Grand Opening of The Big Art Studios at American Steel

13 07 2009

It was raining on my way from SF to Oakland for the big Sand by the Ton Burning Man Art Carnival, which was kind of odd because I pay attention to the weather reports and I hadn’t heard anyone predict showers for the weekend. At first I thought it might just be one of those flash monsoons, but it lasted for the entire ride and by the time I was over the Bay Bridge I saw this amazing double rainbow over the American Steel building.

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I haven’t Burned in over 7 years now but I remember seeing pictures and hearing stories of this amazing double rainbow at a recent Burning Man, so it felt like one of those moments where God was letting you in on in an inside joke.

Or like one of those coincidences in LOST. Take your pick.

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The American Steel building is HUGE. It’s got it’s own block. Hell, it has its own zip code.

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It also has some neat graffiti nearby.

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The Tesla Coil was back and was rocking out right behind the Gravity Point camp.

There was also some loud constant banging, like someone was dropping a cargo tank from the roof. It was loud enough to obliterate the noise made by several raves. It was like trying to dance during the firecracker scene in Boogie Nights.

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Fire and lasers and beats and Mayhem. Oh my!

This space reminded me a lot of the old Gathering parties at Home Base.

Paging Martin O’Brien – if you’re reading this you really want to talk to the Big Art Studio people. The American Steel place would be an amazing location for a Gathering. No. Wait. I take that back. Not a Gathering, not a Freedom or even a Come-Unity, but still taking something from those inspirations and putting it together to make something new.

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I see you, you see me
Watch you blowin’ the lines when you’re making a scene
Oh girl, you’ve got to know
What my head overlooks
The senses will show to my heart
When it’s watching for lies
You cant escape my

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Private eyes
They’re watching you
They see your every move
Private eyes
They’re watching you watching you watching you watching you

***

Related Posts –

Serpent Mother. FREE art opening on Treasure Island.





Doc Martin drops The Clash and PYT. The Gathering. San Francisco. Party like it’s 1999.

29 06 2009

Great set by LA house icon Doc Martin. I really like the last 2 minutes.

Bust it.





420 Party at Stafford Lake. 1997. FREE

4 05 2009

Salad Days 9

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This was one of the first big free massives at Stafford Lake. Sunset would later put the spot to good use by throwing their equinox parties there, throwing sometimes up to three parties per season up by the lake. It’s really amazing that we’ve been able to use this spot for 12+ years now. Not only have we not been kicked out yet but we’re actually on good terms with some of the park rangers and locals.

I discovered this flyer while digitizing another shoebox of old flyers and realized that the Stafford Lake debut party was also the day after this free party in Golden Gate Park.

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What an epic line up and great era from free parties in the Bay Area.