The Birth of the BluesDome
In 2006, Nathan Esch and Brian Wise got completely,
sloppily drunk at the Red Door bar and grill in Seattle,
flirted heavily with cute waitresses and came up with the
idea to build an all-blues bar and chill space on the
playa. They convinced diem to join in, even though he is
known to thumpa thumpa more than twango twango.
The concept was simple: a speakeasy-style space with the
basics. Rugs. Sound. A microphone or three. A dome to
shelter people from the elements. Some decorations. And
maybe a bar that served cheap whiskey and Pabst Blue
Ribbon. And it would be a true speakeasy – anyone who
wanted to come up could sing; anyone who wanted to bring a
CD to play of live blues music ranging from southern-fried
Louisiana soul to funk and blues, or anyone who wanted to
just howl away on a microphone would be welcome.
Why? Because nothing like this existed in the space. There
was no camp where coffee and tea and a whiskey could
comfortably exist with quiet blues music and conversation.
The Blues Dome is supposed to be a space where the long
nights of running around gave way to a place you could have
a drink and a quiet, comfortable game of chess while
listening to good funk and soul music.
Later on that year, we would lose Nathan in a car accident
deep on Jungo Road, twelve miles from home, but the Blues
Dome lives on, and in 2008, has arrived, a year later than
we thought, to provide the same space we talked about on
that night in 2006.
Critical Massive/Apogaea, 2008
BluesDome launched with the first-ever dual-camp regional
presence. Whiskey and blues played both at the Colorado
regional and at the Seattle regional - which also happened
to be held at the same time. Present at the Pink Pussy
Palace, with whiskey taste-testing, BluesDome, headed by
Elwood, while camping 10,000 feet above sea level at the
Happy Ass Ranch north of Colorado Springs, BluesDome rocked
it.
Simultaneously, over a thousand miles and 9,500 feet away,
the initial BluesDome hardcore happy enjoyed a massive
success. Whiskey flowed freely. Bacon was consumed. Our
fucking DOME was stolen. Wind was high. And yet, through it
all, the camp that was never supposed to be a destination
camp became a destination, open to all. (We assume that the
Martians stole our dome because they were so jealous of our
infinitely superior engineering skills and fine taste in
whiskey, but the kind folks at F2M ain't squawkin'.)
SHAPOOPIE!
Dance.
Burning Man 2008
The playa beckons us. We'll be hard to find, yet right in
front of your eyes. Come to Center and walk around. We'll
be there. Bring whiskey. Bring yourself. Bring a chess set.
Bring a guitar. Bring the blues. Toss the albatross from
around your neck. It's BluesDome. And we'll be waiting for
you, more comfortable than your average ravercamp bar.
Mission:
To create an all-ages, all-welcome speakeasy. Want to serve
a whiskey to the crowd? Have at it. Share your poetry? Go
for it. Sing the blues. Play chess with your friend. Enjoy
some Coltrane or Davis or Blues Brothers. It’s the Blues
Dome. Bring a chair and stay a while.
Watch this space...for the BluesDome cometh, and it's on a
mission from God.