Author: <span>Courtney Smith</span>

Festival Reviews

Five Favourite Moments at Lightning in a Bottle

My feet have not fully touched the earth since the spiritual journey that was Lightning in a Bottle, so to help ease my float back down to reality, I’ve pieced together a list of my favourite moments from this year’s LIB Festival.

1. LIB Opening Ceremony


One of the most touching moments from the weekend was the LIB Opening at Sacred Fire. The opening ceremony was a way for festival goers to give thanks for the use of the land over the five-day weekend. It helped set the tone of respect for one another and for oneself, for Mother Earth and for water in a California drought, and of community that became synonymous with the LIB experience. The ceremony commenced at 7:30 p.m. on the Thursday evening in The Village with traditional native music, a speech by a member of one of the local tribes, a kiss to the earth, and then a slow, silent walk down the hill to the fire. As the sun began to slowly descend on the mountains, thanks were given and a feeling of gratefulness and appreciation appeared to wash over the crowd. Every one began to chant and then, as the sun took it’s last breath before hiding behind the mountains until the morning, the fire expert, Icarus, lit the sacred fire that remained lit all weekend. And so the festival began in one of the most enchanting ways possible.

2. The Funk Hunters Afterhours at The Grand Artique

Once again, The Funk Hunters quickly became a highlight of the weekend. These boys can do no wrong in my eyes, always throwing down one of the most energetic sets of the weekend. With some of the funkiest beats you’ll hear, from jazz to hip hop, to swing to classic rock, if you ever have an opportunity to see The Funk Hunters, put on your comfiest dancing shoes and go dance them off. The Funk Hunters were scheduled to perform on the Thunder Stage from 5:25 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. and, of course, threw down a phenomenal dance-worthy set. But it was the lesser known, late night performance (this time at the carnival themed stage of The Grand Artique) that captivated this gal. From 1:45 a.m. until 2:45 a.m. the boys took the stage at The Grand Artique putting on one of the best sets of the weekend and keeping the crowd dancing the whole time. Some swing dancing was done, lots of twirling was had, and the grooves just kept on going. While the set was phenomenal, and the smaller crowd made for a wonderfully intimate experience, it was the smile and pure joy on the duo’s face that was the most memorable. Their apparent love for the music they were playing for the crowd to jam to was infectious.

3. Late Night Bingo

Also known as LIB’ingo, this fun activity didn’t start until super late (or early in the morning), after most of the music had stopped for the evening. You could wander by the tent but, more likely than not, if you were passing by the LIB’ingo, you were going to be drawn in by the loud music being played out across the picnic tables, and the obnoxiously hilarious bingo hosts dressed in their zany outfits. You knew you were going to have a good time as soon as you walked into the tent and got a bingo card from one of the dancing disco ladies. Watch out for a tie though… A quick game of Twister was used to determine the winner. But if you stayed until the final score card? You became part of a post LIB’ingo dance party, dancing on the picnic tables with your new bingo buddies.

4. Sunset Gratitudes

The gratitude for the sun continued throughout the entire weekend. Sunset gratitudes were held nightly at 7:30 p.m. at the Sacred Fire, and again with sunrise honourings every morning at 5:45 a.m. Another area that was used to honour the sun was the Meditation Lookout. The Meditation Lookout was a big hill, with a tree on top overlooking the entirety of the festival. In the evening, festival goers climbed the hill, and sat facing west to watch the sun go to sleep for the night. The best part of watching the sunset on the Meditation Lookout was how many people you connected with as you released your spirit animal sound into the fading purple sky, then cheering the sun for being the brightest star in the sky. And if you couldn’t make it to the Meditation Lookout for the evening show, chances were you grabbed ahold of your new family and, together, howled the sun to bed. It was a nice reminder that we should all take a moment every day to enjoy the beauty of the world around us.

5. Chet Faker’s DJ Set in the Temple

Chet Faker was one of the headliners of the weekend, scheduled to close out the festival at the Lightning Stage on the Sunday night of the event. If you paid close enough attention though, you might have been one of the lucky few to realize that Chet Faker was also playing a DJ set at the Temple stage during the wee hours of the morning. The festival booklet did say that attendees could “get intimate with headlining acts during late night ‘Encounters’ series at the Temple Stage,” and the schedule for Saturday at the Temple Stage revealed a Chet Faker Afterhours DJ Set at 1:45. However, it didn’t appear that very many people were aware of this musical appearance (myself included until a bouncing Tigger informed me of the event). There were maybe 50 people in the tent watching the performance! Chet Faker on the Lightning Stage was incredible, but a Chet Faker DJ set in such an intimate environment was something unforgettable. And yes, Chet Faker slayed his 90-minute set with a huge grin peaking out from under that beautiful, burly beard.

Notable Mentions

Baseball with The Crows at The Grand Artique, lime jalapeño margaritas, hugs, hugs, hugs and more hugs!

Festival Reviews

Further Future – The Dark Side of Burning Man

It’s safe to say that Further Future founders Jason Swamy and Robert Scott have the support of Robot Heart fans and Burners alike. With the majority of attendees at this year’s sophomore event having had been to Burning Man at least once (if not five or more times), Further Future was dubbed by many of those attending as “The Dark Side of Burning Man.”

The mission of Further Future is “moving beyond the confines of a traditional music festival,” according to the festival website. “Further Future establishes a modern means of social movement and cultural change, engaging a conscious community through a unique curation of world-class musicians and art, alongside inspiring leaders in the areas of science, entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology.”

