A house is a cell, and a city is a body. In the tent city of Black Rock, Nevada, the cellular unit is not the house but the Camp, of which there are 1,500, ordered in a semi-circle with streets and road signs.
Each Burning Man camp has its basic cellular function—keeping its campers fed and sheltered on the playa’s storm swept, alkali plane. And like the cells of a body, each camp has its adapted function—its unique contribution to Burning Man’s economy of circulating gifts.
No cash changes hands.
A camp might contribute a sprawling dance floor hosted by an EDM collective, a poetry open mic, a TED talk, an art clown show, a grief workshop, an orgy, a bike repair, a pillow fort, an interactive challenge, an elixir bar, an art car (and on and on unto 1,500).
Each camp is contributive, but there is one I would like to highlight. Located at the heart of Burning Man (and geographically at the feet of “the burning man” effigy) is radio 94.5, BMIR—Burning Man Radio.
Maintained by top radio professionals (who also like to party), it is “the voice of the man” and a texture of life in the camps which have neither cell service nor wifi.
This year, we have sent to BMIR one of our best: Ronny Joe “RJ” Grooms, the program manager at local, independent KSVY (“the voice of the Sonoma Valley”).
I took this assignment to raise the antennae and boost this local super-booster. Also to describe the active line of cultural transmission between Burning Man and the North Bay. (One of 20 campers having the revelation of Burning Man’s desert utopia will be returning to homes in the North Bay.) And lastly, for something Grooms realized about the function of our local radio stations in the shimmering dessert.
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Ronny Joe, this year you will be taking both of your KSVY shows to Burning Man—your Thursday and Friday interview show and your Friday night DJ show, ‘Radical Creatives.’ What’s your DJ name, RJ?
Ronny Joe Grooms: My transformed DJ persona is StaRJay.
Persona?
(Laughs) It’s an aspect of myself, if you took a raven and merged it with a human being and a star, that’s StaRJay. It’s cosmic, and a little bit dark.
What do you spin?
Typically Tribal, Deep House, Melodic House and Techno. Although I am taking a lot of different music to Burning Man for my two timeslots.
I’m glad you get to play; you’re typically a workhorse for KSVY.
I have been thinking about getting a cot to sleep in the station.
You’ll also be tripping around the playa recording some of those famous serendipitous Burning Man conversations. You know a trip sounds like a heightened version of your day-to-day reality. What has Burning Man’s heightened reality taught you about the value of local FM radio?
Weather is even more paramount out there. And there is no cell service; there is no free internet for all. Our job at Burning Man Information Radio is much like our job at KSVY during the fires. When other telecommunications went down, FM radio was there. And KSVY became one of the only hubs for the city and the valley for knowing what is going on.
When we fundraise and remind people the value of local radio, we put it like this: Beyond all musical curations from walking encyclopedias of amazing DJs we have and the interviews with local musicians and artists and promotions of local nonprofits, at the base of everything, what we are is a critical part of the emergency communications plan.
Learn moreat linktr.ee/RonnyJoeGrooms.
