Burner Podcast

Burner Podcast Network

Independently produced by a revolving team of volunteers and Hosted by founder (mr)Arash, Burner Podcast is the longest running traditional audio podcast in the extended international community of Burning Man. Focused on year-round Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore 150+ episodes at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes.

Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-based professional photographer and community builder. Connect with him directly at arashafshar.com

Follow instagram.com/BurnerPodcast and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates.

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S143 · E165
October 10 · 2 hr
The Garage
Blender brings Burning Man's most useful art installation to Black Rock City Published: [10/10/26] A week after Burning Man 2026, Arash sits down in Los Angeles with Brendon O'Halloran, aka Blender, the lead artist behind The Garage. A familiar suburban space transplanted into Black Rock City, the project honors the builders, workers, craftspeople, and laborers whose behind-the-scenes efforts make things happen—often with little recognition. Blender is also proud to announce that no influencer photoshoots took place at The Garage. In fact, many walked right past it as folks assumed it was a support structure for some other, bigger, and shinier project. In this episode, we'll get to know the delightful 17 year veteran burner behind the art installation that might be the most Burning Man art project ever; one that was not a pretty backdrop for content farmers, served as a community space during some of the longest whiteouts in recent memory, and legitimately provided useful resources for burners in need. Episode Info Burner Podcast | Episode B165 Featuring: Brendon O'Halloran aka Blender, lead artist of The Garage | instagram.com/b.ohalloran Learn more about The Garage: fluxfoundation.org/the-garage | instagram.com/thegaragebrc Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, 9/17/26 Closing DJ Set by DJ Tru recorded on 9/5/26: instagram.com/thedjtru | soundcloud.com/thedjtru For the Record mutant vehicle instagram.com/ftr.artcar Support Burner Podcast If Burner Podcast has ever entertained you, challenged you, introduced you to someone, made you feel connected, or helped you understand this community a little better, please consider making a contribution. BurnerPodcast.com/donate Standard Boilerplate A show for those who burn the other 350 days of the year Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow at instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast Episodes of Burner Podcast are produced by a revolving cadre of dusty maniacs. The 2026 team includes Music Director Chris Huber aka M.I.A. and New Media Editor Cable King, among others. Burner Podcast's theme music is produced by Joman | jomanmusic.com | instagram.com/jomanmusic The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. About the Host & Founder Ārash Afshar is an Iranian-American writer, photographer, and cultural architect. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through philosophical memoirs, documentary portraiture, and recorded conversations. Learn more at yesterdayiwasclever.com.
S702 · E164
August 27 · 2 hr
The Joy of Missing Out on Burning Man
A snarky roundtable to comfort listeners in the default feeling FOMO Published [9/1/26] You've done a lot of Burning Man! In fact, you've done so much Burning Man, that you've gotten to the point where you're actually kinda happy to be sitting this one out and not dealing with all the heat and dust. Maybe you're feeling a little giddy even, being all super comfy in your pajamas and snuggling with your cats. Maybe you're even feeling a little guilty about how good it feels? Is this... Are you experiencing the opposite of FOMO? Is this JOMO that you're feeling?? The Burner Podcast fam wants to fan the flames of whatever that feeling is with this fun little chat. Unstructured, irreverent, silly, and snarky, this episode is all about the joy of missing out on Burning Man. We'll gossip, share some stories, and share admiration for our comforts of the default world. Don't worry, next year was always better anyway. Episode Info Burner Podcast | Episode B164 Featuring: Josherrrssss | instagram.com/jjjjoshers Bexx | instagram.com/bexconnects John Williams aka Shifta | djshifta.com | instagram.com/djshifta Recorded in Las Vegas, NV, in August of 2026 Closing DJ Set: Lana with a K instagram.com/lana_with_a_k https://soundcloud.com/lana-with-a-k/airpusher-sonic-runway-burning-man-24 Standard Boilerplate A show for those who burn the other 350 days of the year Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, we are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow us for wildly irregular updates: instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast Episodes of Burner Podcast are produced by a revolving cadre of dusty maniacs. The 2026 team includes Music Director Chris Huber aka M.I.A. and New Media Editor Cable King, among others. Burner Podcast's theme music is produced by Joman | jomanmusic.com | instagram.com/jomanmusic The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. About the Host & Founder Ārash Afshar is an Iranian-American writer, photographer, and cultural architect. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through philosophical memoirs, documentary portraiture, and recorded conversations. Learn more at yesterdayiwasclever.com.
S702 · E163
August 20 · 2 hr
So You're Going to Burning Man!
