[Will & Kate] (0:05 - 0:26)

Burns of New Zealand, Australia and Asia. Radically making magic on the paddock round the fire. B-O-N-Z-A-A-R.

Bonzaar Podcast.

[Stevan] (0:30 - 1:22)

A big bonzaar welcome to all. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Stevan Lay or Silent Disco on Paddock and this is the Burners of New Zealand, Australia and Asia regional podcast.

A conversation show about burner culture and its localised communities. And in this episode we'll be focusing on the New South Wales regional pilot burn. Take a music artist's perspective of the renegade camp out.

We'll also have a discussion about our own journey into the love of music, sound therapy and healing. The subcultures and communities in the EDM scene. Podcast and radio production.

And a philosophical conversation about music influences and DJing. So it's an international worthy panel with us that we have here with three different accents. So see if you can guess which ones, which nationalities are which.

So please welcome Ulf, Da Wulf and Róisín or Lily Ro. How are we going?

[Róisín] (1:23 - 1:26)

Hey everybody, going good.

[Stevan] (1:26 - 1:35)

So I'm a blend of Vietnamese Chinese, but my Aussie accent is probably doing the heavy lifting here. So what nationalities do we have here on this panel?

[Róisín] (1:35 - 1:36)

English.

[Stevan] (1:37 - 1:38)

Ulf, where are you from?

[Ulf] (1:38 - 2:09)

Me, I was born in Dresden, which when it was communist country. And you know what?

I mean, some of my friends were from in school from Vietnam. And then we had a lot of people from Cuba in my hometown as well, because they were working in communist countries and they had an exchange. And then when the war came down, some of them left.

But I still had two friends that were Vietnamese as well.

[Stevan] (2:10 - 2:13)

And where did you grow up?

[Róisín] (2:13 - 2:42)

I grew up in England in a place called Luton. And my nationality is more Irish. All my family are Irish, hence my name Róisín being incredibly Irish.

And I've pretty much traveled so much of the world. So I haven't spent much time in England since I was 19 years old. So that's been nearly 15 years or something since I've been at home for a long period of time.

I've been an Australian now for nearly 10 years. So I might have a bit of a blend of the Australian coming in now. So, yeah.

[Stevan] (2:42 - 2:49)

Cool. Let's get into your Burner origin stories then.

Tell us about how you got into the scene. How did you find out about Burner culture?

[Róisín] (2:50 - 5:19)

How did I get into the scene in the Burner culture? I think the Burner culture actually came to me. I didn't go to it.

So back during the virtual burn in 2021, when we could not physically see each other or go to a burn, was when it was recorded here on the Northern Beaches. And we got invited by Shane SOS, me and my partner Ox. And we were invited and Ox got us to play.

And that's when I got introduced to everybody. And from then, from that time, then there were Sunset Island, it was originally. They got reestablished and basically remade into Sunset Town.

And from then onwards, they kind of like, they needed to reestablish a new team. And Shane says, hey, do you want to do decor? And I said, yes.

I had no idea what I was saying yes to, but I just knew that it's art and why not. And since then, most burns I've been to, apart from a couple, have been, including my first burn. I was actually a lead in my first burn that I created the decor for the event.

And since then, I've got much, much better at the job. But yeah, my first Burner event, it was quite a lot to take in, considering I did all the decorations and I made it look amazing. And then I also had to absorb the being a Burner in the Burner community with all the energies and how humble and welcome I finally felt like contributing something.

And I didn't get like, there was no questions asked. It was like, here you go. Would you like that job?

And no one like, and they just fully gave it to me. And that was a big, on my heart, felt really, really like welcomed. And I felt like I was stepping into more of a person with me without judgment and without expectation.

And so that was my big welcoming to Burns. They really, really make me feel like I am part of a community, especially being in the country on the other side of the world from where I grew up. And they've become my little family now.

So I'm really thankful for how much they've contributed to my confidence, my creativity outlet and my ability to just expand into any element that I am interested in. And people can, I can see new skills developing in me and I can see how, how other people can contribute their creativity and thing that they love doing in a safe space, in a place where there's, there's no judgment. It's just bring it along and let's go.

So that's my little story of welcoming here.

[Stevan] (5:20 - 5:22)

Cool. All right, Ulf, how did you get involved?

[Ulf] (5:24 - 6:00)

Yeah, that was, that was amazing. I just thought how active you've been, Róisín. I, maybe I have to explain a little bit.

Are you interested how I got into music or just the... Just the Burner community, first of all. Well, I mean, I actually stopped DJing and going to parties for 10 years.

That's why I probably have to explain a little bit more, really. But I can do that later. And yeah, I just thought I'm not really a festival person.

I'm not interested, you know, in events. I've seen a lot of events.

[Stevan] (6:01 - 6:03)

Do you go out camping though?

[Ulf] (6:04 - 6:51)

Yeah, I mean, where I grew up, we always went camping, you know, with families. In Germany, it's quite normal, especially East Germany, you wouldn't have that much money. That's how I grew up.

And then, yeah, my friends more or less dragged me, because of my history in music, dragged me to a burning seed. And that was the first time I played music again after 10 years with DJing. And I couldn't believe it.

I'm like, are you kidding me? I mean, this is like the best party ever. And I love the people.

Yeah, so that just felt like the beginning of my music passion, you know. I felt right back in the 90s. Pretty cool.

And I love the people and the creativity, you know.

[Stevan] (6:51 - 6:55)

Did you feel confident in playing in those stages at Seed?

[Ulf] (6:55 - 11:36)

It was interesting, because I was actually, there was a bit of miscommunication.

I was planning to play at a big floor with like 500 people or more. And that didn't really end up happening. And I prepared music from Wim Hof.

And I always wanted to do something different, you know. Even back in the days when I started DJing, always wanted to push it a bit. And I prepared music from Wim Hof, so people could just breathe in, breathe out, that kind of stuff.

And then the slot I had didn't really happen. There was a bit of miscommunication. But I was on a flyer.

And funnily enough, it was actually on the flyer with my real name. So DJ Ulf, which made no sense. I just put a little Excel table that was online.

I put my name in. And I didn't know what to present. So I called it artistic implosion.

And then I thought I'd make the rest up. So people actually ended up searching for that. Anyway, so it didn't really work out.

And I was a bit devastated, you know, because it took me so long to go again and do music. You know, to do it again. Because I'd only played with vinyl as well.

Yeah, and I sat down somewhere. And my friend, Mads, he was really passionate that you just met a cool dude. Reynolds, actually.

And he said, I need to show you this guy. He's a really cool guy. And I was a little bit, you know, in my own space.

So I thought, man, I mean, okay, I'm really passionate about this guy. Who knows? Okay, I'm friendly.

He said hello. And we had a little bit of chat. And I said, you know, I mean, sorry if I'm a little bit not in such a good mood.

Because I was planning to DJ again after 10 years. But it didn't really happen. And I wanted to do it with Wim Hof.

And he's like, well, I mean, we have some players. We can still do it. I mean, I can bring them out.

And we have speakers somewhere. We can make it happen. So, yeah, but I wanted to add Wim Hof.

And he's like, well, I'm a breathwork instructor. I was like, are you kidding me? And so from all the people in that moment, I talked to that guy, you know, who's a breathwork instructor and has players and is happy to go, let's just make something happen.

And I couldn't believe it. And then we ended up somehow organizing something in the Burning Man. So normally, as you know, the last time the Burning Seed happened, there was no burn.

So normally you can't get into the burn ever because it's not allowed. And they had a little party in the Burning Man. So I kind of, yeah, had to wait a while before it was my turn.

And instead of having 500 people, there were only maybe 30 people or something around there. But I did a little bit of ambient music. And Reynolds walked around and had like at least 10 people in the middle.

And they were laying down and he was whispering into their ears and did the whole breathing thing. And he did the first round from the rim of the breathing. And in the second round, I timed the music and the bass.

And I put the bass in the moment and in the tempo that people were breathing. And later, they said it was like insane. They kind of have never seen something like that.

And they absolutely loved it. You know, they said like the vibration was in. We didn't expect anything.

And then suddenly, the bass was pumping and they're breathing with that. And I'm standing there and I'm like basically looking from the Burning Man outside to this festival that I've never seen something like that. And I thought like somehow, I'm like, I am this festival.

That makes sense. I'm like, this is crazy. I'm in the middle.

I'm like, this is – it can't be a coincidence. And also, the other insight I had, you know, who cares about 500 or 1,000 people, if they're nodding with their heads, I don't really care about that. But, yeah, I had 10 people, like a few were around.

But those 10 people, they maybe never forget that. Or in three years, they're going to say, man, that was actually interesting and really amazing. And I still remember that.

So, yeah, in that moment, I decided to, yeah, start DJing again. And that I wanted to do that. I want to change a few people intensely.

And if there are three or four people on the dance floor that really like it, that's my goal. I don't care if there are 10,000 or 20 people. So, yeah, and that's my story, actually.

And then that's the reason why I started DJing again. So I'm really connected to the idea and scene, I guess, in Australia for that reason.

[Stevan] (11:37 - 12:02)

That's an amazing story. Let's do some time traveling. And let's see if you can remember this Ulf and Ro.

So back in November the 24th. It was a Sunday. It was on a Sunday.

November 24th, 2024 at Sydney Park. It was a Sydney decompression. And both of you walked up to me and said, we should do like a radio podcast, like DJ whatever. Do you remember that?

[Ulf] (12:03 - 12:04)

Yes, I remember that.

[Róisín] (12:04 - 12:04)

Yes.

[Stevan] (12:05 - 12:11)

So what were you guys talking about before you approached me? What was going on there?

You guys looked so excited.

[Róisín] (12:11 - 12:33)

We have to remember Ulf. How much time before? I'm sure we started talking about it before that event about how we should do a radio show and have different elements throughout the day and have like chit chat elements or storytelling.

I think maybe storytelling was a big thing so people could listen to other people's stories about their lives that could influence or inspire others.

[Ulf] (12:34 - 13:39)

Yeah, I was just brainstorming what I could contribute because I see people what amazing things they do. And I feel always like a bit intimidated almost. But maybe more motivated as well at the same time.

So what you said earlier that you put the camp together with others. And this is just amazing, Stephen, that you kind of did record people. And I was just brainstorming what can I add.

I haven't done declarations or something like that. So I just thought, you know what? Maybe there could be some type of interviews we could do with people.

And then somebody mentioned that you and Neil as well, I believe, would do some radio things. And I don't know. Somebody mentioned you and I just looked up to you and thought, let's do that one day, which probably is right now is what we're doing.

Yes.

[Stevan] (13:40 - 14:07)

So here we are. I'm mentioning this occasion because it was such a crazy but one of those magical moments. So here we are.

And I'm also remembering it for the wrong reasons because the cops showed up. I remember Ro was DJing and then the drumming circle broke out and the cops showed up. And they didn't shut us down.

They just told us no more drumming because it was too loud. The DJ music was okay.

[Róisín] (14:07 - 14:08)

Oh, yeah.

[Ulf] (14:09 - 15:30)

I didn't really realize that. But also I remember, Róisín, I think you and Ox, we met randomly and manly because you just were there. And we then chatted a bit.

And then I don't know if that was afterwards or before. I mixed it up now. But we went into the water and just jumped into the water together and had a chat, et cetera, because most of the times you meet people on the street and you say, well, hey, that's so cool meeting you.

How are you? We met at this festival. See you later.

But, yeah, so I loved that moment because we were just spontaneous. And I hope that I can do that more often with anybody who's maybe listening just to take that extra amount of time to get to know people a little bit better. And we talked about that a bit either in that moment or another one that we met.

And you were passionate about some radio stuff as well. And I said, like, why don't we do that all together at any of the burns? That was the original idea, which somehow never happened because at the burn you forget 500 of your ideas.

And then only two things that I feel. I mean, you have 10 ideas and then only three of them really make it into reality.

[Stevan] (15:30 - 15:47)

Well, it did happen. It did happen in the real world, right? Because you've got your own radio show and Ro you're doing some more sound therapy, some sound healing that we're going to be talking about later on, too.

So it did happen. So from that little branch off moment, so many things have happened. Great things.

[Róisín] (15:47 - 17:42)

Yes. I like the many pies, many different types of pies to put my fingers in. I've got my pie in the finger of DJing, sound healing, decor.

And now I'm going to be doing wellness space. But I think for me, the main idea when it came to the radio show is especially in this community, for once you've got interesting topics to talk about with people, stuff that you're really interested in, stuff that's more than just what's on the telly or what's real, it's about stuff that's deep and meaningful. And not only do you talk about deep and meaningful stuff, that can lead to you talking about a story in your life in a different way than you've ever talked about it before.

And sometimes when you speak to that right person at that right time, in the right energy, suddenly you have a realization about the same story you've repeated a thousand times. And you go, oh, my gosh, I did this because of this and this. And I didn't even realize that that was the reason why.

And you discover stuff about yourself and you rediscover what's happened in your past. Because for me, the past felt very disconnected since I came to Australia. It was just like, that was another part of me and this is me here.

But bringing them together and carrying our stories and our experiences and what we've learned and how we've got to where we are now and talking about them with people that actually do care. They want to hear what you want to say. They're like, oh, my gosh, I'm gripped in this story.

Tell me more. You don't get it. I don't find you get it much in the wider community, but in this community you do.

And I think it's really important for people to have that experience and be seen in what they have accomplished, even if they don't stand there and go, hey, look, I'm flexing my muscles. Look what I've done. Like, it's just about recognizing how special life really is.

Even when it was 20 years ago, you know, it still matters to who we are now. And I think that's an important part when it comes to these kind of radio shows and podcasts and stuff like that. You get the juicy details out of people.

[Stevan] (17:47 - 17:50)

You're talking about interviews. What kind of conversations do you like to have?

[Ulf] (17:50 - 17:52)

You mean in general or on the radio show?

[Stevan] (17:53 - 18:00)

Yeah, in general. When you're out there in the fire barrel, in the burn barrel, what kind of stuff do you hear?

[Ulf] (18:00 - 19:49)

Look, I mean, my job is I'm a UX designer. So I'm doing user interviews anyway. So I find people really interesting in general.

And I also ages ago was in India and there was a little seminar about nonviolent communication and the exercise was to just listen. And as I am also by chance male, that makes it a bit harder to listen sometimes. I'm a little bit, you know, it doesn't come that easy to us at times.

It was a really good exercise for me to really actively listen. It's different to just listening and then thinking what you answer immediately. So I find, yeah, I get a lot out of that too.

I find people interesting and yeah, I want to just know more about them. What's the meaning of life, you know? And I believe it's people.

It involves people. If I would be the last person on earth, there's no point. If I don't, if I cannot share all the experience I have with at least one other person, or I mean, maybe it could be an animal or something, but somebody or something that understands me.

So, you know, so you want to share the experience. And for me, that is. So I'd like to just talk and listen to people and notice.

I realized that I really just honestly like people and like to learn more about them. And I think that opens them up. It's like sometimes you have people that say, oh, finally somebody's listening.

And they have so many interesting stories, you know, I believe everybody is interesting. Everybody can be creative and just need to find that part. And yeah.

[Stevan] (19:49 - 20:09)

I believe in the long form conversations, the long form audio podcasting. And yeah. So it's something that for this community, I want to foster that conversationalist, you know, being having not just a small talk, but being able to be engaging.

And, you know, like you said, the listening part is very important. Yeah.

[Ulf] (20:09 - 22:21)

I find it very interesting that you do that and that you dive into that. And I was at a conference last year, South by Southwest, music design and tech conferences, the weird mix. It was probably so weird.

They stopped it now and it's not happening anymore, but they had it three years in Sydney. And it is of course very well known in the US somewhere, but the Mo Gawdat is probably pronounced it wrongly, but it was the keynote speaker. And he created, he's one of the people who created the prototype of the Gemini AI.

Okay. So, so one of the people that is a creator and he's one of the smartest people I heard. And so I needed, you did the keynote.

Oh man, I have to go to this conference this time. Yeah. And then afterwards I could ask him a few questions and I did.

So I did use the chance and I was asking actually, what do you, what should we do now that everything is going into AI it's harder to be maybe a musician or somebody in general to get a voice, you know, it's all going to be more information. What do you do with that situation? And he said, it's actually better to dive into real stories and people.

And he said, what he said is a good idea to follow with the long-term content and not so much caring about clicks or something, just do something that's interesting and that interests you. And it's meaningful instead of the quick and cheap information that you put out and it's all fake, you know, I think people long-term will see through that and yeah. And they crave for real people.

Anyway, I've just found that interesting. I have no experience with long-term talks. Just stop me if I talk too much, but I don't know if anybody's going to listen to that, but yeah, it's a good idea.

We will, we will listen in 20 years. We'll listen again.

[Stevan] (22:22 - 22:37)

Yeah.

These, these are for the archives. I think it's just, you know, it gets better by age because we're talking about things that is timeless, I guess just like you said, these are real stories, real people. And these are the people that's part of the community. So you'll be able to meet them. Yeah.

[Ulf] (22:38 - 25:24)

And if I may add to that as well, obviously the part that you say it's for the archives, there's actually not that much information, especially in video content over time. So one of the few people that were filmed from a very young age over, or probably the only person from being a baby to young age, teenager, adult and becoming an old person and dying is Queen Elizabeth because nobody else would be filmed and nobody had an interest.

So we are used to see young people and adults and then older people in movies, but they're all different actors. So I don't know if you heard about the seven up series. These are people that were filmed at the age of seven and 14.

And in Germany, East Germany was a similar experiment that they did. The Kinder von Golzow, the kids of Golzow, that's the documentary and it's the longest lasting documentary about normal people. So the first interesting thing is there was nothing too special about them.

So nowadays we always kind of talk about people that are special and nothing special or totally normal. And yeah, they filmed them every couple of years. Then the idea started with the East German communist government wanted to show how much better the East German kids are and did they become the superhumans, et cetera.

And then after a couple of decades, they realized, well, this experiment isn't really working that well. So the economy is down, et cetera. And everything wasn't much better than West Germany and they stopped it.

They stopped the funding, but the director and the cameraman and the people around it, they just continued on their own. And it was expensive. It's not just like a mobile phone that you can record something.

Now they have a camera with the film, et cetera. And they kept going and interviewed people and some of them got depression or they struggled and could see somebody whose parents are in trouble. They got in trouble as well, if that makes sense.

So you could see real people and I find that's much more interesting now. Probably I should re-watch that now. It's in German.

But yeah, that's the, I believe, the longest lasting real documentation of a normal person's life. And they continued until after the war came down. So it's like 40 or 50 years.

[Stevan] (25:24 - 26:12)

The idea that I had came from a frustration of not finding enough Berna, well, specifically our Berna culture, our regional content. So there was a missing gap. Why aren't we talking more?

Why aren't we recording this as well? Documenting things, just talking shit around the fire barrel, for instance. Some of those are just nuggets of gold of conversations that lead to other things.

Kind of like these little startups that people do in their garages and you hear about stories about how they turn into amazing things, manifest things. So that was the idea. Why aren't we doing it?

Why isn't there any content out there? So as usual in the Berna world, in the Berna scene, you have to do it yourself, right? It's a duocracy, they say.

[Ulf] (26:12 - 26:19)

So good. I mean, if anybody listens and has a startup idea, contact us. Contact me.

[Stevan] (26:19 - 26:29)

All right, let's go on our first break. And during the break, we've got some pilot Burn voice messages to play. So we'll be right back after these messages.

[Milan] (26:33 - 26:42)

My name is Milan. I live in Sydney. As my first Australia Burn, it was fucking amazing.

Thank you so much.

[Mariachi] (26:47 - 26:58)

I'm Mariachi. And thank you all the Burners. This was very special. Thank you, everyone. Thank you for the Tucano bird. That was amazing. Love you all.

[Courtney] (27:01 - 27:20)

Hello, I'm Courtney. I'm from Sydney. I'd like to pitch an idea.

So we're going to start a new camp, all silly, no nonsense. Yep, that's all silly, no nonsense. So very, very silly, but no fuss and no nonsense.

Yep, that's a new one.

[Eliana] (27:26 - 27:48)

Hello, I'm Eliana. I've come from Tasmania.

My message is that I hope that whatever you're doing and wherever you are, you find peace and you find love in yourself and in your surroundings. And I'm sending that to you right now. Thank you.

[Dan] (27:51 - 28:13)

I'm a Dan Dan, the magic man, all the way from Canberra, man. It's been good fun. Second Burn here.

And I must say, one of the things I've taken away from this is don't forget the basics. If you get that food in you, get that water, get that sleep, you can do anything. You can jump up and down until the cows come home.

That's my message. All the best, guys.

[Luna] (28:17 - 28:33)

Hi, I'm Luna from the Trinket stand. Thank you so much for welcoming me into your beautiful community. Thank you for everyone who helped me with fire for the first time.

That was such a magical experience. It's been fucking incredible. And I can't wait to see you all again.

[Stevan] (28:37 - 28:45)

Welcome back. Let's talk about sound and music therapy, Ro. Let's talk about your journey.

Tell us how this passion started.

[Róisín] (28:46 - 40:51)

So I met a girl called Ali Skiba. She's here on the Northern Beaches. And I went to one of her voice activations.

And when she sang, it's like I knew her singing. There's no words. It's just vibration and sounds.

And I just knew that was already in me. Like it activated what was already inside of me in like an etherical way. And it made me cry.

I cried my heart and my soul out. I felt like I was finally seen. And from then, I was like this is something I need to look into.

And through that, I just took my own little journey to look into myself. I felt lost for a very long time, basically. I just didn't know why I was in Australia.

I didn't know what brought me here because I spent a long time traveling independently from Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, Ghana, East Africa. I've been to a lot of places just with the flow. But when I got to Australia, it was like, okay, it's time to be an adult here.

And I didn't know why I was really here. And hearing her singing and feeling like that was something in me kind of gave me a lot of ease and peace. And I wanted to look into it a bit more.

And I took a course, a breathwork course. And through that course, I learned a lot about myself, how I always seem to find a challenge in absolutely everything I do. Like I do something, but then my habits are the opposite.

It's like I have this internal fight. And I think it's because I love challenges. And through that course, I learned how I saw authority, how I saw teachers, how I saw myself in society in order to step forward and do something as service for others.

I must understand how I see myself in relevance to other people who stand up and are of service of others, how others present, and how people host for others. So through that journey of learning about how I saw a person who taught me and how I saw myself, I learned that, okay, basically I saw a teacher as someone I had to follow word by word everything that they taught me. And I learned through that that even the people who lead and host are not perfect.

And they're human too. And through that, I kind of learned that I can do it myself in my own way. I just need to discover what my own way was and who I am myself in relation to others.

I'm not just another. I always felt like I was just another person, just kind of like invisible, just there. And it might sound a bit sad, but really it was just me totally shut off from my emotions and shut off from my ability to be able to see myself in space.

So I kind of was like had a lot of realisations about myself and how much I'd shut myself down in terms of protection. And the Burner community very much helped me to be seen. And in terms of like doing sound therapy, I started with a breathwork course.

And then it became my birthday only in August. Like it's only been about a year. Wow.

And Ali, my inspiration, had become my friend since then, which is pretty incredible when you look up to a person and you see a person running their own business, being on The Voice, you know, running this whole thing herself and being boss and being herself, like totally saying, hey, guys, you know, I've had a big weekend, da, da, da, da, like being herself. And that inspiration inspired me to realise that I'm not perfect, but it doesn't mean I'm going to be rejected. That's how I've avoided getting to where I want to be, because I wanted to pick out the flaws in myself to say I'm not good enough.

But she gave me two singing bowls of her old set for my birthday. I cried my eyes out again. Because these bowls not only were hers, my inspiration, but also that started my journey into doing sound bowls and sound therapy.

