After years of anticipating and discussing a dream related Burning Man theme with Larry Harvey, "Psyche" has finally arrived. I realize there is a variety of interests that may come together for your "Dream Camp." Our camp of dream workers is actually right next door, not officially part of Dream Camp though we requested the use of a shade structure for overflow dream groups if the daily sessions in the head prove to be popular.
Pepe isn't the only one who was surprised by the addition of DJs and a sound system to Dream Camp. Like Pepe, I have a great aversion to mindless electronica monotony. My background is in contemporary classical music which has a lot more going on in it. Though I love this music, I'd never dream of playing at 4 in the morning to people who had no interest. Unlike sculpture, music pervades the area and there is no way of escaping it. Of all the changes at Burning Man over the years (I've gone every year since 1990), the encroachment of rave culture on the event is the most upsetting. A variety of music evident in the original Burning Man gatherings has been largely replaced by this homogenous "rave" music in which contrast is largely missing.
My pledge to my friend Larry Harvey is to have legitimate dream interpretation groups within Pepe's sculpture during the daylight hours. To accomplish this we may have to lead overflow groups either in our camp or Dream Camp. Having dance beats going during these meetings would be highly disruptive. In addition to this, I'm planning an awakening ceremony with Elonifer's help. This ceremony will be an interesting way to combine the dream sessions with the lighting of the hearth inside Pepe's sculpture.
Other of my own plans were to have impromptu dream theater (dream reenactments with simple masks and costumes on stage) and showings of surreal films (one of my specialties) at night. Again, a next door dance party makes these additions impossible.
All I ask as a neighbor to your camp is for an understanding of what the dream group leaders are trying to do. The amplified music may make in impossible to accomplish what we came for and force our camp to move elsewhere. Since Larry has written up a handout which lists Dream Camp as source for information on the dream interpretation groups, it would be natural for us to be close by.
Like Pepe, I don't see the need for yet another dance club atmosphere at our camp -- there are plenty of others happening out there. I'm curious how other Dream Campers feel about this. So far, most of what I read is Elonifer's writings.
Beyond,,,
Steve Mobia (The Sandman)
Pepe isn't the only one who was surprised by the addition of DJs and a sound system to Dream Camp. Like Pepe, I have a great aversion to mindless electronica monotony. My background is in contemporary classical music which has a lot more going on in it. Though I love this music, I'd never dream of playing at 4 in the morning to people who had no interest. Unlike sculpture, music pervades the area and there is no way of escaping it. Of all the changes at Burning Man over the years (I've gone every year since 1990), the encroachment of rave culture on the event is the most upsetting. A variety of music evident in the original Burning Man gatherings has been largely replaced by this homogenous "rave" music in which contrast is largely missing.
My pledge to my friend Larry Harvey is to have legitimate dream interpretation groups within Pepe's sculpture during the daylight hours. To accomplish this we may have to lead overflow groups either in our camp or Dream Camp. Having dance beats going during these meetings would be highly disruptive. In addition to this, I'm planning an awakening ceremony with Elonifer's help. This ceremony will be an interesting way to combine the dream sessions with the lighting of the hearth inside Pepe's sculpture.
Other of my own plans were to have impromptu dream theater (dream reenactments with simple masks and costumes on stage) and showings of surreal films (one of my specialties) at night. Again, a next door dance party makes these additions impossible.
All I ask as a neighbor to your camp is for an understanding of what the dream group leaders are trying to do. The amplified music may make in impossible to accomplish what we came for and force our camp to move elsewhere. Since Larry has written up a handout which lists Dream Camp as source for information on the dream interpretation groups, it would be natural for us to be close by.
Like Pepe, I don't see the need for yet another dance club atmosphere at our camp -- there are plenty of others happening out there. I'm curious how other Dream Campers feel about this. So far, most of what I read is Elonifer's writings.
