Burning Man 2010 sure was a beauty.  It’s hard to boil such an event down with all its random moments (here’s an example) into a few paragraphs but here goes:

Beats & bum-bums at Eggchtropolis

The first day felt like Hell.  It was a cold and lonely Hell when Maddy and I finally arrived at our camp’s address.  The night was already dark and nobody knew where Camp Anita Cocktail was.  Everything, of course, was as it should be as it usually is on the Playa and we set up camp on the corner of 7:30 and Florence next to a super friendly and super prepared crew.  We were, alas, not alone.  But we were cold.  But our neighbor had a fireplace and we cooked soup to warm our insides.  Then a paradigm shift came in the form of a lost virgin (first time burner) who hitched in, had no camp, and had misplaced his gear.  I was cold, but he was shivering.

Part of the Burning Man ethos is the concept of radical self-reliance, and another part is helping your brothers and sisters in need.  The lost stranger and I warmed our hands by the fireplace, I gave him a blanket and my hat and fed him soup.  I was warmed by warming my fellow Burner.  Then my brothers Trout (who would become Safari) and Adley (who would become Vanilla) showed up and led us to Camp Anita Cocktail, 7:45 and Florence.  So close yet so far, as my mom would say.  We put the lost virgin, no longer a stranger, to bed in our van, Bessie.  He was thankful and went right to sleep in the front seat.  We went to sleep soon after, we were cold, but not lost.  We were together and we were ready to rock the playa.

our new friends at Camp Anita Cocktail

Antioquia was in good company at Camp Anita Cocktail.  Friendly bar by day and empty tent village by night, it was a great place to hang out and to escape the madness.  We were often in the center of the madness, twisted, worshipping light and art and humans and their various innovations and personalities.  Our adventure through the desert included nine shows at sweet camps with sweet people in them, and a West African drumming set in the Fire Conclave (nice work Solar Flare spinners).

I must give the Department Of Tethered Aviation the coveted Antioquia Hospitality Award for feeding us, and feeding us again, and taking me and Maddy out on a Mutant Vehicle sunrise adventure, and being loving and beautiful and letting us fly their kites.


Antioquia, with guest Crazy Dinosaur, rock the dome at the Dep't of Tethered Aviation (DOTA). Photo by Cesar Cortes.

Congratulations DOTA.  We hope we can be your prom date next year.

We also had an amazing time playing at Dustfish, Reverbia (oh so psychedelic set), Eggchtropolis, ElephantBird, Burners Without Borders, Transmorphagon, Mystical Misfits, and Center Camp.  The commitment that some burners show to providing live music on the unforgiving Playa was truly inspiring, sacrificing time, money, and gear to bring the real deal.  Thanks y’all.

The peoples came to Burn the candle at both ends this year.  I was exhausted and energized, blown away and overwhelmed, happy, sad, excited, bored, and everything in between.  I felt over-stimulated but seriously impressed with the extreme creativity of all the artists, builders, and camp organizers, not to mention the festival organizers who bring it all together in one of the remotest places imaginable.  I love the spirit of participation and the self policing and self reliant fervor that happens in Black Rock City.

Two sculptors get major props this year, the artists behind the Blissful Dancer and the Temple.  Blissful Dancer speaks for herself in the myriad photos circulating the web, but the Temple Burn’s beauty could only truly be experienced in person. The odd design proved itself fitting both in form and function when the flames were set to it and spirits were released in the form of floating, crackling embers and spectacular swirling towers of playa dust.  It would be futile to try and describe it much more.

Thanks to all the volunteers and everyone who helps to keep Burning Man alive and well. You’re the angels that transform this hellish landscape into a heavenly, unique and wonderful community experience.

Love from Paul Alexander Martin

PS: Bay Area folks… On OCTOBER 10 come play at the San Francisco Decompression Party with us! We’re rockin a 45-minute set at 5:40pm on the 19th Street stage!  Admission’s only $10 if you come dressed up. {Full info}

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