Because within a week later, I looked online, my colleague at work looked on Marketplace and she saw, oh, my gosh, Roisin, look, there's two singing bowls for free. I was like, oh, I've got to go get those. So I got in the car straight after work and I went and got them.

So within two weeks of receiving my first two singing bowls, I now have four singing bowls without spending a penny. And since then, it's just like I've been gifted these. If I don't use them, I'll just be an absolute fucking plonker.

So I took that on board and I just ran with it in how I felt intuitively it should run. So those singing bowls have started off my continually growing a mass of instruments. Because once you start, it just gets more and more because it's very exciting.

So I started doing sound baths with breathwork and singing on top with additional light language. And when I started doing these events, I start with breathwork, I go into hypnosis and a sound bath at the end. The feedback I received from people was absolutely incredible.

People were telling me that they went to places that were so beautiful that they didn't want to come back, that they explored old temples, that they saw light beings, that when I sang, this whole story was happening in their mind. The first story that changed everything for me was a lady saying to me, when you sang, it was like the soldiers hundreds and hundreds of years ago, it's like the soldiers had left a war. Imagine they're leaving war and they're really exhausted, they're fatigued, they're tired.

But it was like I was singing for the losses that they had but also singing for the life that they have ahead and the gratefulness. And I just stood there in awe like, what? Because the singing was something that I didn't understand and it just comes through me, almost like channeling.

And here that was created for somebody, that moment of awe and a deep story of the cycle of life, the life and death and the gratitude and the loss. It's almost like I'm holding this golden gift that has always been there but I haven't allowed myself the recognition to see myself holding it. So from that then I've just had this inspiration to keep going with it because I always imagined that if I was going to do something and get paid, that it had to be something serious like a boring job or something that I didn't like.

So it's taken me a long time to get to the point where I'm like, no, you can do these things. They light you up and they give you energy and they inspire people and it can be something substantial. It can be a monetary value.

It can bring me some sort of livelihood as well. It's a balancing figure of eight. It's an exchange.

So through that I've expanded my instrumental to like I've got a rain stick, I've got Koshi chimes, I've got like a dramatic drum and all these are used within my sessions and I bring some in and some out in order to create an experience for people depending on what the session is, whether it's deep and transformative or whether it's relaxation and enlightenment. This was something I'm really, really passionate about and I already know that how I do it is completely different to anybody else and my ability to hold the space. It's almost like my thinking mind that totally switches off, which does not happen very often.

And when it switches off, it's like I allow this channel to open and it's unlimited channel of possibility for the people that are there in that space. So I tune in and I see and I almost know what each person needs, even to the point where I did a breath work with a sound bath at Spice of Life and I walked around people and I just used prompts and stuff. For example, just let it go, just let it go.

Relax your muscles. And when I was walking around, I got feedback from a few people after and they said what was fantastic is they were lying down and it's literally like I came over to speak to them and they said, you came over, you were right by me and you said let it go. And they were like, that is the words I needed to hear at that particular moment in time.

It's like you knew it. It's like you knew what to say at that time. And I'm like, life is just so fucking cool.

This invisible fantastic force that sits around us to be used and to be harnessed, if you just open up and let your mind just melt away. So through doing Spice of Life and doing the breath work, I've also had a girl come up to me at the event on the weekend telling me, oh my gosh, that breath work at Spice, I still think about it to this day. So I never really know the impact and how far it has gone.

And I just love it. It just lights me up. So I decided in Sunset Town, the camp that I'm involved in, it's basically quite male dominated.

I'm one of the female leads. So I was like, I needed to implement a little bit of femininity in here. So I was like, hey guys, what we're going to do in the open ceremony, which you don't often do, but we did on the last one.

So we're going to have a sound bath. So I set up the sound baths on the doppiers and my singing bowls, and everybody came around for the open ceremony. And I sang on the doppiers.

Everybody knows that speaker system. That is a pretty insane system. And I did the bowls.

And it just set almost like a grid on the whole land, that I had a story from somebody that told me, is that they looked up into the sky. So imagine like it's clear right above you, but it's in a field where there's pine trees all around. And he says, I looked up.

And as soon as you start singing, it's the trees literally look like they bowed down. Literally all of them came in to listen. I was like, what?

Wow. So I'm like, these little impacts can make such a big, bigger impact than I could ever imagine that I'm just sitting there and singing. So now Shane and the crew are saying, hey, it's a must.

We have to have a soundbar for every time. And I did another one at Pilot Burn as well, which went fantastically. So they just keep getting bigger and better.

And I get more confident. And I experiment every time. So I feel like doing that is kind of like almost, it almost sets a different tone to the whole chaos of, sometimes like burns can be quite chaotic.

There's a lot of stuff going around. And I feel like it just adds on that gentle layer of frequency over the top of everything going around. And it kind of brings the environment together, even just for that period of time.

And it resets people and it allows them to release whatever's being held in or whatever's going on. And I tell you, I definitely need lots of time, which I don't allow myself after, especially when I've burned, to reset myself. But yeah, so that's basically my sound healing journey.

And my passion and what I'm working to into a business and what I want to provide to the wider community. And I want to also go into more voice activation because of the story I mentioned about how it brought my voice forward and how I feel like it's almost like I'm channelling a larger energy. It makes me feel connected to a wider source than just this 3D realm that we live in.

So that's my story.

[Stevan] (40:52 - 40:56)

And you have plans to do a wellness retreat at 3rd Degree?

[Róisín] (40:56 - 41:59)

Yeah, I've been tasked with the job of – this is a new job. It's got a new job happening. So I'll be running the wellness space at 3rd Degree and it will be in the Scouts Hall and it will be during the day.

So I'll be putting a shout out for people that want to run wellness workshops. I just came up with an idea of like an aerial yoga kind of session because I think that would be awesome and maybe a sound bath in some blow-up beds or something because you would have all the sounds going through the beds and it would go into your body. Anything from that to massages to mindfulness to presence of different workshops that people – I haven't really thought too far into exact workshops but I know that things will organically come together and people will start to get on board with thinking of new ideas, maybe new ideas that we can bring peace and release and calm to sometimes a chaotic event with lots of things going on.

[Stevan] (42:00 - 42:47)

I want to ask you both about the wellness scene in festivals and in certain communities where it's becoming, I guess, more in demand. People are actually wanting ice baths or saunas or breath work or even running clubs, all these healthy kind of living lifestyle events into the burns, into these big festivals now. What do you guys think about that, how that's the new trend that's going on?

Because people, they just want to be going out there partying all night, spending all night and getting flogged the next day. You don't feel really great. You feel pretty seedy.

You don't have much energy. So yeah, people are rethinking about how we do things, how we party and behave.

[Ulf] (42:47 - 49:05)

Yeah, it makes sense. First of all, I remember Embers festival and it was so cold. There was a sauna there and without the sauna, I probably wouldn't have survived it.

So wellness, it can be life-changing or life-saving. But really, I mean, I did events. I had a little crew in Germany.

We were at times 20 people, but really two people who started it and they're always there, me and my friend Marlon. And we did all kinds of events and when we did those, we really thought about the experience. That's my take on it.

We did some parties in castles and caves and stuff like that. The idea is really, I mean, what's the experience that somebody has when they come to an event? And obviously when the music started in the 90s, I felt it was amazing because I've never listened to music like that.

So that was kind of enough. And then we had a bit of, we provided a subculture that was very contrarian to, contrary to older people, we perceived as like the incumbents that are in my country. We're a lot more of the conservative people.

So the younger crowd wanted to be different. So we loved that they hated us. So we put the loud music on and we were kind of having crazy stuff.

So that was enough. But now I feel we need to evolve as well. We don't need to evolve because things change, but the context changes a little bit.

And I've seen so many parties. One of my side jobs was to review how cool a party was. For two years in my hometown, I checked every party on Friday and Saturday and was getting free entries.

I've seen hundreds of parties, more than a normal party girl would ever see. I find it quite boring to go in King's Cross to a party where there's one floor and there are a couple of DJs I never heard about. So that's why I stopped partying.

Not because I didn't like music. I always liked electronic music. I like jazz.

I like all kinds of music. But it was just boring to me. And the concept is boring.

And there's no real connection between people. If you really think about the experience for the party, it's sort of groups of people. They need to drink alcohol so they feel a little bit nicer and then welcoming and then occasionally say hello to another little group.

I'm sorry, but I mean, what is that? Is that all you can offer? I don't know.

I'm laughing at that. That sounds... This is like the standard from society.

And then some people get extremely drunk and they're like, oh, we had a crazy party. And I feel like it compares to something insane like the BBC. They probably see not even 1% of what a party can be.

But it's not necessarily that you need to be more high or something like that. The experience is better and more diverse, more intense. Like what Sheen said.

It's these experiences where people really... Yeah, it changes them. That's amazing.

Or just the diversity when you see a different perspective. I must say that the electronic music scene that I'm coming from, like the techno scene from the 90s in Germany, we always had a chill out. It was not acceptable that you have a party where there is not a chill out.

Why? Because that's a social ground where you talk with people. You build up a scene like that.

You're not just somebody who's consuming. You wait in a queue. Then the bouncer tells you how much money you have to pay.

You pay the money. You enjoy yourself for five hours or so. And then you leave.

That is not the original emerging and the original techno movement. It's not like that. That's like some Norwegian life.

It was like a normal discotheque. It's kind of bullshit. So I don't understand why clubs should not be like that.

I understand that you have to do it sometimes. And still, if the music is great, it's fine. But it makes complete sense to extend that experience with all kinds of modalities.

So that's why I really dive back into those festivals. Because I feel you can do a lot of things on your own time. I really enjoy exploring new things.

And you can have a good chat with somebody maybe around a fire for two hours. Or you can dance for seven hours. Or you can just dance for half an hour.

And you go back somewhere where it's a bit more quiet. So it gives different people different experiences. Plus, you might even learn something.

So that's why all these workshops became a little bit bigger. Because people said, Wow, I feel I was the first time at a yoga workshop. I never heard sound people.

Wow, that's my thing. So it becomes more meaningful and connects people. It makes actually no sense to not have that.

There's also change in a younger generation that does not necessarily go out that much. So I feel there could be a way to connect them as well with real people. Which came largely after COVID.

A lot of people had a bit of trouble to connect as real people.

[Stevan] (49:05 - 49:27)

Yeah, people are after the inverse. So the party, like you said, or the chill out is the party. Whereas you can have a little dance floor, some little stages on the side.

But the chill out or the wellness is the party. And that's what people come for. It's the connection.

It's the community and the transformation experience.

[Ulf] (49:28 - 50:31)

For example, at Subsonic. I went there and a few people told me I never went. So for those people that never went there, there was one floor that had just workshops.

And then other than that, there were a couple of music floors with really great music. And I found myself most of the times in the workshop space because it's just so cool. I like it.

But I also met a few people that are not interested in their life. You know what? I never go to the workshop space.

And I said to one of them, you know, you might never go to the workshop space. But it still changes the whole festival. Because the 10 people that just went, I saw them on the dance floor.

They're all smiling. They're not smiling because the music bass kicked in. They're smiling because they saw each other.

They've been to this workshop together. They feel they got to know the strangers. And they had a better experience.

And they now smile at you as well. So guess what? You also got something out of it, even if you never went to.

[Stevan] (50:31 - 50:38)

So sometimes you think it's your music, but it's not. It's the workshops or the other events that people connected through.

[Ulf] (50:39 - 51:49)

Yeah. I mean, yeah. So, look, I mean, a friend of mine, he runs an authentic related workshops.

And on the, what's it called? The Lovefest, New Year's Eve, where I play music. He did that as well.

And I did a jiu-jitsu workshop there as well, by the way. It was fun. But his was probably more changing people's lives.

And they were very vulnerable. They opened up, et cetera. I feel just having that as part of a festival or any event can be very good.

Because it brings people more together. And then there are some people act each other. And they got to know each other.

And you share with a stranger. It changes the whole event. So I think we should double down on that.

And be vulnerable. And nobody is always in a good mood. Or we need to support each other.

Not everything is always perfect. But if we get to know each other a little bit more and are vulnerable, then we can support each other. Sometimes we make mistakes.

Somebody else helps us. And vice versa.

[Stevan] (51:50 - 51:59)

Can I ask you, Ro, you host events. But what are the workshops or talks or sessions that you go to that you like to see?

[Róisín] (51:59 - 52:01)

Well, that I go to in the burns or in general?

[Stevan] (52:01 - 52:02)

In general. What would you like to see?

[Róisín] (52:03 - 53:24)

What would I like to see? The funny thing is the only thing that comes to mind, actually, which I've actually wanted to do is when I traveled to Africa, I volunteered in this remote village. And in this remote village I learned a song.

And it was like a song where you're in a circle. And you repeat the song. And everybody starts to add the dance moves on.

To the point where at the end of it you're just moving around like a crazy wobbly thing. And I've really wanted to actually have that as a workshop. And I'm imagining how big the circle could be.

So everybody at the beginning just only moving one hand. Then the other. Then your whole body at the end.

And I'm just imagining like a whole circle of eight people just cracking up, laughing at each other because they just look like absolutely crazy things. I don't know what I would call that workshop. But that would be really fun.

I've been imagining that. And in terms of other workshops, I think I like the idea of them. I don't know if you've seen the one where a person holds with their finger two people.

And they'll hold a stick on either end with their finger. And what they have to do is they have to move their body. But they can't let go of the stick on either end.

So they have to fluidly move around each other in like a dance movement position. And then they can do it with other people without dropping the stick. I'm not sure what it's called.

Have you ever seen that one?

[Stevan] (53:25 - 53:25)

No.

[Róisín] (53:25 - 56:05)

But that one would be really nice because it's all about balance and flow.

But it's not about like, you know, you've got contact improv and stuff like that where you're like touching the other person. For me, sometimes I get a little bit funny about being really close to people and the energy, you know, the energy exchange. But this one with the stick kind of creates a bit of distance but also creates the connection at the same time.

And it means that you have to be more in flow because you can't drop the stick. I must find out the name for it. In terms of other workshops, I'm not really sure.

Maybe voice activation would be really, really awesome because it will get people singing and singing seriously because when it came to Pilot Burn, at the end, right at the end of Pilot Burn, Stardhulk got his guitar out and we all started singing, right? And everybody started singing like, you know, like you would like silly singing. And then I started busting out my proper singing.

And then before I knew it, everybody was proper singing. And I think I had Tereasa or somebody next to me. And she was just like, oh, my gosh, I'm so glad you sat next to me.

And it's almost like the initiation of like not taking it seriously but almost like take yourself, put yourself out there a little bit more seriously, like show your true voice. Don't just have like a jokey voice, which is fun sometimes. But sometimes we need that platform with people that we trust.

They aren't judgmental. You're not getting paid for it, so you're not worried about it. But actually put your voice forward.

And the amount of people that were singing absolutely incredibly all together in a circle that I don't think they'd ever done that before was really, really nice. And the experience was really nice because everybody was really getting into it. Instead of jokingly like shouting over each other, it became like a moment where people could actually hear their own singing voice in front of other people.

So a voice activation would be amazing for people. And it will get people kind of like experimenting with their vocal chords and experimenting with their voice amongst others and not worried about how it's coming out. Because voice activation isn't about, it's not about, oh, listen to my really incredible singing voice.

It's literally about experimenting with notes through your vocal chords and through your chest and just seeing how they feel and also just letting them come out in any way, shape, or form that they come out in and knowing that it's okay and no one's judging you and no one gives a shit. Just fucking let it go. Let it loose and give it all you got.

Because at the end of it, the most therapeutical thing is the vibration of your own voice will only be felt through your own body the most, more than anybody else's. And for you, it will sound different, incredibly different and incredibly more therapeutic than it will for other people normally because it vibrates your entire body and being. So I would like to have a voice activation at some point as well.

[Stevan] (56:06 - 56:34)

Yeah, frequency and flow, I love that. I remember one year someone created like a bass pod and people would sleep there. There was a camp called Dream Gallery over in Blazing Swan.

And like you were saying, Ro, you had the idea of building like a suspension, like a hammock or something. So yeah, so the frequency and flow, I love it. What about you?

What kind of workshops or talks do you want to talk about that you want to see in general?

[Ulf] (56:34 - 57:45)

Before we go into that, I just wanted to say that my first is Confest, a called Confest, which I'm a fan of. And I like that it's a really good concept to just experiment and find your strengths or weaknesses and find out what you can do or what doesn't work maybe. It's a very forgiving format.

It is really cool. And from what I understand, it had a huge influence on the dinner scene and festival scene in Australia as well. Very underrated.

So maybe some people don't like it. It's a very hippie festival and no amplified music. But it is, yeah, that aspect is really cool that people, what Ro just said, she wants to experiment and wants to try things out.

And once you get into a mode, we feel safe to just try things which I feel that is really awesome. From the burners, you're very open-minded and you can just try things, you know. Maybe try small first, often big.

[Stevan] (57:46 - 57:48)

Yeah, the Confest. They celebrated 50 years this year.

[Ulf] (57:49 - 58:11)

Yeah. Yeah, I was there and played music there. So there's a silent disco that people set up.

And one of the people that set up actually the biggest silent disco I've ever seen is Oli. And on Confest, there were like around 400 people, I believe. That's insane.

[Stevan] (58:12 - 58:15)

We had our own little silent disco at Pilotburn.

[Ulf] (58:15 - 58:16)

Yes, I know.

[Stevan] (58:16 - 58:17)

We can talk about that later.

[Ulf] (58:19 - 59:31)

Because there's a connection. I played at a silent disco, I think it's three years now. And it was amazing.

It was really amazing. But I'm in contact with Paul for a while and we always wanted to create something new and try new things. So at Pilotburn, we wanted to create a game with headphones.

And we couldn't really make it happen because we didn't have enough time when the location changed. So we scrapped that idea. But we would like to do that on the third degree.

And we are just finalizing. Oh, we're just brainstorming the concepts to have ideas. But if anybody wants to join, it's a good idea.

So it's listening. Yeah. I don't know.

We just thought we will just create some type of games that nobody's done before with headsets and two groups of people. Like a little friendly competition. Yeah.

That's what I would like to do because it's very unique and it's the right space to try something new and maybe find something new.

[Stevan] (59:31 - 59:36)

And what kind of workshops impressed you at ConFest this year?

[Ulf] (59:36 - 1:02:27)

I mean, ConFest is a conference festival, right? Everything is here. There's some type of workshop there.

But I mean, that sounds weird to say that. But the one that is the most memorable is actually the one I did with Anaïs. Look, I mean, okay.

So the serious part of this, I don't just want to tell you the idea and what it was. But I find it's good that I mentioned that one first because everything that you do yourself and that is successful in the way you define success is the most worthwhile. So again and again, the ones that has the biggest impact on me is the one things that I do.

As they say, when you teach, you learn the most. And we did a little mobile rave. So with the headsets, we tried to organize microphones and I had to learn about the Wi-Fi or some type of receiver and sender that you can walk through.

And so we made a mobile. And then I downloaded the mixing software for a mobile phone. I know it makes no real sense.

I mean, how can you do that? It's kind of weird and it's not really vinyl anymore. But yeah, live mixed on the mobile phone and could even scratch.

So people didn't realize that I downloaded a song or a long mix, but I did a pre-mix something and then parts of it I DJed in. And then I would scratch sometimes and people realized it. Shit, I mean, it's live.

And they found it really cool. And so we walked around. We got some helpers and we had like 40 headsets and walked around the whole festival and gave out the headsets and played the music and we did different games and told people to run through different areas or do push-ups or whatever.

We gave them tasks. It was really a lot of fun. But also, you know what?

I mean, there were moments where it's such a big festival and there were like 5,000 to 8,000 people or something. And we wanted to go to the river area and it's far away. So we ended up in an area where nobody wanted to dance.

So we were about three people heading our headsets and it felt like this thing does not work at all. And we keep pushing and pushing. And it's maybe similar to Hugo.

You kind of thought maybe, oh, this is the first time I'm doing something. Maybe something didn't work in the beginning. You keep pushing and it's an amazing success.

And that's what has the biggest impact because we ended up having lots of fun. Yeah.

[Stevan] (1:02:28 - 1:02:33)

You also did a workshop teaching people how to play on vinyl. How did that go?

[Ulf] (1:02:33 - 1:02:42)

Oh, yeah. I did it for the pilot burn. Yeah, that was fun.

It was cool. I just thought, you know, this pilot burn is different.

[Stevan] (1:02:43 - 1:02:45)

And you haven't touched vinyl since 1996, you said, or something?

[Ulf] (1:02:46 - 1:02:50)

No. I mean, no, no, no. 1996 is when I started DJing as a vinyl DJ.

[Stevan] (1:02:51 - 1:02:54)

Yeah, sorry. That's when you started DJing on vinyl, 1996. Yeah, you were saying.

[Ulf] (1:02:54 - 1:03:05)

Yeah. I did a workshop where – look, I mean, I grew up in – yeah. I didn't know where to start. Should I start in the beginning or should I jump into the workshop?

[Stevan] (1:03:06 - 1:03:08)

Well, how was your workshop? How did that go?

[Ulf] (1:03:08 - 1:05:36)

Yeah. We had lots of people and there was a lot of interest from people that are freedom or only digital DJs, which is the majority of DJs would DJ digitally now. It's cheaper.

It's more accessible. And you can concentrate a bit more on the vibe, you know. So it's different.

It's not no judgment. It's just different. And they got a lot out of seeing and understanding how vinyl works and what – yeah.

And that's appreciated that somebody explained it to them how to DJ with vinyl. And then they might maybe add it. Some of them said, oh, maybe I play a little bit of vinyl on the side or put it into my set.

And so they really liked it. And there were a few people that never understood what DJing is. And I'm so amazed that people still don't understand the basics of what DJing actually is.

Even so, some people go to parties for 20 years. They don't really understand what's the skill or what's necessary. So they found that cool.

And there was a moment where I demonstrated and then I had a beat match to do records. You can't plan that, you know. I wonder how that works.

And suddenly I made a really quick transition. I'm like, fuck, man. That works easier than I thought.

Then the second one was a little bit harder. And we started to sweat. And it was good.

It was cool. It's like riding a bicycle, you know. You get into it again.

But it can be quite stressful, I find. Because it's just a different medium, you know. And when the record ends and you don't have the next record beat matched, you're basically fired.

And there are like 200 people listening or 2,000. And even if they don't care, I mean, everybody can hear that, you know. If the music ends, you're done.

You should DJ. So you're constantly stressed, under stress. And I saw an interview with Jeff Mills, who's a perfectionist vinyl DJ, recently.

And he said being a DJ, and that's the same for digital DJs as well, but it's just amplified on vinyl. It teaches you to react quickly on stressful situations and thinking for the next step ahead. Yeah, it's cool.

[Stevan] (1:05:36 - 1:05:40)

Is that how you see it, Ro? It's a stress release?

[Róisín] (1:05:40 - 1:09:21)

Do you know what's funny? When I started DJing, I didn't know why I was DJing. And I started with kind of in the clubs, playing house.

And I'm like, I didn't get it. I was so stressed on transitioning and everything like that. And then I looked into, like, why am I doing this?

And I started playing music I liked. And then I realized it became sort of like a meditation. I'm a very go, go, go person.

So it forced me to just stand there and, like, listen to the music. So if I feel like I need to transition, I stop and I stand there and I listen to the music. And the transitioning comes.

And it's funny because I've had other DJs see my decks flashing. That means for people who don't DJ, that means your track's going to be running out. And that's my favorite time.

My favorite time is not pushing the transition. My favorite time is I actually love, for example, was it Spires Alive? When I was DJing, the thunderstorm came down, like, huge.

