So, why do I play music at Burning Man?
Because it’s a great opportunity to get my music out to a wider audience? (it is!)
Because the audiences are great? (they are!)
Because there are sometimes no people at all? (I’ve had that!)
Because it’s HARD? (It seriously is!)
Because it’s easy? (In some way, it is too)
Because it drives creativity? (it does that in spades!)
Because I can!
It’s really a combination of all of the above.
It certainly is hard! Especially being a live performer (did I mention that I WASN’T a DJ!!?). In 2019 I had to design a system that would allow me to carry all my equipment across the desert to gigs, and also serve as a music stand once I got there. The result is what you see in the photo above. It’s a modified bass guitar case with the inside ripped out and modified to allow all my gear to fit in side for portability, and then converts to a stand with the modified aluminum struts to hold everything at the perfect angle. Then the keyboard stand, is velcro-attached to the case. Once it’s all pack up and a yoga strap attached to it, I can carry it on a bicycle the dusty kms one needs to travel to get to gigs.
Then I had to completely modify my music equipment set-up. The playa is DUSTY, and not just dusty, it’s all gear-devouringly alkaline. So, there is no way O would be taking my delicate MOOG Sub 37 or Novation Peak synthesisers out in that environment. So, all my tracks had to be reworked to find software equivalents for any of the hardware analogue and digital synths.
Every Burn, I bring a whole new batch of music to play, along with a few of my old favourites, so there’s a long period of preparing those for the gigs…I’m right in the middle of that now.
And the easy part? Well, it’s actually not really any great shakes to play at burning man. If you put in the hard yards with spruiking your music gift to the hundreds of theme camps out there, you can get gigs. But still, my favourite 2 gigs are playing at our Camp Gecko’s ABCD Party and the solo gig I do out in the desert at sunset on the last Friday!
Not all the gigs are winners though. Despite the great billing (see next pic) at the Dome in 2019, I ended up playing in a pitch black tent (they did eventually get me one spotlight), to the sound tech and one random stoned dude who wandered in and passed out on the floor – he loved the music btw!
So, it really is not all (ever?) glam and raging fans, but the interactions I have had with the few hard-core fans who really do get what I’m doing, is priceless. Especially the massive support and appreciation I get from my Camp Crew.
So, best I be off and get my Burning Man Prep done…. 2 1/2 weeks to go…..Eek!
Electronic Live Music Producer and Performer 
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