The Shadow Of The Man

EP 50 Naomi Most

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Episode 50 with Naomi Most is out now! Meet Naomi Most who relates her early, unscripted solo adventures—such as her first trip in a Jetta that broke down—to her later involvement in more organized camps like the "Human Car Wash" and the experimental performance art scene at Thunderdome. Central to their discussion is the concept of serendipity, where Naomi explains how the festival’s environment fosters intuitive discovery and unique human connections that are difficult to replicate in default society. Beyond the desert, the dialogue explores Naomi’s family history as the granddaughter of a pioneer in mathematics and her critique of the modern "supposedly fun bureaucracy" that has emerged as the event evolved. Her story reflects on the artistic lineage of San Francisco’s underground scenes and the enduring value of living a life open to the unexpected.

https://www.nonchalance.com/latitude.html

https://www.nonchalance.com/jejune.html

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EP 49 Shadow Shorts #5

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Shadow Shorts #5 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Meet Sigardona, a Russian-born Californian who progressed from a curious first-time attendee to a camp leader managing a unique underwater photography installation. Their conversation highlights the deep social bonds formed through shared adversity and the way the "playa" inspires participants to think outside the box in their daily lives. His story explains the lasting impact of the community by showing how the festival's creative spirit extends into year-round activities and regional connections.

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EP 48 Joseph Buchman

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 48 with Joseph Buchman is out now! He is a former professor and census volunteer, who details his transformative journey within the Burning Man community. The narrative follows his transition from a grieving, skeptical Scout Master to a dedicated participant after a religious-like experience at the Temple helped him heal from a family tragedy involving suicide. Central themes include the healing power of communal art, the logistical complexity of the Black Rock City Census, and the environmental ethics of Playa Restoration (Resto). Ultimately, the source serves as a deep dive into how the event’s Ten Principles, specifically gifting and participation, can fundamentally reorient a person’s worldview and facilitate profound interpersonal reconciliation.

https://thepeopleofearthapologize.com

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EP 47 Quest Skinner

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 47 with Quest Skinner is out now! Meet Quest Skinner, a multi-talented artist and "poly-camperous" burner who shares her transformative decade-long journey at Burning Man. The conversation centers on Skinner’s evolution from a first-time attendee in 2015 to a vital leader in Art Support Services, where she now utilizes her expertise in fabrication and logistics to help artists realize massive projects amidst the harsh desert elements. She emphasizes the importance of community resilience and mentorship, recounting how she found purpose in "fixing" art and empowering others through technical certifications and practical skills like solar power and heavy machinery operation. Skinner portrays the event not as a mere party, but as a crucible for personal growth and a "social experiment" that demands participants bring their authentic, higher selves to contribute to a culture of radical gifting and mutual support.

https://www.artbyquest.com/

https://www.instagram.com/quest_skinner?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

https://www.facebook.com/quest.skinner

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EP 46 Shadow Shorts #4

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Shadow Shorts #4 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Meet an Australian attendee named Mel, who talks about the concept of personal recalibration, exploring how Black Rock City's surreal, Mars-like landscape and commitment to artistic expression allow adults to rediscover a lost sense of childlike curiosity and play. Mel highlights the importance of immediacy, using the metaphor of an approaching storm to illustrate why one must embrace life’s vibrant moments before they vanish. Ultimately, the episode serves as a testament to the transformative power of the desert, where random encounters—ranging from sailing replica ships to piloting small planes—encourage participants to bring a renewed, sustainable inner truth back to their daily lives.

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EP 45 Nicholas Powers

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Episode 45 with Nicholas Powers is out now! Meet Nicholas Powers, a professor and reporter who details his decades-long journey through Burning Man. His story follows Powers’ evolution from a "lone wolf" seeker to the founder of a people of color camp, highlighting how the festival acts as a catalyst for human solidarity and deep psychological healing. Central to their discussion is the idea that the harsh desert environment—particularly during the recent "mud burn"—strips away superficial "sparkle pony" personas to reveal a raw, authentic human connection and "anarchic empathy." Powers elegantly bridges his academic life with the festival culture, explaining how both literature and the playa serve as mirrors that allow individuals to confront their internal shadows and recreate themselves. His story serves as a testament to the power of communal survival and the enduring need for face-to-face vulnerability in an increasingly digital world.

Black Psychedelic Revolution (one of his books)

https://truthout.org/authors/nicholas-powers/

https://www.instagram.com/thepoccamp/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064328516069

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EP 44 Erin Douglas

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Episode 44 with Erin Douglas is out now! Meet Erin Douglas, the visionary creator of the Black Burner Project. The conversation traces Douglas’s evolution from a hesitant first-time attendee in 2017 to a prominent community leader who uses portraiture and storytelling to increase the visual identity and inclusion of people of color at Burning Man. Central to her story is Douglas’s transition from a career in finance to one in creative photography, a shift that culminated in her landmark 2022 installation of thirty-foot-tall sculptures on the playa. By documenting hundreds of personal stories and organizing massive word-of-mouth group photos, Douglas has successfully challenged the perception that the event is an exclusive space, ultimately fostering a diverse supportive network for future participants. Erin has taken some of the most iconic photos in the last few years and has a wonderful and inspiring story, please give it a listen.

https://www.erin-sha.com/

https://www.blackburnerproject.com/

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AXDffwVFf/

Instagram: @aphotochick and @blackburnerproject

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EP 43 Shadow Shorts #3

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Shadow Shorts #3 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Meet Angelina to explore how Burning Man fosters profound personal growth. Angelina describes how the event allowed her to reclaim her creative identity through fire dancing and art, providing a necessary emotional balance to her highly analytical professional life. A central theme of the discussion is the shift in perspective from impossibility to empowerment, as she reflects on overcoming the logistical hurdles of traveling from the UK to the desert. Her story illustrates the lasting impact of radical self-expression, showing how the festival’s influence persists through community connections and "decompression" events long after the dust has settled.