And, like, it was mental. Like, the wind was blowing the rain inside on the deck. So I had people, like, covering the decks up, trying to get the back covered up.

Like, it was just chaos going everywhere. And you had to make a decision. You either go for cover or you just get naked on the dance floor and dance in the rain.

And at that point, it was my favorite time because I love having distractions around me when I'm DJing because it almost, like, takes away any thought I can have and it goes straight into, I go into full trust and knowing I got it every single time because I nearly, every single time I nearly have it, even when someone distracts me and I go, oh, that song nearly finished, but then, bam, I've got another one on. So I love having that challenge of them.

You can't think your way into creating music because that doesn't work. You can only feel your way into creating the music transition. That's how I feel because I was starting my DJing.

I didn't want to be taught how to do it. I just wanted to be shown what do these buttons mean and leave me alone because if I can't figure it out and I can't hear it with my own ears and I can't work through it myself, I believe I shouldn't be doing it at all. With anything creative and with music, it's about the feeling of it and about almost the inner knowing of it.

That can't be taught. Otherwise, you just become another copy of somebody else because you're just doing it the same as them. So, yeah, I think it's all about just totally trusting in yourself if you've got it or not and if you hear the music, you've got to listen to the music and to the beat and not just think about the next step.

And then the more you let it go, the more you let it flow, the more you can just like on the weekend I was fucking around with a bunch of transitions and effects and stuff that I used to avoid a long time because I didn't want to fuck up, but now on the weekend I just went for it knowing that I had it. And it's about the journey really and it's fun. It's very fun when you get to that and you don't stress about it anymore.

I used to sometimes cry after a set and I'd have Ox come up and give me a hug. He's like, oh, it's so amazing. I'm like crying my eyes out.

He's like, what? You just get stuck. You get stuck behind the decks and it's like it's a different world for you than it is for the other people listening.

The other people listening are like, wow, this is amazing. And I used to get so stuck up in this mind thinking, this tornado behind the decks going, oh, I messed up. Oh, what's the next step?

So I've come far to just let it go and just enjoy it and step back and go. If I'm stressing too much, then just listen to the music because I chose the music because I love it. So just enjoy it every time that it's playing.

That's my little journey of DJing.

[Stevan] (1:09:22 - 1:09:29)

And what inspired you? Do you remember the first time when you fell in love with DJing or the first time falling in love with music?

[Róisín] (1:09:29 - 1:10:26)

In terms of DJing, I suppose the first time I actually really enjoyed it was when I did it at Sunset Town at the first burn because that was the time where I felt more natural. I was out in the country. It felt like the energy, the energy it burns is different.

That's why I don't DJ in the city because I don't want to be there in front of a whole crowd of people like Ulf was talking about earlier about people just wanting to come and get drunk. People just want to come and they want to let their steam off for the week. They've had a break up or they've had sheer work and they just don't want to, just want to let all that energy seep out everywhere.

And you're at the front just receiving it all. And I just didn't like that anymore. So my inspiration was very much just being at the burn and feeling like this is the way that it should feel is everybody is there for the same common reason and it's just to be there and to enjoy, which is super special.

And it's my favourite place to be.

[Ulf] (1:10:27 - 1:10:46)

I'd like to add as well that you all did come on as a guest on my radio show, which is a podcast from Berlin. And you did an amazing set. So it's all free over here.

You should listen to the set. It's cool. It's one of my favourite people.

[Róisín] (1:10:46 - 1:10:49)

Thank you. It was so fun. Thank you.

[Ulf] (1:10:50 - 1:12:21)

I remember as well as a child. So I started to go to my first techno party when I was 12. I have an older sister who brought me to these crazy warehouse parties and looked after me in that respect.

And she had some friends that showed a few teenagers and kids how to DJ this wine. That's how I started actually. And one of them, because I had no money, gave me 10 records.

So I thought, yeah, you can mix with those to get you started. And I'm like, what the hell? That's cool.

And there were some really cool acid house records from Chicago. So it was good stuff. You could have given me crap records.

I got some really decent records. And I was a relatively shy kid. And it helped me as well.

It's not an easy task to be in a club or warehouse where everybody's older than you, first of all. And you're a couple of years older than you. And you have to perform.

And everybody's looking. And there were always some people at the time, they would come close to the DJ and look exactly what you're doing. It's like, OK, there's no way to make anybody more nervous than that.

So that was quite good learning, I guess. Because you have to get used to it. And that helped me as well to express myself in a different way.

[Stevan] (1:12:21 - 1:12:25)

Who were your influences? What kind of EDM genres do you like to play?

[Ulf] (1:12:26 - 1:16:05)

I started with Detroit techno, which is a bit harder music. But it's not too hard. It's not too fast.

The artists are from Detroit, because there's a big influence from Berlin and Detroit. And there was a big club in Berlin. It's called Trezor.

And they had a label, Trezor Records, and they brought all the Detroit people to Berlin. And that was the big connection. And the first record store in Berlin for electronic music or techno would be Hard Rex.

And I know a few people in Dresden, my hometown, who's just two hours away from Berlin. And lots of my family's in Berlin as well, most of them now. They had a branch, if you like, in Dresden.

Imagine Sydney and Newcastle or something. And the DJs, when they would go and come to play in Berlin, they would play at a bigger party or a bigger club. But then oftentimes the flights would be quite expensive.

So if you're a DJ from there, then they would be appreciative of another party where you get maybe a little bit more money and then get your flight money back or something a little bit extra. So most of the DJs from Detroit, they all came to my hometown, Dresden. And it didn't have a lot of famous clubs, but it had the best underground parties.

I'm telling you right now, they had better warehouse parties than Berlin at times. And all the Detroit DJs were there. So it's a smaller community.

People know each other a bit more, so it's less anonymous. And you have the same DJs that are superstar DJs, but they're in a different setting where maybe nobody expected them to play, and then suddenly this Detroit DJ comes in and plays a set for four hours. I reckon I was quite lucky because that is how I experienced that music.

And I think what I liked about it at the time was it was so different and a bit more industrial and repetitive. So I liked to mix it a bit more because with beautiful music, that is, let's say, rock and roll or jazz or something, then there's nothing to add. If I play the doors, as a DJ, there's not much that I bring in.

I just play one rock song, then the next. It's not really DJing for me, to be honest. But the more minimal the music is, the more I like that.

So it became more like an instrument. So I liked that part, and I remember when I was, I think, 14, I had a meditative moment. So I was dancing, forgot everything around me, and then almost saw myself from above.

I mean, no drugs. I didn't take any drugs. I was from that age until at least 20 or something, and I was just into the music and was super into that stuff.

My sister also gave me some cassettes from Kraftwerk and Ninja Tune. So I liked dub music and trip hop and all of that, like Portishead, etc. That would be the music, as I said earlier, and then the dance music, and it was very underground.

So if anything would be commercial, we wouldn't like it at all, because for us, the commercial party, if that makes sense, at the time would be where people were drunk and annoying, and a lot of girls liked the underground parties more, because nobody's pushy, you can just chill. So we didn't like anything that was commercial.

[Stevan] (1:16:06 - 1:16:09)

Anything above 140 BPM?

[Ulf] (1:16:11 - 1:17:25)

I played around 130 maybe at the time, 135, sometimes 140, why not? Let me imagine that, I'm 15 years old. But for me, that was all techno.

So we would play a bit of house, a bit more of the harder techno, even a bit of drum and bass, we just called it techno at the time. So it wasn't that differentiated. Now somebody gets a heart attack when they hear a little bit different music, and they say, oh no, I can't listen to that for too long.

But for us, it was all the same. So the different genres of the same thing and scene. But when I was younger, like 12, I was listening to hardcore techno.

So for me, the really fast techno that is more prominent now and becomes a bit more popular, for me it's like children's music, kids' music. Because that's what I listened to when I was a child. So I can't really take it seriously, to be honest.

But it's each to their own. This is way too fast for me, it sounds all the same. Even faster side trams, I don't like them anymore.

But for somebody else, maybe they listen to slow music, and it's the other way around.

[Stevan] (1:17:26 - 1:17:29)

And for you, Ro, who were your influencers?

[Róisín] (1:17:30 - 1:20:05)

When I was younger, I suppose I didn't really listen to music that much, but I can just think of Fergie. I had the Fergie album, London Go Down. Actually, one of my obsessions when I was younger, because we used to rip CDs, and you'd print off the cover of the CD and stick it in there.

And mine was the original Black Eyed Peas album, absolute classic. And then I went through an emo stage, so I had Limp Bizkit and I had Linkin Park and Snow Patrol and some of the depressing stuff. And Gorillaz, I loved Gorillaz as well.

I don't really listen to much of that nowadays, but that was kind of like I had to. Oh, and I love Lost Prophets, like a bit of rock. Yeah, they were kind of my main thing when I was a teenager, and then I went into more like jungle, a little bit of drum and bass and just R&B and the regular club stuff, really.

But my inspiration for music only really came, and I never went to festivals when I was in the UK at all, because it was cold there. You either choose to be cold and rainy at a festival or you choose to go on holiday for the same price and get some sun. So I always chose to go away on holiday.

So I never went to a festival until I came here to Australia, and that's when I started really getting into music. And my music here has been more inspired by my travels through Africa, so that's why I'm inspired to do more African and Afro beats and Afro house, because not only do I feel like it's a little bit different to the commercial, but I also feel like I like the idea and I like the fact that they speak in different, that they sing in different languages, because I feel like music shouldn't be the definition of the words being used in the songs, but it should be more the feeling that it inspires in people, even if you understand the music or not. And I love looking over and someone going, oh my gosh, this song is in Portuguese, or this song is in this, and this means this, and I really love the song, and they're telling me that's a song from like an old school song like from the wars or something like that. And I just love it because it creates more stories and it's more fun and it's about bringing together different corners of the globe.

So I also play quite a lot, I like Arabic, Arabic house as well. So I just really love the sound of Arabic, especially when they're singing it. Yeah, so that's my eclectic broad range.

[Stevan] (1:20:06 - 1:20:22)

Can I ask you both quickly about some of the health hazards of DJing? For example, like hearing loss, insomnia, isolation, I guess, maybe. What are some of the health hazards of DJing? Do you guys worry about hearing loss?

[Ulf] (1:20:22 - 1:20:45)

Personally, no. I mean, I never had a big issue, but maybe now I should be a bit more careful.

But I think maybe you're standing a lot, you know, if you play for a long time, it sounds stupid, but it would be cool sometimes to have something to sit on. We're always standing. So see, that's the one thing nobody thinks about.

[Róisín] (1:20:45 - 1:21:15)

I suppose like for me, I don't actually find it so bad with the standing aspect. And I always turn my headphones right down as much as I can, so I can just about hear them. I've got very sensitive ears.

But another thing is, especially with the taller DJs, is if the DJ deck is actually too low and they have to kind of bend over and it does their backing. Normally, that's not me. Normally, maybe I'm a bit higher, but I've kind of got used to it because Ox is very tall and the decks are up high anyway.

I don't think there's many other hazards really, is there?

[Ulf] (1:21:16 - 1:21:24)

For me, it was the other way around because I started as a child and I had to kind of get up. So the DJ decks were too high.

[Stevan] (1:21:24 - 1:21:36)

So you mentioned your radio station earlier, Ulf. Let's talk quickly about production, producing like a radio station and what do you go through and some of maybe the tips.

[Ulf] (1:21:36 - 1:22:31)

Yeah. Okay. And for different music, I mean, I said what I started DJing and why.

Very minimalistic. But I was actually coming from EBM, electronic body music, so a bit more goth music. And I also loved Jungle, but I only was listening for half a year.

I had three cassettes with Jungle, and then I couldn't listen to it for five years. And anything remotely drum and bass, I kind of hated it because I was so over it. And then after five years, I'm like, okay, I'm getting a little bit more into it.

So occasionally I would dance on the drum and bass form, really love it. But not that often. And then, yeah, I like all the type of different music now, quite diverse.

But I would, yeah, so the radio idea came actually way later to me. Yeah. Do you want to have a cut?

I just saw your message.

[Stevan] (1:22:31 - 1:22:35)

Yeah, let's have a cut. Let's play some more Burner voice messages.

[Angus] (1:22:41 - 1:22:52)

It's Angus from Sydney. And what I love about this community is that teamwork makes the dream work. And this pilot burn is an absolute dream.

[Captain] (1:23:00 - 1:23:06)

And then he just walks away. Hello. Is it on, is it?

[Stevan] (1:23:07 - 1:23:07)

It is.

[Captain] (1:23:08 - 1:23:09)

How do I know it's on?

[Stevan] (1:23:09 - 1:23:10)

It's on, just speak, yeah.

[Captain] (1:23:10 - 1:23:25)

Okay. I've lost my pirate. Please help. My pirate's gone.

And here we are at the pilot burn, having a ball. Having an absolute ball.

[Marty] (1:23:35 - 1:24:17)

Yes. Hello, everyone.

I'm Marty. I'm living in Sydney, originally coming from France. And it's just a really, really special moment to be all reunited. My last Burning Seed was in 2023.

And we had so much good memory back then. This was a hectic moment. And we made it happen again.

So thank you for all the organizers. Huge amount of work for all the team camp and all the participants. They made the efforts to make that happen.

Thank you, everyone. We love this community. And see you next year.

[Stevan] (1:24:30 - 1:24:31)

It's on. It's on right now.

[Mitch] (1:24:31 - 1:25:20)

Oh, hello. This is Mitch from MindSub. And we've woken up.

It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon on, what's today? Tuesday. And we're feeling all right.

I'm going to have some food very soon. Feeling pretty full of love. Damn, what a weekend.

I'm sitting here with Brownie, Neil, Gavin. Julian's just rolled up. I've got Stevan here as well as Chau.

And I am so goddamn happy with this weekend. So fucking good. Shit. Fuck yeah. I don't know who's listening to this. Keep doing what you're doing, bro. You're very strong.

[Stevan] (1:25:23 - 1:25:29)

Okay. Let's talk about your radio show, radio program.

[Ulf] (1:25:29 - 1:31:39)

Yeah. So I just told you the different music genres. So I started really a bit extreme and single-minded and techno.

But then always on the side like trip hop and other type of music. And then, you know, now I like acid house and melodic techno and all of that. And sometimes old school stuff.

And I told you that. So I opened up a little bit. And with the music, I told you that I didn't play for 10 years.

And then I restarted at the burning seat. And went to also to ConFest and played at the Silent Disco there. And at the Silent Disco, I did.

Oh, no. Sorry. Before that.

I called my friend after 10 years. So I started DJing a little bit again. Called my friend.

And I played music with him in my hometown. And I played at a lot of their parties. And they did a little compilation where I produced a few songs.

You know? And I put them on the compilation. Just for fun.

Just for free. And then I called him up and asked, hey, are you still doing music? Or what's happening with the little label that you have?

And he said, oh, we did 22 albums meanwhile. And I'm like, what the hell? This is crazy.

So I'm actually... It's called Cosmonaut Records. I'm kind of part of the record label.

But only because I'm the most amateurish person. You know? Just in the very beginning.

Produced a few songs for fun. And now they have really good music. It's amazing.

And funnily enough, this year I did a remix. For the first time after 15 years or so. I did a remix for my friend's song.

And then there were lots of people on there as well. That remixed his song. Like Drive Train is a DJ from Detroit.

I was like, are you kidding me, man? This is like one of the OGs that has one of the first records in Detroit. Is one of the other people.

And there are a few like that. You know? I'm like, shit, man.

Again, I'm the least capable. But I somehow sneaked in and loving it. And I'm getting back into the music.

And, you know, I'm just kind of making my way through crazy things. But what happened there is some of my friends, they have a radio station. It's called Minimal Radio.

That they do for 15 years. And I knew that. And so they said, hey, do you want to do your show?

Maybe it would be a good idea. You can be the only show that's in English. The audience is from all over the world anyway.

A lot of people from Eastern Europe for whatever reason. And I'm like, yeah, okay. I think about it.

But I didn't do it for over half a year or a year, you know? Then I went to Confest. And I played music.

And then my friend who's a bit MCing. So that's the same Reynolds. It's the same guy that I met at the burning seat, funnily enough.

So we did collaborate again a couple of years after. And he was my MC. So I'm like, okay, cool.

He's really good at that. I'm really bad at that. And I was waiting for him.

But then after his gig. So he did a little bit. We actually celebrated the moment we met because we did in the silent disco.

The transition from his set to mine. We did like say two people. Okay.

Sit down and then do a breath work. Which was kind of silly, but we like silly things. You know?

So a few people in the silent disco. A third of those. They sat down and did the breath work.

Or other people dancing around them. And then I started my set. And I was expecting him to MC a little bit.

But he said, oh, I come back in 10 minutes and left. And wasn't coming back for basically two hours. And I thought it was a bit pity that he doesn't do it.

And there was a singer that I organized. So she sang. But it didn't really work out that well because of the melodies.

I was a bit naive. And I'm like, let's do something new. And it was only for half an hour.

And yeah. After that, I don't know. I mean, I was really nervous.

But I felt I need to say something. And people stressed me out a bit. I mean, that's what Ro said.

If there are too many people involved, it can be a lot. You know? Especially when it's new equipment.

You don't know what's happening in the background. Oftentimes the DJ is blamed. But the technology doesn't work.

And I'm trying to fix that problem while DJing. And nobody is seeing that. So that will happen a little bit.

And then I just breathe in and out. And I kind of just let go. And somehow I took the microphone and talked to the crowd.

Two hundred people or so. And I said, like, okay. Sorry I got a little bit distracted with different things.

Now let's begin. And then I narrated actually how the music that I was playing. So I said, for example, okay, the next song is from Brazil.

Imagine you're on a beautiful beach in Brazil. With the coconut palms, et cetera. And I could see a few people close to the DJ decks.

And there was this guy. And he's like really into it. Really imagining he's in Brazil.

And it was a bit Brazilian music. And then the next song was some Berlin club sound. Imagine you're in Berghain now in this club.

So people really fucking loved it. And I commented as well. So there's some people coming in that I met earlier.

So this is a nudist camp. Everybody knows them. And I said, oh, the nudists are coming as well.

Everybody started laughing. It was really cool. And after that experience, I thought, you know what?

Maybe there's something more to this radio show. People said it was quite fun to listen to you. And might as well.

And actually, to be honest, the next show is coming on. And I vouched to myself I'm going to definitely do 12 episodes. And then see how it goes.

And this is number 12. So I'll see how it goes.

[Stevan] (1:31:40 - 1:31:45)

That's quite a big milestone.

Your release is every month. So that's your format.

[Ulf] (1:31:45 - 1:32:48)

So soon we have one year.

And I found it quite hard to spread the word in the, for example, community. And I'm on SoundCloud. And there are not that many people.

It's kind of weird. You tell everybody. I mean, there's still 100 people or more that listen on SoundCloud.

However, I have on the radio itself, there are normally maybe 500 people. It's now twice. It's repeated.

So there are at least 1,000 people that are listening. So that's really good. Imagine you start a podcast and you have to start with one, two, three people.

It's really hard. I'm super lucky. But then to grow and spread the word in the community is what I really care about.

That's proved to be a little bit harder. So, yeah, I hope that more people can really have a listen. Because otherwise, I said, like, if the numbers don't add up, I might stop.

So far, it's a lot of fun.

[Stevan] (1:32:49 - 1:32:54)

Yeah. And some of the guests that you have are from the Burner community.

[Ulf] (1:32:54 - 1:33:19)

Yeah, most of them, actually, to be honest. I had some. The first were two girls that created their own festival.

It's called Space Rodeos, Space and Cowboys. And we have had Jazz for Balance. He's definitely on Burner.

And he did some of the biggest dance events in Sydney.

[Stevan] (1:33:20 - 1:33:26)

And then we even had one interview where someone was getting a tattoo.

[Ulf] (1:33:27 - 1:34:56)

Yes. So there's one session where we hypnotized the audience. I just find it funny.

Imagine you listen to a radio and then somebody attempts to hypnotize the audience. I just like this idea. It's stupid.

We had Amanda LeMay. I mean, yeah, Confest. There's even Steve Potts is a Burner.

Yeah, most of them are Burners. And the last, I did a special for the pilot Burn. I mean, I'd say it's actually a Burner podcast.

And you can find it on Ulf da Wulf. So that's U L F, then D A and then W U L F on SoundCloud. Yeah, it would be nice to have people listening in and maybe comment as well.

Just because I don't make any money out of it. I just do it for fun. And it's a lot of work, but it's very rewarding.

Because, yeah, I'd say the interviews are almost my favorite parts. And last time, or the last DJ is DJ Mantis is also a Burner. And he has a cool party they do in King's Cross, sometimes on different locations where they donate all the money from the party to charities, which is really, really cool.

And he was talking about the full moon parties in Thailand, where he started DJing or getting into music.

[Stevan] (1:34:56 - 1:34:58)

And what kind of topics do you like to explore?

[Ulf] (1:34:58 - 1:35:29)

Yeah, I like the individual topics.

What's interesting to them and kind of find out more. And I find these very amazing people, really interesting. Just let it go.

And sometimes, because I can cut it, so it's a different format. I just have a casual chat and maybe 10 minutes were not that interesting. But the next 10 minutes are amazing.

[Stevan] (1:35:30 - 1:35:40)

Have you explored like different other platforms, different platforms to publish it besides Spotify? And why Spotify? Sorry, not Spotify. SoundCloud.

[Ulf] (1:35:40 - 1:37:55)

SoundCloud. SoundCloud came natural because it is where you find a bit more local artists.

But it is specialized on music. So it's actually perfect for remixes, not for long form content. So the show is two hours.

So the recommendation engine doesn't really work there. And the problem that anybody would have that is a DJ that wants to put some cool music online is that you're playing music from other people that other people produce most of the times, at least. And then sometimes some of those songs have copyrights or they're on a specific label, et cetera.

So if you put a long form content on YouTube, for example, or on Spotify, et cetera, then it sometimes gets pulled down and it's not that easy. And SoundCloud is pretty good at that. But then again, it doesn't really bring in the numbers.

I have to say I'm not good with marketing. It's actually something that bores me. I want to kind of tell everybody how cool it is.

So it's definitely something that I could do better. I don't know how you are doing that. But I'm sure there's more in other platforms because the problem with SoundCloud is that you have to log in.

It's a bit clunky, but it's free. So if they would have a better logging process, I think more people would try it out. But there are lots of people on that platform for sure.

And people that are interested in music as well. And also, for me, it's more practice. It's almost like a little task that I gave myself to really get more into music.

So I have to be presenting interesting music. I have to make a mix. I have to kind of organize somebody who's a guest mix.

I have to do an interview. And you do that regularly. It becomes a practice.

It's not a project anymore. It becomes second nature. And I find that my music collection is getting much better with that.

I always have to play music and listen to music. It's cool.

[Stevan] (1:37:55 - 1:37:58)

Yeah. Your knowledge grows and your appreciation gets deeper.

[Ulf] (1:37:59 - 1:38:41)

Yeah. And I'd love to present more maybe burners or people that are from Sydney. Because I don't think there are lots of shows where we present anything into another country.

Or a bigger audience. Australia is so far away. It's quite local.

I mean, I really just started. So far, I think I'll continue. But maybe spread the word so the numbers go up a little bit.

And then we can also promote good ideas. I'm probably going to mention this here in the next show as well. Because it's such a cool podcast.

[Stevan] (1:38:42 - 1:38:53)

We'll definitely put the links on the show notes. I've also noticed that you like to explore different topics of communities and scenes and a bit of history as well.

