Mega camps not returning next year?

[sktELEMENT]

I heard both Root Society and Opulent Temple will not be returning next year... can anyone confirm or deny this? Any other future news on other "Megacamps"?

[David M]

2011 is looking like a good year already.

If only the Robot Heart Bus would not come as well.

[Token]

Yep. It's time for them to fade.

Typical lifespan for LSA megacamps is 7 years.

Its been 7 years of same-old thump.

There are a few threads on this somewhere on the board.

Someone else will step in and fill the void once word hits the streets.

[Kinetik V]

Since I didn't go this year I don't know who was at the 10:00 position but if it was Root Society or whatever their current reincarnation is...I hope they come back. The domes, the infrastructure is so massive that it astounds people that such a structure is possible on the playa.

As for the 2:00 position...it's been kinda ho-hum over there. I remember Oasis, Opulent Temple but yet...they're just kinda..well blah.

The event is evolving....it's time for the LSA camps to do the same.

[C.f.M.]

I heard both Root Society and Opulent Temple will not be returning next year...

Good.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

How about 10,000 watts of Lawrence Welk, Liberace, and Arthur Godfrey? (With a little Tom Jones thrown in for excitement)

(would make you wish for thumpthump to return!!)

Added Special Attraction - The Osmonds do the Carpenters!

[C.f.M.]

How about 10,000 watts of Lawrence Welk, Liberace, and Arthur Godfrey? (With a little Tom Jones thrown in for excitement)

(would make you wish for thumpthump to return!!)

Added Special Attraction - The Osmonds do the Carpenters!

YES. I long to be close to you. John Denver, too, please?? I love me some country boy!

[Elliot]

The term "Old School" is very popular these days. Steam Punk is in. Maker Fairs draw huge crowds. Many people are (re-)learning the value of perfectly good things that got pushed aside in the race to the Moon and the revolution of computers.

Ragtime, Bluegrass, Dixieland... there are numerous musical genres that I believe would be hits at Burning Man -- and all free of the Myron Florin (sp?) / Tom Jones syrup.

What would happen if a Janis Joplin suddenly exploded onto the scene in Black Rock City, the way the real Janis Joplin set the world on its ear overnight in Monterey? It could happen. But not so long as half of us are cowering under the tyranny of gazillion Watt techno.

[Pink Daddy]

I think that more live musical performances would be a great hit, especially if they had the psychadelic feel of Pink Floyd or Peter Frampton.

Also, I came to appreciate the smaller venues this year. Not only for musical content, but for the smaller dance floor and more intimate feeling. The big stages were just cop magnets...

[moonrise]

Steam Punk, Maker Faire and the Quality music at Camp Vertical (thecollectiveca..wow very sweet cd gift, gracias amigos! and the city view is sweeeet from up top camp vertical!) I like all of that and remember burners being more into that sort of mellower art...yea, sure the big sound camps were exciting for a virgin to visit buuuut...as fishy said someting along these lines; "I fear burning man could fall victim to becoming an international rave party circuit" that would suck IMHO...I can't imagine what it would've been like had the big loud "sound camps" NOT been put at the ends...just my two cents...and the campmates who explained "people need thier sleep, let the mega watters/sound camps do thier thing but not in the thick of the city"

[Eric]

Nexus did a damn good job holding the 10:00 corner, even if their music was the same old crap (well, except for when I happened by on Thursday night & they were blasting Bohemian Rhapsody- oh, what could have been if they hadn't faded it into same-old-crap so quickly!)

As I've said over and over- the large sound camps are mostly good for one visit with the newbies or if you want to see overbearing police presence. Boring.

However- I think this year had some of the best music I've ever heard from the small clubs on the back-streets. I heard just about every genre of music, and one of my favorite moments is when Animal Control parked by the blue rooms on my block blasting John Phillips Sousa at 11am. Be-yootiful!

[sktELEMENT]

You gotta at least hand it to Root for seriously changing up their venue...those massive screens that they set up as an outdoor venue was pretty sick...shit man, it seemed like they were 3 camps in one...

If they fade away that is fine, but I would at least like to see a few smaller but bumpier camps take their place.

Even though I am a huge electronic fan, I would love to see some more rock and guitar music out there... But whos fault is it they are not there? All you wishing it was, who are dissatisfied with the electronic, get together and make it happen. The more you wait the more it will go in the other direction. I am happy either way.

[Eric]

You gotta at least hand it to Root for seriously changing up their venue...those massive screens that they set up as an outdoor venue was pretty sick...shit man, it seemed like they were 3 camps in one..

That wasn't Root Society, that was Nexus- they've been trying to get that corner for something like 5 years, and their camp with its dome, outdoor screens, pyrosphere & playground completely "brought it". Neither RS or Opulent Temple got the corner spots this year.

Though your statement proves the music is entirely interchangeable since you couldn't tell it was a completely different camp....

[EspressoDude]

hard to tell one from another..same old dudstep or whatever the thump thump is called. Almost any other "art" can be escaped from. Just look the other way, or walk 100 feet. Hopefully they won't return to the 'same' place if they come back. Trash fence would be a good location, since they have their own gennies, etc.

Take a look at the google satellite images and see how much open space around 2:00... "Gee, I want to be next to a sound camp..."

[FireShaman]

Eric,
The giant screen was Roots. Nexus ended at the geodesic fire sphere. There was a HUGE posterboard at the Roots dome with the lineup for the small dome, the large dome and the screen.