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EP 42 John Law

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 42 with John Law is out now! Meet John Law, a foundational figure in the San Francisco underground art scene. He is here to promote an upcoming documentary about SantaCon, while simultaneously tracing the cultural lineage that connects the Suicide Club, the Cacophony Society, and the early years of Burning Man. Law emphasizes that these movements were rooted in a philosophy of creating one’s own culture through collaborative, non-commercial, and often transgressive experiences. He offers a critical perspective on how Burning Man evolved from a grassroots zone trip into a large-scale business, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of visionaries like Gary Warne and William Binzen. His story celebrates a history of participatory art and urban exploration that prioritized genuine human connection over institutional structure.

ALSO! On Thursday February 5th at the Roxie theater at 6:15 the SF Indie Festival will open their movie festival with the San Francisco premiere of the Santacon documentary. Go to the URL below right now to get a ticket, they will sell out fast. You can also stream it if you can’t make it to SF, check out the URL below. It is an amazing documentary all about the history of Santacon from the same director that made “Class Action Park” about Action Park.

https://sfindie2026.eventive.org/welcome

https://johnwlaw.com/

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EP 41 Joshua Martelli

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Episode 41 with Joshua Martelli is out now! Meet Joshua Mortelli, who explores the deep intersections between Burning Man subculture and his professional life as an off-road race promoter. The conversation details Mortelli’s evolution from a "digital burner" studying online forums to a seasoned theme camp leader for a collective known as Camp Zoom, emphasizing the importance of year-round community and ancestral creative draws. Central to the dialogue is the concept of knowledge transfer, as Mortelli explains how he adopted the Burning Man organization's operational protocols, safety logistics, and Leave No Trace ethics to improve the management of the Mint 400 desert race. Finally, the source transitions into a serious reflection on the future of the event, advocating for a community-led shift toward a stronger culture of consent and a move away from sensationalized, superficial depictions of the festival.

Joshua has some incredible stories and a lot of thoughtful insights especially when it comes to consent, give it a listen today.

https://themint400.com/

theheadrobot@gmail.com

https://www.campzoom.org/about

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EP 40 Shadow Shorts #2

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Shadow Shorts #2 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Meet Jonathan who discusses his transition from a long-time observer to an active participant and first-time volunteer for emergency services. Their dialogue highlights the logistics of radical self-reliance, as Jonathan travels from Hawaii with minimal gear to participate in the event's rituals of renewal and catharsis. Ultimately, the episode illustrates how the culture of the desert gathering influences the "default world" by encouraging practitioners to integrate values like immediacy and leaving no trace into their daily lives.

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EP 39 Debi "Crackerjack" Mansour

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Episode 39 with Debi “Crackerjack” Mansour is out now! Meet Debbie "Cracker Jack" Mansour, a dedicated leader in the regional Burning Man community. The conversation explores the tension between Black Rock City purists and those who find deep meaning in smaller events, ultimately arguing that being a "burner" is defined by embracing the culture and ten principles rather than geographical location. Mansour recounts her transformation from a sheltered background to a "neurospicy" community leader, highlighting her creative contributions such as mandatory virgin tours and "complimentary heckling." Her journey illustrates the life-changing impact of radical expression and the vital role of volunteer leadership in sustaining the global network of regional burns.

Being a burner is so much more than just going to Black Rock City, there is a whole world of global Burners. Debi’s story is one of the first dives into this world, please give it a listen and learn how far Burning Man culture is spreading.

https://portalburn.org/

http://cosmicburn.org/

https://www.notyourmominc.org/

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EP 38 Tex Burner

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Episode 38 with Tex Burner (aka Tex Allen) is out now! Meet Tex Allen, a longtime member of the Burning Man community who shares his journey from a "weird kid out of suburbia" to a prominent performance artist. The conversation explores the transformative power of presence and radical gifting, specifically through Tex’s two major long-term projects: distributing over 50,000 clown noses to bypass social barriers and founding the Church of Hugs to foster human connection. Tex describes how these "social experiments" originated from personal moments of frustration or grief, eventually evolving into global movements that emphasize synchronicity and vulnerability. Ultimately, the source serves as a testament to the Burning Man ethos, illustrating how the principles of the playa can be "graduated" and applied to the default world to create a more compassionate and magical reality. I apologize in advance if the levels are a little off in this episode it was my first recording with some new equipment

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1KcaG9pLvA/

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EP 37 Shadow Shorts #1

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Shadow Shorts #1 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Each Shadow Short is one person’s story, please enjoy this short story of how Burning Man has impacted and influenced people over time.

This episode features Liz, who reflects on her seventeen-year history with Burning Man. The conversation highlights how the event serves as a sacred, collaborative space that fosters human connection, gender fluidity, and a deep appreciation for limitless artistic creation. Liz explains that the festival’s demanding environment taught her essential infrastructure skills and environmental mindfulness, which eventually empowered her to live independently in the Minnesota woods. Her story illustrates the transformative personal impact of the gathering, emphasizing that the enduring "home vibe" and like-minded community are what draw participants back year after year.

