claretclubber
Well-Known Member
Burning Man 2025 - The review absolutely no-one has been waiting for!
Back story - would travel to Ibiza different months, usually planned around Carl Cox at Space but when we went end of August, I couldn't understand why he didnt play his residency. Found out he was at a place called Burning Man, looked at it and decided we had to go at some point. Fast forward a few years, my 40th seemed like the right time... and it was an amazing experience
I read numerous times "It's not a festival". I thought they meant, like Glastonbury isn't just a music festival but they are right, it is unlike anything I have been to before. It is similar to living in a city, Black Rock City, where every block has camps gifting something to event: a waffle shop, trampolines, bakery, art, alcohol, comedy stores, gyms, saunas, human car washes and music
On the edges of the city, 2:00, 10:00 and Esplanade there are sound camps with brilliant sound systems banging a variety of tunes out until the early hours. Then there 100's of art cars, differing sizes, with sound systems playing music 24/7. The whole desert is covered in art pieces of different sizes and meaning.
We had no internet, Star link obviously works with the content coming out the playa. Once we were there we unconnected, which was mainly good and some bad bits. No contact with home/son, had very little way of knowing what was on - especially when stuff got rearranged due to weather. The small number of djs I knew would play I noted down their set time, date + somewhere in deep playa!
It meant we could enjoy picking an area of the city, exploring, talking to people about their camps. The best part was, due to there being no cash, it resulted in people wanting you to experience their gift, whether it was a sticker or cocktails, a pitch n putt course or naked yoga. There was no need, or pressure from bosses, to serve the next person - people engaged like nowhere I've been before. There were no plasterers from Peterborough or brickies from Burnley, most people seemed to work in tech jobs but didn't experience any bad vibes.
I remembered someone on Ibiza Spotlight regularly attended BM, thankfully Stivi pointed me in the direction of @JB2008. He gave me valuable advice which I was greatful for. Spoke a few days before travelling out to the US, @JB2008 told me where their artcar would be, the sets to honour Ibiza and I met his camp made up of Ibiza-lovers! Tried to get Hierbas to gift @JB2008 but no luck, thankfully he produced the goods. Nice to meet you @JB2008 thanks for the airship ride and music - hopefully I can be more useful next time I visit the city
The logistics in case anyone is ever considering it in the future...
Travel
We decided to fly Man > Vegas. For 2 reasons: 1) The RVs were roughly £3000 cheaper than San Fran or Reno, which seemed a fair trade for an extra 3hr drive. 2) We have timeshare apartments we can use on the strip. Meant we could party in Vegas, get used to time difference, stocked up with essentials, leave our big bags and if delayed exiting BM we could shoot for flight or go back to apartments.
I had read the drive was boring but I enjoyed it. One straight road through area 51, death valley and the desert. 8/9hr
Queue time - 6hr. They must do it to slow traffic into the city. Just like UK festivals, there was no search for majority of vehicles. When it rains the city closes, day before queue was 18hr...24hr two days later.
Accommodation
Hired an RV, which was expensive for 2 people but would have been 'reasonable' for 4. Even though it could fit 6, 4 would have been crowded plus the grey/black would have filled pretty fast. Finding a spot to park at night was challenging. We had 3 generators that didn't work, meaning no aircon - tactically slept 10pm until 3am. We did get £1000 back from the rental because if the aircon didn't work for the 5 days we were at BM
Participation
Guilty of being a spectator for the main. We helped neighbours, we shared our supplies but contributing is one thing I would do more on next time.
Theme camp v free camp
Decided to free camp for a few reasons, I was relatively comfortable being self-reliant, especially being in an RV. I appreciate we didn't contribute as much as someone in a camp though. Got on with neighbours, we had loads of people from Hawaii around us - shared drinks/ice pops/food and chatted with them daily.
Gifting
Like many, we originally thought it was a trading economy. You soon realise people do not gift to receive.
Weather
Challenging but other than the result of the rain creating slop more difficult than any mud we had at festivals, it was manageable. We missed the two early wind periods and everyone talked of the destruction of the camps. The regular sandstorm we experienced were OK, mask and googles on. The nights were fine, I wore shorts and a afghan until the sun came up. The sun was hot but it's a desert.
Music
Had a few things I wanted to listen to : Carl Cox x3
ANOTR, Dubfire, Black coffee, Damian Laz, JOHN summit, Vintage Culture etc Most of the time we picked an area, joined a party and decided it was for us. Get to 5/6am then walk into the desert towards lights, bikes or music for the art cars. Sometimes it was good, sometimes listenable...others we would move on. Only caught Cox, John Summit and ANOTR from my list I think.
Art
Everywhere! People making it, allowing to you to make it, to discuss, to climb on or disagree with.
Drink & drugs
We didn't understand how the drinks bit would work, running out of beer at festival is the stuff of nightmares then add in being in a desert: would we be able to get them...what would be available...will it all be warm beer. The camps were amazing, great beers, wines, spirits, cocktails, champagne (a champagne camp!) Ice. I took enough to get us through the week but hardly used it. As I drove out (after dropping a bottle at @JB2008 camp) an older hippy flagged me down holding 5 bottles of vodka, explained how they were all different and what they worked with "which one do you want?"
My mates asked 'how the dealers worked if there was no cash?!' In five days I never saw a dealer, no one offered to sell, don't remember smelling weed, didn't see a bag being passed or key being sniffed... but the majority of ppl were on it. Go figure
Exit
After talking to @JB2008 on here, decided to leave before the Man Burns. Understand that would be sacrilege to many but we couldn't risk a few days stuck and missing flights. Listen to Cox play disco at 6am until 11am, visited the Temple and got a few hours before an easy ride out.
