quality time with old and new friends. Like every festival there were difficult moments, but those quickly passed and were well overshadowed by the amazing opportunities around every corner.
The next morning I cleaned up my car and quickly hit the road back to San Diego. Thankfully I had requested Monday off of work, which meant I had all day to get home, relax, and recover.
As I walked in the front door of my studio apartment, dread hit me. I was about to go back to work in a warehouse. Yes, we had a few good events coming up but it would be at least 6 months until I would go to another music festival for work. Could I make it?
I drove into the Pro Systems warehouse dreading my return. I was already bored walking in the door. As I clocked in, I was told that Brad wanted to see me. I walked upstairs to find out I was getting fired.
As I got fired, I felt relieved. I was free. I was so ready to leave that job I just didn’t know how. With the decision taken out of my hands, I was free to go chase my music festival dreams.
I hit up Mario, my boss from Kaaboo who was set to go on another music festival taco tour. With one text message, I secured employment for Bonnaroo, Firefly, and Electric Forest. All of a sudden, I was in for an amazing summer.