It’s an inspirational festival that allows attendees the privilege of self-discovery and soul searching. And it is the most incredible festival that I have ever had the chance to experience.

Further Future truly is so much more than a music festival. It allows for the exploration of technology, gastronomy, music, arts and wellness through an incredible lineup of speakers and activities. It is a festival where one can go and learn: about the future of the world we live in and the future that others see for our world. It is also a festival where one can go and learn about oneself with the help of like-minded individuals who are willing to go adventuring with you to the various enlightening talks of the Visionary Speakers Series, morning and afternoon yoga and mediation, and musical performances that carry on all through the night until sunrise.

The festival gives off insanely cool vibes, instantly upon arrival. Further Future is an extremely remote festival, in the middle of the desert, with the stages and tents being set up far away from any sort of civilization, surrounded by the canyons of Nevada under the big, blue desert sky. The location, while being at the mercy of Mother Nature, allows for attendees to explore themselves, discover one another, and connect in a way that is not possible unless you are in such a remote and awe-inspiring setting.

The energy and good vibes that I felt at Further Future are unlike any I have ever felt. Every Futurist that I met appeared to be on a spiritual journey and most helped to guide me on mine. Everyone affected me on my journey and, as a group, we were given the opportunity to explore, discover, and connect in a remote, Mars-like, breathtaking setting.

It is this energy and these vibes that shaped my experience at this festival. It was the people that I met along the way that made Further Future so special and such an incredible experience.

While the festival struggled a bit with organization and a lot with rain, the overall experience at Further Future was phenomenal. Especially for a festival only in its second year.

With craft Oaxaca-made and Damiana-distilled Mescal tequila, and Richie Hawtin’s own ENTER.Sake being the liquor of choice at the festival; sit-down dinners available for purchase with Frank Gorriceta of Nobu; technology talks with Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt; and headlining musical sets taking you on colourful journeys through the night and into the early hours of the morning with Lee Burridge, Caribou, Nicolas Jaar and Four Tet, it is easy to achieve a mind-blowing, life-altering experience at Further Future.

Further Future turned out to be a primo experience: it was luxurious and mature but maintained the laid-back and loving Burner mentality, with the remoteness of the festival being as humbling as the joy of dancing on the Robot Heart Bus.

The Ethos of Further Future is “to be kind and generous; to be passionate. To be innovative and not afraid to believe. To welcome a range of amazing and inspiring people to share our journey, past the future and beyond the horizon.”

I was lucky enough to experience this ethos at the festival. I came across kindness and generosity from so many people; I was able to pursue some of my own passions at the festival that brought me unabashed joy; I learned how to believe in myself and the possibilities that the future holds for me through explorations at some of the Visionary Speakers. I learned so much about myself, my values, my hopes and dreams.

And at the end of the weekend, Further Future helped me realize the possibilities that the future holds for us: the visionaries, the believers, the changers. Because it is the people and our connection with another that will change the world.

Music Festivals

Further Future Travel Guide

Further Future takes place in the Valley of Fire, about an hour’s drive north of Las Vegas. Stages are popped down in the middle of the desert, with the festival being the only thing visible for as far as the eye can see, surrounded by the rocky Nevada canyons.

Getting There

Vegas Bound
If you are flying, the most convenient airport to fly into is the McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Nevada, which is about an hour south of the festival.  Alternatively, the festival is about a five hour drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport (PHX).

 
Beyond Vegas
Further Future takes place 50 miles north east of Las Vegas at the Moapa Indian River Reservation. The festival provides a shuttle bus option for festival-goers from McCarran Airport, the MGM Grand and the Oasis Gold Spike for $40.

If you are driving, Further Future provides driving directions from McCarran Airport. Remember to purchase a parking pass, available for $50, as all cars are required to have one to enter the grounds. Multiple entry and exit is allowed.

Where to Stay

If camping isn’t your thing, it will be easiest for you to stay at one of the Further Future partner hotels. Shuttle services run between the MGM Grand, the Oasis at Gold Spike, and the festival for $40. Festival-goers can make unlimited use of the shuttles. Shuttles run every 45 minutes starting at 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. when the shuttle service slows down to every 90 minutes.

Camping

I strongly recommend you experience Further Future in its entirety and camp on site. If this is your first time at an event like this, just follow my lead.

Tent Camping: Passes can be purchased for $95, which gives Futurists access to a 10′ by 12′ campsite, bathrooms, and free showers. Cars are not permitted into the camp grounds. You will need to purchase a parking pass for $50 if you choose to drive to the festival and camp in your own tent.

RV Camping: RV passes are available starting at $250 and allow festival-goers to bring an RV, trailer, or campervan into designated areas for the entirety of the festival. I recommend renting a JUCY RV for the weekend as this was a comfortable and convenient option available for Further Future. Passes with electrical hookups are also available.

Photo courtesy of SHIFTPODS
Photo courtesy of SHIFTPODS

Shiftpods: Further Future recommends purchasing a Shiftpod, which uses space-age technology fabric that reflects 95% of UVA and UVB light from the sun to keep you cool during the day and retain warmth at night. Dust-proof, water-proof, and wind-proof, Shiftpods are perfect to protect you from the harsh desert elements.Alpha Pods: Set up with reflective shade netting, flooring, two single air mattresses, two Further Future branded sleeping bags (yours to keep) and a solar light, these 9′ by 9′ Fest Pods will keep you safe and warm… And look super cool. Starting at $750, your Future home is already set up for you when you arrive.