Beyond,,,
Steve Mobia (The Sandman)
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 10:26 AMwhat i've heard about this "rave music," is that it would provide a barrier from the insane rave music that will be going on not far from dream camp. I'm no expert, but what I've heard of "experimental dance music," it's more dreamlike and surreal than trance-techno repitition... Personally, I wouldn't mind something playing in dreamcamp, especially if it helped create the mood of dreamcamp- eliminating the crazy thump of the glowing ravers next door...
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 11:09 AMSteve,
I can totally relate to what you're saying. This will be my first year at Burning Man and I have had the wonderful oppotunity to camp with Dream Camp. I was unsure of what to expect and after speaking with many people I found that where our camp is located is a great location to be right in the heart of what is going on, but will also mean that I will get very little sleep due to neighboring camps playing loud music till all hours. While having music playing in Dream Camp is less than ideal, I feel that it will be a vast improvement over the competing noise of other surrounding camps, and I would welcome the sound barrier that having our own music would create.
Having read about Elonifer's vision for Dream Camp I don't believe he would compromise the mood of Dream Camp as he is as much tied into its conception as others who have been involved. While I have not heard the music that will be performed, I doubt that Elonifer would choose to allow music that would be contradictary to the ambaince we wish to create in Dream Camp.
All that being said, I am extremely excited about attending my first burn and look forward to working with everyone in Dream Camp and the surrounding camps. While this seems to be a difficult issue for us to all work around, in the spirit of Burning Man (as I understand it at least) I know as a community we will be able to come together and create a solution that will work best for everyone.
Looking forward to the playa.
-Meg
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 1:29 PMI’m with Steve and Pepe on this one.
Dream Camp is situated very close to where Opera Camp of the Celestial Falcon was last year. This is in a stretch of the Esplanade, on one of the two wings, more or less midway between the loud discos out toward the far end and the loudness around Center Camp. On this stretch of the Esplanade BM org places low-volume camps with artistic visions that do not focus on loud music. Last year the Hookah Dome next door got into trouble over making too much noise in what was supposed to be a quiet neighborhood. Most of the time their music was low-key and reasonably acceptable, but when their main guys were busy elsewhere ‘guest DJs’ would take over, crank up the volume and spin the kind of stuff that to me at least only makes sense on certain drugs. Their leader had to go around making nice to neighboring camps--he didn't want to get kicked out in future years from what he considered to be 'the coolest part of the playa.'
Though it is true that are many kinds of ‘rave’ music, and some will likely be less obnoxious than others, it is also true that there are many, many rave dance scenes elsewhere at BM, some likely within a short walking distance. There are so many that it often seems there are no other ideas on the playa but to reproduce a dance scene just like the one back home. Better to focus Dream Camp on something original, such as what Steve is doing with dream workshops, the sustainable food group offerings, and acoustic music (remember that?)
Although I understand that some would see the music being planned as consistent with the theme of Dream Camp, Steve and most importantly Pepe do not, and in fact think amplified music would conflict with interactive offerings. For me, that settles the issue.
Jim Gasperini (a/k/a Sygyt) -
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 3:20 PMActually, the wholefoodfarmacy people, kundalini trance teachers, shamanic sound vibrational healers, sustainable dome communites, the sacred 7th mystery school folks doing the ritual ceremonies and DNA gate activations and a few Dream workers besides Fred and a few of his crew who want to camp with us are all of like mind in understanding that music will be applicable.
Our musicians are Sound Alchemists of the highest order. After discussion and controversy, they have all gone back to their music labs and are even now preparing those sounds, sacred tones, ambiant wavelengths, and vibrational harmonics to stimulate, captivate, and unleash the different areas of the body, mind, and intentionally, the soul.
This is trutly an excersise in the philosophy of GIAMIND....
That no ONE person can know or dictate what the outcome will be....
only that the intention is the same....
if we are truly open to the 10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES, specifically # 9, then we are gearing up to take the "greatest stride of soul that soul ever took" in opening up to heartfelt wonder...