Meet your mentors as you embark on your Hero's Journey through Black Rock City Published: 8/20/26 Burning Man is a lot! It's overwhelming even for the veterans. But this particular episode is for the newest additions to our global community; those embarking on their first ever Burning Man. Welcome to your own personal Hero's Journey. In this episode, you'll meet your mentors: Superglue, Magician, and Sam. The guests on this episode are three Burners with years of large-scale camp experience. You may have already left your Ordinary World and Crossed the Threshold by committing to your first ever trip to Black Rock City. You will be tested, you'll meet allies, and you'll face ordeals. But fret not! You're never alone, and if you take some time to listen to the guidance of some of your many new friends, you'll return to the default world with something much greater than a random set of party memories. You'll be reborn. Forward this one to your friends who are attending their first burn. Episode Info Burner Podcast | Episode B163 Featuring: Ann Pirone aka Superglue | instagram.com/beefreeandinflow Christopher Walton aka Magician Sam Finley | instagram.com/sam.b.finley Recorded in Las Vegas, NV, on 8/15/26 Contributing Producer: Superglue Closing DJ Set: Johnno The Rhino, founder of The Golden Gate art car, recorded on Wednesday night at AfrikaBurn 2026 instagram.com/therhino_inthemix instagram.com/goldengate.artcar Listen to Johnno The Rhino's full mix: https://soundcloud.com/johnnotherhino/the-rhino-space-cowoboys Additional Links: Search for "The Ten Principles Episode" of "Burner Podcast" on your podcast platform of choice. https://www.burnerpodcast.com/explore-episodes/episode-105-the-ten-principals-episode-finally https://open.spotify.com/episode/2atYq7RYngSmcCFwam11p9?si=OLtJGmztSWOXFCep7bkdMw Learn about AfrikaBurn: https://www.burnerpodcast.com/explore-episodes/episode-100-afrikaburn instagram.com/thetwilightlanguage Standard Boilerplate For those who burn the other 350 days of the year Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, we are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow us for wildly irregular updates: instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast Episodes of Burner Podcast are produced by a revolving cadre of dusty maniacs. The 2026 team includes Music Director Chris Huber aka M.I.A. and New Media Editor Cable King, among others. Burner Podcast's theme music is produced by Joman | jomanmusic.com | instagram.com/jomanmusic The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. About the Host & Founder Ārash Afshar is an Iranian-American writer, photographer, and cultural architect. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through philosophical memoirs, documentary portraiture, and recorded conversations. Learn more at yesterdayiwasclever.com.
August 18 · 2 hr 5 min
Alkaline: Go South at Spice of Life
Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline The Soundtrack to Your Burn Session A072: Go South Recorded live at Spice of Life Campout outside Sydney, Australia Based in Sydney, Australia, Go South is a melodic house and techno DJ on a single mission: make people melt down on the dance floor, captivating hearts, souls, minds and hips with melodies where resistance is futile. A Pete Tong DJ Academy graduate, Go South is a mainstay of the Sydney club scene and a veteran of Burning Man and Burning Seed, where she's played aboard art cars and camps including Mystic Flyer, Fluffy, Charlie the Unicorn, Bubble Camp and Spanky's Wine Bar. Beyond the decks, she co-founded Cirque de Nuit — nights of music, dance and circus magic where all proceeds go to charity, and Bikram Beats, bringing downtempo beats to hot yoga classes. Melodic house and techno is home, but Go South will branch into any genre the night calls for. This session was recorded live at Spice of Life camp fundraiser hosted by Spice theme camp. Performing one of the key slots of the weekend - Saturday, midnight to 2am, sandwiched between deep house and minimal techno artists - Go South wove a melodic thread through house, techno, electro, dance, pop and even a golden classic. Rumour has it the site owner left a warm bed for a dance. No higher honour. Connect & Learn More Full set: https://soundcloud.com/gosouth/the-spice-must-flow-spice-of-life Go South on Instagram: instagram.com/gosouthmusic Spice Theme Camp: instagram.com/spice.camp Burning Seed — Australia's Burning Man regional: burningseed.com | instagram.com/burning.seed Alkaline's 2026 season is Produced by Burner Podcast Music Director Chris Huber, aka M.I.A. Alkaline was founded by executive producers Navjeet Sarna, Amber Rose, and Ārash Afshar Cover photo by Eleanor Preger | instagram.com/eleanorpreger Standard Boilerplate For those who burn the other 350 days of the year The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, we are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow us for wildly irregular updates: instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast
S702 · E161
August 12 · 1 hr 58 min
A Symphony of Steel