Horizon Class: Air conditioned bell tents equipped with either two single beds or one queen bed to snuggle with your festy besty, these tents are pure comfort. Don’t worry about portable phone chargers, as the Horizon Class comes with power outlets and storage boxes… So go ahead and bring those hair straighteners and curling irons! Horizon Class starts at $1,650.

Voyager Trailer: A classic 28′ Airstream trailer, four adults can fit comfortably in three different available sleeping arrangements. Curated and serviced by a world-class boutique hospitality provider and including a 24-hour concierge, this boutique camping option will cost you a cool $5,000.

Lunar Palace: If you’re looking for pure, unabashed luxury, the Lunar Palace is for you. This 200 square foot, 9’ high, air conditioned, custom-made luxury dome is fully enclosed with wooden flooring and sleeps up to four people. Furnished with real beds, actual mattresses, nightstands, power outlets and a lockbox, the $7,500 ticket price ensures you live like royalty for the weekend. The best part? The Lunar Palace includes a clothing rack and full-length mirror so you will always look on point.

Habitas: If the above still isn’t enough, Further Future provides Habitas accommodation to give festival-goers the comforts of home and then some. This option starts at $1,800 per person and includes full-service hospitality, linen and towel service, in-suite amenities, one or two double beds, light, furniture, full body mirrors, hot showers, and a culinary experience 24/7 complemented with a beverage bar and tented tea lounge.

Camping Do’s and Dont’s

– You are permitted one 30-can case of beer and one five-litre box of wine OR one litre of liquor into the campground.
– You may sleep in your vehicle if you choose not to purchase a camping pass, but cannot set up any structures or items outside your vehicle. Remember, vehicles can get dangerously hot in the heat of the day.
– Do not bring glass bottles.
– Follow Further Future’s leave no trace policy.
– Free water refill stations are available.
– Charging lockers are available for $45
– Leave your drone at home.

The Moapa Band Of Paiute Indians

Further Future is hosted by the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, taking place on their Moapa River Reservation. The Paiute people believe that everything in the universe has a life force and practice meditation and perform special rituals to harness this force. It is believed that health, wartime victory, weather and fertility were attainable through it. As guests of the Paiute people, festival-goers are expected to respect their land and culture and uphold certain standards of conduct:- Treat their land as you would your own (use the provided bathroom facilities!)
– If you come across interesting artefacts like bones or arrowheads, leave them be.
– Sorry guys, no nudity allowed so come equipped with pasties.
– Don’t forget to thank your hosts as you leave.
– Keep the deep cultural significance of traditional Indian dress in mind when creating your outfits for the festival.
– Out of respect for your hosts, leave all Native American inspired headdresses and costumes at home. If you think it might be controversial, it probably is.

Food

The gastronomy of the festival is of such high caliber and deliciousness that it has it’s own lineup… And what a lineup to feast on. The food and beverage program for Further Future’s return to the Moapa River Indian Reservation featured some of gastronomy’s biggest names, including Frank Gorriceta of Nobu, Jason Neroni of The Rose, and Sam Marvin of Echo & Rig, who hosted pop-up dinners throughout the weekend. Festival attendees are also able to indulge in food offerings such as lobster pho, omakase sushi, locally-sourced produce, artisanal gelato, and numerous vegetarian and vegan options at the various food trucks in the festival grounds throughout the weekend.

Beverages

Complimenting this year’s food offerings, the festival also hosted rare Japanese whiskey tastings from Bar Gyu+, Oaxaca-made and Damiana-distilled Mescal selections, and Richie Hawtin’s own ENTER.Sake. Bartender takeovers also took place throughout the weekend with revered Las Vegas establishments Herbs & Rye and Velveteen Rabbit. Definitely get your hands on some of that surprisingly smokey tequila though.

My Advice

Link up your RFID to your credit card before going to the festival. Further Future is a cashless festival and does not accept cash anywhere on the grounds. It is also a cashless festival that doesn’t require you to constantly be topping up your wristband with funds… Your wristband essentially becomes your credit card for the weekend. So link that up!

Consider renting a JUCY RV for the weekend. The rental van comes fully equipped with everything you could possibly need to enjoy the festival comfortably: Two double beds (one in the cozy, top-bunk penthouse, and one that can be set up inside the van) to sleep four people; a sink with tap and drain, water tank and waste water tank; stove, fridge and cutting board; blinds and plenty of storage space. The company also provides renters with the option to purchase a bedding kit and camping chairs, so if you are flying into San Francisco, Los Angeles or Las Vegas for the festival this is definitely a convenient and comfortable option.

Don’t be afraid to take mid-day naps. There is constantly something going on at Further Future… Be it a Visionary Speaker, a yoga class, a nature walk, a sit-down dinner, a sunrise set or a sunset jam session. The festival has been curated to include some of the best of the best in the fields of technology, music, wellness and gastronomy, and trying to see and do everything can be exhausting…

But come to terms with not sleeping very much.

Take joy in knowing that everyone attending the festival is on some sort of spiritual journey, and that you are now a part of that journey. The grand majority of attendees are Burners and this make for a very unique and happy crowd.

Dress up! There are so many beautiful and whimsical outfits at Further Future, people choosing to express what they imagine for the future through their outfits. From moon boots to fur vests to glitter capes to astronauts, Further Future plays host to a very unique, judgment-free crowd so don’t be afraid to let your freak flag fly a little.

