We Are All Desert Hearts
Days after the festival has ended, and the dust at Los Coyotes has presumably settled, I sit here and reflect back to magic that was Desert Hearts. First thought is, “what a wild ride!” From start to finish, the music and the people did not waver or disappoint. Well, to be honest, there were times that the music wasn’t my particular favorite, but that’s ok. One stage, one vibe, one tribe. I fucks with it.
There was the full send Friday night into Saturday morning, culminating with a final trot down to the stage around 7am. Our legs may have been too tired to stomp and shake and groove, but we were still there. The people at that hour were on fire. We marveled at and observed the revelry, picking out or own spirit animals in the crowd. It was sometime that morning that we saw Lee Reynolds jump from the stage and onto the staff golf cart that was loaded with dancing heads.
Then there was Sunday… Sunday is for the boys. Sunday is also for the girls. Regardless of what God may say, that Sunday was not for rest. It was for dancing and shaking and screaming and loving until you could no more. I can attest to many a’ boys and girls who got it good… and then got it bad. There were some thrills, then there were some spills. But C’est la fucking vie. You gotta gotta get up, to get down…
But enough about me, let’s talk about you. All of you that came out and gave substance to the “We” in the “We Are All Desert Hearts” credo. After attending my first DH last year, I was blown away with love for everyone that I saw. Free range humans openly grazing like the unicorns they really are. Sure the music is what brings us together, but I believe that it is the people that keep us coming back. So that was my mission at Los Coyotes; to capture who “we” are.
I shot some 20 odd polaroids and many digital pictures of the crowd and conducted little interviews to try and get to the essence of these beating hearts. As I flip through my notebook I see words and phrases like: “community”, “intimate”, “tribe”, “one of the best”, “flew down from Vancouver”, “promote love, share love”, “dusty rhino”, “camp no chairs”, and “served me beer out of a panda with a dick.” Those are pretty interesting notes if you ask me. Probably makes for a hell of a story, I would say.
So, without further ado, I give you the story of us. Because we are all truly desert hearts…
Vol. 1 — These two were one of my favorite interviews because their story just warmed my filthy little heart. Jenna moved from Minnesota (down by the lake) to San Diego in December. Her plan was to spend the winter in California and then go back to Minnesota for the summer. She was actually supposed to drive back to Minnesota the weekend of the festival. She met Evan three weeks prior and when he learned that she was supposed to leave on that Friday, he couldn’t let her get away that easily. He texted her and said, “Don’t leave, come with me to Desert Hearts.” Lucky for us, she said yes and the two of them brought their own special energy to the desert that weekend. She told me it was crazy to think that she would have otherwise been driving across Nebraska at that point, and she wouldn’t have had a proper send off from California. She has Evan to thank for perhaps the most proper send off a girl could ask for. As she says they, “will forever be festy friends.”
Vol. 2 — “The Desert Hearts Kitties.” When I saw this fabulous entourage purr and prance by, I knew I needed a photo. I wasn’t the only one with the same idea. I waited for my opportunity and then chatted to Leany Bear (@leanybme) who told me the kitties were apart of the Supernovas Entertainment, “a team birthed from a powerhouse of young and talented ladies committed to bringing celestial shine and energy wherever they go.”
Word. They were from all around SoCal and were all on either their 1st or 2nd DH. Technically they were there working, but Leany clarified, “it’s like working, but not. Because when you love what you do, it’s no longer work.” I pressed her on the finer details of what their work as kitties would be that day. She obliged, “promote love, share love, and, of course, pump up the kitty.”
Vol. 3 — Ra, aka Steve, may as well be an Egyptian Sun God because I have seen this guy’s smile lighting up dance floors across the globe. He lives in LA and is a regular fixture at the weekly Venice Beach drum circle. In addition to Desert Hearts I have seen him on the playa, Symbiosis (multiple years), LIB, Splash House, Envision and possibly even at the DMV and/or the dispensary. Maybe he’s my spirit animal. Maybe he’s all our spirit animals. Because one thing is for sure, he is a bonafide Desert Heart. We love you Ra.
Vol. 4 — I ran into this crew on the sunny side of the dance floor, where they were comfortably lounging on a giant inflatable blue flamingo. Maybe it wasn’t a blue flamingo, I honestly didn’t pay attention to what species it was because I was so impressed by it’s sheer size. It must of have been 20 feet across. I knew Troy from years back when we were both pirating golf carts for the VIP at the Life Is Beautiful Festival. We chatted for awhile and traded some stories and when I asked him how his DH was going, he replied, “I brought my brother this year and now I haven’t seen him in two days.” I asked if he was worried, and he said, “Not at all! I just don’t want him to have all that fun without me!” We laughed and then said ciao for the moment and went our separate ways.
