Episode 31: From Pilot To Pivot Burn (Róisín & Ulf)
In this episode we chat with artists Ulf and Róisín about the resilience of the local NSW burner community and their deeply personal creative journeys. The discussion centres on the recent "Pilot Burn", an event that was abruptly canceled due to permitting issues but was successfully salvaged into an epic renegade "pivot burn" through rapid collective effort, highlighting the community's adaptability and dedication. Beyond event logistics, the guests delve into their individual passions: Róisín shares her profound path into sound therapy, voice activation, and integrating wellness spaces into festivals and burn environments, while Ulf recounts his roots in the 90s German techno scene, his return to DJing after a decade, and the creation of his community-focused radio show. Ultimately, the conversation underscores a broader shift in modern festival culture away from mere escapism and toward deeper human connection, holistic wellness, and authentic self-expression.
Host: Stevan ‘Silent Disco’ Lay
Guests: Guests: Róisín 'Lily Ro' Smyth & Ulf 'Da Wulf' Sthamer
Produced by PY Wong & Stevan Lay
Theme music by Will & Kate
Pilot Burn | 15-18 May, 2026
Photo credit: Marcelo Araujo
USEFUL Links:
Sunburnt Arts: https://sunburntarts.org.au/
Burning Seed: https://www.burningseed.com/
The Third Degree: https://the3rddegree.org/
Blazing Swan: https://blazingswan.com.au/
Common Arts Victoria: https://commonarts.org.au/
Underland: https://underland.au/
Burning Seed: https://www.burningseed.com/
Burning Man: https://burningman.org/
Confest: https://confest.org.au/
Sunset Town facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wearesunsettown
Ulf da Wulf Radio Show: https://soundcloud.com/ulfdawulf
Why wellness is booming at festivals in the UK article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4p75lldgvo
Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Intro theme
[00:00:30] Intro panel
[00:02:43] Burner origin stories
[00:11:39] Sydney decompression
[00:17:46] People are interesting
[00:22:38] For the archives
[00:26:30] Pilotburn voice messages
[00:28:37] Sound healing and therapy
[00:42:00] Wellness trend
[00:51:54] Workshops
[01:02:28] DJing on vinyl workshop
[01:05:37] Skills from DJing
[01:12:22] Music influences
[01:21:25] Radio production
[01:22:38] Pilotburn voice messages
[01:25:23] Ulf da Wulf radio show
[01:44:15] Burner quiz
[01:52:50] Pilotburn voice messages
[01:54:55] From pilot to pivot burn
[02:15:55] Theme camps and art installations
[02:29:14] New kids on the burn
[02:36:28] Pilotburn voice messages
[02:40:11] Shoutouts and gratitude
[02:46:02] Burner calendar 2026
[02:54:53] Pilotburn voice messages
[03:00:08] Sticky
[03:48:25] Outro theme
The information presented in the following audio program is for informational, educational, entertainment, and archival purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on the Bonzaar Podcast are solely those of the hosts and the guests and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the entire burner community. Bonzaar Podcast is an independently-produced, volunteer-led, and community-funded project and is not associated or affiliated with the burning man organisation or it's world-wide subsidiaries.
This episode was recorded on 21 July, 2026
