My dad wants to go to Burning Man!

[PatternInterrupt]

Has anyone had a parent come to Burning Man? He's already bought tickets... I urged him to get some close friends to come along with him because that was my experience -- going with close friends -- on my first burn. Otherwise I think I'd feel like I was neglecting him if I didn't spend a lot of time with him...

He sings in a really great barbershop quartet and it would be so cool if all 4 of them would come and stroll around and sing to people... but I think he'll have a really hard time persuading them to leave the east coast for a week in the desert.

I'm full of mixed emotions and I'm torn over whether to think this would be a wonderful situation or a strangely uncomfortable thing.

Has anyone had an experience like this?

Dave


¥

[Lassen Forge]

Somehow, I could see that... better be careful, if BRC gets it's own barbershop quartet, it'll be ne more step to official citydom. Next thing you know, we'll have our own airport and post office...

OH... we DO have a Post Office. And an airport. And no barbershop quartet yet? What's WRONG with us??

About the parent thing? Why not? I wish now that dad and I had done more together. Now that he's gone, it's kinda sad that we *can't* share this madness called BRC together. And he's the one who gave me the love of the open desert in the first place...

After all... when you get over the "doing shit with the folks is wierd" phase of life, you find they're people just like you... probably done similar wacky/dangerous/bizarre shit just like you. Having common links - especially one like BRC - is an awfully kewl thing to keep a family talking... and together.

I know... if MY kid did something cool and awesome and bizarre (in my eyes) like this, I'd sure as hell feel HONORED she'd want me to experience that part of life, something she thought was that totally awesome.

Oh, to add to this - (somehow it got deleted before I hit submit, sorry...) I would also way NOT do the parent/kid trip - and instead keep it as 2 friends out there, no bullshit, no head trips. Hey, BRC is a very individualistic experience. He'll get his own thing from it, prolly make his own connects, etc. Of course, it'll be cool to be able to bounce stuff off each other, but wouldn't be in each other's business too much, either. After all... he may find a dust bunny r somesuch for the week And what happens in BlackRock, Stays in BlackRock...

Bottom line? Go for it!

bb

[Chai Guy]

Not my parents, but I have had friends come for the first time and I have a few personal "rules" about that:

1. You must purchase your own ticket, read the survival guide and be completely self reliant.

2. You must drive your own vehicle and be able to self-evacuate at any time.

3. I am going to Burning Man, and you are going to Burning Man, "WE" are not going to Burning Man.

4. You have to experience the event for yourself, I can't do that for you. I'll show you around the first day, and then you're on your own. I have lot's of friends at the event, and will be spending time with all of them.

The last thing you want to do is "babysit" someone. I've had that feeling with people and it sucks. It's also important to remember that *most* people don't like Burning Man, *most* people don't ever come back, many people leave after the first or second day, other's remain miserable (and make those around them miserable) for the entire week.


I have some friends who are parents of young children. They take a "family" vacation at the start of summer and when the kids go back to school the adults go to Burning Man. Last year their oldest boy (age 5) started pouting as they were packing up the truck for the event. Mom asked "What's wrong?" and the boy replied "Mom, when do I get to go to the Black Rock City?" She laughed and said "When you buy you're own ticket and drive yourself and even then, I'm not telling you where I'm camping!"

[PatternInterrupt]

Very cool. Thanks for the advice, guys! Here's an email that I just wrote to my dad:



Howdy!

I've been thinking about it --- it would be so cool if all 4 of you in the quartet would come and stroll around and sing... and you know that we're even building a stage this year, right? We're gonna have a huge sound system and everything. I'm formally inviting you to give a daily performance if you'd like. THAT WOULD BE SO COOL!! Maybe you could do some harmonies with my band, too. There's also a Burning Man radio station every year and I could probably get you some airtime. I'm in contact with the guy in charge of that camp.

