23:59 on a warm Saturday night in late August, 2019 and the main entrance gate opens in one minute. Art-cars entertain thousands of waiting Burners with dance music and light shows. Once inside, they find a place to park trucks or RVs, or pitch tents, then get a good night’s sleep…for tomorrow we party!
Reuniting with friends from last year.
This Boeing 747 fuselage was shipped across the US for the 2019 burn. The interior was converted into a nightclub and people danced beneath the wings.
This was supposed to be the world’s largest disco ball, reflecting light from multiple lasers - until the creators realised that playa dust would stop its mirrors from reflecting and decided to leave them off. So, disco bald.
Every afternoon a group of English burners hold a three-hour tea party with homemade cakes and sandwiches, freshly brewed tea and lots of wigs and silly hats. Live music, too.
Many art cars offer free rides across the playa. This one returns every year and is very popular with burners.
Late afternoon on the playa.
The Man burns.
The first burn since 2019 was great fun, but physically demanding because of the temperature extremes and frequent dust storms. Nevada’s Black Rock desert is a challenging place at the best of times, but that didn’t stop 80,000 burners from an eight-day celebration of life, art, friendship and the best of humanity. Burning Man is the closest thing to utopia you’ll find on our troubled planet.
At the end of each burn many people give their used things away instead of taking them home.
Says it all.
Did I say it was dusty this year?
The 2022 Burning Man temple.
My friends Mark and Laura search for the meaning of life…
…and find it!
Porterloo sunset.
Meanwhile, I was posing for the camera.
Many people get married on the Burning Man playa, often using the installations as a backdrop.
Take me to your leader.
My beloved bike.
Home on wheels during the 2022 burn: a 10’ U-Haul truck. Cosy. Cheaper than an RV and only slightly lacking in amenities.
I hang out with the same bunch of people every year and we have become very close. This is our 2022 camp. My truck and all-important bike are on the far right.
This is what we say to dust.
Playa selfie
The 2018 title/theme was ‘iRobot’, so there were a lot of these guys around.
Not.
Black Rock City is 5kms in diameter, so a bike is essential.
Lamplighters.
Moving home.
The playa at night.
A street map and eight-day programme are given to Burners on arrival. The guide contains names, descriptions and dates/times of the hundreds of free events, bars, workshops, live performances and other activities that take place every day. This one is a how-to workshop helping men improve their attitude to women, the planet, other men, etc. Includes a free bar, of course. Always a free bar.
One of the many free services available at Burning Man.
Barbie offers a warm, but slightly creepy welcome to her Death Camp.
Yes, you are allowed to climb this. At your own risk.
Not a stray tent or cleverly disguised art-car, but an art installation in deep playa. A mannequin family are seated inside.
Laura says you can go home, now.
Day 1 of this year’s burning man.
‘Monaco’ art car crosses the huge central playa under full sail.
Monaco continues its journey.
The central playa is 3kms across and contains many giant art installations like this.
Sailing into the storm, Monaco makes its final journey in this year’s burn, just a few hours before the heavens opened.
After heavy overnight rain, Black Rock City turns into a sticky, impassable swamp.
Mystery gift of baked beans left outside my tent. Consumed with a bag of peanuts, an apple and a half-bottle of whiskey, it saved my hungry life that day.
For emergency use only.
Hey guys, what about me?
We’re having a breakdown…
A tropical breakdown…
The temperature’s falling…it’s simply appalling…
But we certainly can can-can!
After our camp was broken down and squeezed into various vehicles and trailers, the next morning I was the last person to leave.
The Crusty Swan has left the building.
Sol Gallery, digital photo, 2023