Maybe twenty minutes later we ran into each other again, and he immediately asked, “Have you seen that giant blue thing we were sitting on earlier?”
“No I haven’t…did you fucking lose big bird?”
“Yeah we walked away for a few minutes and then when we came back, it was gone.”
“You fucking lost big bird?!?”
“The bird isn’t what I’m looking for, we left our bags and phones on big bird.”
“Oh damn.”
Together we easily found big bird, he had simply moved to the shady side of the dance floor (classic fucking big bird). The phones and bags were still right there nestled near his wing. Troy then looked at me said, “I’ve got something for your story, Desert Hearts is one of the best because it’s a place where you can truly see the good in people.” Aho to that.
Vol. 5 — I must give it up to Lindsay from Texas for absolutely rocking her first ever DH. Pictured here with Felipe who helped her navigate the crowd and support the art, the two of them were turning all the heads. The outfit was created by the magicians behind Jumbie Art, from the photo you can tell it’s clearly a dope ass outfit, but the Polaroid fails to transmit just how psychedelic it was — check out @ jumbieart or @ lindsayfromtexas for a better look. I spoke with Sig who designed and created the piece from upcycled materials and fairydust (as far as I’m concerned). He told me he loved DH because, “it is beyond just a boutique music festival, it is an intimate collaboration between artists.”
Vol. 7 — Merrill was stoked to be able to get Friday off work and finally make it to this Desert Hearts thing that he had heard so much about. He told me he would have to leave Sunday night but he was grateful to have been able to make it at all. When I took this picture something told me he wouldn’t be leaving Sunday night. Sure enough, I was right, and I found him passed out in between two lovely ladies in an old converted ambulance deemed the “slambulance.” Needless to say he thrived at his first DH. He told me what he loved most was, “looking around and wanting to be friends with everybody. These are my people.”
Vol. 8 — “Desert Hearts is an explosion of creativity, a playground of encouragement to color outside the lines to places where lines no longer exist. In fact, the farther outside the lines you color the more friends you’ll find groovin all around you. It is where I find my sanity inside the sparkly, colorful chaos that is the human experience pushed beyond limits. It is my happy place where the world begins to fuzz and wraps me a giant furry cuddle puddle.” — Whitney
“It’s a beautiful thing when you bring together a community of individuals that are committed to collectively thriving together, whether it’s in creative self-expression, tokens of gratitude, kind words…. It’s like a social experiment of what is possible when people go beyond simply co-existing and instead choose to engage with one another and build each other up, resulting in an effect that continues to compound indefinitely and rejuvenate you so you’re ready to give more to the world upon your return.” — Christina
Vol. 9 — This fantastic crew came together from Vegas, Tahoe, and SoCal to mob as a squad at Desert Hearts. They were a mixture of veterans and noobies who called themselves “Camp No Chairs”.
“Why camp no chairs?”
“Because we want our people on the dance floor.”
“And we fucking hate chairs.”
Vol. 10 — Now I would be remiss if I didn’t throw myself in at least one photo, and these gents and I tore it up on Sunday. I first met Ettore (aka E.T.) years ago at a house party in Venice and the universe slowly started bringing us closer together — and he was actually who first got me hyped on DH. As fate would have it, E.T. couldn’t be there for my first DH (last year)…I think he said something about searching for some pirate booty down in Baja. Anyways there I was on the dance floor and I spot this kid who looked exactly like him. I got a bit a closer and started to creepily observe him to make sure my mind was not playing tricks on me. I knew it wasn’t him but the resemblance was truly uncanny — I thought I was tripping (I probably was). So I went on over to him and said, “This might be a little weird but you look exactly like my homie…”
“Is his name Ettore?”
“Yes! Do you know him?”
“No, but the guy must be a fucking legend because all these phenomenal babes keep rolling up to me and grabbing my ass, all like “Hey Ettore!”
So this year we all got together and swapped outfits over and over and had a good laugh messing with peoples heads.
Vol. 11 — “This was my best Desert Hearts experience yet. My first DH completely sober and the love of my life showed up to his first festival ever on Saturday night, just in time for Porky’s set. This will always be my favorite festival! I’ve been going for years now and every year it gets better. It’s like one big family reunion, but with the family you actually like and some really sexy music. It’s out of this world truly. Everyone welcomes you with open arms, the music never stops and you’re surrounded by art, beauty and nature at all times…. nothing beats the feeling. The day I leave I’m already counting down the days till the next Desert Hearts.” — Carissa
Vol. 11 — Sean and his posse had such a good vibe I had to get their photo. I mean cruising around with disco ball really rubs me the right way. He and his friends mobbed together from SD for their first DH. When I asked what they thought so far he said, “It’s almost like a perfect cross between LIB & Northern Nights but far more intimacy and community. Everyone is just so beautiful.” Their motto for the weekend was, “meet me under the disco ball around 9.” Roger that.
