What To Expect At Burning Man
The Burning Man festival really is a truly astounding feast for the senses. Not only does it offer up a wide range of musical styles playing almost 24 hours a day, it also some of the most amazing art installations on the planet. Add to this a selection of courses, discussions and a seemingly bottomless well free bars; it’s safe to say there is never a dull moment on the playa.
The music is predominately electronic and if you like a bit of chugging tech house, then Burning Man is definitely for you. Yes the big names like Skrillex and Diplo roll up (and get booed off!), but you’re just as likely to hear a great set from an unknown, as you are a global superstar. For example, one night we discovered that Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler and Craig Richards were playing together for 6 hours. That line up had us truly salivating and would probably guarantee at least two thousand people in London, yet when we finally found where they were playing it was probably to no more than 100 people! Back to back to back, on a crystal clear sound system. For SIX hours, at no charge of course once you’re in. The playa provides!
That’s the beauty of The Burn, you never know what to expect from one corner to the next. That’s not to say everything is perfect on the playa. We found one house music legend sat at a laptop playing a very below average soundtrack and there’s an awful lot of noise in the desert which I think is categorised as music! The festival was definitely lacking in good quality D&B in our opinion, as the setting is absolutely perfect for the likes of Lenzman or LTJ Bukem to really take proceedings to the next level.
Everybody has of course seen pictures of the Burning Man art installations on the internet, but up close and personal they really are something special. There are literally hundreds of them scattered across the playa and discovering them is a great way to spend an afternoon. Here are a few pictures of the installations also posted to our Instagram we managed to find whilst cycling around amongst the dusty, naked bodies.
We mentioned earlier the classes and discussions that are available during the day and this may have sounded pretty boring. But of course with this being Burning Man, everything on the playa comes with a fun and sexy edge. Here are a few of the more sexual groups that were available during our week in the desert.
ORGY DOME – Monday to Saturday
‘Where couples and moresomes, monogamous or poly play & cum. Air conditioned and open 24 hours a day.’
WORLD ROBOT SPANKATHON – Monday to Sunday
‘Represent your default hometown by getting your bottom robotically spanked. Ink stamped bottom available on request.’
SYBIAN O’s YOUNG SLUTS – Monday to Sunday
‘Ride the world’s best vibrator. Enjoy a sensual massage and an assisted orgasm. (No boyfriends).’
GENITAL PHOTO BOOTH – Friday 2-5pm
‘Glam out your clam or pimp out you peen, then step up to the photo booth. Special themed cocktails.’
There are over 150 pages of different things to do during the day at Burning Man and even though I couldn’t find the ‘Fisting Class’ again in the guide, I’m sure you get the picture of what that group entails!
Even though Burning Man may seem like a highly sexualised festival, there’s something very tongue in cheek about proceedings (that is not a euphemism by the way!) The fact that people are allowed to be who they want to be for a week opens up the opportunity for these groups to exist. It’s not just a week long gangbang, though I’m sure it can be if that’s what you so desire.
It’s about throwing down every day emotional baggage and not conforming to societies blinkered ways; going free in the desert to experience new things. Every day on the playa offers the chance of an unusual experience, a new friendship forged and an opportunity to live outside our every day comfort zones.
With no money, internet or phone signal, it’s an idealistic Utopian society that may not work in the ‘real world’, But that one week in the desert opens up a completely different mind set to the way we are programmed by consumerism.
Your money is no good here my friend. This one is on the house…