Mutant vehicle creator Henry Chang on art, engineering, and courage in the face of cruelty Published [8/11/26] Henry Chang can be described in so many ways and they'd all be accurate. Jazz-pianist-turned-electronic dance musician and self-taught mechanical engineer. Or a political scientist turned musician. Or a home builder turned sculptor. While most in Black Rock City recognize his iconic stainless steel creations like Valyrian Steel and the Flux Capacitor, this conversation dives deeper into the overall symphony of art, one of its many expressions being the machines most know him for. A former student of political science and computer science, Henry eventually abandoned the "silos" of the default world to follow a calling that merges the precision of aerospace fabrication with the soul of a musician. In this conversation, Arash and Henry trace his journey beginning in Laramie, Wyoming, where Henry grew up as an 'oddity'. We follow him to university where he faces a life-altering event which leads to a paradigm shift in how he approaches his career. We explore how he integrated his music, his interest in engineering, and his calling as an artist. Crucially, this episode also explores a side of Henry most do not know: his background as a war historian. The conversation is bookended by a deep look at the responsibility of artists and burners in a world at war. Episode Info Burner Podcast | Episode B162 Recorded at Henry Chang Design in Las Vegas on 8/09/26 Contributing Producer: Gordon Katz Learn More Henry Chang Design – Explore his portfolio of "artgineering" projects, furniture, and minimalist architectural home designs: https://www.henrychandesign.com/ Soul in the Machine – Listen to the "art band" for which Henry built custom stainless steel drum walls and laser harps: https://soundcloud.com/soulinthemachine Beyond Thunderdome (Autocar) – A technical look at the 5.0-litre V8 engines and the World War II-era lathe used to build his sculptures: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/beyond-thunderdome-henry-changs-insane-automotive-sculptures The Machine in the Man (Burning Man Journal) – An in-depth exploration of the three-axis Tourbillon and Henry's journey with Radical Inclusion: https://journal.burningman.org/2019/07/burning-man-arts/brc-art/the-machine-in-the-man-henry-chang-and-artgineering/ Inside Henry's studio with Area15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9BGitclY8 Henry's camp: instagram.com/miragegaragebrc Standard Boilerplate A show for those who burn the other 350 days of the year Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, we are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow us for wildly irregular updates: instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast Episodes of Burner Podcast are produced by a revolving cadre of dusty maniacs. The 2026 team includes Music Director Chris Huber aka M.I.A. and New Media Editor Cable King, among others. Burner Podcast's theme music is produced by Joman | jomanmusic.com | instagram.com/jomanmusic The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. About the Host & Founder Ārash Afshar is an Iranian-American writer, photographer, and cultural architect. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through philosophical memoirs, documentary portraiture, and recorded conversations. Learn more at yesterdayiwasclever.com.
August 4 · 2 hr 23 min
Alkaline: Tormenta at Spanky's Wine Bar
Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline The Soundtrack to Your Burn Session A071: Tormenta at Spanky's Wine Bar Recorded live at Spanky's Wine Bar, Black Rock City 2025 Based in Berlin, Germany, Shirin — aka Tormenta — is a regular in the European burn scene, including NoWhere in Spain. In 2025, she made her first trip to Black Rock City, where her playa initiation came complete with storms, mud, and cancelled gigs. Fittingly, tormenta means "storm" in Spanish. This set was recorded at the iconic Spanky's Wine Bar in BRC 2025: music for pleasure, self-determination, and moving like you mean it — "a little cheeky and a little filthy," with Tormenta's signature bouncy-dark sound. Full set: soundcloud.com/tormenta_music/tormenta-at-spankys Follow: instagram.com/tormenta.music/ NoWhere, Spain Burning Man regional - goingnowhere.org | instagram.com/going_nowhere_burn Spanky's Wine Bar - spankys.org | instagram.com/spankysswinebar Alkaline's 2026 season is Produced by Burner Podcast Music Director Chris Huber, aka M.I.A. Executive producers Navjeet Sarna and Amber Rose Standard Boilerplate A show for those who burn the other 350 days of the year. Burner Podcast celebrates over a decade in production and is listed among the top 5% of podcasts in the world by ListenNotes. An independent gift to the Burning Man community, we are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Burner Podcast episodes feature audio memoirs, roundtables, and deep-dive conversations for and about those who identify as burners. Explore 160+ episodes at: burnerpodcast.com Follow us for wildly irregular updates: instagram.com/burnerpodcast | facebook.com/burnerpodcast The Burner Podcast RSS feed is home to the flagship show itself, as well as other Burner Podcast Presents spinoffs including Burner Podcast Presents : Alkaline, a show featuring DJ mixes as the sonic documentation of the global Burner community — the soundtrack to your burn. About the Host & Founder Ārash Afshar is an Iranian-American writer, photographer, and cultural architect. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through philosophical memoirs, documentary portraiture, and recorded conversations. Learn more at yesterdayiwasclever.com.