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EP 36 Harley Dubois

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Episode 36 with Harley Dubois is out now! In 1988 She was enrolled at the Berkeley Psychic Institute when she found a great apartment in SF at 1907 Golden Gate. Over the next few years she unwittingly held afterparties for Cacophany Society events. In 1990 when the SF park police shooed away Larry Harvey and friends from Baker beach a meeting was convened in her living room to decide what to do with this “Burning Man”. She didn’t take the bait originally in 1990 but after hearing from the “Zone Trip #4” returnees (like her neighbor Miss P Segal) she first hit the Black Rock Desert in 1991. One can argue that Harley and Miss P started the first themecamp. Music was not central to BRC in the beginning, only in 1993-94 did Larry invite Turbo Ted (he ran raves in SF at the time). In 1995 Harley started the Themecamp Placement department. She was instrumental in organizing and professionalizing the Burning Man Project. Currently she serves as the Chief Cultural Officer. Over the years she has come to define her meaning of transformational experience as 4 parts:

Meaningful work
Being pushed out of your comfort zone
Feeling safe/no judgement
Presence of ritual/ceremony

Please give this episode a listen, you will learn not just some early history but the inspiring story of one of the founders of BRC.

harley@burningman.org

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EP 35 Stuart Mangrum

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 35 with Stuart Mangrum is out now! He has worn many hats over the years, currently known as the host of the Burning Man Live podcast. Start has been a member of the Cacophany society for many years and first hit the playa in 1993. His first year at Black Rock City he was roped into doing the playa’s first newspaper, the Black Rock Gazette which he was the editor of for a few years. In 1995 he started what is arguably the first real themecamp (Tiki camp) that was designed in advance and implemented on playa. He argues that the previous “Christmas camp” was impromptu and kind of mean. After the crazy year of 1996 he pulled back from being part of the event organization and in 1997 while still going joined a part of BRC that was at the time called the “Neigh-bar-hood”. In 2012-13 Larry Harvey needed help with the theme and invited Stuart in to help build a new educational department called the Burning Man Philosophical Center. Together with Caveat Magister they wrote many articles about the nature of Burning Man over the years. Together with others at the Burning Man Philosophical Center he started the Burning Man Live podcast in 2020 which has had 125 episodes aries to date. Please give the show a listen and find out all about the man behind one of my favorite podcasts (I have listened to them all).

https://burningman.org/podcast/

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EP 34 Dean Barlese

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Episode 34 with Dean Barlese is out now! Meet Dean Barlese, a Paiute elder, to explore the complex relationship between the Burning Man festival and the indigenous community whose ancestral lands host the event. Barlese reflects on the historical growth of the gathering since 1990, noting how it has transitioned from a small nuisance to a source of mutual support through solar projects, emergency funding, and cultural exchanges like the land blessing ceremonies. However, the dialogue also highlights significant friction regarding the desecration of sacred sites, specifically the practice of leaving human ashes at the temple against tribal wishes. Beyond the event, the conversation underscores the tribe's current struggle against lithium mining at Thacker Pass, emphasizing the ongoing fight to protect their environment and sovereign rights from industrial exploitation. This interview was done with Dean on the phone so I apologize in advance for any extra noises.

https://www.protectthackerpass.org/

Protect Thacker Pass (Facebook)

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EP 33 Wolfie

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 02:00:00 -0500

Episode 33 with Wolfie is out now! Meet Wolfie, the current mayor of Illumination Village, an established and art-focused camp at the Burning Man. The conversation explores her decades-long history with the event, beginning with a chance encounter with the festival's founders at a beach burn in the 1990s and evolving into her sophisticated role as a community leader. Wolfie details the logistical complexities of managing a large-scale village on the Esplanade, emphasizing the shift from being a passive spectator to a participatory contributor who fosters artistic collaboration and mentorship. Her story highlights how the festival serves as a transformative ritual and a source of found family, providing a structured environment where radical self-expression and communal responsibility intersect.

https://boxshopsf.org/

https://www.illuminationvillage.org/

https://www.flaminglotus.com/

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EP 32 Kay Morrison

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 15:00:00 -0400

Episode 32 with Kay Morrison is out now! Meet Kay Morrison, a long-time Burning Man organizer and founding board member of the nonprofit Burning Man Project. The conversation traces Morrison's journey from her roots in non-violent direct action protests to her accidental discovery of the festival in 2000, illustrating how her background in activism shaped her appreciation for the event’s gift economy and communal values. They discuss the evolution of the culture, specifically the rise of regional networks and the role of theme camps like the Iron Monkeys, a blacksmithing collective that creates interactive fire art. Ultimately, the source highlights Burning Man as a "culture of permission" that fosters human connection, creative resistance, and joy beyond the physical boundaries of the desert. Note: the Flaming Lotus Girls hoax thing never actually happened on the playa this year, but it was a good laugh!

