Burning Man 1997

Friday, August 29 - Sunday, August 31 1997

After having heard about Burning Man from friends for years, and having meant to go for a couple of years, I made my plans early enough in 1997 that I finally succeeded. In July I'd gone on a road trip with my friend Chris (Taz) to spend the Fourth of July on the Tulalip reservation in Washington where his grandfather lived (and where the use of any and all fireworks was enthusiastically supported). I asked him if he'd like to go to Burning Man with me and he was up for it. Later, after we had our tickets, he had work obligations consuming his time so he asked me if I could find someone else to go with, but I didn't come up with anyone so we went together. I'm sure he's glad now that it worked out that way :-)

We left Santa Cruz late in the afternoon on Friday the 29th. After passing through Gerlach, we kept our eyes open for the site. That year Burning Man was held on the edge of the Hualapai Playa, so it was further from Gerlach. We eventually began to wonder whether we'd missed the entrance. And then off in the distance we saw bright lights, which eventually resolved into a brilliantly lit city. Then we were SURE we had missed the site! Yes, really. At least we didn't turn around! We eventually came close enough to see that this was no ordinary city, and marvelled at what rose up from the playa.

When we arrived and entered the city, I drove somewhat aimlessly through the dark until I found what seemed like a good enough spot to stop, off at the edge of things. Then we leapt out and began our adventure. Despited all the literature I didn't have a good feel for how the city was laid out or where I was, but it didn't matter. It probably even enhanced the surreality of that first night. I just wandered, awed and dazed. Somehow I found my way back before dawn.

This is some of what I experienced that year.


Select a thumbnail to view a large version, or use the checkboxes to select an image set to view.
"View All" and other viewing options are at the bottom

Friday

Packing
Packing
{Taz & I [...]}

Fire Crowd 1
Fire Crowd 1

Aesthetic Meat Foundation 1
Aesthetic Meat Foundation 1

Aesthetic Meat Foundation 2
Aesthetic Meat Foundation 2

Mushroom Lamp
Mushroom Lamp

Strobe Flagellation
Strobe Flagellation

Fluorescent Tent
Fluorescent Tent

Eye of Horus
Eye of Horus

Black Light Camp
Black Light Camp
{This picture is [...]}

Control Tower
Control Tower

011
011

Center Camp - Inside
Center Camp - Inside
{At least, I [...]}

Red & Blue
Red & Blue

Center Camp - Outside
Center Camp - Outside

Tent
Tent

Man Over Man
Man Over Man
{Orion gazes down [...]}

BOB
BOB

Sculpture
Sculpture

Strobe Balloon
Strobe Balloon
{There's only one [...]}

Saturday

Opera Stage
Opera Stage

Rock God
Rock God

Taz
Taz

Kill Your Television
Kill Your Television
{A dummy family [...]}

Man Up
Man Up

Man
Man

Fizzball 1
Fizzball 1

Fizzball 2
Fizzball 2

Fizzball 3
Fizzball 3

Fizzball Umpire
Fizzball Umpire

Fizzball 5
Fizzball 5

Fizzball - Taz
Fizzball - Taz

Paraglider
Paraglider

Colorful Tent
Colorful Tent

Adam Katz
Adam Katz
{Outside Bianca's}

Scooter Boy
Scooter Boy

Minefield
Minefield
{Note the boots...}

Bianca's Smut Shack
Bianca's Smut Shack

Penguins
Penguins

Alien Chess Camp - Inside
Alien Chess Camp - Inside

Alien Chess Camp - Outside
Alien Chess Camp - Outside

ARF - Outside
ARF - Outside
{People lined up [...]}

ARF - Inside
ARF - Inside
{People creating [...]}

Hamster Wheel
Hamster Wheel

Radio Station
Radio Station

Center Circle
Center Circle

Sta-Puft Lady
Sta-Puft Lady

Water Truck
Water Truck
{The water is to [...]}

Media
Media
{This was [...]}

Bone Arch
Bone Arch

Incoming
Incoming

Ambulance
Ambulance
{I was later told [...]}

Painted People
Painted People

Art Car Parade 1
Art Car Parade 1

Art Car Parade 2
Art Car Parade 2

Art Car Parade 3
Art Car Parade 3

Art Car Parade 4
Art Car Parade 4

Mobile Living Room
Mobile Living Room

Fan Paraglider
Fan Paraglider

Couch Mobile 1
Couch Mobile 1
{Do you remember [...]}

Couch Mobile 2
Couch Mobile 2
{The person [...]}

Juicy Danger 1
Juicy Danger 1

Juicy Danger 2
Juicy Danger 2

Juicy Danger 3
Juicy Danger 3

Robot Television
Robot Television
{There's a camera [...]}

Mountains
Mountains

Rock God Construction
Rock God Construction

Gyrocopter Sky
Gyrocopter Sky

Dusk
Dusk

Stiltwalker
Stiltwalker

Fire Crowd 2
Fire Crowd 2

Flare John
Flare John
{Someone handed [...]}

Tripod Taz
Tripod Taz

Burning Mannequins
Burning Mannequins

Alien Chess - Night - Inside
Alien Chess - Night - Inside

Alien Chess - Night - Outside
Alien Chess - Night - Outside

Glow String
Glow String

Temporal Decomposition Point
Temporal Decomposition Point
{This ice spire [...]}

Neon Man
Neon Man
{Look carefully [...]}

Electrocutors
Electrocutors
{What's going on [...]}

Fire Face
Fire Face
{This performance [...]}

Sunday

Sunset
Sunset
{I sunburned [...]}

Flamethrower
Flamethrower

Flamethrower Setup
Flamethrower Setup
{How it works: [...]}

Fireball 1
Fireball 1

Flamethrower Fueling
Flamethrower Fueling
{It used a lot of [...]}

Fireball 2
Fireball 2

Flamethrower Line
Flamethrower Line
{A line of [...]}

Burning Mac
Burning Mac
{Assorted items [...]}

Missile Car
Missile Car
{I think that's a [...]}

Spin Chair
Spin Chair
{This chair was [...]}

Duck
Duck

Flamelit
Flamelit

Outrigger Cycle
Outrigger Cycle

Blue Man
Blue Man
{The faint upside [...]}

Pre-Burn
Pre-Burn

Fire Man
Fire Man
{That's a man on [...]}

Man Lit 1
Man Lit 1

Man Lit 2
Man Lit 2

Burning Man 1
Burning Man 1

Burning Man 2
Burning Man 2

Fallen Man
Fallen Man

Man Crowd 1
Man Crowd 1
{I couldn't get [...]}

Man Crowd 2
Man Crowd 2

Burning Platform
Burning Platform

   
Search titles/captions for: (?)


⟨⟨ Back to Burning Man gallery

All images copyright © 1997 John H. DuBois III
This gallery created on Monday, August 16, 2004 • 104 of 104 images displayed