Burning Man 30: Burn Motherfucker Burn

I ate six or seven more hits of acid before we left camp, since I suspected things were going to get hairy once we got out on the open playa. Everyone but Sketchy Bill was gone from camp by the time we left. Bill was shouting at someone that his monster RV was, in fact, an art car, and thus should be allowed a space out there to see the show. Didn't work out, obviously, although I'm surprised he didn't just drive it out there anyway.

We arrived and managed to worm our way up fairly close. The Yoni Kids were behind us, playing a really cool (or was that the (e) coming back up?) didgeridoo loop, which went on until it became apparent nothing was going to happen til silence reined. Or as much silence as you can have with 25k wasted free thinkers and artists hanging around waiting for something to combust.

We waited. After a half an hour (I think), the arms were raised, which is the signal that things are actually moving forward.

There was a production of some sort, but no speeches or anything like that. It seemed to take an eternity--but in the years following I realized that we'd gotten off extremely light in the waiting department. It was rumored that there was some sort of malfunction in the pyros that year, and I concur, because the fire just sort of started up on one arm, with no apparent reason...

Everyone went ape. I had just been reentering the zone of my mind where I start contemplating spiritual love, and brotherhood, and what These People Meant to Me, and, like the Scene in Breakfast Club, what we were going to do after we got out of there, too. You could feel the crowd energy. A lot of it was directed at the climax which was burning on the platform in front of us. A lot of it was directed just....out....

The Yoni Kids kicked out the jams again right before the Man went down, which added to the madness as some people started doing their own little dances to whatever those crazy fuckers were throwing around...then, as the Man went down, there was a surge into the circle, as the entire group had a weird psychic orgasm.

It was the signal. I realized at that point that what I thought was a party was only a community of people who liked to party a whole lot. I saw that these folks had been having minor get togethers all week, but had mainly been focused on their art. Tonight, it was different. Everyone in town was celebrating what was for many a life changing event. I celebrated, too, because I really felt like I'd come home, and that was something worth raising a glass to.


I know. I'm cheating you. There's got to be more about it, right? Well, yes, there is, but I'm tired, and not thinking very well, and I've got lots of stuff to do before skedaddling tomorrow night. The bones of it are out, though, and I promise you I'll flesh it out a little when I get back. I'll warn you, brothers and sisters, there WAS no huge epiphany for me, so while I'll give you more detail and description, there won't be much in the way of revelation for you. A big wooden man burned, and people lost their minds.

See some of you soon. Those I don't see, well, I'll see you when I get back.