Lightning strikes for Devyn Brinsfield and his band with festival gig

Local attendees of the popular Lightning in a Bottle music festival next week are in for a special treat.

Among the quality techno, bass, house, hip-hop, pop, folk and Americana acts performing at Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area will be Bakersfield musician Devyn Brinsfield.

Brinsfield, who will play May 26 on The Grand Artique stage, said he landed the gig after connecting with Ian Xavier, who was responsible for that stage's lineup.

The local musician shared in a text, "He chose me because they were looking to have more Americana music at Lightning in a Bottle and he was impressed by the original music that I had released with NashWest last year."

(NashWest Productions, run by Bakersfield musicians Kyle and Lauren Appleton, is a recording studio as well as a promotions outfit.)

As of press time, he didn't know what time he and his band — Kyle Appleton on guitar, drummer Cesareo Garasa, bassist Ray Sadolsky — would take the stage but he's looking forward to playing a full set consisting primarily of original songs.

"(What) I'm looking forward to about our set is showcasing our unique sound and our original music. We have 13 songs and I'm hoping to play all of them!"

"Original music is what sets you apart and being able to showcase that at such a huge event like Lightning in a Bottle is something that I am very proud of. And I'm more excited to see the happiness from my bandmates as well."

Having been told that the band has that "it" factor, Brinsfield said he's love for this gig to open up more opportunities to play festivals.

"I truly know that we are ready to play whatever stage we've been blessed to play on and I truly believe the guys that back me deserve to play more huge gigs like Lightning. ... I hope the phone rings more next year asking for our availability for the festivals."

Brinsfield said he values being able to make music and share it with the community.

"I've learned these last two years that you're not living life unless you're doing what you love. And if trying to keep up with the Joneses is keeping you from doing what you love doing, you're going to be miserable. We're all waiting in line to check out of this beautiful place and each day your place in line is getting closer to the front. Don't ever sacrifice happiness for materialistic things.

"Love is all that matters."

Visit open.spotify.com/artist/3rrAw21qVdwE723yC2A52W to hear Brinsfield's music.

Festival fun

Lightning in a Bottle provides "a living and breathing outpost for misfits, creatives, and experience hunters" seeking top-tier music curation, art installations, immersive environments and educational programming, according to a news release.

This year, organizers doubled down on the original mission of providing as much fun as possible, whether it's helping attendees let their freak flags fly or providing a place to learn and create.

Along with its immersive core stages Lightning, Woogie and Thunder, LIB provides more entertainment through the community-run programming at The Stacks, The Junkyard, and The Grand Artique. Each stage features "its own unique aesthetic, vision, and sound," to appease music fans as well as help them discover new acts.

Headliners hailing from the United Kingdom — James Blake, Labrinth and M.I.A. — join the lineup that's a who's who of electronic music exploration.

On the bill are Skrillex, Fatboy Slim, Lane 8, Tipper, CloZee and ISOxo.

In addition to the five-day full pass experience, the festival introduced three-day tickets and hotel package options this year offering attendees more flexibility to "build their own adventure at their own pace."

Those who want to see Brinsfield but can't commit to multiple days can purchase the Sunday Funday general admission pass ($169) or VIP pass ($279), which includes access to backstage lounges at Lightning, Thunder and Woogie stages with lounge seating, shade, water and phone charging stations, VIP bars and food vendors, air-conditioned restrooms with sinks and mirrors. VIP passes also include access to elevated viewing platforms at the Lightning stage, enclosed viewing area at the Thunder stage, pop-up interactive experiences and access to the Atlaswyld Beach Club & Bar.

Passes start at $349 and $419 for three- and five-day general admission passes, respectively, and go up to $649 and $779 for the VIP version.

Visit libfestival.org for a complete list of options, including parking and camping passes, as well as the full performance lineup.