S666 · E1
June 13 · 1 hr 29 min
Alkaline: DJ Priscilla on El Pulpo Magnifico
Based in the Bay Area of California, Priscilla Hernandez (aka DJ Priscilla) is a pillar of the burner community. She is a resident DJ with the Heavy Petting Zoo, a Burning Man camp and mutant vehicle dedicated to building a community of creative dancers and free spirits. In addition to DJing great sets around Burning Man and Regional events, Priscilla hosts a mini camp within the Illumination Village theme camp where she holds daily 'Learn to DJ' classes on playa during Burning Man to help aspiring DJs learn the art of mixing. This session was recorded on the El Pulpo mutant vehicle during UnScruz 2026. It was the first time a DJ has performed live on El Pulpo. Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline The Soundtrack to Your Burn [6/13/26] Session a070 Produced by Chris Huber (aka M.I.A.). Connect & Learn More The DJ set on Priscilla Hernandez's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/priscilla-hernandez-895926277/live-on-el-pulpo-unscruz-2026 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscillathedj/ El Pulpo Mecanico: https://www.instagram.com/elpulpomecanico Illumination Village: https://www.instagram.com/illumination_village Heavy Petting Zoo Art Car: https://www.instagram.com/hpzartcar Standard Boilerplate Burner Podcast is an independent gift to the community, not a PR wing for the Org. We are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Reality is a conversation, and the conversation must continue. The project serves the community through three distinct channels: Burner Podcast: The original traditional interview show featuring audio memoirs and deep-dive conversations. Alkaline: The DJ mix show and sonic documentation of the global Burner community—the soundtrack to your Burn. The Dispatch: A space for remote check-ins, time-sensitive updates, and direct addresses to the International Burnersphere. About the Host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-based artist and oral historian. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through the medium of recorded conversations, written words, and photography. 🔗 Explore projects: arashafshar.com 📸 Instagram: @mrarash Support the Gift This show is a decommodified project. We grow only through your word-of-mouth—if this story resonates with you, please share it with a friend. You can also support the continuation of this conversation on Patreon. 🔗 Patreon: patreon.com/c/mrarash
April 13 · 2 hr 14 min
Alkaline A069: Black Velveteen on the ¡AXOLOTL!
Born on the South Side of Chicago and based in Seattle, Chris Offutt (aka Black Velveteen) is a pillar of the Pacific Northwest creative community and the founder of the Sage Rites record label. Her musical foundation, built on a childhood range of Motown to Mozart, manifested in a career navigating the cultural textures of San Francisco and Seattle, including her 2011 London-based radio show Progressions in House. This session, recorded at sunrise on ¡AXOLOTL! Art Car, Burning Man 2024. Black Velveteen first appeared on Burner Podcast with the closing set for Episode 88 (Post Burning Man 2018 Chat with Halcyon). Currently a resident at Habitat Seattle, Caravan, and Reflect, Chris continues to capture the heart-centered truth of the community through her sound and commitment to community building and collaboration. Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline The Soundtrack to Your Burn [4/12/26] Session a069 Connect & Learn More The DJ set on Black Velveteen's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/blackvelveteennow/burning-man-sunrise-on-axolotl-art-car-2024 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djblackvelveteen Proton Radio: https://www.protonradio.com Airpusher Collective: https://www.instagram.com/airpushercollective axolotlartcar.com instagram.com/axolotlearthguardian Standard Boilerplate Burner Podcast is an independent gift to the community, not a PR wing for the Org. We are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Reality is a conversation, and the conversation must continue. The project serves the community through three distinct channels: Burner Podcast: The original traditional interview show featuring audio memoirs and deep-dive conversations. Alkaline: The DJ mix show and sonic documentation of the global Burner community—the soundtrack to your Burn. The Dispatch: A space for remote check-ins, time-sensitive updates, and direct addresses to the International Burnersphere. About the Host Arash Afshar (aka Miraḡe the Pluronaut) is an Iranian-American, SoCal-based artist and oral historian. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through the medium of recorded conversations, written words, and photography. 🔗 Explore projects: arashafshar.com 📸 Instagram: @mrarash Support the Gift This show is a decommodified project. We grow only through your word-of-mouth—if this story resonates with you, please share it with a friend. You can also support the continuation of this conversation on Patreon. 🔗 Patreon: patreon.com/c/mrarash
S2026 · E161
March 31 · 2 hr
Burner Podcast: From Earth With Love
