JRS VOLUME #8; ISSUE #06
Burning Man Update: The Jack Rabbit Speaks
Volume 8, Issue 6
October 17, 2003
If the Black Rock Desert had a voice, this week it would have probably whispered “Thanks!” to the hardworking folks who stood by waiting as the BLM performed their annual inspection of the Burning Man 2003 site. Once again, there was little reason to worry — the efforts and hard work of everyone who helped return the desert to blank-canvas state were recognized with high marks from the BLM, and we passed the inspection! Below, read Coyote’s report from last Friday, right before he and the crew headed in to SF for a well-earned Decompression celebration. Kudos, gang!
And yes, what a Decompression. A beautiful SF day filled with art and music and theme camps and performance and other delights…you can see photos below (see BRC NEWS.) And the best part? We’re off to do it again this weekend in LA! And more afterburn events are cooking up all over. Details below.
This is a short and sweet JRS, so we’ll let the intro be that way as well.
The Man burns in 323 days!
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=========TABLE OF CONTENTS=========
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BLACK ROCK CITY NEWS:
– BLACK ROCK CITY 2003 PASSES BLM INSPECTION
– SF DECOMPRESSION PICS
– JIM MASON’S SHIPYARD NEEDS YOUR HELP
– PS TELL US YOUR USPS
PARTICIPATE:
– GOT LOVE? EMAIL THE RIGHT PERSON
– HEAT THE MEAT
EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS:
– LOS ANGELES DECOMPRESSION – SUNDAY OCTOBER 19
– RENO DECOMPRESSION – SATURDAY OCT 18
– ATLANTA AFTERBURN – OCTOBER 25
– NYC DECOM SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 22
– DUST DEVILS SCREENS IN LA
– CALLING ALL ART CARS, OCT 31 IN LAS VEGAS
– CONFESSIONS OF A BURNING MAN CONTINUES BAY AREA PREMIERES
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========BLACK ROCK CITY NEWS=======
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BLACK ROCK CITY 2003 PASSES BLM INSPECTION
Here’s the word on (what used to be) the street – from the DPW’s own Tony Coyote:
Inspection passed with flying colors indeed!
You know, even though we all went into this inspection with a highest confidence ever, it’s still quite the nerve rack come zero hour. The three areas that get inspected are arbitrarily chosen by computer, and one gets a sort of “lotto” feeling when watching for these spots on the printout. So, even with the thousands of fry-brain man hours it took to ultra-prep for this exam, it was still a bit of a charge to see that two of the inspection sites went right through theme camps and into the Esplanade. One of them dangerously close to a rave camp! (No offense to the ravers, but those camps do score notoriously poorly on the MOOP charts.)
Well, one wind-whipped and bitingly cold hour later, my fears were quickly assuaged by the beautifully small pittance of nothing that remained of Black Rock City!
There really is no way to capture the amount of effort and man hours that is required by this. One thing I can say, though, is that one of the reasons that not much is ever heard or told about the clean up crew, is that after the umteenth day of exposure on the playa not too many feel like talking ’bout it all that much. You just sort of flop down into your camp with cold ones and warm friends and wait to gobble down some chow.
-And another day bites the dust-
This is the first I’ve felt like writing in a while –
Must be the buzz of accomplishment.
So, I suppose I could stand to decompress a little myself. (Ya think?!!) I’ll be seein’ ya in the big bad city with high fives for all! Smokin’ a stogie –
Coyote clear
P. S. Again, huge kudos and thanks to BRC citizens for making this feat manageable! Nowhere, and I mean NO WHERE else on the planet does this happen.
Keep leaving no trace!
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SF DECOMPRESSION PICS
Want to see some of your favorite playa art, decor, and personalities in a new setting? Check out this batch of pictures of this past weekend’s madcap Decompression in San Francisco. Thanks to CameraGirl for such great shots!
bohemianmasquerade.com…decompression03.htm
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JIM MASON’S SHIPYARD – YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
The hour of reckoning has arrived for the Shipyard.
Two years and $12,000 after we started the Battle of the Papers and Processes with the City of Berkeley, the Final Use Permit hearing for The Shipyard is scheduled and guaranteed to happen October 23rd at 7pm.
This is the hearing where they decide whether we get to continue to exist or we rent a truck and haul away all the containers.
We have submitted all the required drawings, environmental studies, statements of intent, paid the fees, talked and retalked, redid the drawings 4 times, brought in high end architectural consulting and services, and all the rest of the stuff that always happens in these messes.