I recomend we all prepare to be amazed and awed! -
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 4:17 PM"Actually, the wholefoodfarmacy people, kundalini trance teachers, shamanic sound vibrational healers, sustainable dome communites, the sacred 7th mystery school folks doing the ritual ceremonies and DNA gate activations and a few Dream workers besides Fred and a few of his crew who want to camp with us are all of like mind in understanding that music will be applicable."
You say that but don't these people know how to type? I haven't read their views. You've written a mountain of words but I've seen little of anyone elses. Who decided that Spritrave would be part of Dream Camp? Did you bother floating the idea around before saying "yes" to them? NO ONE I've talked to in my group (even Fred) likes the idea of dance house music playing all night. If you've heard otherwise from any in my group, let me know. Very clearly Pepe, Jim and many others HATE the idea of round-the-clock amplified music. Why are you so obsessed with the idea of a rave that you're not willing to listen to those you'll be camping with you? Are you secretly one of the DJs?
I do treasure the brainstorming sessions regarding the awakening ceremony, but your stubborness on the rave question is exasperating. -
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 5:22 PMOk... for all of you who remember me I will be back at BM this year and hope to see you all very soon, now if you want my unbiased opinion on everything I have read here... I can see both sides of the arguement and it looks to me like no one wants to budge or actually talk. Just restating thier opinions. If everyone is interested in the good of the community it's time to talk instead of restating the problem.
If there is going to be music, Skyhawk, I think you need to be more specific on exactly what it is and when it is to be played and give a maximum decible rating (IE> -10db or even -20db is an apropriate background level for most sound scapes...) I am making the assumption(always a mistake) that the goal is to washout other background noises of the city - not to overtake the camp. I agree that music and sound definately has it's place in Dreaming but not 24/7. That would drive even the most open minded person over the deep end. I think some clarification is really what everyone is seeking, now if you don't know the overall plan for what everyone is doing perhaps you should tell everyone, say you are looking into it, ask the appropriate people then get back and answer the question. I hate sounding like a bitch, but as a facilitator you really are not facilitating the resolution of the problem, but in fact doing the opposite. Please don't take this the wrong way... all is said out of love and the fact that I'd hate to drop in on a heated political situation on the playa when I come to say hello!
Rikki aka Aramina -
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Re: The Rave issue
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 9:26 PMTHERE WILL NOT BE MUSIC 24/7
Can I be any more clear than that?
THere will be quiet, stillness, and times of simplicity and achieving altered states of consciousness without drugs or music.
And some music will be ...
Alpha waves... amorphous daydreaming....
Theta waves.......the normal sleep ....
Delta......deep sleep and .... and the known rhythms of frequencies are all touched, caressed and gently introduced....
EXACTLY as the Dream workers would like....
Music 24/7 is not acceptable and would not be harmonious
In fact one of the sound engineers is a hypnotherapist and many other are highly skilled shamanic journey facilitators.
Please understand.....
"be not disturbed by vain imaginings..."
Imagine a hot dusty day...
music and noise about on the playa...
you come across 3 :00 @ esplanade...
suddenly you are in a "Zone" where all you hear is the deep tone of the sound vibration of the earth.
Soft scents float through and our dome open stage area is filled with people in deep meditative trance.....
The sound is played deep...... soft..... insistent......
The sound fades......
The people wait......
The next tone , corresponding to the next chakra slowly, almost invisibly
begins to vibrate up through the ground......
And on....
In deep profound wonder.....
All the groups mentioned are the ones who are connected to SpiritRave. It is through these connections that SpiritRave has arrived.
THis is the phenomenae of the GIAMIND collective that I am refering to.
Intrinsic knowledge and synchronistic observance shall bring about the most wonderful awareness of greater self.
In other words, those who have connected on a deep profound level of awareness, already know that we are collaborating, even if we never speak... we do not actually collaborate in the normal sense of the word... more it is like recognizing the other as self, and knowing we are going in the same direction. No comments are needed....
"those who flow with the river... need not struggle to swim."
