As the desert sun set over the dusty polo fields this past weekend, an otherworldly transformation took place in one corner of the Coachella campgrounds.
The familiar sights and sounds of the iconic Do LaB stage emerged once again, but this year brought an entirely new vibe and scenery.
After years of awe-inspiring but somewhat uniform tent-like structures, 2024 saw Do LaB return to its roots with a wildly imaginative “trippy forest” design that stunned festivalgoers from the moment they stepped inside.
The trippy forest stage design: something new but iconic
The first glimpses through the treeline revealed soaring bamboo stalks interwoven with glowing mushroom sculptures, enveloping the crowd in a canopy of vibrant purples, greens, and blues.
Passing through the initial thicket opened into a wide clearing filled with even more natural wonders – towering willow trees sculpted into mesmerizing light installations, babbling LED brooks crisscrossing underfoot, and dense foliage erupting into synchronous pulsations with every kick of the bass.
Fanciful woodland creatures peeked out from every direction, their piercing eyes and robotic movements evoking the familiar yet unsettling feeling of wandering too far into an enchanted forest after dark.
“We really wanted to take people on a full journey this year,” shared Josh Flamming, one of the lead creative minds and builders behind the 2024 Do LaB scene. “The tent setups were cool for awhile, but we missed that magic of getting totally lost in an environment, surrounded by surprises at every turn. This is our misfit playground – a place to let your imagination and sense of wonder run wild again.”
And let it run wild, it did. The three-day weekend path was lined with hidden glens, exploration was not just welcomed but necessary to unlock all of the forest’s secrets. Passing through an unassuming willow branch archway revealed a secluded faerie ravine filled with swinging benches and soft techno soundscapes.
A RedWood hollowed into a spiral staircase deposited explorers into a canopy village of sculptural bird’s nests and pillow bances. No matter where you wandered, the environment shifted and evolved like a living entity.
Who played at the Do LaB stage on Coachella weekend 1?
Of course, the soundtrack to this psychedelic playground was just as mindblowing as the visuals. The weekend’s programmed talent represented the cutting-edge across genres like dance, bass, house, and eclectic beats – but the unannounced “wildflower” performances often stole the show.
Friday saw on the Do LaB lineup a blistering headline set from Anderson .Paak‘s vinyl DJ persona Pee Wee, who brought out respected underground rappers like Cordae, Freddie Gibbs, and a show-stopping rendition of “Brokenhearted” by Mario himself.
SOFI TUKKER‘s surprise dancefloor-friendly DJ set the next afternoon whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
But even those highlights paled in comparison to Saturday’s stunning cameo from Billie Eilish and Friends. In what was one of the most-buzzed events of Coachella Weekend 1, the multi-Grammy winner debuted three brand new tracks from her forthcoming album while backed by a dazzling audiovisual spectacle tailored perfectly for the forest setting.
The set seamlessly melted from slinky future beats into raucous rap bangers like Tyga’s “Rack City,” a living embodiment of the stage’s gender for smashing styles and vibes together.
Sunday saw the surprises continue with high-energy back-to-back sets from Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim, a DJ throwdown from Alesso‘s new house music alias Body Hi, and an unannounced Mia Moretti set that transformed into an impromptu house party when close friend Katy Perry popped up. Between the endless array of mind-bending art installations, soundscape scenery, and rotating talent that could rival any festival’s main stage, it quickly became apparent that the Do LaB stage is truly a spectacle and destination unto itself within Coachella.
The Do LaB stage highlight during weekend 1
Friday, April 12
DJ Pee .Wee, the vinyl DJ alias of prolific rapper and singer-songwriter Anderson .Paak, played a headlining surprise set to close the night. He also brought out surprise guests of his own including Cordae, Freddie Gibbs, and MARIO.
Crossover electronic duo SOFI TUKKER filled the stage with an energetic midday surprise DJ set.
- Additional previously announced day-one programming featured acts like Channel Tres, salute, The Dare (DJ Set), Anna Lunoe, Melé, and more.
Saturday, April 13
For one of the most stunning surprises of the festival, Billie Eilish & Friends took over the Do LaB stage for a party that featured three unreleased tracks performed off her forthcoming album, Hit Me Hard And Soft. The set also featured a variety of party-starting tracks DJed throughout, plus a live performance of hit ‘Rack City’ by Tyga.
Pioneering dance act Kaskade played the second surprise set of the day, joined by fellow fan-favorite electronic act Alison Wonderland during the set.
Swiss Electronic duo Adriatique teamed up with dance icon BLOND:ISH for a surprise back-to-back set to finish out the night.
- Additional previously announced day two programming featured Sam Gellaitry, VNSSA B2B Nala, Ahadadream, Jersey, AZZECCA, and more.
Sunday, April 14
- Eclectic electronic acts Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim finished the weekend off with a high-energy surprise back-to-back set.
- Dance titan Alesso unveiled his new house music-driven project and label BodyHi.
- Veteran DJ, producer, and style star Mia Moretti brought out close friend and surprise guest Katy Perry during her Sunday afternoon set.
- Additional previously announced day three programming featured Nikki Nair x Hudson Mohawke, Chase & Status, Hamdi, and more.
As the weekend drew to a close, permanently dilated pupils and buzzing endorphins accompanied festivalgoers back through the forest entrance, emerging once again into the “real world” of Indio’s sun-baked polo grounds. But judging by the delirious grins and animated retellings amongst friends, pieces of the magic realm had clearly taken root.
The 2024 Do LaB was a full-fledged escape from reality – a mesmerizing marriage of music, art, technology, and production that repeatedly left jaws on the dancefloor.
Next up for Do LaB is the Lightning in a Bottle festival
“This is just a taste of what’s to come at Lightning in a Bottle next month,” Josh Flamming teased when asked what other surprises Do LaB has in store. The flagship five-day camping festival born from these same creative minds will undoubtedly extrapolate this forest fantasy into a fully immersive alien dimension.
But for now, the Coachella edition of these psychedelic woods has already etched its impression into the minds and memories of weekend one attendees.
As far as truly transformative festival experiences go, Do LaB is once again in a class by itself – and planting their roots deeper than ever before.