And now the whole thing is on the line and we need a big showing to convince Berkeley that people care about the place and want to see it continue to exist. Exist not just to collect large machine tools and build unlikely edifices to misguided hubris, but also to have events, workshops, gatherings, and shows – all those things we haven’t been able to do for two years while we were under the thumb.
WE NEED 200 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM FOR THIS HEARING.
200 people cannot be said no to.
Our neighbors are happy with us so I don’t expect them out in force against us, but who knows what will happen. These hearings are arbitrary and you stand there helpless as decisions are made over the foundation upon which you and many, many other people create, play, live and generally do the things that matter most to them. Everything could be fine, (as it was at the last hearing for design review, which we passed), or everything could suddenly be all wrong. That is why we ALL need to be there – to make sure it will all be OK, and not yet another art space gets axed in the Bay Area, as has been the recent trend.
So, with humility, concern, deep gratitude and all the other soft things, I ask, actually plead, that you consider joining us for this hearing.
The hearing starts at 7pm. You have to submit a speakers card by 7:15pm to speak. Speaking in favor of the project is good, especially if you are a Berkeley resident, or even if you are not.
There will be a taco truck catering the event (at the curb) out front from 6-8pm. Free tacos and horchata for all who show.
The meeting is at:
Council Chambers, Berkeley
2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, 2nd Floor
Thursday, Oct 23rd, 7:00 p.m.
There will be a party (celebrating our success) afterwards at the yard. More details on the after party will emerge soon.
Thank you in advance for helping to bring all this silliness to an end.
Jim
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PS TELL US YOUR USPS
On the move?
Want to be connected more than virtually?
You can update your snailmail address with us anytime at Snailmail
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============PARTICIPATE!===========
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GOT LOVE? EMAIL THE RIGHT PERSON
[Editor’s note – we posted this last week, but with the wrong contact email address. Karen would love to hear from you if you have what she’s looking for – maybe she’ll even write you a song!]
Karen writes: On Sunday after the burn I was sitting in the Temple of Honor playing the piano and singing the “I LOVE YOU” song I wrote for my man and he was sitting next to me crying his eyes out in total love and honor for the space we were sitting in and the place in his heart he connected with. It became quite a scene, people gathered all around, guitar players joined in, everyone was singing along, harmony, lasted a really long time, so beautiful… There were a few people who started filming and I’m wondering how I can find that video. I know it’s a long shot but I would love to have a recording of those precious moments we had in the Temple before it burned.
Thanks, karen aka dr. kooky from camp conexus
chirokaren
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HEAT THE MEAT
Thanks to Andy Hilal from Borrachos Y Bicicletas for sending this one our way:
If you like Red Meat comics:
(based on an actual conversation on the Playa)
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========EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS======
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All these happenings and more are on our YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR. Check it out to find (or post!) upcoming events in your city.
burningman.com/calendar/yearround
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LA DECOMPRESSION IS THIS WEEKEND
Sunday, October 19, 2003 – Noon ’till 11pm – All Ages
(Blue Bongo open till 2am)
1st Street and Vignes
la-burningman.com ——- all the info, times, stages, directions, where to park, are up on this website ———–
$5 in playawear/costume, $10 in street wear
What is “Decompression?”
Before the playa dust has completely settled and our heads have stopped spinning, many of us gather in the months after Burning Man to “decompress” by taking one more communal plunge into the depths of what we found so affirming and memorable at Burning Man.
Decompression is an opportunity to dust off and share again playa art, performances, theme camps, photos, videos and stories from the playa; to re-connect with family and friends; and collaborate to create new art. It is at its simplest: a reunion. But more significantly, it is a thoroughly participatory celebration of Burning Man art and community within our larger communities. And it is one of the more powerful ways many of us bring some of what is so inspiring about Burning Man to our cities year round!
ART & PERFORMERS
Xara -Belly Dancers -Pinkies -Clan Destino -Fire Performers -Hoopers -Drumming -Fashion Show -Furry Cars -Paul from Playa Video -Go Go Dancing -Bubble Lounge –Kult of the Feral Kitten -Porch Camp -Camp Jumpstart -Foot Massage -Live Painting & more
BANDS
-Mamasutra-The Mutaytor -Brain Garden -Seratonins -Tack -V-Rock -FunkyGlo Worm -Primitivo – & more.
DJ’S
-Wolfie -Treavor (moontribe) -Tree ( green sector) -Leticia -Jason Saville -Dub Science -Kalib -Trevor Wyse(green sector) -Chris Ryan -Todd Spero -Jupiter -dr bombay -& more. This list is subject to change.