Ben Haldeman is backing up our collective memories across the stars Published [3/31/26] Ben Haldeman is an engineer, explorer, and the visionary founder of LifeShip — designing pyramids filled with DNA archives and cultural time capsules to send to the Moon and beyond. A former early employee at Planet Labs, Ben left to follow a calling that crystallized during a vision quest through the forests of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. In this conversation, Arash and Ben look past technical specifications to explore the existential heart of why we document ourselves as a species. If the Burn is an exercise in the ephemeral, building a temporary city only to let it go, Ben's work represents the ultimate counterbalance: a community-driven effort to ensure the human story survives among the stars. From his hippie parents' Volkswagen van in Nova Scotia to landing a pyramid on the Moon in March 2025, this is an audio memoir of a man following the signs through ayahuasca ceremonies, dusty sunrises at Robot Heart, and asteroid missions - dedicated to preserving the seeds of Earth and spreading life into the cosmos. Episode Info Burner Podcast | Episode B161 Recorded at Emerald Village on 3/19/26 Featuring: Ben Haldeman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhaldeman Black Velveteen – DJ whose session was recorded live on the AirPusher art car at Burning Man 2025: https://linktr.ee/blackvelveteen Full set: https://soundcloud.com/blackvelveteennow/burning-man-2025-airpusher-on-the-playa AirPusher Collective – The art car and community behind Black Velveteen's set: https://www.instagram.com/airpushercollective/ Connect & Learn More LifeShip – Organization sending biological and digital archives to space: https://lifeship.com Planet Labs – Earth-imaging satellite company where Ben designed the initial camera systems: https://www.planet.com Firefly Aerospace – Built the Moon lander for the Life Ship mission: https://fireflyspace.com AstroForge – Asteroid mining company focused on reducing destructive mining on Earth: https://www.astroforge.io AstroLab – LA-based company building the Moon rover "Flip": https://astrolab.space Places & Events Burning Man – Annual event and the "capital city" of our global community: https://burningman.org LA Tech Week – The default world collision point where Arash and Ben first met: https://www.tech-week.com/la Svalbard Global Seed Vault – The "Doomsday" seed bank referenced in Ben's work: https://www.croptrust.org/work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/ Key Topics & Concepts LifeShip Moon Pyramid – The cultural time capsule and DNA archive that landed on the Moon: https://lifeship.com/pages/mission-updates Asteroid Mining – The process of utilizing space resources to protect Earth's environment: https://www.astroforge.io/mission Egypt Solar Eclipse 2027 – Total solar eclipse event near Luxor: https://www.eclipse2027.org 🌟 Standard Boilerplate About the Show Burner Podcast is an independent gift to the community, not a PR wing for the Org. We are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Reality is a conversation, and the conversation must continue. The project serves the community through three distinct channels: Burner Podcast: The original traditional interview show featuring audio memoirs and deep-dive conversations. Alkaline: The DJ mix show and sonic documentation of the global Burner community—the soundtrack to your Burn. The Dispatch: A space for remote check-ins, time-sensitive updates, and direct addresses to the international burnersphere. Opening theme by Joman https://jomanmusic.com Closing sets: https://soundcloud.com/burnerpodcast/sets/burner-podcast-closing-sets About the Host Arash Afshar (aka Miraḡe the Pluronaut) is an Iranian-American, SoCal-based artist and oral historian. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through the medium of recorded conversations, written words, and photography. 🔗 Explore projects: http://arashafshar.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrarash Support the Gift This show is a decommodified project. We grow only through your word-of-mouth—if this story resonates with you, please share it with a friend. You can also support the continuation of this conversation on Patreon. 🔗 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/mrarash
March 18 · 1 hr 46 min
Alkaline A068: Shamiran (Camp YOUniversal)
Alkaline A068: Shamiran (Camp YOUniversal) 📅 [3/18/26] The Soundtrack to Your Burn In this session, we welcome a true sonic ambassador of the global community. Born in Iran and based in Los Angeles, Shamiran is an artist, musician, and sonic selector who has become a mainstay at Camp YOUniversal, known for their Persian Tea House (designed by the legendary Gregg Fleishman). A community activator and human rights activist to the bones, Shamiran can usually be found on playa with the sound and production team for Distrikt and coordinating Woman Life Freedom events in the default world. If she sounds familiar, it's because she was a part of Burner Podcast's 2025 Pre-Playa Planner crew. This set, recorded on Wednesday at Camp YOUniversal in Black Rock City during Burning Man 2022. Full Set: https://on.soundcloud.com/BaFGFP6y4cbj3yhRWr 🌎 Connect & Learn More Instagram: instagram.com/shamiran_sateri SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/shamiransateri Camp YOUniversal Distrikt: instagram.com/distrikt_org 🎧 Listen & Context Hear Shamiran in conversation: Burner Podcast Episode 159 The Alkaline Archive: Explore a decade of sonic documentation at burnerpodcast.com/alkaline. Burner Podcast Episode 136 with Gregg Fleishman: soundcloud.com/burnerpodcast/136-accidentally-spiritual 🌟 Standard Boilerplate Burner Podcast is an independent gift to the community, not a PR wing for the Org. We are an artist-documentarian project dedicated to capturing the stories and heart-centered truth of our global population. Reality is a conversation, and the conversation must continue. The project serves the community through three distinct channels: Burner Podcast: The original traditional interview show featuring audio memoirs and deep-dive conversations. Alkaline: The DJ mix show and sonic documentation of the global Burner community—the soundtrack to your Burn. The Dispatch: A space for remote check-ins, time-sensitive updates, and direct addresses to the International Burnersphere. About the Host Arash Afshar (aka Miraḡe the Pluronaut) is an Iranian-American, SoCal-based artist and oral historian. He champions Artist Consciousness and views his mission as facilitating radical humanization through the medium of recorded conversations, written words, and photography. 🔗 Explore projects: arashafshar.com 📸 Instagram: @mrarash Support the Gift This show is a decommodified project. We grow only through your word-of-mouth—if this story resonates with you, please share it with a friend. You can also support the continuation of this conversation on Patreon. 🔗 Patreon: patreon.com/c/mrarash