https://www.ironmonkeyarts.org/

https://ignitionnw.org/

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EP 31 Paradox Pollack

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Episode 31 with Paradox Pollack is out now! Meet Paradox Pollock, an artist and performer who reflects on the experimental origins of Burning Man. Pollock describes his early involvement with Desert Site Works, a collective that staged deeply immersive, 48-hour rituals on the Nevada playa long before the event became a mainstream phenomenon. These performances, which explored the human life cycle from conception to death, served as the foundational creative blueprint for the large-scale operas and ritualized theater that defined the festival's artistic identity throughout the 1990s. The conversation traces Pollock’s journey from underground punk theater to Hollywood choreography, ultimately highlighting how the vast, empty landscape of the desert allowed for a radical transformation of the self through art. By contrasting the raw, anarchic spirit of the early years with the more regulated "walled cities" of the modern event, his story captures a historical shift from visceral community experimentation to a formalized industry.

https://paradoxpollack.com/

Threadseyeseesitself

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EP 30 Metric

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Episode 30 with Metric is out now. Meet Metric, a long-time resident of Gerlach and a pivotal figure in the structural evolution of Burning Man. The conversation traces his journey from a San Francisco sound engineer in the 1990s to the manager of the Black Rock Desert ranch highlights how individual initiative and "hustle" helped transform the event from a transient gathering into a year-round institutional presence. Key themes include the technical artistry of the "Man Crew," the preservation of regional pioneer history, and the transition of the Burning Man community from countercultural "freaks" to a permanent force for local civic activism and land stewardship. His story serves as an oral history, illustrating how the "shadow" of the event creates a lasting cultural and physical legacy in the Nevada desert well beyond the one-week festival.

https://blackrockstewards.org/

https://blackrockstewards.org/kbru-fm-92-5/#comment-35

http://metric.cc/

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EP 29 Diva Marisa

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Episode 29 with Diva Marisa is out now. Meet Marisa who first heard about Burning Man as a 12 year old girl living in the bay area by reading about it in a Cacophany Society newsletter. She first hit the playa in 1999 to sing in Pepe Ozan’s opera. Death Guild has been a San Francisco club since 1993, and the themecamp Death Guild/Thunderdome was founded by David King. In 2002 Marisa sang at the first SF decompression and in 2003 she started with Velocity Circus. In 2004 she started working in leadership for Death Guild/Thunderdome which she has been involved in ever since. In 2008-9 she started singing on the trapeze at Thunderdome. Marisa is a trained operatic singer, has been involved with running the show at Death Guild/Thunderdome for a long time, and she has an incredible story. She highlights the power of intentional community, illustrating how a "tight-knit family" of misfits uses the grueling labor of the playa to build lasting fellowship and leadership that transcends the event itself. Please give it a listen today.

https://www.deathguildthunderdome.com/

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EP 28 Monique Schiess

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Episode 28 with Monique Schiess is out now. Meet Monique, a pivotal co-founder of AfrikaBurn, the largest regional Burning Man event. The conversation explores the evolution of the burn movement in South Africa, detailing how Schiess and a small group of "renegades" adapted the desert festival model to a landscape defined by extreme economic inequality and a history of activism. A significant portion of the dialogue addresses the philosophical tensions between grassroots anarchy and the "corporatized" top-down structures that often emerge as these events scale. Schiess shares her personal journey of professional burnout and organizational conflict, ultimately advocating for the burn as a transformative tool for social change rather than mere entertainment. She concludes by highlighting her current project, a documentary titled "From Ashes," which aims to capture the authentic, non-commercial essence of the community she helped build.

You can contact her at monique.schiess@burningman.org

https://www.afrikaburn.org/

The documentary about Afrikaburn:

from.ashes.story.of.afrikaburn (Instagram)

afrikaburn documentary crowdfunding campaignBackaBuddyhttps://www.backabuddy.co.za › campaign › from-ashe… (crowdfunding campaign)

fromashes2007@gmail.com

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EP 27 Danger Ranger

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Episode 27 the Season Premiere is out now. Meet Michael Mikel (aka Danger Ranger) a foundational figure in the Burning Man community and a co-founder of the Cacophony Society. He details the movement’s origins in the Suicide Club, a 1970s group dedicated to living intensely through urban exploration and absurdist pranks. The narrative traces the evolution of these "experiences beyond the pale" from San Francisco beach burns to the establishment of Black Rock City, highlighting the transition from anarchic art projects to a large-scale organized event. Danger Ranger reflects on the philosophical shift toward growth, the creation of the Black Rock Rangers, and the enduring importance of reinventing reality in an increasingly impersonal, digital world.

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EP 26 The First Year In Review

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Episode 26 the Season One Recap is out now. The inaugural season of the Shadow of The Man show is now over, next week Season 2 will launch with the Season Premiere EP 27 with none other than Danger Ranger! Learn about what happened behind the scenes in Season 1 and get a sneak peek at Season 2

This episode recounts the wobbly but promising beginning of this show and all of the startup problems the show faced. Over time these issues were ironed out and the show started to get more regular and professional. The issue of equity in the show is discussed as one of the show’s guiding principles. The future of the show is discussed including a ramp up to even more regularly scheduled episodes. The Shadow Shorts project is introduced with details about how it will unfold on the playa in 2025 and eventually another stream of episodes. There is also a short discussion of a blind spot in developing the show, the fact that some people have come to think of the show as dark (usually just making an assumption off of the name). There is also some discussion of technical issues about the show and the ongoing attempt to improve the quality of the show. This show is a gift to the Burning Man community and there are no plans to monetize it. The show ends with a preview of episodes to come in season 2.

Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ for all of the details and links.

Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show.

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.

