20 Years of Lightning – Do LaB Announces Lineup for Lightning in a Bottle 2023
Returning to Buena Vista Lake in Southern California Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-29
Do LaB has announced the musical lineup for the 20th anniversary of Lightning in a Bottle, North America’s original boutique festival taking place Memorial Day Weekend at Buena Vista Lake in Southern California this May 24-29, 2023. LIB will present an array of top-tier music curation, creative art, immersive environments, and educational classes and workshops — a furthering of its 20-year mission to inspire creativity and foster interconnection.
It’s official, Do LaB is almost out of mom and dad’s house and ready to step into young adulthood at the ripe young age of 20. They are ready to start taking life a little more seriously if only they knew how. But let’s be real, Do LaB’s always been the fully independent, mischief-loving crew of ragtag experience creators their community knows and loves, always pushing through adversity to deliver events that shaped the modern festival landscape. Now, Lightning in a Bottle, Do LaB’s living and breathing outpost for misfits and music lovers, creatives, and experience hunters, is ready to keep goofing off and dreaming of delivering more fun, more outrageous moments, and more music than ever before.
LIB’s 2023 lineup will be it’s largest and most ambitious to date, with its iconic Lightning stage showcasing some of electronic music’s most compelling and in-demand performers. Lightning strikes with headliners like HypnoVision label boss REZZ, playful genre-defying production duo SOFI TUKKER, and Grammy-nominated electronic producer and singer ZHU. Genre-blurring live acts include multi-instrumentalist and vocalist duo Phantogram, heartfelt Canadian composer and recording artist Caribou, the fully imaginative performance of Beats Antique, and singer-songwriter and producer Mindchatter. Flavors of R&B, soul, and rap take center stage as well with appearances by Houston’s rising star Tobe Nwigwe, versatile rap and R&B vocalist 070 Shake, Zambia-born vocalist and visual artist Sampa the Great, Ozomatli w/ Chali 2na & Cut Chemist and the full original ensemble performing their first classic album, and electronic R&B live duo Drama.
The Thunder stage showcases everything from the darker shades of electronic with artists like Liquid Stranger, LSDream, and Deathpact, to electronic trio and Do LaB regulars The Glitch Mob, multi-genre producer and Young Art label head TOKiMONSTA, pioneering drum & bass legend LTJ Bukem with MC Armanni, and 90’s rave revival production duo Prospa. A diverse and representative next generation is in full force, spearheaded by influential electronic prodigy Moore Kismet, all-empowering queer bass artist Wreckno, and the queen of Jersey club UNIIQU3. The strength of the Thunder lineup continues with 11-piece techno marching band MEUTE, inventive beatsmith The Polish Ambassador, comedic electronic duo The Floozies, rising South African producer Jon Casey, and more.
LIB’s colorful house and techno wonderland, the Woogie stage, is packed with international talent. Leading the charge is titanic Afterlife leaders Tale Of Us and Higher Ground and Mad Decent superstar Diplo. The depth continues with fan-favorites like German disco and house producer Purple Disco Machine, energetic DJ/producer and label head BLOND:ISH, global techno powerhouse Stephan Bodzin with a live performance, piano house queen LP Giobbi, breakout UK house and techno talent Logic1000, underground icon and Ninja Tune favorite TSHA, and Afro House sensation Layla Benitez. The melodically charged styles of artists like Berlin-based producer and live act Ben Böhmer, classically trained musician and multi-instrumentalist Giorgia Anjiuli, and accomplished mixing engineer Cassian will also be on full display. Rounding out the Woogie bill is emergent production duos Major League DJz and Sabo & Goldcap, West African DJ and producer AMÉMÉ, and a slew of next-gen risers like Rinzen, Desiree, Nala, Deer Jade b2b Elif, and Mary Droppinz.
LIB 2023’s truly five-day experience will be kicked off by a variety of programming on the festival’s opening days. Interactive yoga and movement classes will take place on both Wednesday and Thursday, along with talks and workshops at the Compass and Learning Kitchen on Thursday. Fans can also expect the iconic 80s Prom to make its return. Music programming will begin on the Woogie Stage on Thursday afternoon, giving attendees a full extra day to get a first look at the immersive stage’s new design.
LIB has been long renowned for its ever-evolving immersive stage design and the world-class artist lineups and musical styles that occupy them. For the 2023 edition, Lightning and Woogie stages will return with brand new designs along with a revamped Thunder design. There will also be a new Grand Artique stage this year, which is a unique environment known for its blend of wild west aesthetics, unconventional activity programming, and eclectic live acts with an Americano twist.
All of these elements combine to complement the event’s multi-decade commitment to bringing together forward-thinking music across many distinct stages, educational and cause-driven discussions and activities at The Compass, and intriguing programming from favorites like the interactive townscape of Bark Kitten, the Jive Joint, Unicorn Palace, The Mixtape, the Rink-a-Dink Roller Rink, Big Leroy’s Karaoke, and so much more.
From my own past personal experience, Lightning in a Bottle is truly a life-changing spiritual experience that is unlike any other festival. The extremely creative and diverse programming filled throughout the week-long festival really makes festival go-ers engaged and spiritually replenished. Everything is so well thought out from the music to the art, to the artists, to the yoga, to the stages, and even to the food, they create an ambiance that is not only memorable but truly soul-cleansing. Since this is their 20-year anniversary I am most excited to see some of my favorite artists headlining the festival and can’t wait to see the changes they have made to help celebrate another decade of a life-changing experience.
20 years ago, a lightning bolt struck and sparked something far greater than anyone could have ever anticipated. Do LaB has created a legacy from the ground up since – one with a loyal community of free spirits chasing the imaginative, boundary-breaking rush felt at its very first celebration. Now it’s time to come together to set the tone for the next 20 years.
