I remember going to the HARD New Year's Eve party downtown two years ago. It was staged near 6th and Mateo, in the shadows of the Toy Factory and Biscuit Company lofts. The party was an unmitigated disaster. Logistically it was a nightmare. Musically it was average at best. And the stages, ambiance, and decor were artistic afterthoughts, nothing more than vessels for delivering on a promised evening of music.

When I heard that The Do Lab was planning on throwing their annual Valentine's Day party Lucent L'amour in the exact same location, I couldn't help but flinch. But, unlike the folk over at HARD or the cheeseballs that run the Giant parties, The Do Lab has a nagging penchant for throwing thoughtful parties with cross-genre and cross-clique appeal.

Lucent L'amour was no exception.

The typical Do Lab partygoer definitely looks like they just walked out of the Burning Man dust storm. Fur and top hats abound, and the setting matched the vibe of the attendees. Artwork was being created on the fly in between massive installations and bamboo concoctions. Two stages laced with an eclectic collection of DJs offered up everything from West Coast house to the grimy glitch sound permeating its way down from the mad-genius of The Glitch Mob's production studio. DJs Imagika and Troublemaker were standouts in the latter. Headliner Adam Freeland rocked out the late night crowd with a breakbeat-infused Ableton Live set, although the elder statesman of dance music gave way to the dirtier sound-du-jour of Imagika as the highlight of the evening in my mind.

And lastly, no Do Lab show would be complete without the vaudevillian debauchery of Lucent Dossier. A third stage was exclusively designed like a futuristic pirate ship for the troupe's performance art, which either dazzled or befuddled onlookers in between musical acts J-Boogie and El Papa Chango.

And goddamn if they weren't organized. From the London-style double-decker bus that carted attendees to and from a massive parking lot, to the stellar attention to detail (such as a VIP area that was a true haven with real bathrooms and not just a money ploy), down to the lounging areas scattered throughout the outdoor proximity -- The Do Lab obviously knows how to make effed up people feel comfy.

The Do Lab is maturing quickly as a party-throwing outfit. No longer a hippyish afterthought behind the big guns of the LA party scene, they are quickly evolving into the premiere promoter of quality underground events. It would be a shameless plug if they didn't consistently deliver. Needless to say, I am looking forward to their area at Coachella in April. They certainly get my vote as a main attraction at the Indio mega-festival.