What CRSSD unquestionably gets right, is the music. For the second time in a row, there was a lineup of some of the finest well-rounded electronic musicians on the planet. The heart of this festival lies in the balancing act between well-curated main stage attractions and lesser known “underground” performers on the secondary stages.

A new favorite would be the duo of PLURNT Wulfpack and Yellow Submarines, with a particularly fun set by Eduardo Manilla. I knew it was a good sign when our camp neighbors had a Beatles-era yellow submarine snugly wrapped around their van.

Sunday’s downpour was so bad that attendees were floating around the flooded grounds on air mattresses. In a region plagued by drought, however, nearly everyone was celebrating the rain as if they were part of some sacred tribal rain dance.

The constant embracing, endless dancing, and unbelievable appreciation can only be felt in person. We threw sunset parties on the edges of ravines, danced with strangers, made new festival friends, and forgot about the default world. It is moments like these that give us hope that Lightning in a Bottle can continue to grow up without losing its childlike innocence.

There is something magical about dancing in a picturesque park while the sun sets over the San Diego bay a mere 100 feet away, reflecting off the skyline of the downtown skyscrapers on the opposite side.