Vol. 12 — NOT A REAL PENIS* yet it’s so real looking that this one falls under NSFW. Yes it looks as if she is getting a golden shower (in the parlance of our times) but I assure you this is cider. Obviously, I had to get a photo, and the story, of this well-hung-furry-stud…
Two years ago, at Symbiosis, Justin Ansari swam up to a barge where there was a man who served him beer out of a panda with a giant (dildo) dick . Clearly, he thought it was the greatest thing ever. After the festival, he told everyone, and I mean everyone, about his panda dick/beer guzzling experience. Finally this summer, in the lead up to a friend’s bachelor party, Justin was encouraged to re-create the magic cock experience he spoke so much about.
Clearly, it was a huge success. And, clearly, he had to bring it to DH. Now myself, and all that saw, or drank from, that magic cock with the golden cider will tell the tale and the sphere of influence will grow. Note: If anyone knows someone who brought a panda with a dick to Symbiosis, please refer him to this and/or @ justinansari. Mahalo.
Vol. 13 — When you cruise the dance floor at DH, there are endless things that can catch your eye. So much that, after a few days, you become a bit desensitized to all outlandishly fabulous freaks and their moonage daydream outfits. By Sunday, you may even think you’ve seen it all. Well that is simply not true, because if one thing is for certain, all of us who make up Desert Hearts never cease to keep freakin’.
So it’s Sunday and the stage is going off, I’m thriving, and I walk by and see the most glorious thing ever — unicorn slippers. I pull Lacie (Panties) aside and compliment her on fresh ass kicks and begin the interview.
“Where are you from?”
“San Diego.”
“What do you think of DH?”
“I love it! This is my first ever music festival.”
“Wait. What?”
“Yep and I fucking love it. These are my people, I feel like I’m home.”
“Jah fucking feel…you look like you were born here! You just made my day. Though, I have to ask, where in the world did you get those amazing slippers?”
“My mom got them for me for Christmas :)”
“Right on mom! Ok last question, what do you love most about DH?”
“Nothing about this is scripted or prescribed.”
“Amen.”
Vol.14 — “The first DH I went to was a last minute decision I made with my best friend Lolo. We’ve had many adventures since and returned to DH this year.
Saturday morning we took a yoga class where the teacher had us pair up, sit across from one another and keep eye contact. After first initial giggles, Lolo and I settled in each other’s eyes and suddenly I was overcome with a deep love for my friend. We both started to tear up at the same time, overwhelmed with love, gratitude and appreciation.
DH is the medium in which love can flourish not just between old friends but strangers as well. Here is the place that removes any barriers of self doubt, fear, and social constrictions. Here you are taken deeper into yourself and others. Here you love freely.” — Alaska
Vol. 15 — At one point my buddy said to me, “there is a full on wizard behind you.” Which, in all honesty, is not the weirdest thing to hear at DH. For a second I even thought he was talking about Ra. Then I turn around and see these magnificent humans, Robyn and Nicky Wolfe.
“Holy fuck, you look amazing!”
“(laughs) Thanks man, your not so bad yourself.”
“I take it you’ve been here before?”
“No it’s actually our first ever DH. We flew down from Vancouver to check it out.”
I wanted to hug him when he said that, I probably did hug him. “Damn man that’s far out, I’m glad you came all this way. What prompted the trip?”
“Well we camp with Robot Heart and go to a lot of other fests, but we’ve heard so many good things about DH that this one had been on the list for awhile and this year we finally did it.”
“ Right on. So what do you think?”
“Honestly. It’s done proper…one stage, one vibe, one community…it’s one of the best! I want to come back and play next year.”
“Hell yeah, that would be sick! I would dance to whatever funky tunes your wizard ass puts out!”
“Thanks man, in the meantime come by Shangri-lawless and say hi…”
I read these interviews back to myself and smile, and I can only hope that you too have a smile on your face right now. If you were there with us, or have been to any DH event, I hope this brings back the feelz, and the laughs, and the smell of the dust, and even the faded memories of the struggles…however real they might have been. But, most of all, I hope that it brings the desert back into your heart and that funky beat, back to your feet.
And so I will you leave you with this quote from my favorite author who, if he were still alive, would most definitely be a Desert Heart…
“Let us toast to animal pleasures, to escapism, to rain on the roof and instant coffee, to unemployment insurance and library cards, to absinthe and good-hearted landlords, to music and warm bodies and contraceptives… and to the “good life”, whatever it is and wherever it happens to be.” — Hunter S. Thompson
