Burn This Newsletter

Welcome to the Arizona Burners Newsletter. This is a monthly (kind of) condensed list of events, stories, ideas and more. We hope that the regular but not overwhelming nature of this news letter will keep everyone informed about what is going on in the local Burning Man community. The first 3 issues of this will be posted on the announce list, the AZBurners discussion list, tribes and a few individuals who have expressed interest.

Sorry if this results in duplicates for some of you. After 3 issues it will be sent only to the announce list (and will be one of a very few things on that list). So make sure you are on the announce list if you want this in the future. (see subscription info at the bottom.)

This newsletter is organized as such: header, stories, events, ideas, and keeping in contact

This newsletter needs a name! We have a name! After a long and highly unscientific voting process
this newsletter will now be known as "Burn This Newsletter"

Burning Man tickets went on sale 1/5
http://tickets.burningman.com/
Do you have yours yet? The $175 and $200 tickets are SOLD OUT! The next ones are $225 and they are going fast, then it's $250.

Toast! Tickets on sale now!
http://www.toast-town.org/

Are you on the Jack Rabbit Speaks? What's that? A newsletter like this, but for ALL of Burning Man. Lots of fascinating stuff.
To Subscribe send a note to: bman-announce-subscribe(at)burningman(dot)com

What is Demodification?

From the Burning Man Statement of Principles Decommodification it is: In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

Does this mean you should burn your wallet, move to the woods and never buy another thing?

In my view, the concept isn't about commercial transactions or exchange of money for goods but removing the commercial culture from ours. Over all, you can't do the kinds of events we do with out commercial transactions. The gift economy is great, but at some point someone is buying something.

The trick in my opinion is make it so that the money, and all things associated with it, are inconsequential. Sometimes that is as simple as making sure cash isn't visible. It's a symbol, don't flash it. At other times it's actively ignoring and avoiding advertising, corporate sponsorships and the like.

The gift Burning Man and our islands of regional events, gives us is a break from all the commercial culture. This break reminds us of what is important and what isn't. Then when we deal with the rest of the world we can laugh at the preoccupation with money and keep it from our lives.

One persons, interpretation....
For more of the Statement of Principles see http://azburners.org/principles.htm

-Naked Mike

Events for the next few months as we know them. Some are official events, others just things the community is doing in groups.

2/4 First Fridays.
Downtown Phoenix has a monthly art walk.
http://www.artlinkphoenix.com/

While not a Burning Man event, many Burners participate as artists. The Wizards of Az often fire spin nearby for example. We often meet at Holga's just south of Roosevelt on 3rd St.

2/4 Tucson Dinner
The date is less firm with this monthly dinner. Check with the AZBurners on topic list for details.
February host: Theresa Klein
Location: Casa Molina at 7:30pm - fairly standard Mexican restaurant, serves margaritas and Mexican beer for $4.50 and and domestic beer for $3.25. I'm not sure how that compares to rates in the area, but it seems fairly reasonable.
3001 N Campbell
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 795-7593

2/12 (Phoenix dinner is normally this day) Take back Valentine's day party! Valentines day has become to commercial, lets take back this holiday and make it about love again. The other goal of this event is to round out the year with a 4th big community event. We have Holidaze, 100daze and The Rebar Bender, but nothing this time of year. So lets have a 4th and make it annual. There will be pot luck dinner as well as playa like exchange of valentines. Bring a valentines with YOUR name on it. For the potluck, use your imagination, make it about your view of valentines. See full
invite for details. (on discussion list, azburners(at)yahoogroups(dot)com

Starting at 3:00 pm Ending 11:00am Sunday.
Location: Pay attention here, it's tricky.
Primary location is Jesse and April (and Bev and Kari)'s new home in queen creek. The home will be empty. You must bring everything you need for this event.. Just like the playa. Assume nothing.
We need a sound system, crash space and the works.

18122 E. Happy Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85242
Take Power Rd. South past Riggs Rd. to San Tan Blvd. Go East (Right) on San Tan Blvd. to Valencia Ave. Go south (left) on Valencia Ave. to Happy Rd. Go East (Right) on Happy Rd.

The House is on the right side of the street. Parking is through the big white gate into the back yard!

Back up location will be Jenna's, the location of Holidays. Please keep an eye on the lists to make sure the location has not changed at the last moment. (there is a reason for it)

3121 N. 27th Place
Phoenix, AZ

See AZBurners discussion group for full invite. azburners(at)yahoogroups(dot)com

2/26 Arizona Scottish Highland Games
A bunch of went last year and had a lot of fun. Bring your kilt!

Location: On the Campus of Mesa Community College, located on the northeast corner of Dobson and US 60. 1833 West Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85202
Tickets, $12 at the gate.
Meet, just out side the gate at 10:00. If later, find us inside.
More info http://www.arizonascots.com/

2/26 Burners Invade Rocky Horror Night
This event has been cancelled!!

From: "The Rocky Horror Picture Show In Arizona"
Subject: Rocky's Future in the Valley....(important)

To all friends and fans of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW in the Phoenix area:

I am VERY sad to tell you that due to sudden, unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, GRAND CINEMAS—the Valley's home for ROCKY HORROR for nearly three years—has been forced to close not only its Phoenix location at Spectrum Mall but also its Chandler location at Warner & Arizona avenue.

This comes as a great surprise to us, as we were literally promoting our Grand Reopening MARDI GRAS show for February 26th, and transporting our props, when the news broke.

We apologize that our previously announced MARDI GRAS show in Chandler will not happen at this time; and likewise we regret that there is NO venue currently showing ROCKY in the Valley.

We do however have a number of upcoming events, including the Phoenix Gay Pride Parade and the 30th Anniversary international ROCKY HORROR convention in Las Vegas; and we are planning picnics, meetups and other activities to keep our big ROCKY family together; we hope that you will join us for these, until we can find another place that will let us all do the TIME WARP again! See our website for a complete list of these events and how you can join us for them!

