To provide some much needed distraction, community, art, and music to the Sacramento region during COVID, Sacramento Valley Spark, the local Burning Man organization, hosted a drive-thru event called "Art, Beats, & Tacos" in late July of 2020. This Burning Man style event incorporated DJs, food trucks, burner art, live performances, and burners themselves all as entertainment and "food for the soul." One of the main attractions at the event was the Sonic Brainwash, a collaboration between Lucaso Maroney, Alexa Jesse, and myself along with Eliza Maroney as the master of ceremonies.

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The Sonic Brainwash was a way to transport participants out of the default world and into a fully encapsulated dreamscape inside the safety of their own car. From the outside the Brainwash looked like a trippy drive through carwash with wash options similar to its default world counterparts. After selecting "Shallow Cleans", "Deep Rinseless Wash", or "Truly Enlightened Deluxe", cars full of young and old alike would enter a neon wonderland where they were serenaded with positive affirmations, healing meditations, and inclusive messaging. The experience was meant as a soft awakening from our consumer culture, dividing and exploiting all of us on the daily through its insidious messaging that we are not good enough. On the contrary, we are all unique beings of light made of stardust with the capacity for love, kindness and compassion. We deserve nothing less! 

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Thanks to Ed Fletcher, Sacramento Valley Spark, the city of Rancho Cordova, and all of the volunteers for making this event possible. And special thanks to the amazing Brainwash Crew, we couldn't have done this without you!

 

Featured in the Sacramento Bee:

https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article244495442.html