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sbowman
Joined: Jun 02, 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Media, PA
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject:
Burning Man Anybody? Subject description: Exploring the idea of taking Electro-Music to Burning Man, 2008 |
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I finally made it to Burning Man this year. I got the bug two years ago at E-M 2005 when Tim Thompson showed a few slides of his installation. Thanks, Tim!
Wow!
Now, Greg just told me that he and Hong are going to go next year, for the first time. Here's part of my email to Greg when he ask me if I had "a few tips" for him. I'm pasting it in because it goes where I want to go in this thread:
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Greg,
You want to talk about Burning Man? Got a few dozen hours?
I'm glad you're going. Yes, I do have lots of advice, but much of what I
have to say is already published in easy-to-find places on the web. Start
with the BM website www.burningman.com and read as much as you can (it's big), starting with the Survival Guide. [url]Eplaya.com[/url] is the big discussion forum.
It's so true that it's hard to convey what it's like, even in photos and video,
because it's such a total experience. And it's very true that just
surviving the desert is a big part of the challenge, especially the first
time. I went well briefed and well prepared and still struggled. I had a
great time, though, and want to go back. It has had a profound influence on my aesthetic and sense of scale.
The art is amazing. I've been a long-time fan of sculpture and big-scale
installations, but I've never seen anything like the art on the playa!
Much of the music is techno--some good, some bad. Amplification everywhere, including on many of the art cars. But from what I heard and saw, there's a growing movement to feature more and different music. It's there, but not as prominent as the techno and not at the same high quality level as the visual and concept art. I met some guys with a circuit bending camp, Mutant Audio Outpost (pics at: http://www.mutantaudio.net/forum/topic-489.html&highlight=burning+man)
and saw some roving electro-music dudes (equipment pulled by bikes). There were a number of sound-producing installations that bridge between e-m and art installation. Lots of possibilities there.
I see a huge potential for a theme camp that features e-m. I'm sure the
audience is there. Burners love extreme art, and they'd cheer extreme
music. Besides, space music is the perfect chill to balance the techno.
Although I agree with your plan to go as spectators the first year, it might
be worth trying to hook up with an existing theme camp that might sponsor some e-m. I'm sure Tim would have some ideas. BM projects demand well-organized group efforts, and I think E-M could be a natural nexus for making it happen. A group could join forces and make it possible to bring out some e-music equipment.
I suggest we start a thread on the E-M forum and see how many others in our community would want to join the effort. (Maybe start the E-M thread with this email.) BM is a mostly west-coast phenomenon, and I know E-M includes west-coasters some of which are probably veteran burners. I'd love to be a part of it next year, but I know now that I can only do it as part of a larger group.
Steve
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So, how many of you are burners? Are there enough people interested in focusing on an eventual E-M effort to take e-m to the playa in some shape or form?
Steve
P.S Tim has a great site that summarizes his six years at Burning Man, including lots of great photos.
http://nosuch.com/tjt/ and 2007 photos at
http://www.nosuchparticles.com/album/burningman2007/ _________________ _________________
Steve Bowman
Available Space
www.AvailableSpaceMusic.com
www.BizClarity.com |
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jksuperstar
Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 2503 Location: Denver
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G2 patch files: 18
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:
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Yeah, all that, and more. I'd say-- go balls out, or it's a complete waste of time. Got INTO the art. Be completely receptive to EVERYBODY, and talk to ANYBODY you see, even if you find them passed out in your tent.
Good words for life in general. |
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egw
Stream Operator
Joined: Feb 01, 2003 Posts: 1569 Location: Asheville NC
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:09 am Post subject:
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I think this is a great idea! Seems to me that Burning Man and electro-music have similar philosophies - communities of artists who get together to express themselves and share their art without so much focus on the commercial aspects. I will be happy to help organize this. However I've never been to Burning Man, so I'm clueless about that aspect. Also I would not be able to bring much in the way of equipment. Let's see if we can stir up enough interest to do something. |
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sbowman
Joined: Jun 02, 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Media, PA
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:27 am Post subject:
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Greg, you're right to be wary of just launching out to do any project at Burning Man. It's hard to just get there and survive the dust, wind and heat. Trying to bring or do anything else just compounds the difficulty.
I see this more as a long-term goal for the e-m community, accomplished a step at a time. The first step is for more of us just to go and make it through the first year. Part of the plan would probably require teaming up in some way with a group of west-coaters who already know what they're doing Ideally the group would have their act together with a music theme camp and some PA system (I saw lots of Mackie 450's in camps and lashed to art cars). I think that's within the realm of possibility. Tim Thompson is a veteran burner, and maybe he has some ideas how this could work, or can introduce us to the right people.
I'm convinced that electro-music ought to be at Burning Man. It's a ready-made AUDIENCE, for cryin' out loud! But I'm under no illusions that it's going to be easy. That's part of the charm of Burning Man--everything's hard. It takes planning, resources, time, commitment and lots of teamwork to make anything happen. Which is also why only people who REALLY want to be there make it, and why the art is so different, intense, and good.
Steve _________________ _________________
Steve Bowman
Available Space
www.AvailableSpaceMusic.com
www.BizClarity.com |
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tjt
Joined: Apr 05, 2003 Posts: 32 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:28 pm Post subject:
Re: Burning Man Anybody? Subject description: Exploring the idea of taking Electro-Music to Burning Man, 2008 |
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sbowman wrote: | I finally made it to Burning Man this year. I got the bug two years ago at E-M 2005 when Tim Thompson showed a few slides of his installation. Thanks, Tim!
Wow!
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Nothing makes me happier than being responsible for someone discovering Burning Man.
sbowman wrote: | You want to talk about Burning Man? Got a few dozen hours? |
Ah - the enthusiasm and awe after the first time, I recognize and remember it well.
I was actually supposed to perform with a couple friends early one evening at the Mutant Audio Outpost you found, but that was the afternoon of a big dust/wind storm that kind of tore things up, so it got cancelled.
sbowman wrote: | I see a huge potential for a theme camp that features e-m. |
Agreed, and I have some friends (reasonably experienced burners like me) who may be thinking along similar lines. I'll make them aware of the potential interest here.
...Tim... |
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jmcdaniel_ee
Joined: Mar 22, 2007 Posts: 18 Location: SW Louisiana, US
G2 patch files: 1
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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:02 am Post subject:
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Bump: I've never been, but it's something I've kinda always wanted to do. I guess the time is getting shorter. Any plans materializing? |
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