Talent
Interested Musicians and callers
Please contact talent@contraburners.org for inquiries. We have a limited budget for sponsoring talent, if you are interested please contact us. Talented people who are paying their own way are unconditionally invited to join us. We offer level appropriate stage time and the opportunity for community jams.
The last official dance will be Friday evening. Depending on available talent, we may also have a Saturday morning dance. We do not recommend trying to make a Labor Day gig in the default world.
Open Band
One extremely important aspect of the Burning Man's mission is fostering new and creative art in all possible ways. In this regards we do not expect conventionally structured bands. Except for the opening dance, it will be open band, with visitors sitting in and shifting membership, even during a dance. Recent traditions have included renaming the band for every dance during the evening.
The opening dance serves as our only dress rehearsal, and should be assumed to be set personal.
Some talented camp members may receive stipends in appreciation of their art. This support would partially defray the costs of participating in camp and Burning Man, for example with gifted Burning Man entrance tickets, by waiving camp fees or by defraying travel and other costs. Talent who receive these gifts is not exempt from participating in camp duties or other parts of the camp mission.
This support should not be expected to be commensurate with “paid gigs” in the default world, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Sponsored talent (e.g. receiving BMORG tickets or other support) are expected to anchor the band in some sort of loose rotation. At the very least, making sure we have quorum on stage for every dance. Sound engineering may place priority on needs of the sponsored talent over other players, for example the adjustments of monitor mixes, etc.
Band Billing
Unless strongly motivated by some other reason, bands and other talent will be billed as individuals in affiliation. E.g. “John Doe and Mary Jane from Your Awesome Band”, etc. This permits maximum flexibility for mixing talent, guest performers, and frees the bands to experiment beyond their own brand.
Revised 1/2022