EP 25 Caveat Magister

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Episode 25 with Caveat Magister is out now! Learn all about Burning Man’s philosopher laureate and his backstory. He first got involved in Regionals before moving to San Francisco where he first went to Black Rock City in 2006. From the beginning he volunteered with Media Mecca eventually becoming staff (which he did for 5 years, over time becoming their volunteer coordinator). In 2010-11 he started to write for the Burning Man Journal where he has written many articles over the years. After avoiding him for a few years Caveat first met Larry Harvey in 2013 and started a great friendship. In 2015 Larry brought together Caveat, Stuart Mangrum, and himself to found the Burning Man Philosophical Center. Since then Caveat has written a number of Burning Man Journal articles and written two books (The Scene That Became Cities and Turn Your Life Into Art) while also helping to ghost write a few other books. Caveat is a very knowledgeable and thoughtful writer whose books and articles about the world of Burning Man and beyond has been a touchstone for at least a generation or two (and perhaps more into the future). He is truly one of the gems of the community and a wonderful person, please give this episode a listen and learn all about Burning Man’s own Caveat Magister.

Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ for all of the details and links.

Books by Caveat:

The Scene That Became Cities: What Burning Man Philosophy Can Teach Us about Building Better Communities

Turn Your Life Into Art: Lessons in Psychomagic from the San Francisco Underground

https://fascinatingstranger.com/

https://journal.burningman.org/author/cmagister/

Caveat's Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/join/BenjaminWachs

EP 24 Katy Tahja

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Episode 24 with Katy Tahja is out now! She is a long-time burner and organizer for Mobility Camp, a service-oriented community in Black Rock City. The discussion centers on radical inclusion, highlighting how the camp provides essential infrastructure—such as wheelchairs, repair services, and accessible art tours—to ensure that individuals with disabilities or injuries can fully participate in the event. Katie emphasizes the intergenerational and communal spirit of the playa, sharing anecdotes about "grandma" figures offering comfort and the specialized support available for blind and deaf participants. She dismantles the myth that the festival is only for the young and able-bodied, illustrating how adaptive technology and human kindness allow anyone to experience the "magic" of the desert.

https://mobilitycamp.org/

https://theava.com/ (Anderson Valley Advertiser)

EP 23 Lisa Scheinkopf

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Episode 23 with Lisa Scheinkopf (AKA Sassy Cat), an Arizona-based Burning Man veteran and Regional Contact. The conversation traces Sheinkopf’s evolution from a first-time attendee in 2011 to a community leader who manages the "Ignited States" theme camp, which provides interactivity through lighthearted events like "mimosas and bad parental advice." A significant portion of the intertview focuses on the logistics and challenges of regional organizing, specifically the Arizona community’s experience purchasing land and navigating tensions with local neighbors over noise and dust. Scheinkopf highlights a unique turning point where nearby city officials, recognizing the positive economic impact and low crime rates associated with the events, began competing to host the burners. Ultimately, her story serves as a testament to the transformative power of the ten principles, illustrating how the festival's culture of gifting and communal effort can successfully bridge the gap between temporary desert celebrations and permanent default world communities.

You can reach her at arizona@burningman.org

azburners.org

EP 22 Torria Lee

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 17:00:00 -0400

Meet Torria Lee (AKA Luscious Blue) as she reflects on nearly two decades of participation in Burning Man and its regional spin-offs. The conversation traces Torria’s evolution from a newcomer in 2006 with the touch-positive Snuggle Town camp to a seasoned veteran involved in ambitious projects like the Pipes of Passion art car and the Bubbles and Boobs camp. Central to their discussion is the transformative power of the Ten Principles, specifically how values like radical inclusion and gift giving have shaped Torria’s personal identity and her professional life as a massage therapist. The dialogue also highlights the changing demographics and scale of the event, touchingly addressing Torria’s experience as a Black burner witnessing the community's growth in diversity over time. Ultimately, she gives us a nostalgic yet forward-looking exploration of the "Shadow of the Man," illustrating how the festival’s ethos follows participants back into their everyday lives and future aspirations.

Please visit shadowoftheman.com for all of the details and links.

#burningman #blackrockcity #burningmanpodcast #torrialee #lusciousblue #soak

EP 21 Adriana Roberts

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 17:00:00 -0400

Meet Adriana Roberts, a long-time fixture of the Burning Man community who published the event’s prominent alternative newspapers, Piss Clear and the BRC Weekly. The conversation traces Roberts’ thirty-year history with the festival, beginning in 1993, and explores her evolution from a participant creating small zines to an independent journalistic voice challenging the event's official organization. A central theme is the transformative power of the desert, as Roberts reflects on how the "radical self-expression" of the playa aided her own transgender journey and provided a space for communal bonding during the "mud apocalypse" of 2023. Ultimately, the source serves as a historical retrospective on the shifting culture of Black Rock City, lamenting the rise of "influencer" elitism while affirming the enduring value of art and human connection found within the dust.

https://bootiemashup.com/

http://www.pissclear.org/

https://brcweekly.com/

#burningman #blackrockcity #burningmanpodcast #adrianaroberts #bootiemashup #pissclear #brcweekly

EP 20 Meghan Rutigliano

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Meet Megs (aka Meghan Rutigliano), a longtime Burning Man staff member who discusses the profound personal and professional transformation sparked by the event. The conversation moves from her initial "mind-exploding" visit in 2005 to her thirteen-year career within the organization, where she eventually helped manage its global regional network. Throughout the interview, Rutigliano highlights the acculturation of "burners" through shared rituals, such as adopting "playa names" and participating in a gifting economy rather than traditional commerce. Now living in Detroit, she reflects on how the festival’s ethos of creative problem-solving and radical self-expression continues to fuel her current work in nonprofit acceleration. Overall, the source serves as a deep dive into the enduring impact of the Burning Man culture on individual identity and community leadership. She now works with a nonprofit called Advancing Macomb, a nonprofit accelerator. Please enjoy Episode 20 with Megs.

