We suppose that only the most JV, flaky, and virginal among you Burners would wait until late July to buy your Burning Man tickets, but if you did, sucks for you! For the first time in the dusty, druggy event's 25-year history, the thing is completely sold out, one month ahead of time. Organizers are capping ticket sales now, in compliance with their land use permit, and there will be no more sold, even at the gate. more ›

Starts at 7:30 p.m. at SomArts Cultural Center; $70.

It looks like Black Rock City visitors now have an actual tragedy on their hands. One for them to eventually personalize, of course. Today, sadly, someone hanged himself to death at Burning Man. His dangling body -- which was viewable to partygoers for about two hours inside of a two-story tent, according the Justin Berton -- went unnoticed by many. Passersby and friends, it seems, thought the dead body was an artistic statement of... more ›

During last night's total lunar eclipse in Black Rock City, Nevada, someone set the Burning Man figure ablaze prematurely. Chortle. more ›

-- Fil Lorenz & the Collective West Jazz Orchestra: Check out this choice 12-piece jazz band tonight at 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. at Jazz at Pearl's, 256 Columbus; $10-$15. more ›

This dispatch comes to you from Black Rock City, Nevada, where we've heard tell that in the past, there's been a sign at the entrance reading: "If you've been here before: no explanations necessary. If you haven't been here before: no explanations possible." This is truth. No matter how many times you hear playa stories or see playa pictures, you can't understand what it is to be a citizen of this city until you've spent a week on the playa yourself. You've got to breathe the dust, feel the heat, behold the naked bodies, and take in the mindbending neonesque cityscape at night. There are no words to fully describe the conditions, the look, the sound, or the vibe of this place. We think this is why we've met so many people who have crossed not only this continent but oceans to be here. more ›

John Vanderslice. Helllooooo...over here...brought to you by SFist. Oh, wait, we don't need to act cool, we've got plenty of readers (thanks for asking). We love them because they love to argue over breasticles! more ›

Every Labor Day tens of thousands of geeks, nerds, hippies, frat boys and all other sorts of disaffected rejects pile into vehicles and make a pilgrammage to one of the most inhospitable places known to man - the Playa of Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nevada. Why do they go? To create art, perform, party, get naked and otherwise cast off the everyday repressions of society. And to burn stuff. That's right, it's less than a week until people start arriving for the annual arts festival Burning Man. Started in 1986 by Larry Harvey and Jerry James as just another bonfire - though with a more artistic bent - on Baker Beach in San Francisco, it was moved out to the desert when the SFFD shut down the immolation of their large wooden structure in 1990. Rumor has it that some libertarian gun enthusiasts from the local branch of the Cacophony Society suggested Black Rock Desert, long a popular spot for shootists looking for somewhere big and flat to fire of their weapons. So on Labor Day 1990, people packed up their trucks and headed to Nevada. Now in it's 15th year in the desert, Burning Man has become an international symbol for disaffection from modern life. No money is allowed to change hands - the economy of Black Rock City, pop. 30k+, is entirely based on bartered goods and services. Michael Krasny of KQED-FM's Forum interviewed Larry Harvey and Brian Doherty, author of "This is Burning Man" this morning at ten. For more information, including history, tickets and tips on surviving in the desert, check out the official Burning Man website. more ›