Take advantage of the IV drip. Available at the Ablyss Spa (and sometimes at the Robot Heart Stage) the IV can be a game changer to your festival experience.

Embrace your journey into the future. Reality will not be kind once you return from Further Future so embrace the experiences you are being graced with and appreciate the individuals who are going beyond Vegas with you into the future.

Canada

Bestival Toronto

Cancelled for 2017

Sunday Best presents Bestival’s newest addition to its festival family. Set in the heart of the city, Bestival Toronto is the festival’s first location overseas and boasts a musical and creative vision full of wonder and individuality. Festival-goers can look forward to a fully immersive experience, with costume parties, unique environments, a “Summer of Love” festival theme, and adventures that will take them “beyond the music.”
 

Festival Reviews

Five Best Things Seen at Further Future

I’ve barely washed off the body paint from my journey beyond Vegas at last weekend’s sophomore year of Further Future, and the reality of being back in the city is almost too much for me to handle. To help cope with this though, I’m reminiscing about the festival with a list of the five best things I saw at Further Future.

1. The Brit and the Yank

You know it’s going to be a good festival when the first two people you meet are your camp neighbours who met at the airport on their way to the festival, and, upon knowing each other for t-minus five minutes, decided to camp with one another. Enter the Brit and the Yankee. The Yank recalls seeing the Brit walking through the airport with nothing but a rucksack, looking a little lost. Upon seeing him, he knew he was heading to Further Future as well and, together, they went on a mission to find the somewhat challenging-to-find shuttle bus to the festival. Along the way, they became fast friends and decided to camp with one another, the Yank referring to the Brit as his brother by the end of the weekend. It was this kind of friendly, welcoming energy that could be felt throughout the entire weekend across the festival grounds. With the grand majority of festival attendees having attended Burning Man at least once (if not five or more times), the same sort of Burner mentality and principles could be seen at Further Future. And for someone who has never experienced energy of this sort in such a colossal way, this is enough reason to head back to the festival next year.

2. Sunrise sets with Lee Burridge


Lee Burridge is a techno king. He is known for his amazing sunrise sets on the Robot Heart bus at Burning Man, as well as for his All Day I Dream parties, and for being a pioneer in the underground club scene. He also is known for playing some of the most incredible, lengthy sets, with his sunrise set at Further Future spanning four hours, from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. It seemed that, as the sun rose over the desert, casting the large, cage-like heart above the bus in a majestic golden glow, the energy of the crowd picked up and Lee Burridge dove deeper into the sounds of the underground. More people seemed to appear, fervently dancing in front of the bus, while women in sky-high moon boots continued to dance atop the bus. And the best part of it all wasn’t Lee Burridge’s unique sounds resonating across the Valley of Fire, but the huge grin that remained plastered upon the artist’s face throughout his entire set. Discover Lee Burridge, but definitely discover him while he is performing because the man appears to be at home, in his happy spot, and his joy while he is performing is just as infectious as his beats that will make you dance until the sun has long since risen.

3. Apocalyptic rain storms

Normally, an attendee’s experience at a music festival is very dependant on the weather during that festival. Unfortunately the weather – extreme heat, extreme cold, crazy rain – is completely out of organizers’ hands. The Valley of Fire gets an annual average rainfall of four inches – so not much. Leading into the festival, there were four days of rain. During the festival, there was rain Friday night, and once again Saturday night. While Friday night wasn’t too damaging to the experience, Saturday’s intense rainstorm, filled with thunder and lightning, rivers and lakes in the campgrounds, and washed out roads, had the potential to ruin the weekend for festival-goers and organizers. Instead, the intense weather, that caused evacuations and attendees to take cover wherever they could, encouraged a sort of bonding between attendees. It was a storm one only really witnesses in the desert and it was a storm that was survived together, in the desert. Batten down the tents, take refuge under neighbours canopies or in their cars, and then, celebrate with fireworks. Mother Nature won that day, but she couldn’t put out the fire that burns brightly inside Further Future attendees.

4. Girl power with Amanda Kahlow

Further Future proved that a festival can explore so much more than just music and art. With an astounding Visionary Speakers lineup that saw the likes of Eric Schmidt of Alphabet Inc. and Bob Pittman of iHeartMedia Inc. giving intelligent talks to attendees, Further Future allowed festival-goers to expand their minds by diving into talks about the future of technology, education, food, cannabis, and so much more. Amanda Kahlow of 6sense delivered one of the most empowering talks of the weekend. Exploring the challenges of running her own business, while also being unapologetic of having to be what people sometimes consider a “bitch,” Kahlow reminded us that girl power can be the best power, to never give up on your hopes and dreams, and yes, women can be just as successful as men.

5. Sunset sets with Easy Star All-Stars

Closing the festival was reggae cover band Easy Star All-Stars, followed by HVOB. Seemed like an odd addition to a lineup that was stacked with electronic and techno artists but it worked. And it was fantastic! From trombones and saxophones, to drums and guitars, the band jammed the night away, covering old songs and new songs and demonstrating the fluidity and joy of music. With the barefoot lead singer, Kirsty Rock, who kept dancing and feeling the music throughout the entire set, Easy Star All-Stars helped close down the official festival with a fun, energetic set that embodied the good vibes of the festival and kept the crowd grooving all the way through long past the final sunset.