[Ulf] (1:38:53 - 1:40:15)

I mean, first of all, I'm all about music. So it's all around maybe melodic, techno, acid house, and everything in between. So any type of purchase music that I like.

Good music. I almost do that for myself. So if I like it, maybe some other people might like it as well.

But you can see there's a bit somewhere between house and techno. And not that cheesy, but interesting music. And there's actually a friend of mine that's called Marcus Lopez.

I don't know if you heard about him. But he is my inspiration for that. Big inspiration.

He's been one of the DJs we booked the most when we did parties in Germany. And he had a radio station on East Germany before the war came down and played electronic music. So all the people that are electronic music DJs from Berlin that are the first generation are pretty much influenced by this person.

Because it's the first time some of them heard electronic music. And he also had the radio show. And it's really kind, cool guy.

Yeah. So that's my inspiration, actually. And then he also went to Australia, I think 1996 with Mike Van Dyke on a tour.

Marmion. I don't know if you know. It is a trance song.

Marmion. That's him, actually.

[Stevan] (1:40:15 - 1:40:24)

So, Ro, you're on the Ulf da Wulf radio show as well. What was the interaction like between you two? How did he approach you to be on the show?

[Róisín] (1:40:24 - 1:41:35)

How did he approach me to be on the show? I suppose he just asked me to be on the show. Because I suppose it's the initiation of when we spoke about literally this podcast, about doing this podcast. I think maybe we had the connection in that way. And he asked me, do you want to be on my show?

And I was like, I have a thousand things on my plate. But absolutely, yes. I had way more things I needed to get done.

But I'm like, no, I'm not doing that. I'm doing my mix for Ulf's Radio Show. That came first.

And I just was like, let's do it. Because I'm like, I really, I just, I don't know. It was just a calling.

I was like, let me, I'm going to do this mix. And I got straight on to it, even though I was like, I have many other things to do. But no, this mix comes first.

And, yeah. And then I listened back to the mix. Funny thing is, I actually didn't hear the radio show until at Pilotburn someone came up to me and says, oh, my gosh.

I loved your set on Ulf Radio Show. I was like, really? I haven't listened to it yet.

And then I had to come back after that and listen to it. Because I was like, that is hilarious. You have some very regular listeners on the show.

So that's a really good thing.

[Ulf] (1:41:35 - 1:43:05)

Oh, that is cool. Also, there are some people I mentioned before, Berlin, et cetera. There are some people that do parties or they DJ for a long time.

They listen as well. But they're not, maybe they're not active anymore or something. But there are some freaking cool people listening.

Might not be like that many people yet. But I think that's what we said earlier, right? When somebody mentions that and really moves them or they get a little bit more out of it.

That's why I like to have, I mean, I just do shorter interviews, you know? Because I think otherwise people in that format, they get bored. I mean, they want to listen to music a little bit.

And I leave the music in the background. But it's really cool that they form a connection with whoever DJs or has a little interview, you know? So I feel that is what creates community.

Otherwise, it would be a little bit, yeah, it's just like Spotify, you know? But that exists for good reasons. But we want to be a little bit different, right?

And I would like that to be representing the Gurner community more, to be honest. So if somebody is listening and just maybe is not a DJ but wants to speak about a cool topic, I think I would be interested, you know? So it's not like that I need to always create it.

I feel that could be, yeah, I don't know. Could be fun.

[Stevan] (1:43:05 - 1:43:24)

I think it's a cool idea. I mean, you should keep going. I think it's great.

For me, listening to it, it's like familiarity. And then you have interviews and talk back in between. And then you have the DJ sets and the music.

So, yeah, it brings back memories.

[Ulf] (1:43:25 - 1:44:14)

I think what's also very unique is there's no sponsor. There's nobody I care. I can say whatever I want.

Nobody cares. I mean, I'm not like at Kiss FM or something. But they have more numbers, but I can do whatever I want.

And I'm on minimal radio, but it's not minimal. They're displayed there the whole time. It's a bit of minimal, but it's quite maximal sometimes.

I can just have total freedom. I can do whatever I like. And a couple hundred people or a thousand people are listening or two.

It's actually great. It's cool. I mean, I didn't know if it would work out.

So I'm quite stoked. But I feel the more you do, and that's what Ro said as well, the more you do anything, the bigger, the more you realize that you can do more things. You can do bigger projects.

So I think that's probably the most beautiful of that.

[Stevan] (1:44:15 - 1:44:32)

Cool. Okay. I've actually got a little quiz here for you guys to go through.

You want to play along? The quiz is for new kids on the burn scene. So this is like a burner culture kind of quiz to test your knowledge and understanding.

So you want to quickly go through those?

[Róisín] (1:44:33 - 1:44:34)

Let's go.

[Stevan] (1:44:34 - 1:44:51)

Okay.

Let's test your burner knowledge. Okay. First question is, this is a multiple choice.

So the first question is, at which one of the burns does the naked hippie run take place? The effigy, the temple, any or all of the above?

[Ulf] (1:44:53 - 1:44:57)

Effigy is what I would say. I'm not sure.

What do you think, Ro?

[Stevan] (1:44:57 - 1:44:58)

You're not sure?

[Róisín] (1:44:59 - 1:45:05)

The only time I can think of was at third degree at the end once it was all burnt. Everything was burnt.

[Stevan] (1:45:05 - 1:45:09)

Which one was it? Was it a temple or an effigy? What's the tradition here?

[Róisín] (1:45:10 - 1:45:17)

I'm trying my little effigy. My body says effigy. I'm asking it kinesiology questions.

It says effigy.

[Stevan] (1:45:18 - 1:45:19)

Effigy. Correct.

[Róisín] (1:45:20 - 1:45:20)

Yay!

[Stevan] (1:45:21 - 1:45:51)

You don't run around naked around the temple. I've never seen it done anyway after when the temple has been burnt. But yeah, it's not a common thing.

Okay. Second question. When someone is not visible or not well lit up at night, he's called a what?

There's multiple choice again. It's called a darkwad, a darktard, a dickhead or a darth vader. So someone when it's out at night and you can't see them, they're not visible, what do you call them?

[Róisín] (1:45:51 - 1:45:53)

Is this like a physical person moving around?

[Stevan] (1:45:53 - 1:45:55)

Yeah, it's someone out there that's not well lit up.

[Róisín] (1:45:56 - 1:45:58)

No one's ever called me this. I don't normally have lights.

[Ulf] (1:45:59 - 1:46:00)

Darktard.

[Róisín] (1:46:00 - 1:46:00)

Darktard. Yay!

[Stevan] (1:46:00 - 1:46:17)

Correct.

Darktard. That's the burner term. Okay. This is also another multiple choice. The correct burner vernacular here is next year is better, next year will be better, next year was better or next year is lit.

Have you heard of this term or phrase?

[Ulf] (1:46:18 - 1:46:28)

No, but I think I go with was better because it's funny. I didn't. Next year was better.

I'll start saying that.

[Róisín] (1:46:29 - 1:46:29)

Will be.

[Stevan] (1:46:30 - 1:46:39)

Yeah, correct. You're right. You're right, Ulf. And that's the reason because it sounds funny. Because it's incorrect grammar, incorrect term.

[Ulf] (1:46:40 - 1:46:41)

That's cool.

Okay.

[Stevan] (1:46:42 - 1:46:52)

This is fill in the blanks. Burner communities run on gifting economy.

However, you can still buy blank. You can still buy what at the burn?

[Róisín] (1:46:53 - 1:46:53)

Ice.

[Ulf] (1:46:54 - 1:46:55)

Yeah, I'd say ice.

[Stevan] (1:46:56 - 1:47:01)

Yeah, correct. Ice. Yeah. Yeah. Not the addictive kind, right?

The or the customs.

[Róisín] (1:47:01 - 1:47:02)

It's the cool kind.

[Stevan] (1:47:04 - 1:47:06)

Also, yeah.

Also at Black Rock City, you can buy coffee.

[Ulf] (1:47:07 - 1:47:08)

Oh, really? You do buy it?

[Stevan] (1:47:08 - 1:47:13)

Yeah, you can buy coffee at Burning Man. Ice and coffee. Those are the only two things you can buy.

[Ulf] (1:47:13 - 1:47:14)

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[Stevan] (1:47:14 - 1:47:16)

So I'm glad you guys, so I'm glad no one said drugs.

[Róisín] (1:47:18 - 1:47:19)

Keeping that one off here.

[Stevan] (1:47:22 - 1:47:39)

Well, it's a gifting economy. Okay. So the next question, Which one of the following is not a principle of Burning Man?

A. Radical self-expression. B.

Radical self-reliance. C. Radical inclusion.

Or D. Radical self-entitlement.

[Róisín] (1:47:40 - 1:47:42)

A hard one. That one, isn't it?

[Ulf] (1:47:43 - 1:47:45)

Only four options here.

[Róisín] (1:47:46 - 1:47:47)

The entitlement.

[Ulf] (1:47:49 - 1:47:49)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (1:47:49 - 1:47:59)

Radical self-entitlement. It's not a principle. You're right. Yes.

Radical self-entitlement. Correct. Okay.

The next one. True or false. Burning Man is a festival.

[Róisín] (1:48:01 - 1:48:01)

False.

[Ulf] (1:48:02 - 1:48:03)

That's interesting.

[Stevan] (1:48:05 - 1:48:06)

Why do you think it's false?

[Ulf] (1:48:07 - 1:48:24)

I'd say it's more than a festival, but I would argue it also is a festival.

But I probably get really bad comments on that one. But I'd say it's both. It's more than a festival.

I wouldn't say it's not a festival. What do you think?

[Róisín] (1:48:25 - 1:48:52)

I don't know. I feel like festivals are run by one organisation, and that organisation runs the entirety of a festival, where a band is run in individual elements, and they come together to create the event, create the experience, rather than like a pyramid, one head kind of leading downwards. It's a whole load coming together.

[Stevan] (1:48:52 - 1:48:54)

Well, what makes a festival?

[Róisín] (1:48:55 - 1:48:56)

What makes a festival?

[Stevan] (1:48:56 - 1:48:57)

A burn is not a festival.

[Róisín] (1:48:58 - 1:49:05)

What makes a festival? I feel like festival, it just reminds me of being commercialised, in a way, in my mind.

[Stevan] (1:49:06 - 1:49:07)

So you're just consuming.

[Róisín] (1:49:07 - 1:49:59)

Yes, it's consuming, and you get your money out at a festival. And also, there is rules in the burn. Sometimes I get confused.

But in festivals, it kind of feels more like dominated by a certain type of politics in a festival compared to a burn. Burn has its own politics, but it's more freedom, where a festival, I feel like you can go somewhere, you can't go somewhere else, and it's very more controlled, and it's run by one entity, and that runs the entirety of the whole space, rather than a burn saying, hey, each one is a development of its own organ almost in the system that comes together to create the body in itself. So that's why I feel like it's – I don't feel like it's a festival, but that's just because I feel like festival is a commercialised word.

[Ulf] (1:50:01 - 1:50:44)

Well, okay. I mean, that sounds convincing. I guess a German festival is probably a bit more like celebrating something.

It doesn't need to be commercialised. The Fusion Festival is a good festival in Germany, for example. It's not even – they don't even put the DJ line up on a day before.

So you have to buy the ticket without knowing who's playing, but usually these are the DJs that in the next few years after will become famous, so everybody buys it anyway. But yeah, okay. I mean, let's agree it's definitely not just a festival.

[Stevan] (1:50:45 - 1:51:03)

That's true. That's true. Okay, so next question is, this phrase – sorry. Often this phrase you'll hear at the burn is multiple choice again, welcome back, welcome home, welcome mate, or fuck your burn. This is the phrase that's often here. Sorry?

[Róisín] (1:51:04 - 1:51:09)

There's a few in there that I've heard, so fuck your burn and welcome home are the two of those ones.

[Stevan] (1:51:09 - 1:51:14)

That's correct. That's correct. That was a trick question. You can have two of those. Have you heard those, Ulf?

[Ulf] (1:51:15 - 1:51:25)

No, but I've volunteered at Woodford once, and the job was greetings, and I said welcome home to everybody. So that comes natural.

[Stevan] (1:51:25 - 1:51:30)

Yeah, it's a common phrase. It's a common phrase, yeah. But definitely fuck your burn, you hear that a lot.

[Ulf] (1:51:30 - 1:51:32)

Fuck your burn, or what?

[Stevan] (1:51:33 - 1:51:36)

Yes, fuck your burn, yes. How would you say that in German?

[Ulf] (1:51:36 - 1:51:39)

Why would you say that? I don't know. We're not that rude.

[Stevan] (1:51:42 - 1:51:44)

Well, how would you say it politely in German then?

[Ulf] (1:51:45 - 1:51:47)

We're also not polite.

[Stevan] (1:51:50 - 1:52:04)

That's correct. Okay, so last question. Finish this sentence, okay?

Sometimes it's not the burn you want, but the burn you blank. Sometimes it's not the burn you want, but it's the burn you.

[Róisín] (1:52:05 - 1:52:13)

I don't want to give the regular answer. That's expected. Because I feel like a better answer would be there's a burn you create, but I know it's probably the burn you need.

[Stevan] (1:52:14 - 1:52:15)

Yeah, what do you think?

[Ulf] (1:52:15 - 1:52:24)

It's a cool attitude. Yeah, it's a cool attitude.

I'm thinking sometimes it's not. What was it? It's not the burn you want.

[Stevan] (1:52:24 - 1:52:26)

You want, but it's the burn you.

[Ulf] (1:52:27 - 1:52:30)

It's the burn you deserve because of the chili you ate.

[Stevan] (1:52:35 - 1:52:49)

This is a good segue into pilot burn because it's not the burn that we wanted, right? It's the burn that we needed. So let's take another break, listen to some more Burner voice messages.

And we will be right back after this.

[Laura] (1:52:52 - 1:53:08)

Hey, everyone. This is Laura reporting live. I'm from California, and I just wanted to remind you all to make sure you tell your neighbors you love them, make sure you wash in between your armpits and little cracks behind your ears, and fuck your burn.

[Marcelo] (1:53:15 - 1:54:48)

So Marcelo here, tripping Jaguar, and talking straight from our new pivot burn in Wiseman's Ferry. We're supposed to be in Capertee, but we changed, and we burned. Didn't burn, but we gathered and had an amazing experience together where everyone was tense in the beginning of the week.

We didn't know what was going to happen. But then, yeah, stars aligned, and we managed to get together, and we're experiencing a beautiful weekend of lots of kindness and love and principles, and it's been just so beautiful. And it was so needed, especially because of since the restructure happened, and that was somewhere nice came to life.

Finally, we are now a community-owned charity and having this first event. It's a milestone that we accomplished, looking to the future ahead. Yeah, very happy.

Love you guys.

[Stevan] (1:54:54 - 1:58:01)

Okay, welcome back. Let's talk about from pilot burn to pivot burn. So I'll just give a quick synopsis of what happened or my perspective.

So the way I saw it was that pilot burn was a good save, big pivot, and epic renegade, so it's like the feel-good story about rejection, resilience, reconnections, and a burn that we needed as opposed to a burn we really wanted at Cosmic Canyon. So for some of us that arrived early, and for me anyways, it felt like we had two burns, one at Capertee Valley and then the renegade at Touch the Earth. So what happened was I arrived early on site on Wednesday afternoon and then quickly learned that we didn't have permission to go ahead with the event that was on Friday the 15th of May to the 18th of May.

And I remember that night, Wednesday, I had an early night, but it was probably raining as well outside. But I was overhearing some whispers outside my tent and heard that some people were talking about renegade and it was like people saying, yes, let's do that. Let's go for that.

And anyways, Thursday came around and we packed everything and sorted out the containers. And I think that's where we kind of got separated, got departed. We were all split up.

This was about before midday, Thursday. And we lost, well, yeah, I lost the group. We lost the other people that was the early arrivals.

And the news of the cancellation was made that day as well, that afternoon. And I think there was like, I remember getting put into like a chat group, like a messenger refugees of pilot burn chat group. And that's where we started to like decide on what to do.

And I remember I was camping at this free camping site waiting for the news. And this is a Thursday evening. So we camped at the free campsite.

I was camping with a couple of other people, other burners, Yodate. And at that time, we still weren't sure what was happening, where to go, waiting for updates. I remember when we got separated that night, we heard about the new location.

We thought we're not going to make it that evening. So what we did was first thing in the morning, we drove about, I think the separation was 300 kilometers apart from the original site to the new renegade site. So that was a big, big mission through these valleys and mountains.

And there was even a creek when we arrived, a little creek there. I think some people didn't even make it over that creek. So we got there on Friday at midday, before midday.

I found a spot to camp. And you could see the whole place starting to build, take place. And by the time it was getting dark, the entire place took shape.

The whole burn was starting to take shape. And we saved the burn, literally. From the Thursday evening to the Friday afternoon, it was pretty impressive to witness and experience.

The whole community got together, and we literally saved the burn. So I want to know what your thoughts were and what your experiences were.

[Róisín] (1:58:04 - 2:01:13)

So my experience of it is in leading up to, for some reason leading up to this entire burn, it was like sunset time. We need to organize this and this and this. And it's just like for some reason in me I couldn't pinpoint it, but it was like I knew something was up.

I knew something, and I couldn't make a plan for it, not even my set. So I often do this anyway, but I collect a lot of music and I just put it together, knowing that it will come together in its magical way as it's supposed to at the moment in time. But even for, for example, the decor and creating our space for Sunset Town, I couldn't quite put my finger on it and say that something wasn't computing.

Maybe inside myself I knew something was going to go right. I don't know. But then we left, or it's because I didn't get my eye on the decor beforehand due to my busyness recently.

So we had a lot, for Sunset Town we had, for our set up, we had our stuff in like 20 minutes from the original location. So when it came to the actual event itself, because it got moved, we didn't then have our camp any longer because all of our camp set up was then 300km away. So we ended up having to basically just renegade in the experience during the time.

But it didn't seem to impact, for example, I still ran my sound bath. My sound bath went very well. And Sunset Town themselves, we managed to set up our decks and just renegade a stage anyway.

And we managed to fit in a time slot on the main dance floor, which was really awesome. And though our camp was kind of on the outskirts, we managed to also renegade on another stage as well. So I'm actually a person who thrives off changes in events due to the fact that I never read lineups, I never read instructions, and I never often want to know what's going to happen because of things like this.

So for me, it doesn't actually impact me all that much, even though everything changed, because I'm glad that my crew managed to still mostly get sets and get to play and we had a sound system and people had a great time anyway. So I think it worked out really nicely. And I also managed, when I did my sound bath pilot, it was the first time that I had my own wireless microphone set and stuff like that.

So it's kind of like basically because of the chaos and everything changing, I took charge of my own sound bath and I didn't really need much assistance and help, which was actually very empowering for me because I had most of the stuff with me and I just went for it. And that took a lot of pressure off any of my team to try and solve things and sort things out due to the fact that we were really far away and the logistics of everything. So, yeah, I had a really nice time.

I like things on the fly, so it was really fun.

[Ulf] (2:01:15 - 2:04:47)

Yeah. So I didn't really want – I mean, I didn't plan to go to a pilot because I was a bit festivaled out. Now it's not a festival, but similar.

And then when we just came back from ConFest, I met this guy, Mitch, and we had a bit of chat organized and come together for people that went to ConFest in Sydney. And we had a chat. We didn't know each other, and I just asked, hey, what's the project that you're planning?

And he said, well, I want to create a sound system. I'm like, are you kidding me? I mean, you met the person, the right person here.

I mean, let's do something, do parties. And he said, well, it's not really finished yet, and it's going for a long time. I need a bit more time.

And I said, well, I know about this party or event, where you could try out a few things, and I think it would be appreciated if somebody does something like that. And we can also ask people to help you to build that, finish that project. And that became the idea.

We got the tickets. We got two more people coming, and this was also her first time. And so Mitch did 10 years ago, he did amazing parties in the Northern Beaches, no longer, 20 years.

He actually did amazing stuff. But he's never been to Burn. He didn't know anybody in the community.

I'm like, you need to be there. And the same for her. And she's been in dance community, for example.

And these are just really amazing people. So it was the first time that we'd go to Burn. And then I planned this party that we're going to reuse the headsets for the Silent Disco, and then create this game that we planned.

So we met with a couple of people that would want to help us with the game, really hyped them up, and it's the fucking coolest event, you need to be there, blah, blah, blah. And then I was reeling, it's not going to happen. I'm waiting for it.

So you know the story now, how my DJing is connected to Burning Seed. This is basically Pilot Burn is the Burning Seed happening again. This is the whole idea.

Let's recreate something that is like that, but different. And I was devastated. I was actually pretty angry at the time.

I can't just cancel that. And I took holidays from my job, and then it was canceled. So I'm like, this is not true, what the hell.

So I went to my boss, canceled the holidays, accepted the fact that it's not going to happen, and then there's the news, it's happening. I'm like, what? Are you kidding me?

So I'm like, happy, but how am I going to organize that now? So then we just arrived on the Friday, last minute. I think we were the last people that arrived at time, at least.

I don't know if somebody. So I think five minutes before. When was it closed?

Closed officially at nine or something like that, right? We could only enter until nine or ten or something.

[Stevan] (2:04:48 - 2:04:55)

I don't think there was really a gate, but yeah, people just arriving all different times. And I remember it being wet and soggy too.

[Ulf] (2:04:55 - 2:08:10)

But officially that was communicated. We could only enter at a certain time. And I remember, I think we arrived two minutes before that time.

So and then we couldn't really find. So last minute, everything was last minute. And we just offered all services.

We said we have any crew that needs a sound system. We do some with the sound system came the idea. We'll see a vinyl workshop as well, because we have some vinyl players.

I bought a few vinyls. That was the idea. And he wants to create a sound system where DJs play and then get filmed and stuff like that.

He wants to travel with the sound system. It's actually, the idea is a traveling sound system, which is super cool. Yeah. And so we then somehow found the Debonair Mantsion. They wanted me to, they asked me if I would play at the event on the Pilot Burn. And then I asked them, hey, why don't we do something?

Do you need a little bit more crew, basically? But we were not really part of the camp. I always wanted to create our own camp just for fun.

And we came up with the name New kids on the Burn. And because I love the name so much, I'm like, we need to be our own camp. But there was no time to put a real camp in.

This was all Renegade as well. It was just a Renegade camp. And collaborating with everybody, of course.

Yeah. And so it was new to me. I had no idea.

I was not involved. We were at the beginning, you know. So it's actually more and more, felt more like a guest.

But we wanted to contribute as well. And when we arrived, there were so many people. And it was so impressive.

Honestly, it was cool. Debonair Mantsion was sick. I mean, sick in a positive way.

I mean, they were really cool. And they're not really a music camp. So it was a good collaboration because they're more into decoration, et cetera.

And we provided music. Even so, we didn't plan anything. I played at that party there.

I then played at another party in the post office. And the funniest thing was at 2 AM on a Sunday, I was extremely tired. I was really about to fall asleep on the ground.

I could almost not make it home to the car. Paulie said, as I said earlier, we skipped the idea. It was the music game.

But he had the headphones. And he came to me at 2 AM and said that people, they were asking or requiring the silent disco. What are we going to do?

And I look at him really tired. I'm like, fuck, yeah, let's do it. And then I played for another three and a half hours.

So funny. And that was actually the last party standing. So we did the official ending party in that sense.

And people were happy that there was something. I don't know if it was the music.

[Stevan] (2:08:11 - 2:09:00)

I've got to mention that I remember hatching that plan with Paulie, like you mentioned. I remember it was early. Well, I've got to mention that site had a sound curfew. So the shutoff time was maybe 2 or 3 AM.

And then we thought, well, we want to still dance and party. So why not break out the silent disco? And we did.

