Finding whats on when its not listed in the program

[Miss303]

Does anyone have any tips once you're at BRC of how to find out whats on? I'm talking about things that arent listed in the program - mainly bigger name musical acts and some of the burns.

Whilst we all know that you don't go to BM to have a regular music festival experience, sometimes I wanted to seek out an act that I heard might be coming see them play with a beautiful desert backdrop. Unfortunately I didnt have any luck. Some acts were listed in the program but most weren't (obviously because its not a music festival) but it seemed as though most set times were spread by word of mouth. Was I missing something as a first time burner? I saw one lineup sign at a stage which had set times but never found any others for acts I wanted to see.

But its not just the music acts, its also the burns - we only heard about the burn for Embrace happening that night for example because someone told us when we were at Embrace that evening. Being my first time I was happy to explore and experience the other most excellent adventures I had along the way, but to travel to the other side of the world and then return home to see videos on youtube of things I wanted to participate in is really disappointing.

How do experienced burners get the low-down once there?

[Captain Goddammit]

Was I missing something as a first time burner?

Yes, I'd say so...
You almost get it, but not quite. Burning Man doesn't run on a schedule, it runs on Playa Time. You don't go with an itinerary of what big-name musical act you paid to come see, you wander and meet random people and experience things you didn't expect, wherever you are.

Yes, you're doing it "Wrong".

[gaminwench]

and you're 'doing it right'.

One year, the Who/What/When guide (the 'official' schedule), reprinted Tuesday's events on the Thursday pages.
I rapidly got my shit together to (again) teach my Tuesday workshop for the 75 burners who showed up on Thursday.
BEST CLASS EVAH!!!

There is no way to see it all/what you want/ what you expect.

Word of mouth is a game of 'telephone'.
No advertisements.
No schedule.
Playa time.
HEAVEN.

Discover what you will, when you will.

There are sources of 'concrete' information.
If you look.

Or:
just BE!

[Lonesomebri]

...and the Embrace burn was not planned way in advance, there were issues about how that piece was going to leave the playa, and by fire it was.

[Ratty]

Lonesombri, So true. I heard the story of when and why just a few days before Embrace was burnt. the 7 am time was to cut down on the crowd and it worked, somewhat.

[some seeing eye]

Burning Man is not a music festival, as you rightly point out.

There is a Nevada legislator who has been trying to get Burning Man classified as one. That would mean extra regulation and taxes. Therefore there is a resistance to publishing and publicizing music schedules.

The Artery and the fire safety team know the target time for all the installation burns. But the time can change. Once fire safety is set up, the burn can be delayed by weather. You can stop by each day - they are at Center Camp - and ask. They have volunteer opportunities, many sign up before the event to volunteer.

One of the funnest things about the burn is to develop an in-person people network and friends at the music camps that interest you.

And some of the best interactions are one to one or in small groups. As you experienced, people are friendly and interested in talking to you. What have you seen? Where are you from? It's all narrative and interaction. "Hey, let's just go out adventuring?"

The big burns, while cathartic, tend to be individuals all focused on the burning - spectator events. The music events often put people into the same state of mind as a concert or club in the outside world, not very interactive with the people around them. Both waste what is special about the event.

[Mojojita]

Bring a radio and listen to BMIR. As things change, they tend to be announced.

[Lonesomebri]

...Being my first time I was happy to explore and experience the other most excellent adventures I had along the way, but to travel to the other side of the world and then return home to see videos on youtube of things I wanted to participate in is really disappointing.
How do experienced burners get the low-down once there?

There is no way to see and do everything in BRC, so expecting that -if only you had the right information you could see and do everything you later see on youtube- that just ain't ever gonna happen. Too much going on. Some people can't accept that and think they can make it to "everything". Good luck. Also, going in with a "list" type outlook, planning to see and do particular things, or afterwards, looking back in regret over those unmet things on the list, might not be the best way to experience Burning Man. Instead, enjoy where you are at, enjoy what you are doing. If you miss something you wanted to see, it is only because you are doing something else you want to do. This might mean that you accept missing particular things on your list, but maybe that list is the problem here... My best experiences out on the playa are always the ones I did not expect or plan for. And all the good advise above: Listen to the radio, talk to folks at the soundcamps and art installations, chat up your neighbors. But whatever you do, if you see giant childrens blocks that spell out "Man Burn Delayed", do not follow the advise of the guy standing behind the blocks to go back to your camp and take a nap.

[Elderberry]

Being my first time I was happy to explore and experience the other most excellent adventures I had along the way, but to travel to the other side of the world and then return home to see videos on youtube of things I wanted to participate inis really disappointing.

LOL that discribes every burn I have ever been to! Oh, and I always go through the book and try to plan out what I want to see. I have never been able to keep that schedule. AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTING.

[Captain Goddammit]

Put any two burners together to talk about the burn as soon as they get home, and they will have different stories, will have seen things the other didn't.
I have a mutant vehicle, which means I'm able to get all over the playa, and there's still a lot of stuff people tell me about or I find pictures of, that I never saw. Thats how it is.