S702 · E67
Dec 26, 2025 · 2 hr
Alkaline: Piccaya (Afrikaburn 2025 / Bubbles & Bass)
Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline A067: Piccaya at Afrikaburn 2025 Welcome to the all new, all different (but mostly the same same) Burner Podcast Presents Alkaline — the soundtrack to your burn. Our new season opener welcomes back Piccaya, last featured in episode 90 of Burner Podcast, this time sharing one of his many sets from Afrikaburn 2025. Piccaya is a sonic traveler and storyteller based between Brussels and Barcelona, known for deep, organic, tribal-infused soundscapes that bridge the spiritual and the dancefloor. This mix captures a warm, glowy, hip-shaking journey recorded Friday morning at Bubbles & Bass in the Karoo Desert. Additionally, let it be said that your Persian Podcast host appreciated Piccaya casually dropping a Persian tune into the mix. Links piccaya.com → https://www.piccaya.com/about Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/piccaya/ Kosmozoo → https://www.kosmozoo.org/ Camp & Event Bubbles & Bass → https://www.bubblesandbass.com/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/bubbles.and.bass/ Listen & Context Full mix → https://on.soundcloud.com/mFvDaw1BqKK9lJOK7s Previous appearance (Burner Podcast Episode 90) → https://www.burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes/episode-90-rise-of-the-regionals Curated by Burner Podcast host Arash (aka Miraḡe the Pluronaut), Burner Podcast Presents: Alkaline showcases mixes by DJs active across the global Burning Man community. New episodes now drop on the same feed as Burner Podcast. Explore the original Alkaline archives (Sessions A001–A066), hosted and produced by Navjeet Sarna: https://www.burnerpodcast.com/alkaline
S143 · E160
Oct 25, 2025 · 1 hr 59 min
Don't Go to Burning Man
A Post-Burning Man 2025 chat with 20-year veteran & camp lead Rand Pate The dust has barely settled, and Arash is still shaking it out of his hair—and maybe out of his brain. In this post-Burning Man 2025 debrief, he sits with Rand Pate, a 20-year veteran and long-time camp lead of Bubble Lounge, to unpack what might have been the roughest year on record. From hurricane-force whiteouts and shattered shade structures to an unexpected birth, a tragic homicide, and the most international population in playa history, 2025 pushed the community to its edge. They talk about the evolution of playa culture, the loss of Center Camp Café, camp leadership under pressure, and why radical inclusion sometimes has limits. Rand shares lessons from two decades on the dust and how Bubble Lounge held its spirit through chaos. The conversation closes with gratitude, gallows humor, and a new DJ set by Todd Spero, recorded at Slut Garden in 2017*.* Episode Links / Resources Bubble Lounge Camp history – https://www.thebubblelounge.net/ Burning Man 2025 overview (news, weather, stats) – https://burningman.org/event/ Burning Man+1 2025 event incidents (weather, birth, homicide) – • Dust storm & weather: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/aug/26/burning-man-weather-storms The Guardian • Unexpected birth (Baby Aurora): https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2025/08/29/baby-born-at-burning-man-mother-didnt-know-she-was-expecting/85895911007/ Reno Gazette-Journal+1 • GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-burning-man-baby-girl-2025 GoFundMe Film Dust (Short Film) – YouTube search: "Dust Burning Man short film" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQABv8jgVSw Film Ignite (Documentary Short) featured on Burner Podcast episode 96: The Wind Whispers – burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes/episode-96-the-wind-whispers Film Charlie Goes to Burning Man – YouTube search: "Charlie goes to Burning Man documentary" DJ Set – Todd Spero @ Slut Garden 2017 – soundcloud.com/todd-spero/instereo-night-burning-man-2017-friday-night-slutgarden Burner Podcast Presents Alkaline – burnerpodcast.com/alkaline Follow Mr Arash – instagram.com/mrarash Show Credits Burner Podcast Episode 160 Recorded in Los Angeles 10/24/25 Host / Producer: Mr Arash Guest: Rand Pate Contributing Producer: Public Menace Music: Todd Spero – Slut Garden 2017 Set Theme: "Horse With No Name (Remix)" by Joman Call to Action Share this episode with three friends whom you'd like to talk out of going to Burning Man. Use hashtag #DontGoToBurningMan and #burnerpodcast when posting. More at burnerpodcast.com. About Burner Podcast Hosted by (mr)Arash, Burner Podcast is the longest running traditional audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Independently produced and focused on Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore 160ish conversations at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes. Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-born (and sometimes Vegas-based) professional photographer. You can learn more at arashafshar.com and reach out directly at mrarash.com/hello. Follow instagram.com/BurnerPodcast and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates.