And that was not impromptu. It wasn't on the app or anything. It wasn't registered on the events or anything.

So, yeah, it was one of those crazy moments. And I loved it because I was actually DJing next to you. I don't know if you remember.

I had my phone and I plugged it in. So I just wanted to create that all the channels were filled. So I was next to you and I was seeing you DJ. And it was quite funny. It was quite fun.

[Róisín] (2:09:01 - 2:09:03)

It was a fun moment. I remember it.

[Ulf] (2:09:03 - 2:09:16)

I played. I did find the song Renegade Master. I think I'm proud of that one because that was the only song that was planned.

And I didn't play it before. I didn't fit it.

[Stevan] (2:09:16 - 2:09:19)

What's the track ID for that? Renegade Master.

[Ulf] (2:09:19 - 2:10:14)

Oh, I forgot. But we should put it in the show notes. It's iconic.

But you know what's funny? I mean, I recorded the set, actually. So you can also find it on my SoundCloud.

And the last part, we put the microphone on. And the last song you can hear. First of all, it's a really funny song.

I played it deliberately as the last song to kick people out. And you can hear all the conversations we had. Because we put the microphone on and I'm saying, okay, it's the last song.

Thanks for coming. And everybody's talking. It's quite funny.

I mean, if nothing else, you should go and find the Pilot Burn Silent Disco mix and skip to the last song and listen to the conversations because you laugh a lot. I mean, it's really funny.

[Stevan] (2:10:14 - 2:10:23)

That's the best track to play at a Renegade. Yeah. So it's by Wildchild.

Renegade Master. An oldie but a classic, right? A goodie.

[Ulf] (2:10:23 - 2:10:32)

Yeah. I think some people went to bed. They didn't know.

I mean, lots of people didn't know that someone would be on. Searching the last party.

[Stevan] (2:10:34 - 2:10:38)

Yeah, you're right.

It was like a word of mouth moment.

[Ulf] (2:10:39 - 2:11:09)

Yeah. I wanted to say, Holly didn't want to bring the headphones for the Silent Disco because so much effort. And, you know, I mean, there's a lot of effort. And people just expect Silent Disco.

But, you know, it's kind of what he does, the job. And nobody wants to pay anything, to be honest. So he would not have done that.

But because we planned this game, or we said, no, no, we'll do something really cool. That's different. The headsets were there.

[Stevan] (2:11:10 - 2:11:17)

You also played some marathon sets, Ro. What were some of your memorable stages?

[Róisín] (2:11:19 - 2:13:34)

Oh, so originally, so Sunset, obviously we had to do a Renegade stage in the end. So because we did the Renegade stage and we didn't have our own place to be, we had to kind of find a slot. We found a slot in the House of the Rising Sun.

So they were nice enough to be able to offer us a few hours in one of the days. So I already had a set booked with House of the Rising Sun. And so do you know what happened is through lack of organisation, I actually ended up with Abundance.

So originally I was supposed to go House of the Rising Sun. And they had like a controller. And then Sunset renegaded into the pirate ship.

And we had 3,000. So I was like, hey guys, do you mind if I use the 3,000, just because it's just ease of use and, well, I have the option. So I played, how long did I play a set?

I think a two-hour set or something. The technique was House of the Rising Sun on Sunset decks. And the feedback I had from that set was incredible because so many people were saying that, like, I literally put them into an ecstatic dance state.

So apparently there was one girl who was crying most of the way through my set. It was like emotional. She went in and flowed through the entire set.

It was incredible. To hear that, I was just like, wow. So I played, actually one of my favourite songs was, it was a mash-up remix of the Ketchup song.

You know the Ketchup hit? Oh my gosh, it was a very good song. I must find that again and play it again.

And then I also played a set at The Cube, which was really nice because their set-up is very different. We were on trusses and it was very, like, clean, precise, like, little set-up. And the sound system was awesome.

And the way they had the speakers hung from the stage and the way that they had them positioned meant that, like, you couldn't hear them that much from outside. But when you were in, it's almost like you were, it's almost like encapsuled inside of the music. And that was a really fun set.

So I opened that up on the Sunday, like mid-afternoon. And my other set for House of the Rising Sun was on Saturday. I think it was on Saturday night.

[Stevan] (2:13:34 - 2:13:41)

So both- It would have been because they packed up on Sunday and left, like, late Sunday afternoon and left. So, yeah, they, yeah.

[Róisín] (2:13:41 - 2:14:21)

So both of them were very different vibe of sets. So I kind of went for like a kind of more chill, but I played some kind of, yeah, I played different tunes at The Cube than I did at the House of the Rising Sun. But both were different in different ways.

You know, when you play a nighttime set, it's always different to a daytime set. So the daytime set didn't have quite as many people, but it just felt really fun because it was actually lastminute.com one because the person who was supposed to play there was still sleeping. So Shane came around to me and said, do you want to play?

And I was like, yeah, of course I do, because I always love to play more than one set during the event. So, yeah, it was really nice and it was really fun. I enjoyed both of them a lot.

[Stevan] (2:14:21 - 2:14:30)

Yeah, The Cube was amazing. Luke plays his usual, what he calls it, was it Trashcore or Cringecore? That was a great set.

[Ulf] (2:14:30 - 2:15:09)

We nearly camped nearby because, as I said earlier, we were pretty late. And at the entrance, somebody said, be aware, there's one spot that looks like it's free, but really there's a wombat hole.

We're like, yeah, yeah, okay. And we're driving around everywhere and we find this amazing spot. And guess what?

It was exactly where the wombat hole was. And we're like, damn, we have to move. And then we nearly ended up next to those guys.

But I'm glad that we didn't because they're pretty loud, just the sound system. They would not have been able to sleep. But they were really friendly.

[Róisín] (2:15:10 - 2:15:22)

The way they had the sound system in a way, I suppose, you could hear it from the outside, but it wasn't like crazy from the outside considering how loud they had it. Do you remember at night time?

Did you go there at night time, guys?

[Stevan] (2:15:22 - 2:15:22)

I did.

[Ulf] (2:15:23 - 2:15:23)

Yeah.

[Róisín] (2:15:23 - 2:15:54)

And you go there at night time and it feels like it's some huge space. It feels like, oh, my gosh, the dance floor felt like triple the size. And then I went there in the daytime and I went, oh, this is the reality of the daytime.

It feels really different and it's way smaller than I thought. But maybe it's also the warping of the way that they positioned the music also made it expanded the space a lot. And I'd never really experienced that in terms of like positioning music in order to enhance the space in such a way.

It was really very, very cool. They did a great job.

[Stevan] (2:15:55 - 2:16:26)

Can I just quickly go through some of the theme camps just to jog our memories. So we had the, like you said, the House of the Rising Saun, I think it is for them. Because they had the sauna, but it looked like the sun, the House of the Rising Sun.

MindSub was there, Pickle Lounge, Peachy, Cube Modulator, Post Office, Debonair Mantsion and the Brewery right next door, Eternal Flames, Tentacle Temple, Erstwhile Manor, Sunset Town and Spice. And some of the art installations. Did you guys check out some of the art installations there?

[Ulf] (2:16:26 - 2:16:27)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (2:16:27 - 2:16:58)

There was one that's called the Micro Rave, Bubble O'Chill, the Retro Robot, the Hug Station, the Toucan't Land, Echo Lumina and Area 51. There was a little mini bar, Pseudo Pyramid, an emergence portal and House at the End of the Universe.

I think that was one of V's art installations. And there was also a Renegade My Clit art installation. Did you check that out?

[Ulf] (2:16:58 - 2:17:02)

No, I didn't find that one, but it happens.

[Stevan] (2:17:02 - 2:17:04)

Yeah. My Clits.

That's what they say.

[Róisín] (2:17:06 - 2:17:08)

I did not see that one.

[Stevan] (2:17:09 - 2:17:13)

I think that's the joke. They hide it so it's hard to find.

[Ulf] (2:17:14 - 2:17:16)

So nobody could find it or what?

[Stevan] (2:17:17 - 2:17:23)

Well, it was out there. It was well lit as well. It says My Clit on it. But yeah, it was hidden somewhere.

[Róisín] (2:17:23 - 2:17:41)

Oh, yeah. Wasn't it a little tiny tent and you go in and you take pictures? Okay.

I did see that one because that was on the way to my camp. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was a little Clit tent.

Yeah. You go in and you take some pictures of your Clit. Yeah.

I didn't go in because it felt like it was a bit steamy in there. It was tiny. Yeah.

[Stevan] (2:17:41 - 2:17:50)

I loved it. It was a Renegade art because it wasn't on the map or anything. So yeah.

Yeah. So what do you think of some of these theme camps over there?

[Róisín] (2:17:50 - 2:18:22)

I loved them. Peachy. The Peachys felt like I was in Greece or something. The way that they did.

I just was obsessed with their Peach Disco Balls because when they turned around and the light caught them, they looked like sparkly bums. I was just staring at the turning sparkly disco bum. And the whole set up was just so precise and clean and schmick, and it felt really nice to be in there.

It was like a bar in Malaga or something like that. That was one of my faves.

[Stevan] (2:18:22 - 2:18:35)

I thought the Pickle ladies or the Pickle girls did a great job. They took over Devon Lounge. Usually it's Devon Lounge, but they – and they called it the Pickle Lounge.

That was great. Had some really good music as well, some really bassy dub music.

[Róisín] (2:18:36 - 2:18:43)

It felt nice in that tent as well. There was a lot going on, but the roof was kind of high up, and yeah, it was really nice in there.

[Stevan] (2:18:43 - 2:18:53)

And I thought the post office was amazing. The crew brought a lot of young energy, a lot of really hyped, really high energy to the burn, to the Renegade. Yeah, you played a set there.

[Ulf] (2:18:54 - 2:20:13)

Yeah, I played a techno set there because they were super into techno. It needs to be techno. You know what?

I mean, you mentioned it now five times. Okay, I played a bit of a harder techno set. It was fun, actually.

But yeah, I was part of the Devon Lounge for Embers, so these people are cool as – I mean, they're the nicest people. And the Pickle ladies as well. Yeah, we bought a little glass of pickles for them.

And we found somewhere in the supermarket, and we're like, yeah, we'll take that one for them. What else? Cube. Yeah, that was cool. Fun. Everybody was amazing.

I mean, I really like to wander around, you know, and not really plan too much. So for me, that's the best, like these installations, different music. And I'd say the MindSub for me was my favorite floor.

It was always good music, such a good sound system. That was my personal favorite, Spicy. And yeah, the House of the Rising Saun was great as well, with the sunset.

[Stevan] (2:20:13 - 2:20:15)

Their crew was very well organized.

[Ulf] (2:20:15 - 2:21:01)

Yeah, and Sunset had a big, organized, really big setup, and then it was hard for them to move it to the new space. That's my understanding. So that is something to look forward to the next one, you know.

But I think shout out to everybody who was planning something, and then it didn't really work out, and they came back, you know, and then still contributed with it. So I guess, as you said, Steven, it's a community thing, and, you know, they were there. I mean, they were actually there with the sound system in our mind.

Maybe physically it wasn't there, but they had a presence, you know what I mean? And so, yeah, I find this cool.

[Stevan] (2:21:01 - 2:21:09)

Yeah, it was impressive. People bring their shit, you know. People bring all their gear.

People bring their game, you know. So it was very impressive to see.

[Róisín] (2:21:12 - 2:21:50)

Sunset still brought speakers and everything. We were just trying to figure out when to do renegades and stuff. It was literally the whole weekend.

They're trying to figure out, like, the work between people, like when can they get in somewhere, and, you know, everybody's rearing to play, you know. They love the big bands, and so we managed to find a slot. But, yeah, we still had speakers and everything ready to go.

So I don't know. I don't think we ended up using them in the end because we just ended up using the speakers of House of Rising Sun, but it all worked out in the end because we ended up using the pirate ship. So then it kind of became our own little stage on the other side, you know.

[Stevan] (2:21:50 - 2:21:59)

That's the thing, isn't it? It's all about the collaboration, right? So it was great seeing, you know, people, you know, working together, right, trying to figure things out.

[Róisín] (2:21:59 - 2:22:00)

Yeah, absolutely.

[Ulf] (2:22:00 - 2:23:05)

I find it actually really important that people didn't give up because it sends a signal, you know, this is the signal that we should follow now to make this more sustainable and plan whatever is next, have a bit more time to plan maybe, et cetera, learning. So I followed a bit of communication. So they're trying their best to plan a bit longer to avoid the issues.

It's all a learning experience. So I find this is very important that it happened, you know, because from my understanding, the Burning Seed is not just that one event, but every theme camp that was created and creates their fundraising and et cetera. And it's such an important community event, you know, each of them.

Oh, by the way, I'm playing in August for the Debonair Mantsion, secret location somewhere in the inner west.

[Stevan] (2:23:05 - 2:23:05)

Yes.

[Ulf] (2:23:06 - 2:23:33)

Remember that Winter Wonderland is their fundraiser. So yeah, good that I remembered that to mention. But it doesn't really matter which one it is.

You know, it's all such a good idea to have those little events. And if the bigger burn isn't happening, they suffer as well. So it's all connected, you know.

So I find this is very – we really want to say thank you to the people that persisted and just made it happen.

[Stevan] (2:23:34 - 2:24:06)

So as we mentioned earlier about the burn that we wanted was the one at Capertee Valley, right, the Cosmic Canyon. And I think we all had like a really hard-on for that site. It was so beautiful, right?

Like we wanted a burn there. But the Renegade, the pivot burn was the burn that we needed, right? And it was perfect because the size was more intimate, more personal, right?

It was ground level rather than, you know, the whole canyon. So it was actually the burn that we needed.

[Róisín] (2:24:07 - 2:24:22)

Everything happens for a reason, you know. It's all just a test and you pass the test. And it still happened in the end.

So it's not like everything got cut out. So I find every time it's a blessing to work with it and see what comes out, you know.

[Stevan] (2:24:22 - 2:24:27)

And it wasn't named Pilot for no reason, right? It was a test. It was an experiment.

[Ulf] (2:24:28 - 2:26:36)

But somebody said, you know, it's just a party. It wouldn't happen, you know, in the moment. But it's like, okay, life goes on.

It's just a party. But I disagree, you know. It's just a creation.

And I think it's very important because it's the main burner event actually and that's the new creation based on that. So, again, that's a signal we need to follow, you know. This is kind of where we need to come together.

And, yeah, that's why I came as well. Because if nobody, if it's, you know. Nowadays we live in a world where everything is so fast moving and that makes it less relevant as well, you know.

I found that, I mean, I grew up with amazing events and parties and a good community. And then later it became more and more social media. And then on social media I saw really cool parties and people posting amazing events when I wasn't going out as well.

So, I went. And the real event was actually really boring. But the presentation of the event was amazing.

So, you're like, whoa, this is cool. And then you arrive. So, it was actually boring and there's only half of the people that you think are in the party.

But the photograph is so good, you know, on Facebook or whatever. And that's how it started. And it became more and more about show and not the real event.

But this is real, you know. So, I find that inspires people to do something. And there's a bit of problem in the world, in Australia, that people stay at home because of COVID or something, you know.

They're not used to that. And maybe they don't need it. They don't know what they need, really.

This is something that is showing the people that show up. And it just creates something no matter what. And that's cool.

I love that.

[Stevan] (2:26:37 - 2:27:20)

Reflecting back to the bonding experience, the whole collective effervescence, I mean, it was great to see. Like, even through adversity, like we didn't have really great weather as well. We didn't even get the legal permits to stage a gathering.

So, through all these adversities, the community has, I think, has strengthened. But what's interesting was the, you know, where do we go from here? Like, we had a town hall meeting as well, you know, straight after.

It was on the 21st of June. So, you know, there were some topics and issues that was raised and talked about. So, it'll be interesting to see where we go from here.

What do you guys think?

[Róisín] (2:27:21 - 2:29:07)

I think it always gets, I think the Burner community is a whole bunch of misfits. We're people that have so much creativity, so much suave, and so much pizzazz. And we've got shit we want to achieve that normal society doesn't have space for sometimes because of monetary, because of the usual daily life.

So, I think no matter what happens, we figure it out. And I think Pilot Burn is the perfect example of that because after what happened to the other seeds and it falling through and stuff, this needed to happen in order to keep some sort of momentum or a refreshing start. And that was a proof that even though it canceled at the beginning, it still came through because it's in our best interest.

So, no matter what happens next, something will come through if the right energy, the right people are behind the reins and actually doing it with logic and with precise. And I think we have so many amazing, incredible people and we're all connected in high ways that we will be able to pull something together and it will happen again. And it only just gets better and better each time.

And the more that we can show adversity, for example, with the Pilot Burn, it was perfectly shown that we're able to do it because that's why we do it in the first place, because we can work on the fly, because we can be flexible and we can just see the positive in it and we have the real reason behind it and it's not monetary value. It's for pure enjoyment and for pure passion. We have passion for what we do and therefore passion will succeed.

[Stevan] (2:29:10 - 2:29:13)

What do you think Ulf, where we go from here?

[Ulf] (2:29:14 - 2:33:01)

We created a little renegade crew called the New Kids on the Burn and Pete, who created all these stickers and badges, picked a perfect symbol and that's the baby Jesus with a glow stick. It's the symbol for New Kids on the Burn. And that's the badge we got.

And yeah, the baby Jesus, that means it's a new creation. And I had two people that had never seen a burn before and they are alive. Where's the next?

They contributed, they loved it, they were loved, everybody loved meeting them. So what do you think? I mean, this is a fucking insane opportunity.

This event, if more people would know about it, this is something I believe most people would buy this, but they deliberately didn't want to grow too fast, probably based on past experiences. So yeah, I don't know. I think we have to support the whole event and try to contribute ourselves as well, but find a space where the safety is there as well, that we can run an event and it's all non-monetary.

So yeah, I thought about it when I still actively run events. I always wanted to make events, but people give me money. Trust me with the money.

In theory, no, I haven't liked that. We had the idea a couple of times. You give us money, we run an event.

If we run the best event that we can get for that money, that's it. That's actually the original idea, right? So yeah, I hope we can find a way to make that more sustainable.

Like ConFest, they bought a space, for example. So every year they have that. I think the Fusion Festival in Germany, they then actually also bought the space.

It's an old rocket space from the Russians or something. It's crazy. Old hangers.

So maybe, I don't know, long term, I wish we could find something similar as well, where all the stress in organizing something with the council, how can we do that and that, right? I don't know. That's maybe, yeah, hopefully that will be easier.

And also I find it crazy, as some of you did not grow up in Australia, that you have to pay so much for apparently another organizer festival. But you have to organize it equally, stay somewhere or support it. For bigger festivals, I'm not sure about that one.

You have to have so many things that you have to keep in mind just to do something that you don't make money on. It's a bit crazy. And you know what they did in Berlin now?

And in Germany, a club is a cultural institution. Thank you very much. I don't know if that doesn't get into the head of people that are complaining all the time, that are making our lives harder.

It's a cultural institution, okay? Now officially in Germany. It's not different to a theater.

And also what I found cool with the Burner events is part of it is to be respective of the community. So it's built into our events that we respect. Society and community that we can run some events like that.

So it's not a digital thing.

[Róisín] (2:33:03 - 2:33:03)

And the land.

[Ulf] (2:33:04 - 2:34:06)

Yeah.

So that would be... Hopefully, I hope that something can change there as well. And that's not such a grind to just organize a community festival.

Because guess what? I mean, that is really beneficial for this country and our society as well. I believe it's a space where people...

It's not just a party. There are some people that have a pool party. A dance to good music.

We talk about music the whole time, etc. I think a few moments where Rose said as well, if somebody's crying or have lots of emotions, these are spaces as well where we come together and maybe support people that are not doing well sometimes. And they find a space to be themselves where there's no other space, but it can be like that.

That solves a lot of problems that otherwise would be created for society. So I think it's a bit more than just, we have a party now, we can continue the party. It's not just about that.

[Stevan] (2:34:07 - 2:34:36)

Yeah. Speaking about community, we haven't mentioned the effigy and the temple burns yet. So what did you guys think?

So the effigy was the interstellar fella and the temple was a star crucible, Terease's star crucible. And the effigy was the community made. Everyone pitched in and made their own little stick burning man figures so we could put it into the bonfire and people danced naked around it.

So did you guys do that? Making a stick figure as well as dancing naked around the fire?

[Róisín] (2:34:37 - 2:35:42)

I didn't make a stick figure or dance naked around the fire, but I was there to feel the energy. I was quite near the front and it felt really nice. It was definitely special.

I was a little bit concerned about the floating balloons thinking that they were going to make their way into the fire and pop. The floating balloons with that big glow stick on the bottom. I was like, yo, let's get close.

But it was definitely a special moment and then afterwards when people started playing instruments and stuff, that was really nice. And I think one of the most special moments was when we started, was it, were we humming? That was really, really special.

That humming felt like we'd all became like a hive together and that was one of my favourite parts, really. I didn't really want to stop humming. It's like I wanted to continue.

When we all stopped, I was like, I'll be the last hum. That was my favourite part. I don't think I had the capacity to make a stick figure.

Sometimes I'm not, I blast all my creative energy at the beginning. And then by the end, I'm a bit tired.

[Stevan] (2:35:45 - 2:35:48)

What did you think Ulf? Effigy and Temple?

[Ulf] (2:35:48 - 2:36:17)

I did not get naked and run around the fire. I would remember that.

Look, I think it's actually an important part of the whole event and it's one of the reasons why it's different to a festival, again, not a festival. And I'm a pretty social person, but when the fire's on, I usually try to really look into the fire and use my thoughts and that's what I did as well. Again, it's pretty powerful.

[Stevan] (2:36:18 - 2:36:26)

Cool. All right, let's go on the last break, play some more Burner Voice messages and we'll come back to wrap up the show.

[Denise] (2:36:33 - 2:36:54)

I'm Denise and I just want to say how thankful I am to feel at home with all of you. You've welcomed me into your space, into your hearts, into your souls and I couldn't be more happier right now. Thank you.

Thank you.

[Stevan] (2:36:59 - 2:37:00)

Oh, would you like a sticker?

[Ranger Wombat] (2:37:01 - 2:37:03)

Yeah. Is this Red Earth Radio?

[Stevan] (2:37:03 - 2:37:19)

No. All you've got to do is speak into the microphone, state your name, where you're from and you want to leave a message for the community. Tell us how you feel about this weekend.

What happened? People are calling it Pivot Burn. This is amazing.

Just send a message to the community.

[Ranger Wombat] (2:37:19 - 2:37:33)

Yeah. Hi, folks.

My name's Ranger Wombat and this is my first burning seed, which is pretty cool, even though it's a pilot plan. Hey, there's Jilikan Rock Ranger. Yeah, Blazing Swan brother.

[Jeff] (2:37:33 - 2:37:33)

How are you doing?

[Ranger Wombat] (2:37:34 - 2:37:43)

Good, good. I'm doing a podcast right now with this guy.

Come on, which one's better? Is it the Blazing Swan or is it the Burning Seed?

[Stevan] (2:37:43 - 2:37:44)

Modifyre.

[Jeff] (2:37:44 - 2:37:46)

It is Modifyre. Modifyre is the correct answer.

[Ranger Wombat] (2:37:48 - 2:38:06)

Cool.

Yeah, I think it's amazing that it got cancelled and within the same day, got a new location. So, yeah, we changed from Anzac Day next year to, oh, same day, just different place. Love it. Resilience. Radical resilience.

[Dave] (2:38:13 - 2:38:51)

Let's do it. Hey, Steve. I'm Dave.

My playa name is The Storyteller. I've brought a robot, a little art piece. His core is to party and gift.

