The 9th annual Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival, located at San Antonio Recreation Area on the First Nations Chumash land, enveloped this year’s participants into a tribal essence and took them on a journey like no other. Completely unique to this festival, Lightning In a Bottle (LIB) provides festival-goers with a combination of electronic dance music under the open sky, with indigenous ceremonies, skill sharing, along with yoga and health affirming workshops. Accompanied by numerous opportunities to share, learn, and grow, attendees gain a sense of belonging, which was essential to cultural development during this past Memorial Day weekend as LIB 2014 unfolded.
The Do Lab crew (LIB organizers) blew away our expectations with their skillful execution of multiple stages; each had their own unique setting, village quarters, and intention without corporate sponsorships. In this setting we witness a true initiation, one in which tribal peoples have experienced for centuries. Here in this space there is a rite of passage that once we go through it, we are forever changed. There’s something exceptional about ceremonial workshops tapping our thirst for connection, combined with the perfect blending of outstanding artistry, sculpture installations, choreography, and world-class performances. This feeling of connection while having our senses utterly twitter-pated helps one to relate with the people we call Tribe, and ultimately takes us through a portal of consciousness while on-site at LIB 2014.
Generous as they are for an event group, the good people behind LIB donate money to local causes as well. This year’s event supported Monterey County’s Sol Treasure’s local arts and culture programs. As well as help with the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary to help the local environment, and, the Do Art Foundation to promote public art for festivals and the community.
Ever wanted to learn how to build a village? In the cultural hub called “The Village,” one can learn essential outdoor survival skills such as fire-starting, archery, and creating cob ovens. Attendees could also participate with indigenous elders in council, prayer, ritual and powerful intention-setting ceremonies while on-site. The opening ceremony starts with prayer and fire crafting with intention. The central fire is kept by a fire keeper the entire weekend. You can even pay a visit to these fire keeping areas to release all that is holding you back from experiencing yourself fully. Make an offering, let go, experience, and listen; the fire is always there to guide you back to the source of life around you.
As far as extras around LIB’s festival grounds, The Grand Antique is the place to land for nighttime live music, featuring Frontierville and the good ole’ General Store. Also on-site at LIB is Amore, a local casino and burlesque show. Amore takes you on a journey of debauchery you never knew you wanted. Far away from the shenanigans is the Kidz Adventure Zone, a place for the family and young ones to enjoy the festivities and is truly an experience all its own. With a focus on conscious parenting and fun classes and activities for the youth, no one is left out of LIB experience!
The Temple bridges together essential tools for utilizing the potent forces of our mind and body through meditation and food preparation. Step through the portal by taking a minute to relax in the Sound Healing area. Surrounded by Gongs and singing bowls, you can immerse yourself in the stillness within your soul; where you can chime in with the healing sounds that have been used for centuries. You then come out the other side, feeling renewed at a cellular level, ready to feed your body.
The Learning Kitchen takes you on a culinary adventure, experiencing different cultures and methods for preparing healthy and delicious cuisine. From Ayurvedic preparations, making botanical potions and raw delights, to eliminating toxins and heavy metals from our bodies through diet, attendees can learn a lot in The Learning Kitchen. Acquire skills in distillation and creating essential oils, and then join us in the “Mystery School,” where the 5 elements are represented. There we are taught the ancient Alchemical ways of consciously creating our world. Working through our social issues, deep inhibitions, and truly expanding our views of what can be experienced in this life. It is not what mainstream society would have us think!
Each stage at LIB is poised for a different expression of exemplary sound. The Bamboo Stage brought home the bass, while the Lightning Stage featured big stage production and performing arts. This year the Woogie Stage delivered an Earth splitting alien technology incorporating Pure Groove Systems and Danley Sound Labs’, who have partnered up with and developed state-of-the-art sound amplification (IMAX, Cirque du Soleil, and major sports arenas use their products). While debuting this latest equipment, the Woogie proceeded to blast our minds open with some of the biggest DJs in techno, house, and psy-trance.
At LIB 2014 fans can catch well known artists along with rising stars throwing down their freshest beats. Lucent Dossier Experience was definitely the most invigorating visual performance; captivating the audience with intensely choreographed routines, and capturing the fire spinning arts like true champions. This theatric group has people lining up for hours in Hollywood, for their ability to motivate the senses of the people, without words. Rising stars such as Russ Liquid, performing his own original flavor of live instrumentation mixed with the deep bass we all crave, and the live band Liberation Movement, sharing Peruvian Shamans’ ceremonial music mixed with beats and a transformational visual experience, evoking us to dance into our inner worlds.
In a hot, yet dusty environment, we were elated to have the Oasis spa on both sides of the event to cool and cleanse us. On one side was a treat from Dr. Bronner’s Soaps, the All-One-Ark Foam Tub. For a reasonable price you can get foam-blasted with all of your homies in a giant white claw foot bathtub. After this wild experience, dance it off in the sun to some yummy beats with all your closest “foamies” until you get dry.
Tantric Bellydance classes, yoga and music happening all day, and amazing artists painting for the Art walk on Sunday. Lightning In a Bottle Music Festival combines all this with delicious organic/vegetarian food booths, some of the nation’s top teachers, and the best clothing lines on the West Coast scene. LIB is life-changing festival you will talk about all year round, and, it is an event that should be experienced by “Kidz” of all ages. See you at LIB 2015!