Check out this picture: http://www.spaceimaging.com/gallery/iow ... /index.htm
You can see the Cool Bus if you look down near the bottom... the whole place is arranged like a clock and the streets are arranged in letters according to the theme. Last year's theme was "PSYCHE: The Conscious, the Subconscious and the Unconscious" and the circular streets were named Amnesia, Bipolar, Catharsis, Delerium, Ego, Fetish, Gestalt and Hysteria. We were camped at about 4:45 and Fetish. This year we're hoping to be MUCH closer to the man (in the very center). ....The man who burns at the end of the week...
I hope you can persuade the guys to leave the east coast for a week in the desert.... maybe you could fly to Reno and rent a luxurious RV for the week.
Don't forget your bicycles! That's the preferred method of getting around the playa.

Last year that was my experience -- going with close friends -- and it was incredible. I wouldn't recommend it any other way.

Talk to you soon!

Love, David


P.S. Here's the website. Check out the pictures section. It's fun to peruse... http://www.BurningMan.com




We'll see what happens.

Love, Dave


¥

[Rockdad]

Barbershop quartet sounds cool.
I am amazed it has not been done! They could even do a greeter shift!

It is not even my kind of music but it would be one more interesting sight/experience on the Playa

PatternInterupt your a lucky man wish I had taken dad before he passed away. I would also send your Dad a link to this thread as the discussion evolves.

And remember Dad might have so much fun that you might start wondering why he does not want to hang with you 24-7

Bob

[Chai Guy]

PatternInterrupt,

Good for you, personally I love barbershop quartets and think it would be the coolest thing to see your dad out there performing. Just playing devil's advocate here, there are a few other things that might be a good idea to mention to your dad as well, like:

1. The temps vary a lot from as much as 110+ plus during the day, and as low as the 50's at night.

2. It's a dirty, dusty, high alkaline environment. ALL of your gear will be permeated by this dust and it's very difficult to clean. Some of your gear may NEVER be clean again. Some people develop something called "Playa foot" or the severe drying and cracking of skin, this is very painful. You're eyes will be irritated and will burn at least once during the week.

3. Winds can get up to 75mph, everything has to be nailed down or it will blow away. You might be walking around the event during one of these dust storms requiring that you sit down for an hour or more. Moving in such a storm is useless as you won't be able to see anything anyway. For a simulation sit in your garage and have some turn a sand blaster on you from 15ft. away.

4. As your ticket says "You voluntarily assume the risk of serious injury or death" People die and are seriously injured every year. While things are not as dangerous as they once were, it's not Disneyland. There are no building inspectors making sure that structure you're climbing on is safe, and that art car that's speeding across the playa might not see you at night.

5. There is a lot of nudity and sexual content at the event, heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual and otherwise. You will probably have people challenge your boundaries. If you're uncomfortable with any of those things, you probably won't be comfortable at the event.

6. It's LOUD, I mean it's FUCKING LOUD, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is truly the city that never sleeps. You can bring ear plugs, but if you're neighbors have speakers the size of Volkswagen bugs (and they probably do) those earplugs won't help much.

7. Prepare to be over stimulated. If you're an introvert (like me), you're going to need to take a solo bike ride out to the trash fence for some alone time. You need to take care of yourself emotionally, this place can be overwhelming with the noise, heat, dust and constant human interaction.

8. It's a fucking camping trip in the desert. At the end of the day, I've found that if people don't like camping, they usually don't like Burning Man. (I know exceptions to every rule, blah, blah, blah). But seriously, it's a camping trip. You spend the week dirty, you cook for yourself, you're setting up tents, you crap in a porta-pottie. If those things sound unappealing to you then you probably shouldn't attend.

9. Drugs/Alcohol - While not everyone is on something, a lot of people are, or they're coming down from something, or they've stopped taking their prescription meds for the week and they're fitting in just fine. If being around people who are "high" is a problem for you, probably shouldn't attend.