So he's got a belly full of candy. He's actually a bar fridge, a bar freezer that normally is filled with ice creams and ice blocks, but because of power and whatnot, we've just put candy. He's been a real hit.

He's got a bit of a button that says do not push. When you press it, we rickroll people.

[Marco] (2:38:59 - 2:40:06)

Okay, is it recording? It is. Yeah, my name's Marco.

And I've come up from Sydney with a few friends and they've packed us all into a very small space, but it's amazing because it's a very communal kind of vibe here and we're the third day in. Everyone's a little bit more relaxed. The vibe is still kicking on and it's just such a magical experience.

And it's been about 10 years since I've been to a burning seed and then kids got in the way, but I'm here on a solo journey and it's just been amazing. Just connecting with people has been really special and that's really what it's all about. It's cathartic, it's therapeutic, and I'm looking forward to finding a new headspace after this event because that's kind of what it's all about.

It's a bit of transformation in one weekend. And yeah, that's it. Thank you.

See you at the next burn.

[Stevan] (2:40:11 - 2:40:20)

All right, welcome back. Let's close the show off with what we usually do is some shout-outs and gratitude. So any shout-outs and gratitude you guys want to mention?

[Róisín] (2:40:20 - 2:41:40)

I suppose I'd say shout-out and gratitude to… I've never done a shout-out and gratitude before. This is my first podcast anyway.

I suppose I just think about my Sunset Crew and the community in general and how grateful I am that I have become part of something that's so expansive and progressive and creative that it becomes my break in the year. I live now in Australia and I feel like I don't really get a full break in the year like I would if I lived with my family at home at Christmas and New Year's. And having these events, having something to put my creativity into and have it received in such positive ways, I'm so grateful to being welcomed into Sunset Town, to be given the position I have and to be able to feel like it almost…

When I didn't have it for a while, I didn't feel… I was missing something. So, I'm really, really grateful for being part of something so incredible as this.

And shout-out to you, Stevan, because honestly, thank you for having me on here because this is my first podcast. And thank you for having me on because I've really enjoyed talking and being part of this shared experience and hearing history and a little time capsule for us.

[Stevan] (2:41:40 - 2:41:54)

Well, shout-out to you, Ro, because I enjoyed listening to you, as well as for reaching out and touching base and reminding me to get this show, to get this episode on.

[Ulf] (2:41:55 - 2:46:01)

Yeah. Well, that's a hard one. Probably many people forget, but first of all, shout-out to Anais, Mitch and Paul, who were just the most amazing little crew and also Dale and Caer from the Debonair Mantsion.

That was really fun working with them. Bea and Simone, when I played music, they joined with saxophones. That was pretty cool.

Kaya or Rebecca LeMay played with me at the Debonair Mantsion breakfast. Shout-outs to Roland and the Burning Seed Postal Service. And I remember when he asked me so many questions about DJing when I played at another party and he got really passionate and he played, actually, a cool set and was, I think, his first set.

And then at the Postal Service, it already sounded so cool. And Peter Simpson-Young, I think, he did all the badgeries. So these are the little things.

I feel there are so many people we might not even mention. Everybody contributed something really cool. And shout-out to yourself as well, coming up with unique ideas.

It feels very diverse. And definitely, yeah, they're also the main organizers because I think they had so much good to do. I don't actually know who's part of the full crew, but I know Gabi, okay, and Teresa, they did a lot, and lots of other people.

Probably they get angry now when they get mentioned, but really, I feel it's a good collective. And if you're part of such an organization team, usually what's happening, and I don't know, maybe that's why it's good that I mentioned it because I'm not involved that much. But I'm sure there were moments where somebody got angry, somebody forgot something, but I want to say thank you to all of you.

And maybe that's the details, but the big picture is that somebody like me, who doesn't know all these details, sees the outcome and say, like, fuck yeah, man, that was cool. Shout out to the people that organized that. It's insane to kind of pull that off, especially with the kind of change and the last minute.

Yeah, respect. And I don't know, it was such a unique event. I feel, I mean, I don't know if you guys were at Burning Man.

I must say I've never been to the Big Burn, to the real Burning Man. Somebody suggested to me 20 years ago, let's go to Burning Man. I'm like, no, it is too far.

That was it. That was the end of the conversation. I didn't really know what it is.

I could have had the experience 20 years earlier, but I'm like, no, it's too far, man. But I heard that there's a huge difference between, and it's not judgment, it's not better or worse or something, neither is better, but the difference was described to me is that the regional burns are more community focused. So somebody mentioned that in a positive sense that yes, it's not as big and it's not as crazy and it's just different, a different experience.

If you look at the community, even a better community experience. It's so unique. We definitely need to make sure that still exists and take that into our heart.

[Stevan] (2:46:02 - 2:47:05)

Okay, let's quickly look into the Burner calendar for the rest of the year. So there is a Sydney decompression on Saturday, the 17th of October. There's also a Blazing Swan Recombobulation, 22nd of August.

The Winter Wonderland you mentioned earlier, it's on the 15th of August. There's also a Burning Seed Post Office Fundraiser on the 8th of August. And of course, Third Degree, which is happening on the 10th to the 14th of September.

Underland, 23rd to 28th of September. You got Aurora happening in November, 18th to 23rd. And Modifyre, which is happening probably next week, 31st to the 3rd of August.

And what you mentioned earlier for Pilot Burn is what's next for them. Well, they've got a date, which is they're planning for ANZAC Day Long Weekend 2027. So yeah, these are the future dates.

What about you guys? What are you looking forward to?

[Róisín] (2:47:05 - 2:48:57)

So I have actually, I have quite a few events coming up. On the 22nd of August, I'm doing the fifth anniversary of Flamingo Martini at Lucky Cat. So that will be cool.

I've never been to Lucky Cat before. So that'll be nice. Paul Moritz invited me to do that one.

And I say, yeah, let's do it. And then I actually do quite a lot of ecstatic dances. So on the 29th of August, I'll be doing Epicure Ecstatic Dance, where I do a set and then sound bath as well at the end.

I'm hosting the Third Degree, the wellness space in there. And then I'm also playing at the biggest festival I've ever played at before. So I wrote this wealth code on my glass and I've been drinking from it every single night and it seems to be working because I got invited to play at Frequency Forest the 25th, 28th of September.

And then additionally, Sunset Town will have, we will have an event and it's probably going to be the October long weekend. And that one is going to be epic as it always is. It's going to be bigger this time because we only had a small amount of people due to the new property that we had, but we've established a lot of the issues and we kind of figured them out now.

So we're going to have a lot more people that can come to the next one and it'll just be bigger and better. But at Third Degree, sorry, scooting back to Third Degree, Sunset, we're going to create like, so whoever missed out on our fundraiser that happened this weekend, it was a cowboy, space cowboy themed event. And I put my absolute heart and soul into creating this warehouse.

It looks really incredible. I am absolutely knackered now, but it was totally worth every piece of effort. And we will be recreating that similar thing for Third Degree for anybody that missed out so they get a little slice of the moon saloon again.

Aliens, you know, spaceships and Wild West all mixed in one. So giddy up, motherfuckers. Let's go.

[Ulf] (2:48:58 - 2:49:03)

Yeah, how was that? You know how many people asked me if I want to go there, but I was in Melbourne.

[Róisín] (2:49:04 - 2:50:29)

It was epic. We created, I always had the idea of creating like a truss, a round truss kind of spaceship. So like we were DJing in this big round spaceship thing and we painted like 12 to 16 big UV reactive alien heads and we had this spaceship on the wall, the two little aliens like driving the spaceship UV reactive.

We had a bar, like it was very, very epic. And I decorated, that was the biggest space I've ever done so far. And I think I did really, really, really well.

People, there was lots of compliments in it. It was just difficult. The only thing difficult for me was to set it all up and then try and like be present the whole night and then take it down the next day.

Because like, you know, with the normal events, you've got a few days, I've got a few days to process. I'm a very fast-paced, moving person and I'm high processing. So when it comes to that, I'm like, I didn't have enough time to be able to sit back and enjoy it properly because I was already thinking about the pack up and everything.

But all in all, like it was, yeah, it was probably one of my favorite ones so far, especially in terms of the way that the space looked afterwards. Because we had the big moon from Mindset as well. No, sorry MindSub.

And the moon like started moving across the dance floor throughout the night. So that was really sick. Yeah, it was good.

[Stevan] (2:50:30 - 2:50:32)

What are you looking forward to, Ulf, upcoming?

[Ulf] (2:50:35 - 2:51:41)

Well, the Winter Wonderland will be cool. I played at the last one and people dressed up like crazy. It was amazing.

In a West secret location, it's always really amazing. Yeah, definitely try to be or plan to be to a degree, which is an amazing boon. Yeah, it feels like it's kind of pilot boon too.

Very similar people that I expect being there. I did not plan much more than that, to be honest. I just came from a conference in Melbourne, organized a big debate and stuff like that.

So I do more stuff than just music and DJing. So I didn't plan much, you know. Contrary to some other people, I kind of felt like when I was 25 or something like that, I retired from DJing.

You know, it just came back somehow.

[Stevan] (2:51:42 - 2:51:43)

And now you got a radio show.

[Ulf] (2:51:44 - 2:51:52)

Yeah, that's funny.

That's true. Look, I mean, with a few things, when you're passionate about them, you realize after a while.

[Stevan] (2:51:53 - 2:51:55)

It doesn't become work.

[Ulf] (2:51:55 - 2:52:22)

Yeah, exactly. And music is one of the things or DJing that I really enjoy. Yeah.

It's just after a while, in the beginning, it's more like we focus on the skill and the technology and all of that. But after a while, it becomes more a means to give hopefully good energy to people. And yeah, I will always love music.

[Stevan] (2:52:23 - 2:52:33)

I enjoy both of your music, both of your sets at Pilot Boon, especially with your scuba gear there. That was fantastic to see.

[Ulf] (2:52:33 - 2:52:52)

Well, I mean, lots of Burners, they have amazing dress up masquerades. And, you know, I don't have that. So I had like five minutes to think, okay, what's cool?

What can I bring? And just brought this mobile gear. Why not?

It's a cheap way to get it cool.

[Róisín] (2:52:52 - 2:52:53)

Just dive in there.

[Ulf] (2:52:53 - 2:52:54)

Yeah, just dive in, literally.

[Róisín] (2:52:55 - 2:53:44)

I forgot to mention. I would love to, sorry. I'd love to mention, if we could pop it in, that this is a big thing that's going to come up.

My birthday's on the 5th of August, and I have booked in with D.A. Carter. Do either of you know D.A. Carter? Yes, I'm booked in, and I'm going to be recording some tracks with him.

So this is – I can't believe I forgot about this. So I've been dreaming of recording tracks, and so I kind of already have a track in mind. It's going to be called Stars in Your Pockets.

So I'm going to record a few tracks with him in a big, long six-hour session. And then my hopes and dreams is that I will be playing them at future events to come. So watch this space because this is one of the biggest things on my bucket list to tick off.

So I just want to put that in there.

[Stevan] (2:53:45 - 2:54:02)

Awesome. I'll keep an ear out for that. But yeah, play it on the Silent Disco as well if you can.

That would be awesome. Yeah, thanks both of you guys for coming on, Ulf and Ro. It was a great chat.

Also great to see you again, both of you.

[Ulf] (2:54:02 - 2:54:04)

Yeah, that was fun, actually.

[Stevan] (2:54:04 - 2:54:07)

And thanks for sticking around. Yeah, it was a good chat.

[Ulf] (2:54:07 - 2:54:13)

Yeah. How do you send it around? And actually, do you need our help to spread the word?

[Stevan] (2:54:14 - 2:54:36)

Yeah, yeah. We'll cross the promote, I guess, your radio show and things like that. All right.

We're going to close off with some more burner voice messages. But this one's from First Burn, Post Burn, Pivot Burn Reflections by Sticky and Sunny. So stick around for that.

So we'll close off. Thanks, guys.

[Róisín] (2:54:37 - 2:54:37)

Thank you.

[Stevan] (2:54:37 - 2:54:38)

Talk to you guys next time. Thank you.

[Róisín] (2:54:38 - 2:54:40)

It's been great. Ta-ta.

[Ulf] (2:54:42 - 2:54:45)

Yeah, that's cool. I can't believe it's after 11.

[Stevan] (2:54:50 - 2:54:56)

It's on right now...

[Sunny] (2:54:59 - 2:55:47)

Yo, yo, yo, what up? My name is Sunny. I'm so lucky to be here, part of the Burn community.

I was picked up, stranded in the old campsite when the event was canceled. And I thought, I'm never going to make it to the new one. But then three brave men came for the rescue.

And they took me all the way here with my bicycle, Paolo. And here I am. And I had an amazing weekend.

So much exchange and gifts and good, deep connections. So what can I say? Happy to be alive.

Happy to be a burner now, after my first burn. Happy to be Sunny.

[Stevan] (2:55:51 - 2:55:59)

Tell us how it all started, your journey. So you found out that the event was canceled. You got into Slack.

[Sunny] (2:56:00 - 2:56:00)

Yes.

[Stevan] (2:56:00 - 2:56:01)

Introduced yourself.

[Sunny] (2:56:03 - 2:56:08)

There was a lot of discussions going, what will happen next. And there were talks about the renegade.

[Stevan] (2:56:10 - 2:56:11)

What is a renegade?

[Sunny] (2:56:11 - 2:56:42)

Well, as I understand, it's what happens, it's like the... How to say? The plan B.

When the speakers are off, how do we create our own party? Unofficial. So, yeah.

Some people came scouting for the campsite where I was. Because I announced myself in the Slack channel. And they came for the rescue.

Yeah. One of you were you. One of them were you, Steve.

[Stevan] (2:56:45 - 2:56:54)

How did you feel when we were camping together? What were you expecting things to be progressively on the next few days?

[Sunny] (2:56:56 - 2:57:05)

Not real expectation. But I felt like the community and the diversity of the community. And the creative power.

[Stevan] (2:57:06 - 2:57:08)

Well, you haven't met anyone yet. Only us three.

[Sunny] (2:57:08 - 2:57:09)

Yeah, that's true.

[Stevan] (2:57:09 - 2:57:11)

And that was Eric.

[Sunny] (2:57:11 - 2:57:39)

Eric, you and Yadote. Well, those three people were enough to see the diversity. And myself.

So, I guess I would still not say expectation. But that was what I was looking forward to. Diversity, creative power, and just motivation to just keep going anyway.

[Stevan] (2:57:40 - 2:57:48)

The next day, a bright sunny day, you came to this site, arrived here, set up. How did you feel? What was your excitement?

[Sunny] (2:57:49 - 2:58:15)

Yeah, I used my excitement and my motivation and my power. I set my camp. And then I took my bicycle and went around to ask for people if they need help.

And I helped do the temple star that got burned on the Sunday. And then I helped put up some stretch tents. And then, yeah, just spread some love as I always do.

[Stevan] (2:58:15 - 2:58:18)

Did you understand what was happening here? Okay.

[Sunny] (2:58:18 - 2:58:19)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (2:58:20 - 2:58:22)

And what was happening? Explain to the listeners.

[Sunny] (2:58:25 - 2:58:29)

Well, if I had to explain to someone who has never been to a burn, hey.

[Stevan] (2:58:30 - 2:58:31)

Like yourself?

[Sunny] (2:58:33 - 2:59:13)

Well, even though I have never been, I felt like part of the community. And part of the, like I was living by the values already, no? So, how could I explain to someone who has never seen anything alike?

Well, there were actually three people that were randomly driving past this road. An Indian family. The parents and one kid.

And they stopped and had a look around. And I showed them around and explained whatever little I understood. And there's so much craziness going on.

It's hard to explain. I think, come and see for yourself. Make your own picture.

And be part of the family.

[Stevan] (2:59:15 - 2:59:21)

How did you explain it to them? Because I met them too. They were great.

They were lovely. They were so curious, right?

[Sunny] (2:59:21 - 2:59:23)

Yeah. And open.

[Stevan] (2:59:23 - 2:59:24)

But also just like...

[Sunny] (2:59:25 - 2:59:26)

Chill.

[Stevan] (2:59:26 - 2:59:30)

Participating, right? They weren't taken aback. They weren't, you know.

[Sunny] (2:59:30 - 2:59:31)

Nah, they were cool.

[Stevan] (2:59:31 - 2:59:31)

These guys are too weird.

[Sunny] (2:59:32 - 3:00:00)

Nah. Actually, from people that come also from a very different culture. And are not, you know, never seen that kind of nudity and stuff.

Especially like the women are always like fully dressed. And have to be fully dressed. The mother was like very surprised.

But also happy at the same time. I don't know how I explained to them. I just walk around and say, look at this, look at that.

What do you think? And they make their own picture. Yeah.

I think this is it for me.

[Stevan] (3:00:01 - 3:00:01)

Okay.

[Sunny] (3:00:02 - 3:00:02)

Thank you.

[Stevan] (3:00:02 - 3:00:22)

Thank you. It's on right now. You can hold it.

[Sticky] (3:00:22 - 3:00:23)

Okay.

[Stevan] (3:00:23 - 3:00:24)

And there you go.

[Sticky] (3:00:26 - 3:01:29)

Hey. My name is Lolli T. Or my new name is Sticky.

But my real name is Lauren. This is my first banner and it was awesome. It was epic actually.

I... But like there's so many things about it that I was never expecting. That you felt and I feel like it transforms you as you kind of go through it.

I don't know how to explain it right now. But I feel like a brand new person. I feel that I've been rebooted.

Like kind of recharged being here. Before I was, you know, in a... I've just been sending it.

But now to be around all my favourite things. And all the people that also have all their favourite things. And like, you know, I really enjoyed it.

And the people that you meet are so cool. Like I... They're like...

It's just... I don't know how to explain it. I'm so high.

I think I'm like... Sorry, I'm supposed to say that in your podcast. Can we bleep that bit out?

Like...

[Stevan] (3:01:29 - 3:01:30)

You're high on life.

[Sticky] (3:01:30 - 3:02:36)

High on life. Yeah, I'm high on life. Like it's so vibrant.

And like the space that this is. And the energies that it invites in. And the creativity of the people.

And how, you know, like giving people... You come here with anything. Everything you need.

And you don't need to worry about anything. It feels so surreal. But it's so...

I want to say awakening. But I feel like that's a bit cheesy nowadays. I want to say like...

I don't know. It feels liberating. Like to have been here.

And to have experienced this place. There was a little bit of a hiccup at the beginning. But for it to pull through.

And for it to have been this epic. Oh my gosh. I literally couldn't have like...

The momentum behind this burn has been awesome. And I hope to experience the momentum and energy of many more transformational burns. Because that's what fire is, isn't it?

It's the energy of transformation. So what an experience to have been here. Oh my gosh.

I don't know if I'm talking too much. How long do I have? Okay.

[Stevan] (3:02:36 - 3:02:37)

Keep going.

[Sticky] (3:02:37 - 3:02:38)

Yeah, no.

[Stevan] (3:02:38 - 3:02:46)

Tell us how it all started. How it all began.

And how that felt. Like a different timeline. A different experience.

Because you've had two burns.

[Sticky] (3:02:47 - 3:03:22)

Yeah. Like kind of. Kind of.

So we originally had pulled up to the second... It was the second biggest canyon in the world. I can't remember what it was called.

But that's what I remember it for. And it was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

And we ended up having to move quite like... It was... There was not much like...

It was such a big open space. And we ended up not being able to party there. Due to some bureaucracy.

Bull BS. So it didn't go ahead. But it got moved.

And I think it's a lot better where it is. So the site was moved. We were there for about three days.

[Stevan] (3:03:23 - 3:03:24)

Capertee Valley.

[Sticky] (3:03:24 - 3:03:59)

Capertee Valley. Yeah. It was super...

It was amazing. It was super amazing. A big open space.

But I feel like the festival... Not the festival. The village.

The community. The... I don't know what people...

It's called. I don't know what you'd call it. But it would have been quite spread out.

And we're here. This new location. That was just like...

I felt like it was pulled out of thin air. Like I couldn't even... Yeah.

We've got like within... Yeah. It was awesome.

And to be able to be here. And there's just things around you. That are so built to host this sort of thing.

[Stevan] (3:03:59 - 3:04:00)

Was it stressful at first?

[Sticky] (3:04:02 - 3:04:04)

I don't think it... But personally...

[Stevan] (3:04:04 - 3:04:05)

Because we were all confused.

[Sticky] (3:04:05 - 3:04:05)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (3:04:05 - 3:04:07)

We were refugees. We didn't have a home.

[Sticky] (3:04:09 - 3:04:28)

We were a little bit lost. Yeah. We were in this limbo state of mind.

This limbo state of being. Because we didn't understand. We didn't know what was happening.

We wanted to set up. But we couldn't set up. And I don't think I...

I don't think it would have been... I don't know. This place...

I think it had to happen. I think that thing...

[Stevan] (3:04:28 - 3:04:30)

What was the most cool crew that you experienced?

[Sticky] (3:04:30 - 3:05:21)

Oh. And it was epic. We had the freaking...

The DJ decks on in the food trailer. And we had a lit party. And it was so much fun.

Oh my gosh. And you don't under... You couldn't even think of it.

No one else would know this was happening. It's just that we're having this little tiny party. In the middle of absolute butterfuck nowhere.

I just can't. It was super fun. But it was a bit strange.

Because we were partying. It was the last night. Every night until we actually moved.

And then... To actually be able to move space. And have a fresh space.

Fresh energy. Where we hadn't already partied. I think it was so much...

This was so much better choice for it to have been. Because... I don't know.

It feels more community based. There's not so much space for people to... I know this sounds hot.

But you need kind of...

[Tom] (3:05:21 - 3:05:32)

I 100% agree with this. It was better than Capertee. Because Capertee was way too spread out.

MineSub is nearly 600 metres away from all the other theme camps. On top of being exhausted. You would have been...

[Sticky] (3:05:33 - 3:05:35)

Uphill. The toilets were so far away as well.

[Tom] (3:05:36 - 3:05:47)

I'm either dancing or I'm going the other way. Where here you had two stages to pick from.

From one side. And on the other side you had an adventure landscape. Where you could find whatever you want over there.

And it was just awesome.

[Sticky] (3:05:47 - 3:05:48)

It was so good.

[Tom] (3:05:48 - 3:05:50)

You were in the thick of it. No matter where you went.

[Sticky] (3:05:50 - 3:06:09)

Yep. For real. That was cool as fuck.

Yeah. It was so good. So good.

I'm really looking forward to the next burn I think. I think I'm going to be a burner. Here we go.

Do you want the microphone back? You don't want it back? What do you want me to do?

Just like...

[Stevan] (3:06:10 - 3:06:14)

Just keep on narrating your story. What you experienced here.

[Sticky] (3:06:14 - 3:08:34)

I'm here on a bit of a whim. I was never intending to come to Australia.

Let alone a burn. I've been here six weeks. I was in Indonesia.

I was running out of options. And a good option was to come to Australia. And kind of figure it out over here.

This is what I'm doing. I'm with a family. And they've kind of taken me on.

And I'm on tour with a family in their bus. And they've said come to a burn. And I said...

It took me a bit of... I needed a bit of time. To make my mind up.

But when I made my mind up. And I decided to come. I'm so glad that I did.

I think... Apparently Strawberry was saying to... Not everybody.

But the lady that was sorting the ticket. That this is going to change her life. You have to let her come with me.

And be my au pair. So I'm kind of like au pairing. In this family tour bus.

And to be here at a burn. And to have experienced something. Because I've done festivals before at home.

And I've done festivals before. And it's... I can't say it's true.