We hope the wait will be short, but while we are looking, we highly recommend you check out the following shows by our sister casts in neighboring cities/states, if you have the opportunity. All of them are well worth the road trip! (And we will be visiting our Tucson sisters frequently.)

Heavy Petting (Tucson, AZ) http://tucsonrockyhorror.com/

Frankie's Favorite Obsession (Las Vegas ) http://www.rockyhorrorlasvegas.com/

Midnight Insanity (Long Beach, CA) http://www.midnightinsanity.com/

Sins O' The Flesh (Hollywood, CA) http://www.sinsotheflesh.org/

State by state listing of additional shows can be found at the interactive ROCKY theatre list. http://www.rockytheaters.com

We know that you are as anxious as we are to get the show going again; but we ask that you do NOT call theatres for us! If you have any contacts with any theatres, or are aware of any location that might be willing to host us, or if you or someone you know might have the resources to help us realize our dream of buying/building/owning/operating our OWN theatre devoted to ROCKY and other similar programming, please contact us ASAP with all available information at azrockyfans(at)yahoo(dot)com

As soon as there is information to share, it will be posted on this site, which we will continue to update with information and photos. Also, you can stay in touch with fellow local ROCKY fans by checking out our Yahoo group http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/azrockyhorrorfans/

http://www.azrocky.com/bb/ Meetup Group
http://rockyhorror.meetup.com, and VampireFreaks Community
http://vampirefreaks.com/cult.php?c=AZRockyHorrorFans

We would like to thank all of you who have attended, supported, performed in or otherwise helped make the ROCKY scene in Phoenix grow and thrive as it has in the last few years. Together, we made this one of the largest and most successful ROCKY scenes in the country—and more than that, we built a community based on love, tolerance and mutual respect. This is something for all of us to be very proud of.

I'd also like to thank the INCREDIBLE folks at Grand Cinemas for their amazing support of the show and everything we wanted to do with it. In 30 years of ROCKY HORROR in the Valley, I doubt there has ever been such a tolerant, open-minded theatre company, and all of them deserve your thanks. In the event GRAND reopens a location in the Valley, you can bet we'll be right back there with them (if they'll have us!).

Check this site frequently for updates, and in the meantime, keep the faith, keep in touch, do the TIME WARP wherever and however you can, and as ever, DON'T DREAM IT—BE IT!

With Genuine Love

Matteo M. Yenkala
Fearless Leader & Mr Producer Guy
on behalf of BOB (the Banned on Broadway Theatrical Troupe)

3/4 First Fridays
Downtown Phoenix has a monthly art walk.
http://www.artlinkphoenix.com/
While not a Burning Man event, many Burners participate as artists. The Wizards of Az often fire spin near by for example. We often meet at Holga's just south of Roosevelt on 3rd St.

3/5 AZ Renaissance Festival
Burner day at the faire! (it's an excuse to dress up) A few Burners perform, come out support them and have a pint or 2. Advance ticket discounts (save $1) from Fry's $18.00 each The Festival is seven miles east of Apache Junction on US Highway 60. For Carpooling options, see the discussion list. azburners(at)yahoogroups(dot)com Meeting, just in side the gate at 10:30am
More info http://emol.org/azrenfest/

3/12 Phoenix Area Dinner.
Once a month, on the 12th, we meet at a restaurant for dinner. The location is chosen by that month's organizer. March Organizer: Kathe (location will be in March newsletter) April Organizer: Needed. Speak up on the AZBurner discussion list. azburners(at)yahoogroups(dot)com

3/26 AZBurners Body Art Festival
A simple gathering of those who like to body paint, henna tattoos, dye hair, etc. Any interested artists please contact Naked Mike mike(at)nudeinaz(dot)com If you are interested in being art, just show up. Pot luck dinner, bring something to share, LNT, etc. Artists will accept donations, which will go to art supplies or playa art.
Starting at 3:00PM

18122 E. Happy Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85242
Take Power Rd. South past Riggs Rd. to San Tan Blvd. Go East (Right) on San Tan Blvd. to Valencia Ave. Go south (left) on Valencia Ave. to Happy Rd. Go East (Right) on Happy Rd.

4/22-4/24 Xara Dulzura
Imagine and pre-enact Xara, a pastoral paradise civilization 400 years in the future.
http://www.xaraproject.org/

4/28-5/1 TOAST
The Arizona Regional Burn Details, ticket info, etc. on the web site.
http://www.toast-town.org/

Some future ideas
It has been suggested that the 100 Daze party has grown to large for an urban environment. So, should it be expanded in to a 3 day weekend, out of town? In Camp Verde or elsewhere for example? Also 100 days before the man burns is may 26th so this could be held over Memorial day weekend. Or the weekend before. If you have thoughts please bring them up on the AZBurners discussion list. Particularly if you want to host it (pool would be nice
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Azburners

Keep in contact, build community!
http://www.azburners.org/ is a great source of information, list of events, gallery, local camps, you name it.. Get your bio up on it so we know who you are.

We have 3 e-mail lists. This one, which is the news letter and other announcements.
To subscribe send a blank email to
arizona-announce-subscribe(at)burningman(dot)com

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
arizona-announce-unsubscribe(at)burningman(dot)com

The AZBurners "on topic" to Burning Man discussion list
To join send a blank e-mail to azburners-subscribe(at)yahoogroups(dot)com

And finally, our "off topic" list.
To join send a blank e-mail to azofftop-subscribe(at)yahoogroups(dot)com

This news letter brought to you by:
Your regional contacts:
NakedMike
Rockstar (Gary), Arizona Regional
Community at large:
All of you!