Some people are just insane. That’s the only conclusion to come to when confronted with evidence of the Do Lab, the Los Angeles artists’ collective behind the most outrageous, impressive, magical, and ambitious projects I’ve encountered in the last few years.

The 80-foot mobile flower at Burning Man? The Do Lab’s doing.

The giant dome full of performance artists dancing in a cardboard jungle at Coachella? The Lab again.

The crazy Goth circus freaks in Panic! at the Disco’s music video? Yep, also the Lab, by way of Lucent Dossier, the group’s performance arm.

And now, the Do Lab is revolutionizing the music festival. Case in point? Lightning in a Bottle, the three-day extravaganza they hosted outside Santa Barbara in July. Going beyond the make-lots-of-money and create-lots-of-trash tradition, the four-person crew and their extended community of creative freaks brought together worldclass DJs, the underground scene’s most popular live acts, alt-energy workshops, vegetarian food, an environmentally friendly philosophy, and a community-building mission.

Aesthetically, it was a magical fairyland, with everything from the shape of the stages to the color of the shade structures designed for maximum effect. Campers clustered their tents under sprawling oak trees, and walked winding paths to discover surprises at each clearing: in one, a Moroccan tent complete with lush carpets, dim candlelight and a small stage for impromptu performances; in another, a large platform outfitted with a whimsical bamboo-and-fabric covering; and elsewhere, an airplane-shaped mini-club with DJ booth and stripper poles. Take one route from the dining pavilion to the main stage and you’d encounter a twin-sized futon mattress suspended from an oak tree by large swaths of maroon fabric. Take another from the tree-bed to the showers and you’d pass a double-sized metal robot with limbs that act as percussive instruments. In fact, it was nearly impossible to go somewhere without seeing something beautiful, inspiring or just plain inspired.

Environmentally, the event was partially powered with solar energy — with the intent of making future events 100 percent solar — in order to minimize the waste that festivals usually create. Solar panels were laid end-to-end near the center of the campground, drawing as much attention as they were sunlight, and water was sold in 16 oz. bottles instead of 12 oz. bottles to conserve plastic (since people would have to buy, and then throw away, less of them.) Even the food vendors encouraged conservation, providing glass jars (not plastic or Styrofoam) for one dollar and setting up a washing station for re-use. Read More...