Music Festivals

Coachella Travel Guide

Coachella takes place every year on the Polo Fields in Indio, CA surrounded by mountains and palm trees. Music and art can be discovered while wandering around the desert plains under the hot, California sky or the setting pink sun.

Getting There

Coachella by Air
If you are flying, the closest airport to fly into is the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), about half an hour northwest of the festival. Alternatively, the festival is about a three hour drive southeast of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), or a two hour drive northeast from San Diego International Airport (SAN).

NOTE: I recommend flying into the San Diego International Airport. There is less traffic heading to the festival from San Diego than from Los Angeles and the drive is absolutely beautiful.

Coachella by Road

If you are driving, there are plenty of signs once you get to Palm Springs directing you to the festival and campgrounds entrance. That, combined with Google Maps, makes it very easy to find.

Full driving directions to the festival from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Arizona can be found here.

Carpooling is highly encouraged by Coachella and, decorating your car advertising your “carpoolchella,” can even win you VIP upgrades and passes for the future.

Coachella by Shuttle
Shuttle passes can be purchased to ensure your arrival by bus. There are also taxi and uber stands set up entering and exiting the festival.

Where to Stay

Camping: Camping passes can be purchased with your festival ticket for $85. Your location, from what I can tell, is based on luck. If you are camping, I would recommend bringing a shade tent of sorts as shelter from the hot sun midday will be crucial to you making it through the festival without sunstroke. Another fantastic option for camping at Coachella is to rent a JUCY RV. It provides an easy set-up and luxurious option while camping.

Glamping: Coachella offers two premium camping experiences with the Lake Eldorado and Safari Tents options. Lake Eldorado pricing starts at $2,400 and the Safari Tent experience costs upwards of $7,500.

Off-Site Accommodation: There are plenty of hotels and Airbnb’s to choose from within close proximity to the festival. Curadora is the festival’s official partner for hotel accommodations and provides options ranging from $60 to $500 per night. Book early though as these will fill up fast.

Off-site camping is also available at local parks. The parks’ distance from the festival grounds range from three miles to 75 miles at Joshua Tree National Park.

Good to Know Camping Info

On-site camping opens at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday and closes at 10:00 a.m. on Monday each weekend.

No car exit is permitted between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

Camping is 18+

Friends arriving later can park separately at the Coachella parking lot and then come meet you at your campsite.

No glass bottles are permitted – I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people chugging a bottle of Fireball because they can’t bring it in.

Go here for a more detailed list of the Coachella camping rules.

Art

Art is a huge component of the festival and adds to the magic of it all. The art is different from year to year and appears to have a theme running throughout the grounds. The art is worth taking time to explore, whether it’s on your way into a show, or on your way out, your experiences with the pieces can change based on what time of day you are exploring them.

Do Lab: The Do Lab Stage began as an interactive art piece but grew in such popularity of the years that it now curates its own lineup, different depending on which weekend you attend. It is also one of the most fun stages and best parties at Coachella.

Food

The gastronomy of Coachella has become incredibly drool-wrothy of the years. From sit-down restaurants with renowned chefs and reservations required, to vendors boasting burgers, burritos, hot dogs and pizza, there is something available to satisfy whatever you are craving. Of course, the festival has fantastic vegetarian and vegan options, and plenty of fresh fruit to mow down on.

Don’t forget to get that juicy slice of watermelon and keep an eye out for the gourmet popsicle stand.

Beverages

Being an all-ages event, alcoholic beverages can only be purchased and consumed in the beer gardens. Keep this in mind if there is a show you do not want to miss. Coachella also now has a Craft Beer Garden with fantastic options for those interested in drinking something with a little bit more taste to it then Heineken.

For a refreshing, non-alcoholic option, try one of the lemonades that can be purchased at the different stands throughout the grounds. Water can also be purchased here for $2 per bottle.

Water refill stations can be found throughout the grounds. Give yourself extra time if you are choosing to refill your hydration pack as the lineups at the refill stations can be quite long.

My Advice

Find the Do Lab stage! Do Lab curates a fantastic lineup of up and comers and well established DJs, and the energy here is on a whole other level. From water fights to pyrotechnics, to dancers and acrobats, the Do Lab stage feels more like a house party on acid and you are guaranteed to have a fun time here. Keep an eye out for the surprise DJ announcements. 2016 saw surprise sets by Bob Moses, RÜfÜS DU SOL and Major Lazer, to name a few.

If you need a break from the sun and the heat, head over to the Yuma Tent. It’s an air-conditioned tent that also has a killer lineup of house music, cushions to chill out on and, that is where you will find the infamous disco shark.

But be careful because getting Yuma’d is a thing. You can lose complete and total sense of time in the Yuma tent.

Don’t be married to your schedule. Some of my favourite artists have been discovered going with the flow of things at Coachella.

The ferris wheel is much more magical at night. However the lineup is also much longer.

Coachella has become synonymous with fashion over the years, inspiring trends for the upcoming spring and summer season. Remember though, you are at a festival in the middle of the desert. Makeup sweats off quickly (even while you’re sitting around in the shade), and you are looking at walking and dancing for many hours throughout the day and night. Personally, I have found dresses and dust masks to be good to me.

If you are camping:
After six times attending Coachella, I still haven’t figured out their thought process behind filling up camping spots. That being said, I would still try and arrive early as that gives you an extra day in the campgrounds, meeting people and exploring the market area with all the different activities and games it has to offer.

Do the Silent Disco your first night camping. This took me four years to figure out.