https://advancingmacomb.com/

EP 19 Athena Demos

Thu, 01 May 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Meet Athena Demos, who discusses the evolution of BRCVR, a social virtual reality platform now known as Burner Sphere. Demos details her transition from a long-term Burning Man regional organizer in Los Angeles to a pioneer of digital communal efforts born out of the 2020 pandemic BRC cancellations. She emphasizes that while physical structures may be absent, the Ten Principles—specifically communal effort and radical inclusion—remain the core "social capital" that sustains the global community. Ultimately, the project aims to serve as an immersive information superhighway, allowing users to build art, plan camps, and maintain year-round cultural connections in a persistent 3D metaverse.

https://burnersphere.com/

EP 18 Dan Miller

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Meet Dan Miller, an original pioneer of Burning Man who has attended every gathering since the inaugural 1986 bonfire on Baker Beach. Miller provides a firsthand historical account of the event’s evolution from a small, radical self-expression ritual among friends to a massive, organized city in the Black Rock Desert. He details his technical role in building and rigging the iconic wooden effigy, the transition from anarchic "zone trips" to the modern structured infrastructure, and his close relationship with founder Larry Harvey (they were roommates). Central to the discussion is Miller’s current "Man’s Brain" art project, a participatory installation designed to restore the interactive, communal spirit that he believes defines the soul of the culture.

Episode photo is by David Silverman

The Burning Man Journal article about the Man’s Brain:

https://journal.burningman.org/2022/08/black-rock-city/building-brc/participate/

EP 17 Inani Schroedinger

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Meet Inani Schroinger, a long-time participant who reflects on the evolution of Burning Man culture from the late 1990s to the present. The conversation moves through his early years performing in Pepe Ozan’s burning operas, his time on the DPW and Resto crews, and his eventual leadership in creating the Manticor effigy during the 2021 "Renegade Burn." Central to the text is a critique of the institutionalization of the event, as Inani argues that the official organization has traded raw, fringe creativity for a sanitized, accessible version of its former self. Ultimately, he calls for hacking the culture, urging veterans and artists to reclaim the anarchic spirit and collective effervescence that originally defined the community.

Episode note: Inani is not a staff member of the Burning Man Project, and the Burning Man Philosophical Center is also the name of a Burning Man Project department that was started in 2015 (which precedes Inani's Facebook group).

EP 16 Xina Ocasio

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Check out episode 16 with Xina Ocasio exploring the transformative power of the Burning Man community. The dialogue moves from Acasio’s initial immersion in rave culture and interactive art to her pivotal role in organizing the first Austin-based village at BRC in 2002. Central to the narrative is her experience of radical self-expression, specifically how the festival provided a safe liminal space for her to publicly navigate her gender transition through communal ritual. Ultimately, her story serves as a testament to the enduring social connections and psychological growth fostered by these regional and national gatherings, framing the event as a life-altering pilgrimage rather than a mere party. She is also part of a band you should check out called Sheverb. Enjoy!

EP 15 Nurse

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0500

This episode of the Shadow of the Man Show features a conversation with a long-time burner known as Nurse, who recounts her extensive history with the Burning Man festival beginning in 1997. The discussion explores the evolution of the event from its early, less regulated days at Hualapai Playa to its current massive scale, highlighting the transition of her camp, Motel 666, into an unregistered office of satirical bureaucracy out on the open playa. A primary focus of the text is Media Mecca, the organization where Nurse has volunteered for decades to help acculturate journalists and ensure the media understands the community's non-transactional and participatory values. Through personal anecdotes about the Renegade Burn and bringing her parents to the desert, Nurse reflects on how the festival fosters humanistic connections and serves as a vital outlet for radical creativity and communal generosity.

EP 14 Yoms

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Meet the veteran Burning Man participant from the UK known as Yoms. The conversation explores how Yoms transitioned from an outsider to a deeply committed community leader after a serendipitous encounter with a television broadcast about the event in the late 1990s. Central to the narrative is Yoms’s extensive work in bridging the desert culture with the outside world, specifically through his role in Media Mecca and his ambitious project, We Are From Dust, which aimed to install large-scale Burning Man art in public spaces like Venice and San Pablo Harbor. The dialogue serves to highlight the transformative power of radical creativity and the enduring impact of a global community that prioritizes artistic expression and mutual trust over traditional societal structures.

In more recent years Yoms has been working on some film projects including Breathe, Clockwork Watch, and his new project Age Of Quorum. This last project he is working on right now and he can use your help to complete it. Please help by contributing to the fundraising effort to help complete this film by going to https://gofund.me/ed6403ef and thank you for contributing!

EP 13 Chef Juke

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Meet Patrice Mackey, a long-time Burning Man participant known as Chef Juke, who reflects on thirty years of history and evolution within the event. The conversation transitions from his 1994 arrival at the playa, a time of extreme simplicity when the "Man" stood on the ground and only a handful of cars were present, to his current role managing internal tech support and writing rejection letters for the Department of Mutant Vehicles. A core idea of his is Mackey’s philosophy on the three pillars of Burning Man: awe, inspiration, and community, which he argues allow adults to reconnect with a childlike sense of wonder. He describes the shift from an intimate, temporary gathering to a permanent cultural institution while highlighting the technical and bureaucratic efforts required to facilitate radical self-expression and safety. Throughout the interview, Mackey emphasizes the importance of impermanence and the joy of helping others bring their creative visions to life in the desert.