[oneeyeddick]

yup , the big screen boxed tower lof babel thingy was RS, the way they laid out the corner you would have never known that they weren't on the 10:00 corner because of thier size.

Nexus? hardly noticed them, definately couldn't hear them over RS.

Bear in mind I drive an MV, the perspective from being a groundpounder is quite differerent.

[Eric]

Well, whaddaya know.

Still say they're all so samey I can't tell them apart, but I will give RS props for the Bohemian Rhapsody. The only decent music I heard from the large camps.

[sdowney2002]

Reading this thread is a relief. As a virgin this year, I was surprised (and a bit disappointing) by what *seemed* to be the overwhelming presence of the rave/techno/thump scene. No disrespect to those party-goers, but I can go to Ft. Laurerdale or Dayton Beach to be part of that action for a whole lot less hassle than hiking out to the playa.

Glad to see there's interest in some other music forms...

[Galaxo Magic]

I saw more live music this year than I ever have. Quite a variety as well. T'Gon had live music on the Esplanade as well. More live music venues would be awesome!

[gaminwench]

There are LOTS of live music venues on the playa; unfortunately they don't have the $ to spend on sound systems that you can hear/feel 2 miles away.
You have to find the live music, you can't hear it outside of the venues, for all the thumping goin' on...

[The Bass]

speaking for disorient, which is one of the smaller "big sound" camps, we had mutaytor live this year on friday night, and had one of our biggest crowds of the week.

we've been lucky enough to have hosted hamsa lila for 3 years running in the past, and that was _great_.

so we definitely agree that mixing some live music in with the boompty boomp is a good thing.

however, i will say that live music is harder to manage than DJs from a production standpoint, and the standards have to be very high for performers.

it would be _great_ if there were a camp next year that had a big system and a real focus on live performance. definitely an important part of the city.

meanwhile, where's this no OT or RS rumor comin' from? i don't know anything... but i'd be surprised iffen it's true...

[Pink Daddy]

You know, I really want to focus on a live performance sound camp. Perhaps if I work towards it now, it can gain momentum enough to come to fruition...

Stubborn is as stubborn does...

[gaminwench]

There's a thread here somewhere re: RS taking next year off... I think the 'head' is becoming a father soon... this info came from folks in the camp...

[fbcota]

All rumors so far but I have heard them from allot of folks. Of course, like anything take it with a giant grain of salt. I wouldn't mind seeing OT and RS taking a year off. I really loved what Nexus did. I think Bass Camp was perfect on the other side of town. More live music, or at least some watts applied to the live music would be cool.

I would love to hear some Bluegrass, Blues, Rockabilly, Punk, Ska, Rock, Vocals, Metal, classical, jazz really anything with some soul. I love electronic music but I love variety even more.

[The Chinese]

Real interesting to Read this thread.... Looks like the groundswell is really hapenning for Live music..

We've been running a Live sound Camp for 5 years now, Next year will be our 6th. It's called Transmorphagon, sometime T'Gon or TRNSMRPHGN.

This year was our greatest year from a Performance standpoint. We had our biggest sound system ever, at 13,000 watts. We added lighting control, and projection screen with limited sucess. Next year we plan to improve on those things, and to up our game even more. That being said, I think we were one of the best Live Music Venues out there this year.

We would love to collaborate with other camps or people in a situation where we could all help each other to make t'Gon the Best Live music venue, on par with a Nexus, RS etc. I think it's time, and having a corner or other very active spot in the LSSA or Esplanade with Killer Live music would be awesome. We hosted both Live Bands, Live Electronica, & DJ's... and the best crowds were there for Live Bands- Solovox, Antioquia, Wahnderlust- all were just great and made it just Rock. IMagine if We added Gooferman, Mutaytor, and Vokab Company to that mix.

If anyone is interested in trying to make that a reality, Get in touch!! I'd love to hear form you, and see what's possible.

Chino

[AntiM]

We had a guy with a banjo in Hushville. Most excellent.

[junglesmacks]

There's a thread here somewhere re: RS taking next year off... I think the 'head' is becoming a father soon... this info came from folks in the camp...

Yes, this was verified by a direct letter from him saying the same. No more RS next year is a verified true rumor.

Thread and open letter from RS here:

viewtopic.php?t=35831

[bluesbob]

This was my first year, so I'm no "expert" on anything. My only reaction to mega-camps not returning is an observation. Everyone who came back to our camp with tales of trouble on the playa, from theft, dosed, fights, injuries, or cops, came back from a mega-camp.

[junglesmacks]

This was my first year, so I'm no "expert" on anything. My only reaction to mega-camps not returning is an observation. Everyone who came back to our camp with tales of trouble on the playa, from theft, dosed, fights, injuries, or cops, came back from a mega-camp.

I think it's actually a blessing. Let the mega-camps be magnets for that stuff, and leave the rest of the playa in peace. That way all that crap is in one concentrated place getting all the attention, sucking all the LEO and negativity resources and leaving the rest of it that much more free of it..

[veleda]

Speaking of Live M?usic..

We had an acoustic music stage this year at Sacred Spaces.. and were sad even though we put our info in ontime to the Rockstar Librarian we weren't included..perhaps because we aren't a DJ/electronica stage?

Is there anything similar for all the awesome live music that gets played on the playa?

I would really love to know more about what is happening elsewhere and share our musical efforts.