Hydration is key. It’s better to bring in too much water than too little water.

Lower your EZ-Ups and shade tents before heading into the festival if there are high wind advisories. Weekend 2 of 2016 saw quite the disaster with EZ-Ups being whipped across the campgrounds, and tents being mangled by the high winds.

Remember: You are camping in a desert so as soon as that sun pops its bright head over the mountains, your tent will become a sauna and sleep will become near impossible. But it does get quite chilly at night.

Adventures

Five Favourite Moments from Coachella Weekend Two

My lungs are still hacking up dust from last weekend’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and the sadness of having had to leave the Polo Fields for another year is still very fresh in my mind. To help me get through this though, I have put together a list of my five favourite moments from last weekend’s festivities.

1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

One of the best moments of Weekend Two was being a party to the energetic and interactive performance of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. When lead singer Alex Ebert pranced out on stage barefoot to begin the evening set, he did not stop dancing during the entire 50-minute performance. Straight from the get-go, Ebert set the tone for the evening, climbing the crowd barrier to wade deep into the Coachella crowds. Throughout the performance, fans could find Ebert singing in his soothing voice right above them, or dancing and hopping around the stage, mic in hand. At one point, he called out to the crowd, asking for someone to sing the next verse. One fan nervously accepted the challenge amongst the encouraging cheers of the surrounding fans. Later in the set, Ebert tossed out a compact video camera into the crowd, informing everyone to take a video of themselves dancing before tossing it on. For the next few minutes, a tiny green camera could be seen hurtling through the air from person, to person, to person. And what better way to end such an energetic, happy set than with stories from fans as the sun slowly set behind the mountains? With such amazing energy from Ebert and the band, and such good vibes from the crowd, along with beautifully happy music all taking place during the stunning Coachella sunsets, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros put on an unforgettable performance that still brings tears to my eyes (happy tears, of course).

2. Anderson .Paak and all his surprises

Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals started off their set with some funky jams, revving the crowd up with their energetic performance and inciting all the booty popping and hip swaying that comes with their tunes. With no expectations of any surprise performances, Anderson .Paak began to build the crowd’s excitement as he announced midway through his set that the thing to do at Coachella is to bring out surprise guests. Lo and behold, Kendrick Lamar came out to perform “Back Street Freestyle” on the small stage with Anderson .Paak. As if that surprise wasn’t enough for Anderson .Paak and hip hop fans alone, the crowd was blessed with a second surprise: a performance by legendary hip hop producer and N.W.A. member Dr. Dre. Although Dre and Kendrick had already performed with Ice Cube the night before on the main stage, this surprise was so unexpected the two hip hop artists ended up performing to a smaller crowd in the Mojave tent, providing fans lucky enough to be there with a more intimate, yet highly energetic performance. And yes… California does know how to party.

3. Finding the “Big Fish” stage

Do LaB proved once again as to why their stage is my favourite stage at Coachella. With a unique crowd that vibes off one another’s positive energy, and a different lineup from Weekend One to Weekend Two of talented DJs and up-and-comers, this stage is well-worth discovering and walking over to in The Terrace. While the stage never ceases to impress with it’s pyrotechnics, acrobatic dancers and bumping beats, this year’s joy came from the energy of the artist painting on the live art wall. Anticipation for Sunday night’s surprise guest was growing throughout the crowd during Kraddy’s (incredible) set, until finally Diplo’s face appeared behind the decks being set up to takeover the stage. As the crowd grew, hordes of young electronic fans piling into the Do LaB tent, Walshy Fire picked up a microphone, and Jillionaire and Diplo started revving up the crowd in the background. Major Lazer hit the decks and, the artist hit the wall… The artist painting the live art wall had so much energy, whipping his brush on the wall to paint beautiful blue strokes and effectively creating the story of Major Lazer at Do LaB with each flick of the brush. He jumped to the music, swinging his arms in beat and flinging paint on fans nearby, with a huge grin on his face. It looked like he was loving every minute of what he is doing and where he was doing it.

4. Getting lost in Black Coffee’s Yuma set

I got yuma’d. It’s a thing. Especially during Black Coffee’s two-hour set. The struggle with the sandstorms was real Friday, and Yuma provided shelter from the dust and the wind, along with an epic set by Black Coffee. As much as you may go into Yuma with the intention of leaving after 45 minutes to go catch another artist, the energy, lack of windows, and the beauty of the disco ball shark have the power to suck you in for three times as long. While coming out of Yuma after two-hours of non-stop dancing can be a bit of a shock to the system, doing so during Black Coffee’s set was well worth it and he quickly became one of my favourite new discoveries of the weekend.

5. Water fights in the campgrounds

Camping at Coachella is not for everyone, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. High winds this year tore down the majority of campers’ EZ-Ups on the first day of the festival, leaving many people without the much sought-after and needed shade for the rest of the weekend. Broken down metal pieces could be seen scattered around the campgrounds, looking like very large, damaged spiders. But camping at a festival, you learn to roll with the punches and make the best of any situation. The wind did not stop all weekend and neither did the party and the fun and games. One of my favourite moments camping at Coachella Weekend Two came during a (somewhat) spontaneous water fight. Armed with beers, a kiddie pool, and water guns, new friends hosted a water fight that provided lots of fun in the sun on Sunday afternoon, along with relief from the intense heat, quite a few nip slips, and fond new memories.