This is a great episode, Chef gets so animated talking about his "3 pillars" theory (what Burning Man is all about to him) he knocks his headphones off accidentally.

EP 12 Amy Bunker

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 23:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Episode 12 with Amy Bunker, a prolific long-time participant in the Burning Man community. The conversation serves as a professional and personal retrospective, detailing Bunker’s journey from a hesitant first-timer in 2001 to a central figure in the regional network and various operational departments. She explores how the event’s principles of immediacy and gift culture transformed her approach to art and architecture, eventually leading to her career in sustainable building and public sculpture.

The narrative highlights the extensive infrastructure and civic complexity required to maintain a temporary city, moving beyond the "festival" stereotype to discuss the grit of Restoration (Resto), the Department of Public Works, and environmental stewardship. A poignant thematic core emerges as Bunker describes sharing the experience with her veteran father, illustrating how the desert environment fosters radical vulnerability and deep human connection. Ultimately, she defines Burning Man as a "hive mind of creativity" that empowers individuals to realize new possibilities in both their personal lives and the global community.

EP 11 Beth from Accuracy Third

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the first show of 2025 featuring Beth From the show Accuracy Third (https://accuracythird.com/). They are a podcast about Burning Man, or "an oral history of Black Rock City", and they first started their show about 9 years ago. It's a great show and I encourage you to check it out.

Meet Beth, a long-term Host for the Accuracy Third podcast, to explore the evolving culture and internal dynamics of Burning Man. The conversation highlights Beth’s transition from a casual attendee to an insider volunteer manager responsible for a large staff camp, illustrating how the event functions through communal effort and civic responsibility rather than a typical corporate structure. They discuss the socioeconomic diversity of the "Playa," emphasizing that the event’s "soul" resides in the vulnerable, itinerant workers and volunteers who build its infrastructure, rather than the wealthy "plug-and-play" participants often featured in the media. Ultimately, the dialogue serves to humanize the burner community and explain how a massive, rudderless ship of volunteers continues to find profound personal meaning and creative inspiration amidst harsh conditions and organizational challenges.

EP 10 "Playa" Pete

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0500

This episode of The Shadow of the Man podcast features an interview with Playa Pete, a veteran burner preparing for his thirtieth consecutive year at the Burning Man event. Pete shares his origin story from 1995, recounting how a chance meeting with founder Michael Mikel (Danger Ranger) led to his long-standing role printing official apparel for the organization and the DPW (Department of Public Works). The conversation explores the culture of the desert city, detailing the construction of the Monaco art car and the shift from the event's early, anarchic days to its current, more bureaucratic reality. Ultimately, Pete reflects on the transformative impact the festival had on his personal confidence and family life, while announcing his plan to return to his roots by camping solo as a "first-time burner" to rediscover the event's original spirit.

EP 9 Tony "Coyote" Perez

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we speak with Tony “Coyote” Perez, a foundational member of Burning Man’s Department of Public Works (DPW). The conversation serves as a historical retrospective, detailing Coyote’s evolution from a disillusioned San Francisco musician to the City Superintendent responsible for designing the Black Rock City grid. Central to the narrative is the pivotal transition in 1996, when the event shifted from an anarchic gathering to a more organized society necessitated by safety concerns and population growth. Coyote emphasizes the enduring power of community, explaining how the "desert carny" lifestyle provides a profound sense of purpose through the creation and dissolution of a temporary city. Ultimately, the text highlights the hero’s journey of finding self-validation in the "silent provision of possibilities" while celebrating the unique creative spirit that continues to define the Burning Man culture.

Give this episode a listen and if you like the show text three friends and help spread the word. Thank you.

EP 8 Jennie Kay

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 19:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Episode 8 with Jennie Kay. Learn about Jenny Kay, a long-time contributor to the Burning Man community, who explores how her conservative evangelical upbringing paradoxically prepared her for leadership within a radical counterculture. The conversation moves from her childhood in Michigan to her pivotal role in organizing regional Burning Man events in Monterey, highlighting her transition from a restrictive religious environment to a secular "religion" based on radical inclusion and human connection. Central to the narrative is the idea that Black Rock City serves as a sandbox for social experimentation, allowing individuals to test new ways of engaging with one another without the heavy weight of judgment. Ultimately, Jenny Kay argues that while the methods of gathering may evolve, the fundamental human needs for acceptance and belonging remain constant across all cultural and spiritual divides.

This was a very interesting conversation with one of my best friends. Even I learned new things about Jennie.

EP 7 Andie Grace

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is the long-term Burning Man contributor Andie Grace, known as Action Girl, about her extensive history within the organization and the evolution of the global burner community. AG details her trajectory from a "rank newbie" in 1997 to becoming a central figure in the Regional Network and the lead voice of the Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter, highlighting how the event transitioned from a chaotic desert gathering into a professionalized, year-round cultural movement. The conversation explores key themes of identity and community, emphasizing that the "Shadow of the Man" extends far beyond the week-long festival through programs like Burners Without Borders and the Philosophical Center, which work to preserve the event’s stories and social principles. Ultimately, Andie reflects on how the ten principles serve as a bedrock for human connection, arguing that the true impact of Burning Man lies in the deep, abiding friendships and collaborative spirit that persist in the default world.

