Artists to Catch at Lightning in a Bottle 2024

Festival season is in full swing, and the West Coast event to catch is Lightning in a Bottle (LIB). This event takes place every Memorial Day weekend at Lake Buena Vista, CA, and it has a vibe, unlike any other festival you will attend in the Golden State.

There is four-day programming; music is just one part of that experience, and the rest is as eclectic as the guests who come to enjoy them. Throughout the festival, one could learn how to make mead, attend yoga classes with instructors from around the world, float on the lake with some brewskis, or allow yourself to be introduced to the world of knitting.

Still, music is at the heart of what Lightning In a Bottle is all about. There is no doubt that this year’s lineup has jaws on the floor, especially in the EDM community. There are just too many hard hitters on the bill. We’re not going to go over all of the headliners and big names here because we all know you need to see Skrillex, Clozee, Labyrinth, Fatboy Slim, Lane 8, James Blake, M.I.A, Bob Moses, Cannons and more. 

As with every festival, time is the most significant factor, and conflicts will arise. You need to make some serious decisions about who you will see; V13 has you covered, and we have day-by-day suggestions for the acts you need to see at this year’s LIB Festival. Let’s Jump Right in!

Thursday, May 23rd – Woogie Opening Party 

Thursday is a no brainer, everyone better be dancing to the vibrant sounds of Honey Dijon! While there will be side stages and art cars tearin’ it up in the different genres, Honey Dijon will have the attention of the night. Starting a festival with Honey Dijon, is a sure fire sign that the weekend is going to be one very long party. Honey Dijon has become an icon in the world of house music, bringing her classic Chicago house influence to the forefront of her sound. This is the artist that brought us the Black Girl Magic album, a vibrant collection of songs that infuse spoken word, and rich synth tones, balanced with the welcoming hand of house beats that elicit nothing but movement from the audience. 

Our second pick for a Thursday night suggestion is house artist Miss Dre, the artist behind high energy dance tracks like “Old Skool” and “Foreign Love”. A staple in the Bay Area EDM scene, Miss Dre has made a name for herself in the greater music world. She has proven to be a formidable force, even landing a spot on the new Quasar stage at Coachella during the first weekend of the event. Having a lot of room to grow, Miss Dre is the up and coming act to watch.

Lightning in a Bottle 2023, photo by Jess Gallo (@helloatlasmedia)

Friday, May 24th – Day 1 

PawPaw Rod is a vocalist, and rapper with an eclectic sound, who has gifted the world with tracks such as “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS” and “Lemonhaze.”  Pawpaw rod infuses funk, R&B, rap, and more. His tracks are reminiscent of analog Motown recordings mixed with modern soundscapes and effects, making PawPaw Rod a must-see artist on the Friday Roster. 

Dela Moon has been entrancing audiences since 1999 with her takes on techno and psychedelic music. She is well known for organizing Moontribe Collective gatherings which take place monthly during any given full moon. If you’re looking for a curated sound experience that will take you on a journey, look no further than Dela Moon. 

Mura Masa is a Grammy Award-winning artist and producer, most known for his wide breadth of collaborations. Mura Masa is responsible for collaboration with artists such as PinkPantheress, Slowthai, BTS, Jessie Reyez, Stormzy, Nao and Lianne La Havas, and for remixing artists like Lady Gaga, Koffee, Foals, HAIM, J Hus, Ibeyi and Perfume Genius. The track “Doorman” with Slow Thai is one of our favorite Mura Masa collabs to date. Mura Masa’s client list is extraordinary to say the least, make sure to fit this one into your schedule of sets to catch. 

ISOxo, the native San Diegan making waves in the EDM music scene, has become all the buzz this festival season. Friday night is going to come with a lot of choices to make; ISOxo needs to be the one you make. He is known for bringing out the High School Buddies to play live guitar with him; let’s hope he brings some live musicians to the party at LIB. 

Saturday, May 25th – Day 2

Nora en Pure is known as the queen of deep house, and there is a big reason behind that, she earned it. She is part of the Anjuna Family, and she will take you on a heartfelt journey that will rapidly pick you up, and will gently lay you down. If you haven’t had a chance to see Nora, now is the time. 

Tipper is the trip hop artist of the weekend. Everyone keeps reverberating the opinion that this artist has been preparing to take his final bow, after his previously planned tour dates. Tipper  himself has confirmed this much, making this LIB showcasing of his life’s work a special set to sit in on. His catalog boasts an abundance of ethereal, and artful pieces that will move you, or make you move.  

Qrion is another member of the tight knit Anjuna family curated by Above & Beyond, but that’s a lot of technical talk. Qrion brings a refreshing perspective of being a sober artist in the wild world of entertainment. Born and raised in Japan, she is a transplant to Austin, Texas. Qrion started by creating custom sounds on her phone as a high school hobby. One of her most successful tracks is titled “Your Love,” a title fitting for a member of the Anjuna team. She has been considered one of Forbes Japan’s 30 under 30 to watch.  Make sure you make time for this prodigy! 

Lightning in a Bottle 2023, photo by Jess Gallo (@helloatlasmedia)

Sunday, May 26th – Day 3 

DJ Dials is an important figure in the Bay Area music scene, some would say he is a curator of experiences, and has the ability to hand pick talent for local events. If you’re ever up in the bay it is vital that you join his mailing list. Summertime Phoenix Hotel pool parties, Portola Festival afters, or summertime shenanigans on Treasure Island, chances are DJ Dials has a hand in it. DJ Dials doesn’t have much of an online recorded music presence, but he doesn’t have to. We’re pretty sure he knows how to throw a proper party, show up, no RSVP’s or hidden codes for this one! 

Little Dinosaur is the enigmatic figure of the festival, and for this reason, we are recommending this artist as a wildcard. They have one hard hitting track on Spotify aptly titled “YAYEE.” The Track is giving deep house with elements of tech house, either way we have no idea what is in store for a set with this artist. A cursory look at an Instagram associated with this artist didn’t yield much more information. Good luck, but we have a feeling about this one, thank us later! 

What did you think, we were going to plan out the whole weekend for you? There is too much programming on the books for us to dictate the whole weekend for you. Don’t forget to roam around, feel the vibes, hit up the different stages, check out the 5D stage, climb on an art car, and go with the flow. Who knows you might even find yourself climbing through a time portal to an 80’s prom or something. The festival is your oyster, or something like that! Have fun, stay hydrated, and we will see you out there. For tickets, and more information, visit the LIB official website HERE.