Sorry for the long read, the next chapter on the playa will be shorter
Back story - would travel to Ibiza different months, usually planned around Carl Cox at Space but when we went end of August, I couldn't understand why he didnt play his residency. Found out he was at a place called Burning Man, looked at it and decided we had to go at some point. Fast forward a few years, my 40th seemed like the right time... and it was an amazing experience
I read numerous times "It's not a festival". I thought they meant, like Glastonbury isn't just a music festival but they are right, it is unlike anything I have been to before. It is similar to living in a city, Black Rock City, where every block has camps gifting something to event: a waffle shop, trampolines, bakery, art, alcohol, comedy stores, gyms, saunas, human car washes and music
On the edges of the city, 2:00, 10:00 and Esplanade there are sound camps with brilliant sound systems banging a variety of tunes out until the early hours. Then there 100's of art cars, differing sizes, with sound systems playing music 24/7. The whole desert is covered in art pieces of different sizes and meaning.
We had no internet, Star link obviously works with the content coming out the playa. Once we were there we unconnected, which was mainly good and some bad bits. No contact with home/son, had very little way of knowing what was on - especially when stuff got rearranged due to weather. The small number of djs I knew would play I noted down their set time, date + somewhere in deep playa!
It meant we could enjoy picking an area of the city, exploring, talking to people about their camps. The best part was, due to there being no cash, it resulted in people wanting you to experience their gift, whether it was a sticker or cocktails, a pitch n putt course or naked yoga. There was no need, or pressure from bosses, to serve the next person - people engaged like nowhere I've been before. There were no plasterers from Peterborough or brickies from Burnley, most people seemed to work in tech jobs but didn't experience any bad vibes.
I remembered someone on Ibiza Spotlight regularly attended BM, thankfully Stivi pointed me in the direction of @JB2008. He gave me valuable advice which I was greatful for. Spoke a few days before travelling out to the US, @JB2008 told me where their artcar would be, the sets to honour Ibiza and I met his camp made up of Ibiza-lovers! Tried to get Hierbas to gift @JB2008 but no luck, thankfully he produced the goods. Nice to meet you @JB2008 thanks for the airship ride and music - hopefully I can be more useful next time I visit the city
The logistics in case anyone is ever considering it in the future...
Travel
We decided to fly Man > Vegas. For 2 reasons: 1) The RVs were roughly £3000 cheaper than San Fran or Reno, which seemed a fair trade for an extra 3hr drive. 2) We have timeshare apartments we can use on the strip. Meant we could party in Vegas, get used to time difference, stocked up with essentials, leave our big bags and if delayed exiting BM we could shoot for flight or go back to apartments.
I had read the drive was boring but I enjoyed it. One straight road through area 51, death valley and the desert. 8/9hr
Queue time - 6hr. They must do it to slow traffic into the city. Just like UK festivals, there was no search for majority of vehicles. When it rains the city closes, day before queue was 18hr...24hr two days later.
Accommodation
Hired an RV, which was expensive for 2 people but would have been 'reasonable' for 4. Even though it could fit 6, 4 would have been crowded plus the grey/black would have filled pretty fast. Finding a spot to park at night was challenging. We had 3 generators that didn't work, meaning no aircon - tactically slept 10pm until 3am. We did get £1000 back from the rental because if the aircon didn't work for the 5 days we were at BM
Participation
Guilty of being a spectator for the main. We helped neighbours, we shared our supplies but contributing is one thing I would do more on next time.
Theme camp v free camp
Decided to free camp for a few reasons, I was relatively comfortable being self-reliant, especially being in an RV. I appreciate we didn't contribute as much as someone in a camp though. Got on with neighbours, we had loads of people from Hawaii around us - shared drinks/ice pops/food and chatted with them daily.
Gifting
Like many, we originally thought it was a trading economy. You soon realise people do not gift to receive.
Weather
Challenging but other than the result of the rain creating slop more difficult than any mud we had at festivals, it was manageable. We missed the two early wind periods and everyone talked of the destruction of the camps. The regular sandstorm we experienced were OK, mask and googles on. The nights were fine, I wore shorts and a afghan until the sun came up. The sun was hot but it's a desert.
Music
Had a few things I wanted to listen to : Carl Cox x3
ANOTR, Dubfire, Black coffee, Damian Laz, JOHN summit, Vintage Culture etc Most of the time we picked an area, joined a party and decided it was for us. Get to 5/6am then walk into the desert towards lights, bikes or music for the art cars. Sometimes it was good, sometimes listenable...others we would move on. Only caught Cox, John Summit and ANOTR from my list I think.
Art
Everywhere! People making it, allowing to you to make it, to discuss, to climb on or disagree with.
Drink & drugs
We didn't understand how the drinks bit would work, running out of beer at festival is the stuff of nightmares then add in being in a desert: would we be able to get them...what would be available...will it all be warm beer. The camps were amazing, great beers, wines, spirits, cocktails, champagne (a champagne camp!) Ice. I took enough to get us through the week but hardly used it. As I drove out (after dropping a bottle at @JB2008 camp) an older hippy flagged me down holding 5 bottles of vodka, explained how they were all different and what they worked with "which one do you want?"
My mates asked 'how the dealers worked if there was no cash?!' In five days I never saw a dealer, no one offered to sell, don't remember smelling weed, didn't see a bag being passed or key being sniffed... but the majority of ppl were on it. Go figure
Exit
After talking to @JB2008 on here, decided to leave before the Man Burns. Understand that would be sacrilege to many but we couldn't risk a few days stuck and missing flights. Listen to Cox play disco at 6am until 11am, visited the Temple and got a few hours before an easy ride out.
Sorry for the long read, the next chapter on the playa will be shorter
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