Special note: The image used for the episode cover art is a photo taken by Eleanor Preger

EP 6 Nati Goldman

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0400

Today's guest is Nati Goldman, an influential figure in the Israeli Burning Man community and a founder of Midburn. The conversation explores Goldman’s personal evolution from a seeker of "party culture" to a philosophical advocate for the ten principles, specifically emphasizing how radical inclusion requires a difficult, conscious shift from egoism to altruism. Goldman recounts the organizational challenges of establishing a regional event in Israel, including a high-stakes legal and personal confrontation with local police to protect the community’s autonomy. Ultimately, the source reflects on the fragility of countercultural movements in the wake of the October 7th crisis, questioning how to sustain a "state of mind" centered on allowing others to exist during times of profound societal trauma.

EP 5 Otto Von Danger

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 22:00:00 -0400

Meet Otto von Danger, a veteran builder and Marine who offers a gritty, behind-the-scenes perspective on the evolution of Burning Man. Moving away from the typical "hippie" narrative, Otto describes his decades of involvement as a professional job rather than a spiritual pilgrimage, highlighting his technical role in constructing the iconic "Man" and elaborate installations like Burn Wall Street. The conversation explores the profound personal connections formed within the community while juxtaposing the event's early, intimate "reunion" atmosphere with its current status as a massive commercial festival. Beyond the desert, the text delves into Otto’s difficult transition to civilian life, touching on his struggle with the VA for disability benefits and his ultimate desire to find peace and socialized healthcare outside of America.

Otto's opinions are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or the show.

EP 4 Tiya Coleman

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

This episode we talk with Tia Coleman, a long-term Burning Man participant and leader who has served as a Regional Contact for Las Vegas since 2004. The conversation traces Coleman’s history with the event from her first trip in 1998, exploring how her background in theater and the arts drew her to the desert for authentic self-expression. As a member of the Meta Regional Committee, she explains her dedication to global community building, conflict resolution, and fostering accurate information to protect the culture’s reputation. The dialogue also features a nostalgic comparison of the festival’s evolution, noting shifts in technology, demographics, and social habits over the decades. Ultimately, Coleman emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion, inviting underrepresented groups to claim their space within the "burnoverse" and utilize the event as a catalyst for creative transformation.

EP 3 George Paap

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0400

Meet George Pap, a foundational figure in the Burning Man community who served as the first regional contact and helped establish the oldest regional burn in Austin, Texas. The conversation captures Pap’s personal evolution from a solo traveler at the 1997 event to a community leader who transformed his passion for "tiki fest" parties into Burning Man Texas (later Flipside), an event that mirrored the parent festival's exponential growth. A central theme is the transformative power of volunteerism, as Pap illustrates how the festival provides a platform for individuals to develop professional skills, discover new career paths, and build enduring social networks that function like a global "secret society." Ultimately, the text serves as a historical testimonial to the cultural expansion of the Burning Man ethos, highlighting how the "temporary city" in the desert fosters a permanent sense of interconnectedness and personal growth that persists long after the fires have burned out.

EP 2 THAT Andi

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0400

This episode is all about your host, THAT Andi. You are taken from his beginnings in suburban New Jersey to Manhattan, Vermont, San Francisco, and then wind up in Hawaii. You will learn all about how he first went to Burning Man in 1996, started the Hawaii Regional group (Ka Pilina), started the Regional Information Center, started CORE, retired, and has been getting dragged back into the orbit of the playa. And all of this leads to his understanding of what he calls "The Connection", a lesson taught by the playa. All of this leads us to this podcast, what it is all about and why he is doing it.

EP 1 - The Shadow of the Man, an introduction

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 03:00:00 -0400

What is life like after Burning Man? For that matter, what is Burning Man? If you have chosen to listen to this I am assuming you have a basic understanding of the event and movement.

This podcast explores the changes over time brought about by exposure to Burning Man to people, places, and things.

To start off these conversations it is important to ground ourselves. I want to set the stage so we are all on the same page contextually.

Burning Man is an event world renowned for its art, music, community, and slightly less publicly well known for it’s transformational nature. Almost everyone who attends reports not just an amazing experience but also a life changing event.

While most people are familiar with the party less attention has been paid to the effect Burning Man has had on individuals, communities, and in some ways the world. This transformative effect and the changes it causes are what this series will explore in all of its facets. Over time we will delve the depths of life after Burning Man and follow it wherever it takes us.

Topics discussed:

So who are we talking about?

How big is this phenomenon?

The event as inspiration

Evolution of the Man

Old versus New

The other 51 weeks of the year

Why you are here

This podcast is all about exploring how Burning Man has changed people, places, and things. Everyone who participates has their own unique experience and take away. Yet the one bedrock commonality is everyone says Burning Man has changed their life.

In a series of interviews with notable burners you will be exposed to stories that can shed light on this transformational experience. You will learn the backstories and historical details that are not commonly known. I aim to put the human back into the legend and provide a platform for the many unsung heroes to tell their own tale as they see fit.

No two stories are the same yet they all contain the same magic. In the end everyone who has some experience with Burning Man is affected by it’s touch, this is their “Shadow of the Man”.

I hope you listen, enjoy, and subscribe,

Thank you,

Andi