Sparkle On at Further Future desert festival
This spring I attended Further Future - a new music festival put on by one of Burning Man's most exclusive camps - Robot Heart. Set in Nevada's Moapa Valley against desert hills and skies, the festival brought together more than 3,000 "futurists" to dance into the sunrise to the sounds of some of the most respected, prominent DJs of today.
In true Robot Heart fashion, everything is done well - the festival features the most incredible DJ lineups with the best sound (in the middle of nowhere), and seems to bring together the most beautiful people (with the most stunning costumes.) They continued the trend with luxe amenities like air-conditioned tents with real mattresses and electricity, hot water shower stations with no lines, spa treatments, and an assortment of delectable food vendors (including but not limited - to craft beer, poutine, and cornish game hen.) If you've been to Burning Man, you know what a luxury these things truly are !
This is for the most part a nocturnal festival, so to get the full benefit you should be prepared to spend most of your day sleeping and nights dancing into the morning. Highlights this year included an opening act with Brett Rubin, sunrise set by Thugfucker, fascinating visuals accompanying The Orb, and glorious sunset acts by Tigerskin and Bob Moses to close the weekend out. There are, of course, many things to keep you awake - stunning sunrises set against the mountains, fantastic fashion ensembles and dancing by fellow futurists, and complimentary vodka + caviar provided by the event organizers at sunrise. Also, red bull.
Further Future is like a tiny slice of Burning Man (if you find the latter too overwhelming.) There are still dust storms, neon, crazy costumes, and music - but with many more amenities (and easy access to civilization) to make your stay more comfortable. I would absolutely recommend this festival to anyone who wants to dip their toe in the world of Burning Man, or anyone who loves Robot Heart and its deep house beats. The notoriously exclusive camp was all the more accessible at this festival, and with any luck, you may even get permission to dance atop the Robot Heart bus with all the prettiest girls !
INSIDER TIP
Stay in Vegas the night before and after. Complimentary shuttles make access to and from the airport simple, and boarding the plane is SO much nicer when you're not covered in three days of dust !