10. There is no "entertainment" there, aside from the spectacle of the burning of the man and Crimson's pre-show fire spinning extravaganza (which by the way, you won't even be able to see unless you're in the first 3 rows, which means you need to show up at 4:00pm to stake out your spot), there is nothing else there. You provide the content, you provide the fun. Many people are disappointed that they spent $250 to crap in a porta pottie and look at pantless middle aged men wearing t-shirts. It is whatever you make of it, no more, no less.

[HughMungus]

Let me second the idea of giving your father an "out". Last year a couple camped with us and we weren't sure if the wife would be into it (mostly because of the noise/wind/sand/not having a real bed, etc.). It just so happened to work out that that couple came separately from us in a rental car such that they could leave on their own if they decided that they didn't want to be there anymore (without requiring that we uproot our RV and drive her to the airport and waste a day to get her home). This was a huge stress reliever for us because her happiness (staying, going, whatever) was up to her, not us. Fortunately, she ended-up loving it (they both told me later that it not only changed their lives but changed their relationship; go me). Anyway, yes, make him arrive via his own transportation.

Also, I don't think you'll feel too obligated to hang with him too much. Just explain to him about "playa time" and how chaotic things are and that you'll definitely get to spend lots of time together (probably at your camp, during meals, etc.). I'm sure you will. You're very lucky to have a parent who wants to attend.

[MrMullen]

Not my parents, but I have had friends come for the first time and I have a few personal "rules" about that:

1. You must purchase your own ticket, read the survival guide and be completely self reliant.

2. You must drive your own vehicle and be able to self-evacuate at any time.

3. I am going to Burning Man, and you are going to Burning Man, "WE" are not going to Burning Man.

4. You have to experience the event for yourself, I can't do that for you. I'll show you around the first day, and then you're on your own. I have lot's of friends at the event, and will be spending time with all of them.

I think this is a great thing to tell people. You can go to Burningman and camp with me, but get your own ticket, you way to get there, and don't expect me to entertain you.

[skygod]

Burning Man-- Bringing Families Together! --

[fancy1]

And for the other direction, I'm the parent and have been burning for years. Two years ago my son, then 25 attended his first burn. Yes, he bought his own ticket, drove his own vehicle and camped seperately.

We shared an incredible week that year, and did it again last year. It brought us closer in many ways, sharing the trials and adventures of surviving the desert.

And we'll be there again this year.

So, my two cents is this: If you'd like to attend, I've like to share it with you. I'm not going to beg you to go with me, this is something that you need to fully understand and want for yourself. Should you decide to go, you need to be prepared and self-reliant, not that I won't share or be there if you need me. But, please don't go expecting to depend on me.

Until August,

Fancy

[Flon]

...
He sings in a really great barbershop quartet
...

Hmmmmmm....

If the quartet ends up coming and is interested in new repertoire, let me know.

I woke up one morning a couple years ago with the idea that I HAD to write barbershop settings of readings from Mao's Little Red Book (and I don't even think there were any drugs involved the night before). I got a couple close-to-sort-of-almost done, but then realized how much work would be involved in finding/putting together a decent quartet and remembered how suspect my own voice was.

If someone was willing to perform them, it might give me the spur I need to finish this project.

[falk]

I think the odds of getting all the members of this quartet to show up at Burning Man are vanishingly small.

But the idea of have a barbershop quartet is so amazingly awesome, that I hope you'll advertise for other singers who will be going.

[typewriter]

We had an interesting experience in camp last year when someone brought their parents. This person was around 28, and the parents were cool open minded people as you might assume. They had no trouble with the enviro or the people or the parties, the nudity. But day after day of loud and graphic moaning from the neighbors kinda ruined it for them. Not because they were prudes, but because being there with their son and his wife and the next-door-orgies created a serious clash in their comfort and vibe. So they left on friday.

But its okay, they can't be blamed. They probably would have had more fun if they were there alone!