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RENO DECOMPRESSION – SATURDAY OCT 18
Decompress Nevada Style at the Zephyr Lounge 1074 S. Virginia, Reno
775-324-9853
It’s all of the magic and 1/2 the dust with drum circles, Asha Bellydancers, the Black Label Bike Club, the Reno Fire Conclave, and live music from All About Me, Teh Godlings, Astronot, Steve Foht Digital, Heathen, and the Atomiks.
Tickets are $13, $10 w/ costume – available at Bruka Theatre, The Melting Pot World Emporium, and the Zephyr Lounge.
21 and up! (parking will be a nightmare – plan ahead!) Questions to ohhugh151@yahoo.com. All proceeds benefit Reno Burning Man activities.
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ATLANTA AFTERBURN – OCTOBER 25
Attention all Burners from Atlanta and the Southeast!! Erik and Luba are hosting Atlanta Afterburn on Saturday, October 25, 8pm at MudFire pottery studio, located in the Brookhaven ‘hood of Atlanta (see link for map). We will have a box of playa dust to dip your bare feet into, some seriously manipulated digital prints of BMan art, detritus from sculptures erected past, and lots of copies of our little 2003 artbook as playa gifts. Come in costume, bring a gift, re-unite with the spirit of the playa! Questions? Visit burningearth.org/atlanta.htm, or email erik or greg.
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NYC DECOMPRESSION SAVE THE DATE – NOVEMBER 22
New York’s Decompression is coming! Save the date, November 22, for New York’s ass-kickingest art event ever (since last year’s Decom!). Stay tuned to the JRS and New York Burning Man list for venue and ticket info.
Want to help make it happen? Visit sealspace.org/volunteer
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“DUST DEVILS” IRISH DOC SCREENS IN LA
Benefit screening of “Dust Devils”, an Irish made documentary about Irish and American experiences of Burning Man.
After party with music, visuals, dancing and more…
DJs:
Laird – Boombox
Goldilox – Boombox
D Merlot – Crash Berlin / Lollapalooza
Majitope – Lush Camp
Conor – Elemether
..and more….
Fri 24th Oct. Doors: 10pm – after hours.
Admission:$10. Screening: 10.30pm
Venue:
308 E 9th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles,
CA 90015
Dust Devils:
Once a year, far out on a vacant expanse of the Nevada Desert, 25,000 people gather to build a most surreal city. This is a visually spectacular documentary that follows the experiences of Irish and American participants at the worldÃs most conceptually unique arts gathering, Burning Man.
“Dust Devils” Irish Press Comments:
“…offers a unique, moving and at times deeply insightful look inside the legendary Burning Man.” Hot Press, May 2003
“…redresses the freak fest myth (about Burning Man) with style and force.” The Slate, June 2003.
More info: aprile
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CALLING ALL ART CARS, OCT 31 IN LAS VEGAS
Calling All Art Cars: Your fellow burners at Peak Experience Productions (peakexperience.cc) are looking for a few art cars to be properly worshipped at: FREAK-IN-CONVENTION!
A String Cheese *Hulaween* Incident of Scary Proportions: Freaky Friday, October 31, 2003, The Cox Pavillion, Las Vegas, Nevada
It’s THE WORLD CONVENTION OF FREAKY PEOPLE and you are invited to PARTICIPATE! This event is going to be a mad morph between a String Cheese Incident concert (hey, the band are Burners too!), a Funky Freak Show and a Las Vegas Convention. We’re in search of a few freaky art cars to be lovingly displayed behind velvet ropes with “mutant” showgirls parading around them in fittingly freaky style. Don’t let your stylin’ burner mobile lie fallow all winter – break it out at the Freak-In Convention! Contact us at: nmorgan for details.
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CONFESSIONS OF A BURNING MAN CONTINUES BAY AREA PREMIERS
Confessions of a Burning Man continues its run in the SF Bay Area. Following huge crowds we’re glad to announce the opening at two more Bay Area movie theatres:
CONFESSIONS OF A BURNING MAN
Opens October 31st at the 4 Star Theatre
23rd Ave. & Clement, SF
hkinsf.com/4star
*check paper for showtimes, or go to website*
Come in Costume!!! Celebrate All Hallow’s Eve in burner style!
Opens October 17th at the Camera 7 Cinema
Pruneyard Shopping Center
1875 S. Bascom Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
cameracinemas.com
*check paper for showtimes, or go to website*
for more info visit burningmanconfessions.com
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{Soundtrack to this JRS: Rufus Wainwright “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk”; Freewheel, “Starfriend”.}
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======ON & OFF THIS CRAZY LIST======
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—
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Office of the Jack Rabbit
http://www.burningman.com 