Wild Scenes from Coachella's Iconic Do LaB Stage

Article by: Laura Mason|@masonlazarus

Tue April 17, 2018 | 11:56 AM


Coachella is a behemoth of the festival world. The event offers some of the best production value, most sophisticated logistics, and cutting edge performances in the music industry. Each Spring aficionados, artists, socialites and gaggles of young festival fans make the pilgrimage to Indio, California to experience new music and epic reunions as well as to see and to be seen in the picturesque Southern California desert.

One vibrant alcove at Coachella is the Do LaB Stage, a glimmering oasis in the arid landscape. This tucked-away corner is both a literal and figurative refuge from the heat of the festival. Colorful characters blast water guns from the stage while the whole area thumps with fresh electronic beats. The contoured canopy helps to block the desert sun while enveloping attendees in an intimate environment in sharp contrast to Coachella's other cavernous domes.

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. They even have a backstage chill area for professionals in the festival community. “It's a family vibe,” says Dede Flemming, one of the stage's creators, and the co-founder of Lightning in a Bottle. “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.

Check out photos of the stage's vibrant, family atmosphere from Weekend 1 in the photos below.

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Ekali performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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The Martinez Brothers performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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um.. performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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Lauren Lane performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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The Black Madonna performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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The Martinez Brothers performing at the Do LaB Stage. Photo by: Brittany NO FOMO

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