Paul T. BradleyOn the fringes of the Empire Polo Club during Coachella, many thrifty and unhinged souls opt to camp out of doors. In prefabricated tents. Certainly it makes sense for the type of uncivilized folks who care little for cleanliness, order, and respectability. It sounds like a ghastly enterprise, if you ask me.
But, like Zola in the sewers of Paris, one must go to sordid places in order to educate oneself on the dark hearts of humankind. So I went. And in my daylight meanderings among these plebes, I observed no shortage of regurgitation, fornication and derangement. I can hardly imagine what happens after the sun sets. It must resemble the worst of Hieronymus Bosch’s opium nightmares, but with rompers and flower crowns.
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Savagery. Pure Savagery.; Credit: Paul T. Bradley
But among these squalid, mouthbreathing ignobles, there were bright lights — persons of distinction, regal souls who arise as beacons in the chaos. One of these dignitaries was Adam McDaniel, and his campsite was totally lit as fuck.
Called Lace Base, McDaniel’s campsite was absolutely the most turnt camp at Coachella.
Lace Base's smiling, courtly denizens; Credit: Paul T. Bradley
Occupying five full campsites, one enters Lace Base through a damask archway and immediately leaves the nightmares outside behind. With delightful hammocks and a comfortable carpet, it was evident that in addition to being cleverly constructed with comfort in mind, it was also, like, ridiculously fucking popped.
The brilliantly fair lace fabric allows for shade and airflow, but it doesn’t completely shut McDaniel and his guests out from the sunlight. When I walked through on Sunday afternoon, the Base was immaculate, despite nearly three days of constant drinking games. “I wanted to keep things clean,” he told me as he showed me Go Pro time lapses he’d taken of the past few days’ activities. He’d done a stellar job. I couldn’t see anything dirty or unseemly; there was no indication that a drop of ale had been spilled.
The 28-year-old salesman from Pomona has been coming to the festival for three years now and he’s been adding new features to his camp and perfecting his craft each year. “The first year we came, it was really hot and miserable and we didn't really have anything. Then, I started adding the lights … and then the misters …”
McDaniel built a custom misting system that runs through the camp’s fully functioning shower. He demonstrated it for me by lightly frosting the place with cool water. Only air conditioning and maybe a margarita machine could possibly make it more comfortable.
Adam McDaniel shows us where Lace Base's magic happens; Credit: Paul T. Bradley
As for sleeping arrangements, McDaniel rigged a real, actual mattress into the bed of his truck. Who would want to sleep on the ground? Surely, McDaniel hasn't slept alone at all this weekend; surely he is not wont for bed companions. (A fact, due to modesty, we deigned to confirm.) I mean, look at that shit. It is swag beyond reproach.
Credit: Paul T. Bradley
During the time we spent speaking to McDaniel, no less than five people stopped by to check it out. He's definitely inspiring others to rise above the muck, trash and dust. He and his companions are truly lodestars of civility for the masses. There is no doubt in my mind that Lace Base was unequivocally the most decidedly fleek-as-all-get-out campsite at Coachella 2016.
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