S702 · E159
Aug 3, 2025 · 1 hr 57 min
Roadtrip to Burning Man 2025
Roadtrip to Burning Man 2025 The Annual Pre-Playa Planner™ It's that time again, kids! The Pre-Playa Planner is the yearly tradition where Arash delegates all the actual research to his way-more-responsible guests. This year's dialed-in crew to help you mentally prepare for your adventures ahead: Esquire, founder of Bubble Lounge Saffron aka Sara Barnett, repping Art Support Services (A.S.S.) instagram.com/cornepeli Shamiran, artist, musician, sonic selector and Camp YOUniversal mainstay instagram.com/saterishamiran The crew breaks down some of the 2025 art projects we're excited to see, rituals we're bringing back, new surprises we're bracing for, and logistics that separate the veterans from the sparkle ponies. Burner Podcast Episode 159 Recorded in Los Angeles on August 2, 2025 📅 playaevents.burningman.org 🌀 2025 Art Installations: burningman.org/event/2025-art-listings 🎧 Here Shamiran's full set here: https://on.soundcloud.com/26hAaDXocNpuuuMIWU 🛻 Your Pre-Playa Audio Toolkit: burnerpodcast.com/roadtrip 🗃️ Previous Pre-Playa Planners: burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes/category/pre-playa-planner Contributing Producer: Public Menace of Bubble Lounge 🏹🪽✂️ Hosted by (mr)Arash, Burner Podcast is the longest running traditional audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Independently produced and focused on Burner consciousness and topics of intracultural interest, explore 150+ conversations at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes. Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American SoCal-born (and sometimes Vegas-based) professional photographer. You can learn more at arashafshar.com and reach out directly at mrarash.com/hello. Follow instagram.com/BurnerPodcast and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates.
S702 · E158
May 19, 2025 · 2 hr 14 min
Welcome Home
And on his seventh Burn, Tyler Williams truly came Home For his first six Burns, musician and professional Las Vegas community builder Tyler Williams attended Burning Man the millionaire way — flying in late, partying big, and heading out before the Temple burn. After the tragic death of his friend and boss, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh, Tyler returned to the playa — this time sober and with a deeper sense of intention. In this interview memoir, Tyler shares his story of growing up in the church, landing in Las Vegas with his band, and eventually working alongside Tony during the Downtown Project's legendary revitalization of Fremont Street. Along the way, Arash and Tyler explore the lows of Ketamine and the real highs found in purpose, community, and creative contribution. Burner Podcast | Episode 158 Recorded on Bicycle Day of 2025 in Las Vegas, NV 🔗 Tyler's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tyler-williams-53089b20 🔗 Tyler's music: reverbnation.com/theoryofflightmusic If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, and if you're feeling extra generous, check out BurnerPodcast.com for ways to support the show. 🌟 About the Show Featuring in-depth conversations with artists, leaders, and visionaries shaping Burner culture year-round, Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Ranked among the top 5% of podcasts worldwide by Listen Notes, it has been exploring international Burner culture for over a decade. 🎧 Dive into the archive at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes 📲 Follow @BurnerPodcast on Instagram and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates 🌟 About the Host Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-born, and Las Vegas-based cultural strategist, creative director and professional photographer. 🔗 Explore his projects at arashafshar.com 📸 Follow him on Instagram: @mrarash 💌 Send love (or hate) mail: mrarash.com/hello
S702 · E157
Apr 1, 2025 · 1 hr 42 min
Talk to Tony
Anthony Bondi refuses to let Las Vegas's arts history disappear For over two decades, Anthony Bondi has been a living archive of Las Vegas' arts and counterculture movements. From his large-scale tactile installations at Burning Man to his massive independent archive, Las Vegas Arts in Print Media, 1990–2015, Tony has tirelessly documented the ephemeral and forgotten corners of creative expression in Sin City. In this conversation, Tony and Arash explore the nature of cultural memory and the role of artists and storytellers. Tony guides Arash through an experiential journey into the hidden history of Las Vegas and its underground arts scene. Burner Podcast | Episode 157 Recorded in Las Vegas on March 28 and published March 31, 2025 🔗 Las Vegas Arts in Print Media LasVegasArts.org 🔗 anthonybondi.com 📺 Anthony on Parts Unknown 🎧 DJ Set Featured: Tomothy Bee aka Tasty Tim 🎵 soundcloud.com/tastytim
S702 · E3
Apr 1, 2025 · 25 min
The Dispatch | With Music Producer Joman
Burner Podcast Presents The Dispatch Joseph Mancuso, better known as Joman, is the producer behind the Burner Podcast theme song, a remix of America's "Horse With No Name." In this Dispatch, Arash and Joman catch up about dance music culture, his move from Denver to Austin, and his latest evolution as a video content creator. From viral bootlegs to Beatport charts, Joman's journey weaves through Denver's underground, Burning Man, and beyond. 🎧 Featured Tracks: "Distance and Time (for Allie)" "Drunk in 1999" "Footwear" (feat. Kaya) 🔗 More from Joman: Website | YouTube | Instagram
Mar 2, 2025 · 15 min
The Dispatch with Rat Lady of Mobility Camp
The Dispatch – Episode 002: Rat Lady Guest: Rat Lady Recorded on: 2/28/25 Arash hops on a call with Rat Lady of Mobility Camp to discuss practical ways we can all practice Radical Inclusion by making our Burns more accessible for participants with disabilities—and how to bring that mindset into the default world. Fun takeaway: No one gets to be a sparkle pony, not even at Mobility Camp! We don't have to be perfect but a little effort goes a long way. mobilitycamp.org About Burner Podcast Presents: The Dispatch Quick-bite conversations with Burners around the world. Featuring past guests and new voices, The Dispatch keeps the signal alive with check-ins to keep the seat warm between full episodes of Burner Podcast, which go live at the end of each month.
