Have you ever been to a party so enthralling that when you get home, you can’t adjust to your boring walls and your boring cat?
You just spent three days to a week looking at art, listening to your favorite music and connecting with like-minded weirdoes when suddenly your high crashes to the ground when the person behind you at the gas station with the huge truck and Trump sticker goes agro and screams at you to pull up a few feet.
You close your eyes and wish you were back at the fest that brought you so much joy.
For 10 years, Reno’s Fresh Bakin’ has provided this oasis-like solace for dusty fest-goers post-Burn. The Great Depressurization permits one last hurrah for the folks who attended Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert. The Fresh Bakin’ website states they are “welcoming thousands of patrons from around the globe to celebrate international talent, world-class accommodations, and all the best Reno has to offer.”
The event has continued to take root and spread across The Biggest Little City. The 2018 gathering added venues such as The BlueBird Nightclub and Cargo Concert Hall, a new pool party at The Sands, and the addition of Whitney Peak Hotel as a host property for the Depressurization family.
Tuesday, Sept. 4, is stacked with performers and fun. H20asis will be hosted by Dallas Wonderland for The Sands’ daytime pool party, followed by the headlining concert at Cargo featuring Emancipator and Desert Dwellers, plus two late night events: Worthy, Christian Martin and Mansion at 1up, while the Soundpieces Take-Over at The BlueBird.
Emancipator is a must-see and perfect comedown from any binge or debauchery. The down-tempo ambient DJ from Portland usually combines beautiful string instruments into his sets for perfectly introspective “close-your-eyes-while-in-public” time.
Tahoe Onstage asked Ric De La Rosa of Fresh Bakin’ if non-Burners should be interested in the event as well.
“While this event originally started as a ‘Burning Man After Party’ 10 years ago, The Great Depressurization has truly become an event that stands on its own merits,” De La Rosa said. “Each year, more and more people come straight to Depressurization without even going to The Burn.”
Last year, he was told by many attendees that the wind-down (and not just the desert) was a highlight of their travels.
“We have really focused on creating an experience that welcomes people from all walks of life beyond just Burners or ‘transformational festivalgoers,’ ” De La Rosa said.
When asked what makes Depressurization special, De La Rosa cited Fresh Bakin’ CEO Steve Emmerich.
“I think the event’s popularity is a direct result of his vision and artistic perspective,” De La Rosa said. “Steve’s dedication to authentic community gatherings has resulted in some of the best international talent wanting to participate in the event. Which in turn has attracted more like-minded people to come experience it as well.”
Emmerich is a focal point of Reno’s music scene, a DJ, entrepreneur, music encyclopedia and all-around great fella. If you’ve been to great shows in Reno over the past decade plus, you’ve probably been to one of his.
Whether Burners are trying to keep their high alive with fellow sandy folk or just trying to get some rest and a hot shower, The Great Depressurization has them covered.
“Anyone who has ever waited 10-plus hours to get off the playa would tell you that a comfy bed and a hot shower become more of a necessity than a luxury,” De La Rosa said.
“With so many people coming from all over the country and all over the world, getting some good rest and relaxation in before making the rest of the journey back to the default world isn’t just for fun, but also a much safer game plan.”
— Tony Contini