Music Festivals

Coachella

Every April in the heart of the Coachella Valley music lovers, neo-hippies, celebrities, and everyone in between gather together for a three-day festival celebrating music, arts, and culture.  The Coachella Music and Arts Festival is the be-all and end-all to festivals…think of it like a modern day Woodstock where legends are born with one perfect performance and spirits are set free under the star-filled desert sky.  

the basics

Location: Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
Dates: April 15-17 2016, April 22-24 2016

weekend 1

GA festival pass: $375
GA festival pass and 1 shuttle pass combo: $435

VIP festival pass: $899
VIP parking pass: $150

Car camping pass: $99
Tent camping pass: $99

Companion parking pass: $30

Lake Eldorado 2-person teepee and GA festival passes combo: $2350
Lake Eldorado 4-Person tent and GA festival passes combo: $3100

Lake Eldorado 2-person teepee and VIP festival passes combo: $3400
Lake Eldorado 4-person tent and VIP festival passes combo: $5200

Safari Tent 2-person: $7000

Any Line Anytime shuttle pass: $60
LAX airport shuttle pass: $50

weekend 2

GA festival pass: $375
GA festival pass and 1 shuttle pass combo: $435

VIP festival pass: $899
VIP parking pass: $150

Car camping pass: $99
Tent camping pass: $99

Companion parking pass: $30

Lake Eldorado 2-person teepee and GA festival passes combo: $2350
Lake Eldorado 4-Person tent and GA festival passes combo: $3100

Lake Eldorado 2-person teepee and VIP festival passes combo: $3400
Lake Eldorado 4-person tent and VIP festival passes combo: $5200

Safari Tent 2-person: $7000

Any Line Anytime shuttle pass: $60
LAX airport shuttle pass: $50

more info

coachella.com

Canada

Sitting Down with Britz Robins, Shambhala 2015

For Britz Robins, being Shambha-Mom is just one of the many joys that comes with being part of Canada’s longest running electronic music festival. First attending Shambhala in 2003 as an enthusiastic fan, Robins has been working with Shambhala going on nine years, becoming the first full-time employee hired outside of the family back in 2008. Her role has changed over the years, from admin help to vendor coordinator, to hosting the press during the festival but her holistic, grassroots approach means she is someone you can always talk to at the festival.

Nomadic Groove (NG): Let’s talk about the festival’s growth in popularity in the past few years.

Britz Robins: The first year I went in 2003, Shambhala was 3,000 people. So to watch it blossom and grow into this beautiful festival that is a world-wide name now… We’re still a small festival in the scheme of things, but we’re a small festival with a big name. I think that’s really cool. It’s been really amazing to watch the growth. And then just watching the level of production that Shambhala has come to has been really amazing for me.

NG: What are some of the challenges that Shambhala is facing this year?

BR: Entry is always a challenge. Getting every one in, in a timely manner, is always a challenge because you have so many people showing up. Our gates don’t open until 8:00 am on Wednesday [August 5], and people choose to show up nearly 24 hours before the gates open. So there’s the challenge of making sure every one is practicing good self care when they’re in the heat of the day like that. We used to have people line up along the side of the highway and then people were being very unsafe. So we just decided that it would be much safer just to hold people on the property which is what we do now.

NG: Speaking of safety, what are some of the precautions that Shambhala puts in place to ensure that festival goers can have the most fun possible while also staying safe?

BR: We actually have the most harm reduction plan of any festival in North America. We have a fully staffed medical team that includes doctors, nurses and paramedics. The minimum is level three for your first aid. So it’s a high level of care on that end. And then also with our harm reduction, we have an education pill testing tent that’s run by an organization called ANKORS out of Nelson [BC]. That’s a very, very big part of keeping people safe. Giving them the education and the tools they need to make better decisions about how they’re partying.

NG: Tell me more about the harm reduction strategy used by Shambhala.

BR: Our harm reduction team is really forward thinking. Harm reduction’s goal is to meet people where they’re at. So whatever you’re at in life, whatever that means to you, they’re going to meet you where you’re at and give you the support and education you need to do what you need to do, or support you in staying clean and sober. They’re such a beautiful, caring group of people.

NG: What are some of the safety services that Shambhala provides for people that are different from other festivals?

BR: We have The Sanctuary. It started out as a psychedelic crisis comedown area, but it’s actually evolved to be much more than that. Basically, people who are high on psychedelics, they don’t need to be in first aid. At the same time, you can’t really send them back out to the party. They need somewhere to chill out and calm down and so that’s kind of how that space was created. But it’s evolved into this space that’s more of a mental health care unit. It ends up being kind of like a counselling space. Anyone who needs emotional support in any way would go to that area. It’s a pretty interesting offering as far as festivals go I think.

We have a thing called Outreach and they’re our mobile harm reduction unit. They basically go around and talk to people about safe partying. They tell them where they can access harm reduction services.

We also have a women’s safe space. So that’s kind of like The Sanctuary but it’s a much smaller, quieter space. Women only. If someone is feeling unsafe in their camp, or whatever, we can have them there. It does offer a lot of the same kind of counselling and support that The Sanctuary does.

Finally we have camp Clean Beats which is a clean and sober campsite. That’s for people who are in recovery and for people who choose to party without the use of substances. There’s people outside that camp that choose to party that way but this is more for people that want that kind of guaranteed environment. So they do three AA style meetings per day for the folks who are recovery. It’s a pretty cool offering and it’s rather new. We’ve been doing it for three years. We have people who have been in recovery and thought they could never go to festivals again. They come out to Shambhala and there’s just this really beautiful support system for them and it blows them away that it’s even something that’s available to them.

