Diplo and Chris Rock Hitchhiked Out of Burning Man
Over the weekend, the Burning Man festival turned into a disaster due to flooding and muddy conditions. Over 70,000 people were left stranded in the Nevada desert. Per CNN, the famous festival shut down three days early due to the dangerous conditions. Attendees were told to shelter in place in the Black Rock Desert and conserve food, water, and fuel after a rainstorm swamped the area, forcing officials to halt any entering or leaving of the festival.
By Sunday morning, event organizers said roads remained closed as they were “too wet and muddy.” While some vehicles with four-wheel drive and all-terrain tires could navigate the wet mud, others got stuck, organizers said on the event’s website. Monday morning, the roads began to open, and the driving ban was lifted, but walking out of the grounds was not recommended. The Man burn was moved to Monday night.
Hitchhiking Out of Burning Man
Among the attendees, Diplo and Chris Rock had to hitchhike to get out of the festival on Saturday (September 2). The “Lean On” DJ, 44, shared a video on Instagram about his journey with the comedian, 58. Diplo revealed that a fan offered to pick him and Rock up in his pickup truck to help them escape. “I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz I have a show in DC tonight and didn’t want to let yall down,” Diplo captioned the clip. “Also shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment [red heart emoji].”
In the video, Diplo removed ski goggles from his muddied eyes while turning the camera to a group with Rock in the back of the pickup in good spirits. Rock wore a New York Knicks jacket, a black baseball cap, and black sunglasses. Writing over the video, Diplo said: “A fan offered Chris Rock and I a ride out of Burning Man in the back of a pick up. After walking six miles through the mud… All Chris could think about was a f—ing cold brew.” With footage of their group walking with plastic wrapped around their feet, Rock says in the NSFW clip, “If I could get a cold brew right now, I could just c—.”
From Woodstock to Coachella: 50 Historic Music Festivals
Before Woodstock and Coachella, the earliest recorded festivals date back to ancient Greece. The Greeks honored the gods by holding competitions in drama, poetry, music, and athletics. To honor Dionysus, the God of wine and ecstasy, the Greeks would hold the festival of Dionysus, which consisted of tragedy and comedy performances. Well-known Greek playwrights, such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, participated in these festivals.
Fast-forward to modern-day, and festivals have survived the test of time to evolve into a mainstream business. Since music is practically free with a minimal subscription-based fee through streaming services, artists can have a hard time making money in record sales. Instead, they financially depend on ticket sales for live performances. This also works in the fan’s favor as more people are looking to spend their money on experiences, such as travel and festivals instead of material goods.
Perhaps the most sought-after music festival experience was Woodstock in 1969. To this day, festival producers and organizers attempt to recreate the peaceful atmosphere of love and music. That event directly shaped the way we experience music: Attending a music festival has become a cultural phenomenon and right of passage that serves as a timestamp of popular music of the moment.
Stacker compiled a gallery of 50 historic music festivals, linking to video coverage of the shows when available. Read on to see if any of the music festivals you attended (or wish you had) made the list.