Yep I've been to festies before (Wanee) and Ultrafestival, I know all about it! I have trouble finding the smaller scale stuff though
Lol if you think Ultra and Wanee are anything close to a burn, you have no idea what i am trying to get at....
Ultra is a massive festival with dense crowds of people who pay lots of money on commercialized bullshit.
Burn's are not music festivals, it is a festival of sorts but its a festival that takes the direction those attending choose to take it. The music being preformed is by those who showed up, set up a stage, and decided to preform. There isn't any of the waiting in long lines to pay for overpriced food or water. Run around naked, ride a bike around, ride a bike around naked, see how many people you can get in a conga line, see what people to do for a Klondike Bar, paint something, make art, burn art, be art, be in an orgy if that floats your boat, climb something, explore the space between, lose your ego in the chaos and embrace it, watch a circus, ride a pirate ship through the forest or desert.... Hopefully your seeing what i am trying to get at.... There is lots of music, but this sort of thing is by no means a music festival.
Its a place where you can do whatever you want, dress however you like, and be as crazy as you want to be and no one is going to tell you to stop.
If you have the means to go, by all means do.... This sort of experience is great for the soul and infinitely productive. Everyone is way more open and accepting than what you will be used to, it will push you out of your comfort zone but at the same time you will feel completely safe with the understanding that these people are friends.
Part of me thinks i will enjoy the regional stuff more than when i finally make it out to Black Rock City for Burning Man.... Its a little more intimate, and while its large enough to completely lose yourself and everyone you know in it, there are familiar faces.
http://fuckitall.com/safety3rd/
The first half of the video is a good representation of what i am trying to get at, the 2nd half is about the guys friend that had a psychotic break from eating too many drugs in the desert heat for days on end.