NG: What are some of the issues Shambhala has faced when trying to implement harm reduction programs on the grounds?

BR: We’ve really been thought leaders in this particular area and it’s a little bit different culture out here in BC. BC in general has been very forward thinking in terms of harm reduction [the needle exchange in Vancouver]. Our main goal is to keep people safe and we have a track record of doing that. Even when we’ve come up against potential issues, people have been able to see the value and the additional safety it provides. It’s definitely something that we think about and that we know is a huge challenge. We would love to see other festivals be able to move forward with programs like this. At the end of the day, it’s really about keeping people safe.

We’ve had a very safe festival. We’ve been running for 18 years now and we’ve had two fatalities. One was drug related and the other was a pre-existing health condition. If you look at other events, what we’re seeing at Shambhala is nowhere near that [numbers of deaths and hospitalizations] and I think it has a lot to do with our high level of care and the fact that we’re educating people on how to make safer party decisions. Part of that is that it’s not just this is what this does, this is what that does. It’s make sure you’re sleeping enough. Maybe people call me Rave Mom because this is kind of the culture I come from. Shambhala has a very maternal, motherly thing going on where we’re like okay you’ve had such a good party tonight, maybe you should go sleep a little bit, drink lots of water… We do put out that kind of messaging, and it’s really important to us. Self-care is as big a part of partying safe, as everything else is.

NG: What’s it like being Shambha-Mom?

BR: Most of the time it’s really good. Sometimes people can let their emotions run a little high and Mom has to step in and tell them to take a time-out. They’re such a great group of people and I really enjoy the fact that part of my job is having an online relationship with some of these people. I think it’s really cool. And then the best part of that is meeting people in person on the grounds and actually being able to give them a hug.

NG: Any advice for noobs from Shambha-Mom?

BR: Don’t get too caught up in your own schedule. Take some time to just let go of where you need to be and what you need to do and just go where the music or adventure takes you because that is one of the funnest parts of Shambhala. Just kind of, letting go of your own agenda and seeing where you end up.

Shambhala takes place August 7 – August 10 in Salmo Valley, BC. The festival first took place in 1998, celebrating local music and art with 500 people gathering on the ranch of the Bundschuh family. Now, the grounds are transformed into the biggest city in the West Kootenays for the weekend of music, dance, art and lots of Shambhalove.

Check out my five favourite moments from last year’s event.

Interviews

Speaking with Lucent Dossier Experience

With festival season upon us, Lucent Dossier Experience is making their rounds from festival to festival. For those who haven’t had the chance to experience this unique circus style performance, Lucent Dossier uses original music in conjunction with acrobatics, fire performance, aerials and circus arts to create a fully immersive, mind-blowing performance. The troupe maintains a strong presence on the Do Lab Stage every year at Coachella and has also been found in the past performing at Lightning in a Bottle, Symbiosis Gathering, BOOM Festival, Electric Picnic, Sonic Bloom, Shambhala and Burning Man.

In anticipation of their upcoming performance at Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo Valley, BC, The Nomadic Groove (NG) spoke with Dream Rockwell, the artistic director and a member of Lucent Dossier.

The Nomadic Groove (NG): For people who haven’t had the opportunity to experience Lucent Dossier, how would you describe the performances?

Dream Rockwell: We’re a permission slip to get wild, to free yourself. To create and live in beauty. We are acrobats, aerialists, dancers, singers, musicians and lovers of life. We are cracked wide open and proud of it. So you can crack yourself open and be proud open.

NG: What do you hope the audience feels and/ or takes away from the performances?

DR: That there is beauty in the cracks. That they are free to create and be who they want to be. Thank goodness for the cracked, for they let in the light.

NG: What is the troupe’s favourite festival to perform at and why?

DR: Wow. That’s a hard question. We love festival life. Big and small. Burning Man is our mother, Lightning in a Bottle our child, we love Electric Picnic in Ireland, BOOM in Portugal and our favourite Canadian festival is Shambhala.

NG: Does the troupe tailor performances based on where you are performing and who you are performing to?

DR: Yes we do. We really talk a lot about where we’re going and who will be attending. What type of stage we’re on. The environment. We love to reinvent ourselves and make new stuff.

NG: Where does the troupe get show ideas from and what does the creative process for creating a new routine entail?

DR: Everywhere, all of life. What we’re good at, what we’re inspired by, what we’re learning and what we want to share. Sometimes we’re just joking around with each other and something magical happens and we’re like… Oh we have to keep that. Sometimes someone makes a mistake and it’s so good we keep it.

NG: What is the dynamic between members?

DR: We’re a family. So it’s family style but with a twist of course. We know and have seen the very worst in each other but we hold in our hearts the very best of each other. We are all flawed and we are all perfect. We take care of each other. And we’re growing together. It’s not always easy but it’s a love affair for sure.

NG: What does the name Lucent Dossier mean and why did the troupe choose that?

DR: Lucent means ‘glowing light’ and dossier means ‘to collect or to keep a file of information.’ In this case, for us, it means we are collecting the most luminescent people in the world and keeping track of them, keeping them close. If you are with us, if you recognize us as your chosen family, then you are the light, you are lucent and we’re keeping you close.

Don’t forget to catch Lucent Dossier at Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo Valley, BC and again later this month at Burning Man for an awe-inspiring performance.