This year, Do LaB debuted a new Coachella stage called The Beacon (which will be the centerpiece of Lightning in a Bottle's Compass programming later this summer), and with it, a fresh party atmosphere.

The Beacon is exactly that – a kind of festival Bat-Signal for vibrant and creative festies, who flock to Do LaB's stages every year for music not found at anywhere else on Coachella's grounds, much-needed shade, water guns blasting into the audience, and a fun, participatory vibe.

“There are a lot of features that make people feel like they're involved in the stage and not just a spectator,” Do LaB co-founder Dede Flemming once told us. “The dancers, the people shooting them with water. The close proximity to the DJ or performers also gives people a sense of intimacy that they don't have at Coachella's larger stages.”

The Do LaB Stage is a self-contained operation. Its organizers build their own stage according to their aesthetic, book their own talent and generally function autonomously within the broader festival.

“It's a family vibe,” said Dede. “With everyone bringing passion and sense of ownership in the end results. The people that set it up, break it down, spray you with water and sometime perform on it are all the same. That energy is felt by the people in the audience.” In this sense the experience mirrors alternative festival culture itself – which is why we've always thought of Do Lab's stage as a wormhole from Coachella to that beloved, wild and wonderfully weird world where participation, leave no trace, mindfulness, inclusivity and positivity reign supreme.

Below are electric shots of The Beacon in all its glory, captured by Daniel Zetterstrom and Watchara Phomicinda. Keep an eye out for that Skrillex cameo too...