Woodstock, Burningman & Inland Invasion - a comparison of 3 events

* Tickets Woodstock: Tickets were not needed Burningman: Need Ticket Inland Invasion: Ticket plus "convenience" charge

* Water Woodstock: Free water from a water truck Burningman: Must bring your own water Inland Invasion: Water gets confiscated on entering, then $3 a cup

* Trash Woodstock: Put trash on top of overflowing trash can Burningman: Leave no trace Inland Invasion: You are in the trash can

* Police Woodstock: A few local police trying to help traffic Burningman: A variety of police, mostly there to stare at naked people Inland Invasion: Police travel in packs, fully armed, mean looking and ready to kick ass

* Music Woodstock: Some of the greatest bands ever (Hendrix, Joplin, Sly, CS&N, the Band, ...) Burningman: Variety of great clubs, you pick (did someone say techno?) Inland Invasion: Too loud and constant (Buzzcocks, X, Social Distortion, Sex Pistols, ...)

* Dancing Woodstock: How could you not dance to Sly and the Family Stone? Burningman: A million clubs on the Playa for you to pick from, dancing everywhere Inland Invasion: I thought I saw someone swaying to the beat, but maybe they just had too much beer.

* Money Woodstock: Good to have, but people would give you food Burningman: Leave it at home Inland Invasion: Bring gobs, Water $3, Beer $8, SexPistols T-Shirt $25

* Food Woodstock: Free Oranges, The Hog Farm Kitchen, healthy vegie meals Burningman: Bring your own, who wants to eat in the desert anyway? Inland Invasion: Confiscated at gate, Sausages & Candy bars for sale

* Fires Woodstock: A few for heat, hard to start as everything was wet Burningman: Fire as art, Flame throwers, Burning of a 40 foot man is main event Inland Invasion: Over 20 bond fires started from trash, teams of 25 security guys with fire extinguishers go round putting fires out, but they start back up again.

* Things to do Woodstock: Music, swim naked, talk, camp, slide in mud, groove Burningman: Not enough time, experience Art, have fun, meet people, Dance Inland Invasion: Wait in longline for $3 water, look for something to do, light fires

* The crowd Woodstock: Camp, go whereever Burningman: Planned community, spread out Inland Invasion: People on lawn crowd in to watch music on four Giant TV's

* Things to bring Woodstock: Warm clothes, rain gear Burningman: Water, Food, things to share, costumes, camera, bicycles Inland Invasion: Money, Ear Plugs, binoculars

* Things not to bring Woodstock: Anything heavier than you can carry Burningman: Dogs, bad attitude Inland Invasion: Food, water, camera, the kids, parents

* Vending Woodstock: Good luck, too wet Burningman: no allowed, gift economy Inland Invasion: If you can vend, good percentage goes to Mafia

* Promoters Woodstock: A couple of 22 year olds who lost money Burningman: Collective run by lots of volenteers that aims to come out even Inland Invasion: Fat Cats living in Palos Verdes & Bel Air

* Traffic Woodstock: Drives hours on NJ, NY turnpikes, avoid cops looking to make a pot bust, walk/hitch hike last ten miles Burningman: Drive 10 hours on back highways, obey speed limits, drive to campsite Inland Invasion: Drive 2 hours as fast as you can on typical congested LA Freeways, 20 minutes finding parking space, ride shuttle sitting behind some guy with tattoos that stinks, two hours to get out of parking lot (best to "invent" own freeway onramp)

* People Woodstock: 500,000 to 1,500,000 - Largest Rock concert of the time Burningman: 29,083 Inland Invasion: 52,000 Largest Punk Rock concert ever, anywhere

* Impact Woodstock: A defining event marking the end of the 60's Burningman: A defining cultural event of the 90's Inland Invasion: defining police state event of the new millennium, hopefully forgotten real soon :)

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