If you think about it as just music and things. But in the state of when you think about all the principles. And then you think about how...

It's like... I'm sorry. I don't know all of the Ten principles right now.

But to have such... It actually feels like... You could go up and just talk to anybody.

And everybody is very inclusive. And everybody is very helpful. Like making in the kitchen.

Sometimes complete strangers. And the ability to just come together. And really...

Because some people might not experience any sort of community living. Hopefully they do. But they might not outside of the burn world I guess.

And then to come here. And then to be able to have that sort of... I'm sure that's quite a few.

Not many. Yeah. Okay.

Fine. Yeah. I forget that being in Australia.

The sun gets hot quick. I love the sun. But...

Yeah. So to be here on a whim. And then to have experienced this burner culture.

I didn't know it existed. I heard of it before. But to be able to actually be here.

Experience and live it. Feel it. You know.

To kind of breathe it a little bit. I'm kind of thrilled to have been here. And to have met you guys.

And to hopefully bump into you again at other burns. Or stay in contact. And be able to actually know about the burns that happen there.

Like keep me in the loop. Like I think these are good fun. And yeah.

[Stevan] (3:08:38 - 3:08:44)

So what have you... Being a first time burner. What have you checked off on the list of things?

[Sticky] (3:08:45 - 3:08:51)

My list of things. We went through this, didn't we? We had a little list of things. There was...

[Stevan] (3:08:51 - 3:08:56)

So your crew camp. So you experienced the build. Pre-build. The calm. The nothingness.

[Sticky] (3:08:57 - 3:09:00)

Yeah. It was very much like...

[Stevan] (3:09:00 - 3:09:00)

Over there.

[Sticky] (3:09:00 - 3:09:01)

A business.

[Stevan] (3:09:01 - 3:09:07)

At Capertee. And also over here as well.

This was pretty much empty. This was pretty much the way it was.

[Sticky] (3:09:08 - 3:09:40)

I was a bit sad yesterday when it was all leaving. Like that was something that kind of pulled in my heart strings a little bit. Like to see everything.

Like you had just built it. Like to see everything and experience like the energy of it all. And then to see it all leave.

It's like all down. And then like you're on the high. Come down anyway.

So it's... Yeah. It's kind of...

But to be here today. Like and to kind of see it. You know like be calm.

And then flatten out again. And then to leave again. Like it's a whole part of this like whole process I guess of seeing how it sets up.

Come back down again. But then to actually live and you know experience it and breathe it. And then to be in this kind of like...

[Tom] (3:09:45 - 3:09:46)

Fairyland.

[Sticky] (3:09:46 - 3:09:48)

Yeah. Literally yeah.

[Tom] (3:09:48 - 3:10:00)

And then the goal after this is to take as much as this paradise of a place back into reality. So that we spread more love. And then eventually we might have something that's a little bit close to all of this.

[Sticky] (3:10:00 - 3:10:00)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:10:01 - 3:10:04)

And we don't have to come to these places to escape...

[Sticky] (3:10:04 - 3:10:05)

Mm-hmm.

[Tom] (3:10:06 - 3:10:09)

I'm not going to call it hell. But the chaos of outside.

[Sticky] (3:10:09 - 3:10:10)

Yeah. The chaos that...

[Tom] (3:10:10 - 3:10:13)

Is too rigid.

It's not silly. Just be silly.

[Sticky] (3:10:14 - 3:10:14)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:10:14 - 3:10:15)

You don't have to be so serious.

[Sticky] (3:10:15 - 3:10:15)

Of course.

[Tom] (3:10:16 - 3:10:16)

It doesn't make sense.

[Sticky] (3:10:17 - 3:10:19)

I mean you can be silly in the real world as well.

[Tom] (3:10:20 - 3:10:21)

So have you doofed before?

[Sticky] (3:10:22 - 3:10:22)

No.

[Tom] (3:10:22 - 3:10:25)

Like I've literally not... Have you never done only commercial things?

[Sticky] (3:10:26 - 3:10:26)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:10:26 - 3:10:28)

So this would have broken your brain though.

[Sticky] (3:10:28 - 3:10:30)

Yeah. Like not broken my brain.

[Tom] (3:10:30 - 3:10:31)

No, no, no. In a good way. In a good way.

[Sticky] (3:10:32 - 3:10:35)

It allowed me to burst through some sort of energetic wall that I had for a long time.

[Tom] (3:10:35 - 3:10:36)

Like when I say break your brain.

[Sticky] (3:10:37 - 3:10:37)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:10:37 - 3:10:51)

This is what I refer to anyway. So I come to these things or you have these new experiences or you have a psychedelic experience and oh, it broke my brain. In a sense it broke all the old beliefs.

[Sticky] (3:10:51 - 3:10:52)

Mm-hmm.

[Tom] (3:10:52 - 3:11:01)

Like it broke down walls that had been fed to me by a society that's not all that great. It doesn't work all that, I don't know, well for everyone.

[Sticky] (3:11:02 - 3:11:02)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:11:02 - 3:11:10)

Kind of thing. And then you come here and you're like what? We can do this without police and people looking after it.

It's just everyone here doing their thing.

[Sticky] (3:11:10 - 3:11:21)

The only word that I was trying not to use but I think it was was lawless. But it's like regulated lawless sort of vibe. It's chaos.

[Tom] (3:11:22 - 3:11:23)

It's chaos.

[Sticky] (3:11:23 - 3:11:24)

It's like bursts of expression.

[Tom] (3:11:24 - 3:11:25)

Organized chaos.

[Sticky] (3:11:26 - 3:11:52)

Pop up and then disappear without a trace. There's no, the ability to have such a thing happen in one space and then for it just to poof, vanish and then it's gone. There's nothing.

There's no trace of us. There's no trace of it but it was a good time had. We honored the earth and we got to be able to honor this time of transformation because I'm a strong believer that fire is something of transformation.

[Tom] (3:11:52 - 3:11:56)

Yeah. The last burn on Sunday was extremely powerful.

[Sticky] (3:11:56 - 3:11:56)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:11:56 - 3:14:36)

I was standing up on the pavilion with my dragon stuff. As soon as looking at that flame and then I went silent, just tears just coming down. And then everyone started kind of getting a bit closer in the fire and then usually for something like that, if I'm that emotional and it wasn't like sad but it was just an overwhelming of an emotion from Wednesday to fucking New Year where it's just like seeing a community come together and get this stuff done.

Like this is only my second burn but I come from like a doofing background where it's usually you get there, it's all set up, cool. If the location's canceled, you just find a location, promptly cancel, they're all good. A burn, like it's where all the doofs come to doof.

So you've got like 40 doofs going on in the one location. You get told a new location. You've already got the map.

There's so much that goes in. So we get here on Friday and every single person here is just like, let's get in and go. What can I do? Where can I go? Everyone just had their little thing and just like go, go, go from the moment you woke up. I'm part of MindSub so we had to wait until Stav came to move his things because he's got his Tribe Connection event and grateful we were able to do this with all of it. So until 3 o'clock I was running around doing whatever I could and through that I met heaps of people and built community.

Like I needed to do signs. I found someone to paint. They were more artistic than me.

Got her to start doing that. Two other younger girls from one of the breweries came over and started doing it as well. Had a wholesome experience going over the two younger girls and putting them up.

They got to ride on the outside of the car for the first time and they were all like, oh, this is so wholesome. And that was just a side quest just to get this stuff done. None of this felt like work at all, at all.

So then we finished putting up, me and Mitch finished putting up the stage for MindSub at about 9.30. Absolutely all exhausted. It tested our friendship by that time. We were so lucky.

The Spice Girls came over at one point. Both gave us dinner. That was the thing that like, okay, cool.

Hug it out. Let's get this done. Get that done.

I feel like I'm going to cry. I know I'm going to go home and cry for like two days because there's so much that I've learned and had happen this week and it's just…

[Sticky] (3:14:36 - 3:14:38)

Oh, dude.

[Tom] (3:14:39 - 3:14:41)

Insane. Absolutely insane.

[Sticky] (3:14:42 - 3:14:42)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:14:42 - 3:15:17)

And like compared to a doof, it's like because it's organized and it still has this ego of like, oh, I don't know, whatever. I don't care. We're all here to fucking party.

But if something goes wrong at a doof and you see all the high-vis people running over there, you're like, oh, no, I'm not part of that and then safety stuff and whatever else. Here it doesn't matter. It's just like you've got two hands.

You've got fucking some kind of capacity to do whatever it is. If it's just there to stand next to someone and body double them, sweet. It doesn't matter.

[Sticky] (3:15:19 - 3:15:19)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:15:20 - 3:15:22)

Here it's just, yeah, go, go, go, go.

[Sticky] (3:15:22 - 3:15:27)

Yeah. There's momentum behind it. It's cool.

It's really cool. It's a village.

[Tom] (3:15:27 - 3:15:47)

This is just a big family reunion. And if you treat it like that, like I run around, like my whole archetype thing or like everything I base myself off is like just a full kind of vibe.

So like you see someone and they're smiling. I don't do that exactly.

[Sticky] (3:15:48 - 3:15:48)

You do it.

[Tom] (3:15:49 - 3:15:55)

It's just something ridiculous. No, I'm not freaking out. That was Marge on Sunday night. Marge on Sunday night.

[Sticky] (3:15:55 - 3:16:04)

Oh, my God, right. Oh, my God. That was actually freaky as fuck.

Like, no, it was awesome. I literally couldn't, like every time Marge walked past me, I literally was like, what the fuck?

[Tom] (3:16:05 - 3:16:47)

Can I just finish mine quickly and we'll get back to Marge? So like with the gesture kind of thing, it's more like because I have a very short attention span, especially in these places, there's too many bright lights and too many shiny things to go check out. So usually I'm like, you know, people usually are cracking up, laughing or whatever.

I'm like, all right, see you guys. Go on to the next person. And then like, or someone's just seemed a bit awkward or whatever.

I'm like, try to make them like realize, like I never say things to make them feel silly. I say things to make me look silly. And then they go, oh, right.

It's not so serious. That's like the whole gesture kind of thing. But yeah, back to Marge though.

[Sticky] (3:16:47 - 3:16:57)

Yeah. And also I need to give a shout out to that Luke guy on the, on the dub tent on Saturday night, because like, Holy shit. Like that was epic.

Like I need to get his profile. I need to get a spot for a playlist. And, and also.

[Tom] (3:16:57 - 3:17:10)

Luke from The Cube, come, come have a look at my book. I've got his contacts in there. So yeah, you can, I'll get your contacts and everything as well.

But yeah, Marge. So my first experience with Marge was before that first burn.

[Sticky] (3:17:10 - 3:17:11)

Yeah, it was cool.

[Tom] (3:17:11 - 3:17:34)

Like before the Sunday burn. I'd left my stuff down at Pickle Ladies and everyone was coming back up this way. And I'm trying to get down there as quick as I can to grab myself to get back up here.

Just about as I'm getting to Pickle Ladies, because it has like those green spaghetti things down, you can't properly see through. And then all of a sudden comes Marge charging out, just in Marge form as well.

[Sticky] (3:17:34 - 3:17:34)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:17:34 - 3:17:39)

The best part about his character was he, like, he moved like Marge.

[Sticky] (3:17:39 - 3:17:44)

Yeah. No, that's terrifying. No, genuinely terrifying. And then he walked past me and he started singing the Simpsons theme tune and I was like.

[Tom] (3:17:44 - 3:18:50)

It's even worse. Like I didn't sleep on Saturday night at all. And then the Sunday afternoon I took...

The... wasn't like, like visually or anything, but I had the biggest fucking giggles all night that night. So as soon as Marge comes charging out, I started laughing so much. And it's like, oh, that's terrifying.

And then throughout the night I was hanging out with a friend, Sinead, in that black chill out space at Mind Sub. And in there you could like look out and you couldn't really see in, so you could people watch well. But Marge kept on just popping in and out here, there, wherever.

And then me and Sinead at one point, because Marge was just standing, and every time it did, I was just losing my shit, like just cracking up. And then one point Marge was just kind of standing there and then we're looking around his like face and stuff. And it looked like it was changing and morphing.

I couldn't tell if it was like the psychedelics or what. And then it was like, because it felt like a Marge, you put in the chat, GPT, beat up Marge in real life.

[Sticky] (3:18:50 - 3:18:57)

I think I was on... all day. And when I was literally seeing Marge, I was like, you're a freak of nature. This is horrible.

[Tom] (3:18:58 - 3:19:01)

It was one of the worst places to dress like that with everyone on psychedelics.

[Sticky] (3:19:01 - 3:19:05)

Yeah, but no, it was cool as fuck. Like, yeah, it was super fun.

[Tom] (3:19:05 - 3:19:27)

So heaps later on, I end up seeing him again at the Cube. And I'm trying to be like, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I'm like cracking up laughing. Tears coming down my eyes trying to talk to this dude.

And I'm like, man, I'm sorry, but this is terrifying in the best way possible. And just having a little bit of a chat.

[Sticky] (3:19:27 - 3:19:31)

What a skill. He still has to be able to do that. Does he do that on the regular?

[Tom] (3:19:31 - 3:19:48)

Or is it just something that he does? So I am like, I'm like saying that terrifying. And he did seem like a little bit offended.

And then he starts talking. Oh, did you see my other outfit in the morning? It was like this really cool.

No, I'm sorry.

[Sticky] (3:19:48 - 3:19:51)

Is that you? Did you do? Were you Marge?

[Tom] (3:19:51 - 3:19:52)

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Sticky] (3:19:52 - 3:19:53)

I didn't meet Marge.

[Tom] (3:19:53 - 3:19:57)

No, no, no. So I've got a photo with Marge.

[Sticky] (3:19:57 - 3:19:57)

Right.

[Tom] (3:19:58 - 3:20:05)

So then we're talking a bit more and I'm looking at him. You know how he had that yellow latex thing on?

[Sticky] (3:20:05 - 3:20:05)

Yeah.

[Tom] (3:20:06 - 3:21:18)

So that originally started all over his face, like covering his mouth. At one point he was saying he's like, I kind of need some water or a drink. So just put a little hole in so you put a straw in.

And that was all right. And then later on he's a bit hungry. So he's like, I'll pull it open a bit more.

The problem is he had a goatee. So people started walking past him and going, Homer's coming out of Marge. Because it was terrifying.

And as soon as he said that, when I'm standing here talking to him like this, I pretty much dropped to the ground, like crying of laughter. I got back here by like four or five in the morning. I'm trying to repeat this story to my two mates and I couldn't.

There was like that Homer part. I was like laughing so much. Like, you know the feeling when you cry and you've got like the, the feeling in your throat and the tears coming down and everything.

It felt the exact same, but I was laughing. I've never laughed that hard in my life. Marge was my highlight for laughing.

Like, tops to him. I don't know if that was his intention, but I don't know how you look at that in the mirror.

[Sticky] (3:21:19 - 3:21:20)

Yep, ready.

[Tom] (3:21:21 - 3:21:24)

This isn't terrifying for people on psychedelics.

[Sticky] (3:21:25 - 3:21:30)

Yeah, but like when you've got an outfit that good, like, I guess it doesn't matter. Like, fuck it. Like, he didn't try.

[Tom] (3:21:32 - 3:21:34)

Did you see him dance at all?

[Sticky] (3:21:34 - 3:21:35)

Yeah, no, he was there.

[Tom] (3:21:36 - 3:21:37)

His full, like Marge dance.

[Sticky] (3:21:38 - 3:21:38)

Yeah, it was wild.

[Tom] (3:21:38 - 3:21:41)

He was Marge, with Homer coming out.

[Sticky] (3:21:44 - 3:21:50)

No, it was awesome. Like, there were so many good questions and there were so many like, do you want to say anything?

[Carmen] (3:21:52 - 3:21:54)

Later, when you guys are done.

[Tom] (3:21:54 - 3:21:57)

I'm going to keep going, but thank you very much.

[Sticky] (3:21:57 - 3:22:01)

Yeah, it was nice. Do you have anything that you want to say to the microphone and to the people that are listening?

[Carmen] (3:22:05 - 3:22:05)

Hi.

[Sticky] (3:22:07 - 3:22:08)

How was your experience of burn?

[Stevan] (3:22:08 - 3:22:09)

Tell us.

[Carmen] (3:22:11 - 3:22:12)

My experience of burn.

[Stevan] (3:22:12 - 3:22:13)

And who are you first?

[Carmen] (3:22:13 - 3:22:14)

My name is Carmen.

[Sticky] (3:22:15 - 3:22:16)

Burner name?

[Carmen] (3:22:16 - 3:22:18)

Burner name is Crystal.

[Sticky] (3:22:18 - 3:22:18)

Yeah, yeah.

[Carmen] (3:22:19 - 3:23:47)

And my experience of burn is great, but maybe a little different to everybody else's. I come to this beautiful place and I see these beautiful trees.

I see these amazing outfits. I see this amazing ground. I feel the amazing grass on my bare feet and I listen to the music.

It's very, sometimes it can be very overstimulating, the music at every corner. But when you are in tune with it and when you're in peace with it, it's just amazing. If anybody out here is asking, do I want to go to burn?

Do I want to go to Confest? Do I want to go to this festival? But aren't there, like, so many bad people here?

Well, turns out, from everyone's experience I know, there is 100% chance that if you're going to a burning seed, it embers their degree. There are so many amazing people that you can meet. There are so many safe people and there are so many beautiful things that you can be in tune to and just love.

And I think that is just wonderful. Thank you.

[Sticky] (3:23:48 - 3:25:19)

Yeah, for real. Like, there's always good people. That's something that, like, surprised me, like, how nice people are. Like, this place of no judgement.

Like, the acceptance of, like, human beings and the acceptance that people are human. Like, people, like, I got naked and ran around the fire. Like, that was crazy.

Like, that was so much fun. And even, yeah, check. Check that off the list.

Yeah, like, my friend, she got up and ran around the fire. And then I was thinking in my head, like, over and over again, like, I do want to do it. I kind of do want to do it.

And then Carmen behind me, she was like, why don't you join them? Like, why don't you go and join them? So I thought, I literally just, like, yeah, you're right.

Like, fucking took off all my clothes and ran around this fire. It was just epic. Just the freedom and, you know, I don't even know how to explain myself.

Like, I don't know how to explain the experience other than you just have to, like, come and experience. Like, if that sounds like something that you'd be interested in doing, like, just follow that curiosity and come and check it out. Because I could have never, ever told myself, like, I don't know, 10, 12 years ago, like, what you're up to now.

And, like, by the way, you've been to a Burning Man. Like, that was something that I used to hear as a child. Like, all that, I used to love the EDM videos.

And, like, they're, you know. And that's just something that I forgot about. Like, I didn't kind of, like, I got caught up in life and doing other things and travelling to other places.

And, yeah, this just hit me like a whim. And, like, hit me like a brick wall. I want to say a brick wall, but it wasn't a brick wall.

It feels like I've been sent through a portal of, like, not, like, you know, like, this community thing.

[Stevan] (3:25:19 - 3:25:19)

We do have a portal.

[Sticky] (3:25:19 - 3:25:28)

We do have a portal. We did have a portal. I remember the first, my, I got my Burner name sticky because I.

[Stevan] (3:25:28 - 3:25:29)

Check.

[Sticky] (3:25:29 - 3:25:58)

Check. Yeah, I've got a Burner name. I got two Burner names.

I got Miss Forever and Sticky. And Sticky was because I kept pouring boxed wine over everybody. Hey, Strawberry, do you want to come and talk about something?

Do you want to come and talk about something? It's Steve's podcast. So, yeah, and I got my nickname from pouring.

I'd have this four litre of boxed wine and I was kind of just, like, giving it to everybody at the party. And I ended up accidentally pouring it down on a lot of people.

[Stevan] (3:25:58 - 3:25:59)

It's called Goon here.

[Sticky] (3:25:59 - 3:26:05)

Goon, Goon. Okay, I ended up pouring Goon down everybody. And, yeah, that's how I got my nickname, Sticky.

Hey, Strawberry.

[Strawberry] (3:26:06 - 3:26:06)

Hey, Sticky.

[Sticky] (3:26:07 - 3:26:22)

So, Strawberry's actually the lady that brought me to Burn and this is the lady that I'm travelling around in her bus and she's really cool and, like, I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful. She just was like, do you want to come with us? And I was like, so what? Yeah, I might.

Like, yeah, so.

[Strawberry] (3:26:23 - 3:26:24)

Yeah.

[Sticky] (3:26:24 - 3:26:26)

How was your experience of Burn?

[Strawberry] (3:26:26 - 3:26:27)

It was a really good one.

[Sticky] (3:26:28 - 3:26:28)

It was a good one.

[Strawberry] (3:26:28 - 3:26:29)

It was a really good Burn.

[Stevan] (3:26:29 - 3:26:30)

It was a good save.

[Sticky] (3:26:30 - 3:26:31)

It was a good save.

[Strawberry] (3:26:31 - 3:26:43)

It was a very good save. Oh, my God. Yeah, we were in Capertee. We got there on Monday. We were told that we were on crisis mode because we didn't have the okay from the council to go ahead and it was all very surreal.

[Stevan] (3:26:43 - 3:26:44)

We got together and then we separated.

[Strawberry] (3:26:44 - 3:26:47)

Then we separated and then we found each other in a better place.

[Stevan] (3:26:48 - 3:26:50)

We were, like, wondering, like, where's our home?

[Strawberry] (3:26:50 - 3:27:14)

Where's our home? We came. It's been fantastic.

It's been amazing. What a magical thing it is to watch the resilience of this community just manifest it all that it needed to be manifested in a way that it made it all possible despite the worst that could have happened. Which could have been worse, I guess.

[Sticky] (3:27:14 - 3:27:16)

It wasn't. It wasn't.

[Strawberry] (3:27:16 - 3:27:20)

It wasn't the worst. It was just. It was what it was that brought us here.

[Sticky] (3:27:20 - 3:27:20)

Mm-hmm.

[Strawberry] (3:27:21 - 3:27:23)

We're in an amazing place. It brought us to, like. Yeah.

[Sticky] (3:27:24 - 3:27:36)

And the fact that there's another one on the weekend and the people. Some of the volunteers are like, yeah, I'm just going to go to the first one and then stay here for the weekend and go to the next one. I was like, oh.

You do that. What are you guys doing? Personally, I don't think I could do that right now. By taking longer. We're going very quickly.

[Stevan] (3:27:36 - 3:27:37)

It's taking time to do it though.

[Strawberry] (3:27:37 - 3:27:39)

Yeah. We've got to go. We've got to go north.

[Sticky] (3:27:40 - 3:27:41)

Yeah, I think there's a few more.

[Strawberry] (3:27:41 - 3:27:50)

Yeah. There's another one. We're going to run out of time to get up north to Queensland otherwise before we have to get back down to Melbourne.

So, yeah, the road is calling.

[Sticky] (3:27:52 - 3:27:53)

On the road again.

[Strawberry] (3:27:53 - 3:28:01)

Yeah. We would have been going up to feed 30 baby lamb if we had still been in Capertee but now we're going to Newcastle instead.

[Sticky] (3:28:02 - 3:28:02)

Nice.

[Strawberry] (3:28:02 - 3:28:04)

And then the Butterfly House.

[Sticky] (3:28:04 - 3:28:04)

Yeah.

[Strawberry] (3:28:05 - 3:28:07)

I'm really excited about that.

And then up to another burn up in Queensland.

[Stevan] (3:28:08 - 3:28:09)

Oh, Modifyre?

[Strawberry] (3:28:09 - 3:28:21)

Yeah, a little.

No, this is another one in two weeks. This is a small private one. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

Yeah, the ones that you just get invited by the people. Yeah.

