I would normally be at Black Rock City, NV celebrating with everyone on the playa at Burning Man right now, but my recent move to New York City has me focused there. The current playa gossip is about a guy allegedly setting the man on fire early tues morning. Here’s my angle on it.

I’m more in the mindset of…do whatever you want to do on the playa as long as it doesn’t interfere/intrude on another person’s experience. Yea yea, the trance camps interfere with my sleep at 7am with their damned dush-dush-thump-thump music from hell…but I can easily (and do) put in ear plugs. So there’s some gray.

For me, burning The Man (I figure it gets a double cap) early and selfishly is a bit on the dark side of that grey. Regardless of any of his (the alleged arson) reasons, altruistic or not, he changed an iconic symbol for some/all playa citizens. Changed their expectations. Changed their experience.

For the good or bad? I dunno, but he intruded on the experience of everyone there and that, for me, is a behavior not to be supported. Ugh, but even as I write this paragraph, I hesitate because I also believe the following. And yes, I’ve quoted it before.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) “Maxims for Revolutionists”

So probably a better way–for me–to think through this scenario is to better understand his reasons. If they are altruistic in nature, then perhaps this is a good thing. We will all have the opportunity to learn from this. But, if done for some meaningless reason like cheap thrills, then his actions don’t justify the results even if accidentally positive. Living in a world where alleged arsonists set fires for selfish reasons isn’t safe.

[Update 2:28pm 30 Aug 07] They are about to raise a new Man. You should be able to see it in this live camera feed from the playa which scans across the horizon.

Yesterday afternoon, I stopped to get a chicken kebab, hummus, and the works. Then over the radio comes a memory, a song from my past. “Give Me Tonight” by Shannon. This and her more well known “Let the Music Play” were two early dance songs that I loved. I can remember driving down the road in my used white Ford Fairmont, with bench seats and a/c which you need in Alabama, listening to Shannon on a cassette tape. I loved “Let the Music Play” but when I heard the whole album, I discovered “Give Me Tonight” which became my favorite of hers. Several remixes of both songs came out around 2000 by Junior Vasquez and Hex Hector and are available online.

Last night, I was having a beer with a new friend. He’s lived in the city for a while and had me in stitches laughing. Then while telling a funny story, he said something amazing. “Nothing is private in New York City.” I think he could be right.

NYC is huge and has millions of people living in small spaces one on top of the other. People leave their tiny homes and go outside. While outside, with millions of people, you can easily overhear conversations in a cafe, on the subway…everywhere. You can easily watch people across the street in their home from your window. Not that I’ve done that. Ah-hem. Finally, people here in the city are brazen and forward. They speak their minds; I love that.

As an example, later in the night, I was having a trivia and dare competition with someone else. It was my turn for a question and the dare was taking my shirt off. Shannon popped in my head and I asked him, “Who sang the song ‘Give Me Tonight’?” Without hesitation he said, “Shannon.” Damn it. So I went double or nothing which meant that I would have to take my shirt and pants off. I thought a little more, still on the 80s kick, and asked who sang the song, “Cum On Feel The Noize”. In my head, the music style for Cum On and Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it” are very close. Both their videos (Cum On, We’re Not) also destroy houses. Again, not hesitating he said Quiet Riot. And like the trooper I am having no problems with nudity, I took of my shirt and dropped my pants for all to see.

Nothing is private in New York City.

A friend, Andy, and I went to NEWD at The Eagle tonight. Its a self-described “new monthly elektro fetish kabaret”. Tonight was Orwellian 1984 themed with optical lenses, bondage, odd lights, and women dancing in corsets. I have no clue why women dancing in corsets were there but the rest I got. The music was nice but, for me, the style didn’t match the theme. It was fun watching the slave in the middle knitting something out of leather string. I’m glad that their crew is out there doing this show. Creativity is my thing and I support it.

Lookout! Its the sunflower monster! Grrrrr!

The Decibel guys back in Seattle have been hyping their lineup for months now. Here’s my advice. Sean Horton and Jerry Abstract are two of the key guys; friends for a long time. I think both from near Detroit. They love techno and if from Detroit that makes sense. The technology for laptop music became affordable several years back and they leaped into it. So they are both laptop laptop techno oriented.

The first few years of the Decibel Festival were influenced by this. Nothing wrong with that, it was natural for them. But something that an attendee should keep in mind. They are not neutral curators, instead biased performers with a good knowledge base about electronic music. You will continue to see a strong influence of that music style as well as performances by them or their close friends in the festival even this year.

I do praise for pulling the festival together. No one else was going to do it as the public Seattle electronic scene has been sputtering near death since 2001. Once the stock market bubble crashed and people didn’t have extra money anymore, the audience didn’t go out as much. Artists didn’t have as much money to buy equipment. Bars didn’t experiment or pay performers. And unfortunately, that event six years ago has still seriously dampened the scene in Seattle.

However, Seattle loves festivals. It makes people think they are getting a good “bang for their buck”. They’ll take off their Teva sandals, dust off their tennis shoes, and go to a bar to hear a fest-i-val! Weeee. Sometimes, festivals like Decibel pay off; sometimes not. In this case, they bring in artists rarely seen in the town of Seattle. They bring the couch potatoes out to listen to music that is not played on MTV, VH1, or commercial radio. They bring a glimmer of light.

The Decibel Festival lineup is available. Look it over. After hearing about their lineup announcements for months, here are my picks and cautions.

• Henry DB Art Gallery opening. Its electronic music in a modern art gallery. What’s not to love for $10. Lusine is performing and you can see “COLORFIELD VARIATIONS”.
• DB opening part/death of party w/ Diplo, Switch, and Simian Mobile Disco. $17 is pushing it.
• Beyond bookings/ NYC showcase. I’ve heard Wolf + Lamb in New York. Mostly minimal laptop tech, but its ok. Not worth the $20 though.
• Future Funk Showcase. Its got another live set by Jacob London. I love these guys and deserve support. Its worth the $12. DJ Heather is also performing but she’s not my fav anymore.
• Sunday headfuk showcase/db finale has Chris De Luca of Funkstörung and Shitkatatpult’s Phon.o. I like both Funkstorung and Phon.o and recommend checking out their collaboration/batter here. The PR says, “…with a spirited live set of glitched out accapellas, booty bass and the filthiest break beats you’re likely to ever hear.” I’d pay the $20 just to hear what mayhem they might create
• Claude VonStroke is performing at the Mothership Label Showcase for $20. I think too much money but if you like his sound, check it out.

Ok, this is the must have toy of the coming year. Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc., of Torrance, Calif. has developed a prototype flashlight that makes people barf. Easy stuff…point and vomit.

They discovered that rapid pulses of varying wavelength light causes people to be disoriented and many to vomit. Specially with a specific wavelength of light known as “the evil color.” This is similar to the “brown note” also known as the “disco dump” from South Park which makes people poop their pants.

So look out. Next time you try to sneak into a building, some guard might turn a bright and noisy flashlight on you. Next you know, you’ll be spewing from both ends.