Mar 2, 2025 · 15 min
The Dispatch with Public Menace
The Dispatch – Episode 001: Public Menace Guest: Jonny aka Public Menace Recorded on 2/25/25 Jonny, also known as Public Menace, shook up Reddit with his independent 180-page audit of Burning Man. In the inaugural episode of The Dispatch, Arash and Menace hop on a call to chat about some takeaways. Transparency, Transparency, Transparency Burners are usually 10 years ahead on everything—why not this? How do we as Burners want to be governed? Reddit: @Public__Menace Email: jonny@thealvara.com thealvara.com *** About Burner Podcast Presents: The Dispatch Quick-bite conversations with Burners around the world. Featuring past guests and new voices, The Dispatch keeps the signal alive with check-ins to keep the seat warm between full episodes of Burner Podcast which go live at the end of each month.
S702 · E156
Mar 1, 2025 · 1 hr 59 min
CoLab - San Diego's Maker & Community Space
📅 2/29/2025 The importance of physical community spaces has never been greater. In this episode, we dive into the story of CoLab, San Diego's maker space—where it started, what it took to get to where it is now, and why spaces like this are essential for the future of our communities. The go-live day of this episode marks CoLab's 11th birthday! CoLab's lease began on March 1, 2014—making it the perfect time to reflect on how it came together and why having a dedicated space for creators, builders and community matters more than ever. 🎙 Episode Info 🎧 Burner Podcast | Episode 156 📍 Recorded on January 23, 2025, in San Diego 📝 Featuring: Jon Ray, Diane Hoffoss, Cecile Pham, Vic "Jolly Rancher" Liao, J-Good 🌎 Connect & Learn More 🔗 CoLab: sdcolab.org 🔗 Jon Ray: facebook.com/jondray 🔗 Diane Hoffoss: dianehoffoss.com 🔗 Cecile Pham: instagram.com/cecileqpham 🔗 Vic "Jolly Rancher" Liao: instagram.com/jollyrancher28 🔗 J-Good: continuum-designs.com 🎧 DJ Set Featured: Tomothy Bee aka Tasty Tim 🎵 soundcloud.com/tastytim 📍Tim's DJ set was recorded live at Disorient, Burning Man 2024 📷 Cover photo by Justin Wojdula If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, and if you're feeling extra generous, check out BurnerPodcast.com for ways to support the show. 🌟 About the Show Featuring in-depth conversations with artists, organizers, and visionaries shaping Burner culture year-round, Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional long-form audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally by Listen Notes, it has been exploring Burner culture for over a decade. 🎧 Dive into the archive at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes 📲 Follow @BurnerPodcast on Instagram and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates 🌟 About the Host Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-born, and Las Vegas-based professional photographer and community-building addict. 🔗 Explore his projects at arashafshar.com 📸 Follow him on Instagram: @mrarash 💌 Send love (or hate) mail: mrarash.com/hello
S702 · E155
Feb 2, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min
Burn Perimeter
Burn Perimeter Dispatch from the LA Fires In this episode, we take a very personal look at the devastating LA fires, Burners stepping up to help, and the way our community shows up in moments of crisis. Today's episode features a conversation with Burner Podcast regular Dr. Kim Perkins and her husband Ranger Philtopia, both Black Rock Rangers, as they reflect on their experience living just around the corner from the the Altadena burn perimeter. Before that, you'll hear a 15-minute call with Efrain Vega De Varona, who has been working tirelessly on the front lines, coordinating direct relief efforts for those impacted by the fires. Efrain shares how he found himself in impromptu disaster relief, what's happening in real-time in Los Angeles from his perspective, and how you can help support those affected. While Kim and Phil's home was spared, many others were not. Our primary incentive for getting this episode out ASAP is the show notes. Below you'll find a list of fundraisers, GoFundMe pages, and direct action efforts that you can support. Get Involved: How You Can Help 🔥 Contact Efrain: Efrain Vega De Varona on Facebook 🔥 Support efforts via Debs: Debs on Facebook 🔥 Full list of fundraisers and resources: Google Drive 🛠️ facebook.com/BurnersWithoutBordersLosAngeles 🛠️ burnerswithoutborders.org 🎙️ burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes/episode-75-to-build-a-better-tomorrow 🎧 Episode 155 📍 Recorded in Pasadena, CA 📝 Contributing Producer: Kim Perkins Burner Podcast is independently produced and fueled by a rotating crew of amazing contributors. If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, and if you're feeling extra generous, check out burnerpodcast.com for ways to support the show. Love, light, and all that other crap. 💜

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