[Stevan] (3:28:22 - 3:28:23)

Like this?

[Strawberry] (3:28:23 - 3:28:25)

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sticky] (3:28:25 - 3:28:30)

I like the part. Yeah, cool. I need a drink of water.

[Stevan] (3:28:31 - 3:28:33)

All right, we shall continue again.

[Strawberry] (3:28:33 - 3:28:34)

Thank you.

[Sticky] (3:28:44 - 3:28:47)

There's a whole different vibe when there's a microphone on because something's really listening.

[Carmen] (3:28:48 - 3:28:49)

Wait, what?

[Sticky] (3:28:49 - 3:28:55)

When the microphone's on, like, you can kind of feel that there's, like, something listening, yeah.

I'll do a little bit.

[Carmen] (3:28:56 - 3:28:58)

Wait, why are we recording again?

[Sticky] (3:29:00 - 3:29:04)

Just because it is a podcast and, you know, podcasts are kind of fun and people listen to them.

[Stevan] (3:29:05 - 3:29:06)

For the memories.

[Sticky] (3:29:06 - 3:29:07)

For the memories.

[Carmen] (3:29:07 - 3:29:09)

I'd like to say to all y'all listening.

[Sticky] (3:29:10 - 3:29:11)

The attitude.

[Carmen] (3:29:12 - 3:29:14)

Screw the big fat orange.

[Sticky] (3:29:15 - 3:29:15)

Yeah.

[Carmen] (3:29:15 - 3:29:16)

That's all I need to say.

[Sticky] (3:29:16 - 3:29:17)

Okay, cool.

[Carmen] (3:29:17 - 3:30:03)

But also, like, go to Embers, go to Confest. Y'all who live in Australia, there are so many good people out here.

So many travelers. So many nice Laurens. So many great, awesome, fabulous fashionista Carmens.

And so many awesome podcasts. And I think you should just try out the festivals. And you don't even need to go for the whole festival.

Like, save up some money, do a little piggy bank, and then come to the festival. And if you don't like it, you can just leave. But it is amazing.

There are so many good people here. It's so safe for y'all who think it's unsafe and they're scared about the people that are bad.

[Stevan] (3:30:03 - 3:30:08)

Have you met people that is, like, not for them? Like, they don't like it? Have you met anyone?

[Carmen] (3:30:10 - 3:30:36)

I know a couple of people that were, like, my age that were forced to come to the festival and they really didn't like it. But that's because their parents had to go. But that's because, like, there's mostly no reception.

And, like, kids my age who aren't used to the festival are usually used to, like, home base and shit. I mean, and stuff. I shouldn't swear.

Yeah, it's, like, such a cool experience. And you need to come.

[Sticky] (3:30:37 - 3:30:49)

Yeah, yes. And there was, uh, sorry. Okay, so the burning principles.

What did you just say? Because I was going to say there was a principle of just something that you were talking about.

[Carmen] (3:30:50 - 3:30:53)

Oh, principle. Um, wait, what?

[Sticky] (3:30:53 - 3:30:56)

Principles of, like, the burn.

[Stevan] (3:30:56 - 3:30:57)

What do you think about the principles?

[Carmen] (3:30:58 - 3:30:59)

Do you want this?

[Stevan] (3:31:00 - 3:31:01)

I'm alright.

[Sticky] (3:31:03 - 3:31:09)

I have something to say. I actually have something good to say and then I forgot when we started recording because I got shy.

[Carmen] (3:31:10 - 3:31:13)

Oh, well, okay. Is it, like, about the principles of burning seed?

[Stevan] (3:31:13 - 3:31:15)

Yeah, burning man principles. The ten principles.

[Sticky] (3:31:15 - 3:31:16)

So would it, like, as a...

[Stevan] (3:31:16 - 3:31:25)

You've got immediacy. You've got radical self-reliance. You've got community effort. Participation. This is what you're doing right now.

[Sticky] (3:31:25 - 3:31:26)

Self-expression and things like this.

[Stevan] (3:31:26 - 3:31:27)

So you've checked that off.

[Sticky] (3:31:27 - 3:31:32)

Yep. Because everybody comes with that mindset of it is.

[Stevan] (3:31:32 - 3:31:32)

Did you gift?

[Sticky] (3:31:33 - 3:32:58)

Um, so I did free hugs. I did free hugs because I was not prepared to come to a burn at all. But we also did community kitchen.

So we had the community kitchen and people would come in and it was, like, a gypsy kitchen, I guess. I don't know if I can say that. I don't know if I can say that.

But, like, yeah, like, people would come in, people would bring all their food and we would make some really nice meals. Like, we had nachos. We had some breakfast burritos.

We also had some, like, lamb stew and people would just bring, like, loads of different things. And it was an awesome experience because, like, you don't have to exchange any... You don't have to have any money.

Like, you don't have to... If you want some coffee, help yourself. Yeah, you don't have to have any money here.

Like, you just obviously pay for the ticket and you pay for what you bring and you bring a gift. Like, there was some crazy, crazy things here. Like, I think there was a post office.

There was a post office. The post office was lit. They did some dirty tunes, to be fair.

Like, there was a drum and bass set. Like, come from the UK, like, I have to rep for the drum and bass team because, like, I fucking love that shit. They had some dirty sets, man.

Like, I enjoyed all of it. And then, like, it was just such a nice thing that people would actually send posts to people that they cared about and that, you know, like, in the thing and they'd get delivered by people and it was awesome. Like, the ideas behind everything was so cool.

And then you had, like, the pickle shed and the pickle shed was awesome, too. They would give you a pickle shot and slap you. And I didn't actually get any of the shot.

I just got slapped. Like, I didn't get a single shot of pickle juice. I just got slapped quite medium hard.

[Stevan] (3:32:58 - 3:32:58)

They ran you out.

[Sticky] (3:32:58 - 3:32:59)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (3:32:59 - 3:33:00)

But they had plenty of slaps.

[Sticky] (3:33:00 - 3:34:46)

Yeah, plenty of slaps. So, that was fun. There was just loads of little things, like, that people had brought themselves.

Like, there was loads of little DJ things that people were, you know, partying with and the sounds were awesome. Like, there were moments where you could genuinely feel like you were, like, in the energy of the music. Like, the sounds were so cool.

Like, there were kind of sounds that I hadn't experienced before and I really enjoyed. They scratched little parts in my brain that I really enjoyed. And that's something that I feel like, like, I don't know if these people are, like, you know, they do it as a job or they just do it as a hobby.

But either way, like, these people have sounds that you'd like that aren't everywhere else. And I think that's something that I really enjoyed. I really enjoyed that there were just people...

You could, like, it was just so cool. Like, you could just wear what you wanted. You could just, like, you could change throughout the day as many times you wanted.

Like, the energy changes were pretty, like, were, you know, people would change their outfits. There were things to do. There were workshops.

There was, like, a lingerie and champagne day. Like, breakfast morning. So, we all were wearing lingerie and walking around and drinking Paseco and stuff like this.

And then there was, like, a big dress thing. And all of these, like, human beings were just in these awesome, like, dresses that they had, like, created or bought. And, you know, like, it was just, it was awesome.

Like, it was really cool. And there were so many other, like, little pop-up events that just, um... Yeah, like, there was...

Hi. Um... I...

Yeah, I think if... Like, a burn is something that is... Once you're in, you're in, you know.

You don't know... There's kind of, like, going back from now you know about them. It's like, once you know, you know.

Like, once you're in, you're in, in a way. Unless you obviously do something...

[Stevan] (3:34:46 - 3:34:47)

Do you feel like a burner? Do you think?

[Sticky] (3:34:47 - 3:35:26)

I feel... I felt like I was... People kept telling me, like, welcome home.

And I was like, I actually feel like I'm kind of surrounded by my people, which is kind of wild because I knew we existed, but, like, to be able to come all together, like, and... Um, there's, like, all different sorts of people here. Like, from all walks of life.

Like, some people are here to, like, let loose, and, like, let their hair down, you know, get a bit loose. And then some people are actually, like, live, like, live, breathe, and, you know, eat this shit for breakfast, you know. I'm not going to eat this shit for breakfast because it's a bit hardcore, but, like...

You know, like, it's a way of life for some people to be able to, like, pack up all this shit and move around and, like, have a great time while you're doing it. And, like, that's a nomadic life. And I kind of feel like you find, like, this nomadic festival that can just, like, pick up its things and move and then it still be fabulous and it still can be, like, an amazing experience.

[Stevan] (3:35:27 - 3:35:28)

The little hyper communities.

[Sticky] (3:35:29 - 3:35:29)

Yeah.

[Stevan] (3:35:29 - 3:35:30)

They're here and they disappear.

[Sticky] (3:35:31 - 3:36:11)

Yeah. Like, my word of the morning is dissipate because, like, I always want the clouds to kind of dissipate out of the skies. But sometimes it feels like this, like, it literally just, like, went up in flames and then dissipated into nothing.

And then, like, there's just, like, people are part of these, like, almost sound bursts, like, around places. And, yeah, it was really interesting and it was really quite... I feel like, yeah, this is definitely not going to be the last, like, this is one of many, like, one of the first, you know, like...

And I want to be able to get so... Like, if I could get myself a little van, like, get myself a little engine, like, a little vehicle, a little engine, like, to be able to get around and do things, like, I would say beyond this. You can't do this.

You should do this.

[Stevan] (3:36:14 - 3:36:20)

Shall we segue into Luke the Cube that you're impressed by?

[Sticky] (3:36:20 - 3:36:38)

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I don't...

He had this, like, itchy, scratchy song and it was like, I like it when the sound sounds wet and I was like, it literally, it was so funny, like, because he was doing these, like, facial expressions and all sorts of things. But the music, like, he, like, he, like, you could tell that he had put his heart, like, I would say, heart onto heart.

[Stevan] (3:36:38 - 3:36:39)

It was a dirty dubstep, right?

[Sticky] (3:36:39 - 3:37:38)

Yeah, it was, yeah, yeah, yeah, on a Saturday night. It was so good. Like, I just, I, like, I wish I could relive that again but not change a thing, you know, like, that was awesome.

It was an awesome set. So I really enjoyed it. I'll have to find the set on Spotify and just slam it to shit because I love it.

It was, like, I think I used to listen to a lot of, like, not I think, I know, I used to listen to a lot of dubstep as a child and then it was something that I kind of moved away from because I think, you know, when you're a bit chaotic in the mind sometimes, like, it's a bit overwhelming but now I've learnt, like, these past couple of months I've really kind of, like, chilled out and come back into myself again and, like, you kind of hear the sounds differently and you can kind of, you know, start really listening and hearing the music and I know it sounds so cheesy because, like, how can you just, like, but you can.

Like, when you listen, when you find the bubble of, like, the dubstep, like, the dubstep bubble, like, it's so much fun. Like, yeah, big, big love for dubstep. Big, big love for dubstep.

[Stevan] (3:37:40 - 3:37:44)

Yeah, you get quite a good variety of music.

[Sticky] (3:37:46 - 3:38:06)

And there's so many people that are doing their own little thing because, like, I don't want to say everybody's a DJ now but, like, everybody loves to DJ now, you know, like, and what a cool We have workshops, yeah. Yeah, what a cool fucking thing that is. Like, everybody loves to make music. Like, everybody loves music. Everybody loves to vibe. Everybody loves to rave.

Like, one of my mottos is, like, the raver will never die and I genuinely believe the raver will never die. And.

[Stevan] (3:38:07 - 3:38:08)

How does the survive change, though?

[Sticky] (3:38:09 - 3:38:11)

Well, the raver. Oh, I mean, look what just.

[Stevan] (3:38:11 - 3:38:11)

Even this.

[Sticky] (3:38:12 - 3:38:38)

What do you mean? Like, look what just happened. Like, it's the people.

In the times that, like, we live, like, we kind of need community more than anything and then if, even if this is, like, an introduction on it into, like, knowing how, then it's a good place to start but I'm being bitten by an ant. 3G. I'm right in the middle.

Adam, do you need a hand? Are you okay? Yeah.

Oh, good. Okay. It's just a, just a.

[Adam] (3:38:39 - 3:38:43)

We have it dry. I still haven't packed it up and now it's fucking raining. So.

[Sticky] (3:38:43 - 3:38:45)

Oh. Yeah.

[Adam] (3:38:45 - 3:38:46)

Get it in there.

[Sticky] (3:38:46 - 3:38:54)

My. I don't know if I want to go, but, like, I don't want to. I'm just high.

[Stevan] (3:38:54 - 3:38:55)

You know.

[Sticky] (3:38:55 - 3:38:55)

Hmm?

[Stevan] (3:38:56 - 3:38:58)

You know Elliot is all mudded up as he had a shower, yeah?

[Sticky] (3:38:59 - 3:39:01)

Yeah. Maybe that's where he surely is.

[Stevan] (3:39:01 - 3:39:02)

Okay. Hmm.

[Sticky] (3:39:03 - 3:39:04)

Maybe. Not sure.

[Stevan] (3:39:05 - 3:39:10)

Okay, let's talk about the other check point is you built an effigy.

[Sticky] (3:39:10 - 3:40:01)

I built an effigy. I did and I lost it as well. Like, I built it and I lost it.

I gave it spirit and it literally walked away. Like, I remember I built it and I was like, okay, I built this mine and now I need to give it some spirit and then it literally just got up and walked away. I was like, I couldn't find it anywhere and I really did want to burn it but I was very proud of my little, not proud of, but, like, it was pretty cool.

Like, it could stand up on its own. It was my first one I ever built so I haven't got the hang of it. Like, not the hang of it but, like, I can now be better for the next time and I can come up with better ways to build one and more inspiration.

Like, it doesn't have to look like a man. It doesn't have to be a stick man but I got told it was a stick man but, like, I think next time I'll do something a little bit more creative. Maybe that's, I don't want to run away.

You know, so I built an effigy. That was a good part of it. Part of it.

Like, I should probably write these down myself. I'll have to listen to this again and just, like, oh, you're right. I'll have to listen to it again and write these down because, like, um...

[Stevan] (3:40:01 - 3:40:10)

Well, what do you think about, so a big part of the feature of the burn is a burn. So we burn things. We have the effigy and the temple and you experience both.

[Sticky] (3:40:10 - 3:40:36)

Yeah. Yeah, like, the thing that, the temple that we burnt on the Sunday night was the tree that, the star that was hanging off the mother tree and, like, it was super cool because I remember on Sunday morning I looked at it and I was like, damn, that's a really good idea. Like, it's just, you know, been a part of the whole thing and, you know, as a burn, like, it's absorbed all the energy and then we just kind of put it into this fire and then released it, like, released out again into, like, the world, you know? So it was, I thought it was really kind of, um...

[Stevan] (3:40:36 - 3:40:39)

Did you speak to the, with the artist? Tereasa?

[Sticky] (3:40:39 - 3:40:42)

I think so. I think so.

Like, I...

[Stevan] (3:40:42 - 3:40:43)

There's a story behind that.

[Sticky] (3:40:43 - 3:41:28)

Oh, okay, yeah. I'll have to, I'll have to find that story. But yeah, like, that was, um...

I think Tereasa was in the, the post office tent quite often. Like, if I remember correctly, she was in there, like, proper girl. And I was like, yeah, you go, girl.

Like, um, but I don't think we spoke much. Um, yeah. I...

I'm sort of like, I was sort of like, I think the more we do, the more I think, and I need a couple of days to be able to process what happened as well. Like, I think because it's fresh, um, like, we haven't left yet and we're still packing up. So, I mean, this is in the midst of, like, loads of, you know, loads of emotions and things like this.

Like, a couple of days to be able to process what actually happened. And then, I think that's going to be, like, it'll be, like, I think I'm embodied. Like, I'm going to be, I'm going to do it again.

[Stevan] (3:41:28 - 3:41:30)

What do you think of this community?

[Sticky] (3:41:30 - 3:41:32)

What I think of this community?

[Stevan] (3:41:32 - 3:41:39)

What, uh, shines out the most for you? creativity, inventiveness, the goofy silliness.

[Sticky] (3:41:39 - 3:42:43)

Yeah, all, all, all of above. Yeah, all of above. Like, the complete acceptance of, like, being able to do all of it.

Yeah, like, I think that was something that has stuck with me so far. Like, it's the freshest. The freshest, because, like, the complete acceptance of people, like, you just are what you are and you can be what you want and you can express yourself freely.

And I think that was something that has actually, like, stuck with me the most. And the next couple of days I'm quite excited to process, like, how that's affected, how that's going to affect me. You don't know how that's going to affect me, but even over a lifetime, you know, like, see how this moment, like, these moments, like, will, you know, process, like, over time, process into something else that will develop into other things and, you know, branch out.

I think this is just, like, a completely fresh branch on my tree. You know, like, this is just the beginning of a sprout and then over time, like, I'll just branch into other things and, like, I hope to anyway. Like, because, yeah, I feel like this is maybe a bit of a, not a turning point, but more of an acceleration of something that I was already, like, maybe seeking.

So, yeah, I...

[Stevan] (3:42:43 - 3:42:51)

Because you came early and you're part of a crew, so you missed out on the gate and the greetings and stuff like that. That's a big part of it.

[Sticky] (3:42:51 - 3:42:52)

Okay.

[Stevan] (3:42:53 - 3:42:57)

Yeah. But that's okay. So, this is not a burn, really.

It's a renegade.

[Sticky] (3:42:57 - 3:43:01)

Okay. So, what is that like? Okay, so, like, what does the...

[Stevan] (3:43:01 - 3:43:05)

Well, the renegade's not supposed to happen and happen when a burn doesn't happen.

[Sticky] (3:43:06 - 3:43:28)

Mm-hmm. Yeah, it was super... Yeah, that was something that I'm...

Like, there was a lady too. Like, we had the, we had the lady that was here. She did, like, a big speech and, um, that was something that was really quite touching and then she, like, to be able to, um, kind of feel the energy of everybody around her when she was talking and to be able to, kind of, uh, connect with them.

[Stevan] (3:43:28 - 3:43:28)

Kate.

[Sticky] (3:43:28 - 3:43:35)

Kate. To Kate, yeah, Kate.

So, also a big shout-out to Kate because, like, she was, like, she's, like, kind of the reason why...

[Stevan] (3:43:35 - 3:43:36)

That was a great talk, a great speech.

[Sticky] (3:43:36 - 3:43:36)

Yeah, it really was.

[Stevan] (3:43:37 - 3:43:37)

It was emotional.

[Sticky] (3:43:37 - 3:43:40)

It kind of, yeah, it was. It was deep. Like, I felt like it was really felt for everyone.

[Stevan] (3:43:40 - 3:43:45)

She was losing her voice or she was, yeah, she was losing her voice because she came, just came back from Afrika burn.

[Sticky] (3:43:47 - 3:44:03)

Nice, yeah. So, like, as of that, like, that's something, like, if I would love to, like, to be able to be in her position and, you know, to be a fellow burner and to be able to, like, almost, like, host the burn, like, the burn for everybody and, you know, like, for everyone else to pull together and actually, like, make it happen. Like, what an incredible, uh, thing to have witnessed and I think, yeah, like, I...

[Stevan] (3:44:03 - 3:44:04)

Well, that's communal effort.

[Sticky] (3:44:04 - 3:44:05)

Yeah, everything, everything.

[Stevan] (3:44:06 - 3:44:06)

That's part of the principles.

[Sticky] (3:44:06 - 3:45:03)

Mmm. Yeah, no, honestly, give me a couple of days, like, give me a couple of days to be able to trace it so I can have, like, videos with Kevin and, you know, like, I think, yeah, you'll probably see me again, you know, like, I don't know, I can't tell you, it's not an if, like, it's a when, but I can't tell you when right now, like, because... But yeah. I, like, I loved having this chat with you and it was a pleasure to meet you and I'm, like, super honored to have, uh, somehow got here on a whim and, you know, for it to have kind of, like, not on a whim, like, I mean, to meet Strawberry and Adam, like, big shout out to these guys and just everybody, like, a shout out, a shout out, a shout out, like, oh, bye. Yeah, because I just, yeah, to be here, to be here right now and just, you know, have met everybody and to experience it, like, I hope people have their own sort of experience where it changes and, you know, transforms them into something better, a better version of themselves and, you know, to feel something, you know, like, full of...

[Stevan] (3:45:03 - 3:45:07)

Was it a pivot, a pivotal moment of your... Well, you gotta...

[Sticky] (3:45:07 - 3:45:26)

I don't know. I feel like I was already much on my way and I was, do you know what I mean? I was always very much on my way to being here and I felt like this kind of was, like, the cherry on, not the cherry on the top, but, like, cherry much within the layers of, um, like, I feel like I was very much on my way and I felt like I was, I've been prepared, I was very prepared to do something like this, like, but I just, like, yeah, no, I...

[Stevan] (3:45:26 - 3:45:28)

Well, the people, the people, the community's calling it a pivot burn.

[Sticky] (3:45:29 - 3:45:58)

A pivot burn. Yeah, well, I mean, it was, from where it was, I guess it was, like, a pivot and then go straight for a couple of hours because, yeah, we still had, like, a four-hour drive in between the valley and the next site and that was something that I found was really overwhelming, like, the genuine size of Australia, like, to be, like, to be over here and, like, to, you know, be out here and to just, you know, like, how massive it is but at the same time it's amazing, it's beautiful, yeah, so what a pleasure to stand here and talk to people and, you know, do things

[Stevan] (3:45:58 - 3:46:00)

and... And you only just arrived, like, seven days in.

[Sticky] (3:46:00 - 3:46:54)

Yeah, I literally just got here, yeah, literally I just got here. So, and I still got a long time to be here, so let's see where it goes. Yeah, let's see where it goes but thank you so much for just letting me talk on this microphone, like, I never once had a microphone just to sit and talk to you but I feel, like, maybe, like, yeah, if I was to do this again, maybe not to make so much, make so much money beforehand but, I think, like, overall, 10 out of 10 experience, like, the whole thing, like, 10 is not the limit, you know, so, but for that, like, 10 out of 10 experience for sure, so thank you very much for letting me be here and amongst you guys and letting me, accepting me for who I am as well as, you know, like, accepting, receiving it for what it is and, like, I feel like, hey, you can only meet people that, yeah, are very much in a state of being accepting of everything and I just, yeah.

[Stevan] (3:46:54 - 3:46:57)

And your last message for the community, to the community?

[Sticky] (3:46:57 - 3:48:21)

Keep going, rock and roll man, like, what the fuck, like, this is so cool, like, I hope this gets, like, I hope this gets, I hope it's expansive, I hope this is something that's, you know, able to, um, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna put it, words are limited, words can be limiting, but I just, I hope it just keeps going, like, an eternal flame, you know, like the burn, I hope the burn keeps going and I hope the burn never dies and I think the burn should, you know, not the burn, like, just the energy of, like, it's not just the burn, it's everything that's included within it, you know, the community, the principles, um, just all of it, I think it's, I think it's very beautiful and I think it's very, like, kind of elegant, like, I don't really see it as aggressive, like, I think it's quite elegant how, like, you kind of, like, everyone has this freedom to be free and to be able to, um, yeah, literally have this amazing time and then to leave, no trace, and then to pick up and do it again somewhere else and I think that's absolutely poetic within itself and, like, I think the journey in itself is something that, um, is needing to be felt. Yeah, so that was my final words.

Thank you so much for having me. Thank you, Steve. I appreciate that you've, uh, let me talk on your, let me talk on your podcast.

I hope it's not too, uh, waffly, but, uh, yeah, awesome. Thank you so much. Yeah, let me give you a hug.

[Will & Kate] (3:48:26 - 3:48:32)

Bonzaar Podcast ...

Transcripts transcribed by TurboScribe.ai