Monthly Archives: June 2011

Burning Man 2011, Janus - the Mutation

XyloVan to undergo full mutation

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(UPDATED)

Yep. Last year’s DMV rejection was a reality check for us. The Department of Mutant Vehicles is serious.

So we’re getting serious. The XyloVan crew are working to return to the playa this year with a fully-mutated version of the vehicle that will let us bring the instruments and noise around to everyone – rather than waiting in one spot in the middle of nowhere hoping people will find us.

In other words, we’re going for a full playa driving permit.

Click the sketch to see the full, mad plan:

UPDATE: Application filed. Now we wait up to 10 days. Very patiently. Got any cards?

Burner events, Events, Homo sapiens, Video

Back at the Egyptian – movie, art, glitz and Burning Man newbie orientation

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We returned to the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood for a screening of the new cut of “Journey to the Flames, ” a travelogue/chronicle of one camp’s 11-year citizenship in Black Rock City.

As usual, XyloVan attracted some wonderful music: Here’s a member of the Dirty Beetles art car crew just pouring himself into Keyboard 1:

Here’s a more experimental/contemplative approach …

And here’s how fabulous some of you all looked before, during and after the newbie orientation and playa fashion show. See you in BRC in a couple months!

Events, Homo sapiens

L.A. Food Truck Chowdown

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We spent the day Saturday at the L.A. Food Truck Chowdown with 50 of L.A.’s best food trucks, there live bands and hungry people who streamed past us all day long. Gorgeous weather. Enough said.

Kids banged on it:

This guy mapped out the “black” and “white” keys …

A father-and-daughter duet …

A steel-drum/percussion approach – once he got the extra sticks out of the way …

… and amazingly, nobody got barbecue sauce on it – or banh mi, or cheese balls or gumbo or marinara or sushi or cheeseburgers or cupcakes or maple bacon ice cream, or boba …

Burner events, Burning Man 2011, Homo sapiens

Xylovan’s 2011 summer tour schedule

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We’re starting to feel like a band here. We have gigs comin’ out our ears.

L.A. Food Truck Chowdown
Saturday, patient June 11: (late morning to 7 p.m.)
If you’re hungry and/or bored this Saturday, come down to the Los Angeles Food Truck Chowdown. XyloVan will be there along with a ton of art cars, vintage vehicles, artists, live bands, craft vendors, a video-game truck and oh, about 50 of L.A.’s best food trucks. Nice way to spend an afternoon.

Everything happens at the Cornfields (I’ll never get used to calling it the Los Angeles State Historical Park) near Chinatown. Ticket proceeds ($10) benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Film: “Journey to the Flames and Burning Man Newbie Orientation
Sunday, June 12, 2p.m.-10p.m.:
XyloVan will be joining veteran Burners all afternoon in the magnificent courtyard of the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood to welcome a screening of the latest in the L.A. League of Arts Burning Man Film Series.

“Journey to the Flames” is a 10-year documentary about a group of friends gearing up, traveling to and plunging themselves into Burning Man. (Here are a few film clips.)

Burning Man founder Larry Harvey and longtime communications director Maid Marian Goodell will be on hand with filmmakers Doug Jacobson and Steve Binder for some post-movie Q&A.

The screening starts at 7:30, but people can wander through the courtyard all afternoon and evening to check out XyloVan and other slices of interactive Burning Man culture.

Burning Man newbies are most welcome to come and learn from other Burners (including us) all about playa life – including Where to Get Materials, How to Survive, Why We Do It, What Are the Secrets, and Isn’t It Really Just a Bunch of Stinkin’ Naked Hippie Drug Cases Making a Mess in the Worst Desert in North America. (No, it’s patently not!) C’mon down.

And then, of course, XyloVan will be traveling to …

Burning Man
Aug. 29-Sept. 5.

About which, more later.