And no,
I am not a dj..... but i will if they let me! -
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Re: The Rave issue
Sat, August 20, 2005 - 1:42 PMElonifer,
Reading your posts about SpiritRave across GIAMIND, Burning Man Opera, and here, one can derive several possible interpretations; let's focus for the moment on just your flyer for Dream Camp [Dream Camp photo album] where you've posted a 'Daily Camp Schedule' which end with:
9:33 - 11:33 SpiritRave Guided Chakra Journey
11:33 - 1:33 Esoteric Tribal Trance
1:33 - 3:33 Shamonic Drum and Bass
It seems to me that an intelligent carbon-based life form might legitimately interpret this as an intention to play amplified music until 3:30 in the morning, and while some interpretations of tribal trance can be quite pleasing (e.g., Lost at Last), I wholeheartedly agree with Pepe and the others that Shamonic (sic) Drum and Bass, whatever that is, sounds quite dreadful.
Regardless of who registered Dream Camp with BMORG, this camp exists as support for Pepe's sculpture and art. And while I usually support libertarian ideals and general rejection of authority, I think you're out of line in continuing to orchestrate something that's so offensive to Pepe and to so many of the wonderful performance artists who have graced Opera camp in the past.
Hopefully something beautiful will come out of all this as it so often does on the playa...
Paoliliopa
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Re: The Rave issue
Sat, August 20, 2005 - 1:26 PMDream Camp is in support of Pepe's creation and if he is for acoustic music, that must be how he intended public interaction with his artwork to be.
Gamelan music and the world music that flows across the planet evokes a different vibe than trance or rave music. Drum n Bass at 1-3 AM in the morning is an entirely different human experience. Reggae mixed with Hip Hop breakbeats, as Drum and Bass is defined, takes a person off into the African jazz spectrum of the world. You either love it or hate it, but few would find it peaceful.
So, I'm with Pepe on this one. He's the head cook of the project and if you declare support for the art installation as a camp, then it follows everyone in the camp should give a try at supporting his intent.
Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing y'all on the playa. -
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Re: The Rave issue
Sun, August 21, 2005 - 12:00 AMi think it's time for one of us to just say
FUUUUUCKKK!!! ahhH!!!!! this is fucking crazy!!!
I love your work pepe,
I love elonifer's spirit...
I don't like both of your EGO'S.
there won't be damndumbcrazy fuckin' trance dance music at dream camp-fuck... that! okay!? it's just not going to happen. if the music SUCKS, let's say so when it sucks, but right now we're planning on having tasteful- (and in the theme of our camp) music playing to add to the atmosphere and be a barrier of any neighboring camps...
it'll be alright... let's not freak out so much! we all spend way too much time freaking out on the playa... this is a fucking incredible change of a lifetime for us to be involved in... yeah? -
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Re: The Rave issue
Sun, August 21, 2005 - 12:04 AMi meant chance of a lifetime, not change... but that works to... -
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Re: The Rave issue
Tue, August 23, 2005 - 7:11 PMTHANK YOU ALL !
For all your comments and concerns.
THe fact is.... now that we are on teh playa, the reality is that there is PLENTY of room for all.
Because of Pepe's influence and our support of his art, we most likely got some favoritism in location, etc....
Pepe did not realize what kind of camp we really had planned or what my propsal for a theme camp involved.
After most likely realizing that his little acoustic get togethers would not fill up the the 200 feet of explanade frontage that we have, Pepe has worked out the perfect solution, before I even arrived on site.
He is placing his folks, All of the them, in the back of the camp as a Dreamer's section. The GIAMIND and all others in the Green Society Association will take the front and showcase section.
We have been given a huge lot, twice as much as ANY OTHER CAMP because of all the cool stuff we are offering and the alignment of our camp ideals and goals with the 10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF BURNING MAN.
Yup, we said we were gonna do a continuous and interactive fantastic show, now they expect us to deliver! So, let's go! It's all happening and we all get what we want!!!
I knew it would all work out...
Dusty Blessings,
in the dance to awaken the Dreamer, beyond nights edge,
SKYHAWK on the playa!
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