This video finishes with some great hooping footage from Spin Cycle’s annual all-star hoop jam.  We love the costumes that hoopers wear and it’s amazing that they still allow for the hoop to maneuver all over their body.

We shot enough footage on playa this year for a total of four of these Vfash videos: the first one mentioned above, this one, a “Friends of Friends” edition, and a personal favorites reel which will feature a commentary track by Dusty Bacon.  There’s also some handcar regatta vids from last weekend coming your way so stay tuned for lots more!

As some of you know we’re working on a DustyCouture.Com virtual fashion show video project filled with footage of folks at the burn this year.  We’re a little worried at having to follow this awesome vid but are overall still excited!!!  We just completed a rough draft of the virtual fashion show and the test audience loved it.  You’ll all be able to enjoy it soon!

Upon emerging from the airlock entrance into the club, we are treated to a sight we thought would only exist in our wildest imaginings of what Reno’s burner party scene could be like.  The silver leotarded zero-g performers of Dragonfly Aerials maneuver across the rafters in cargo nets while rocking three other aerial rigs simultaneously above a packed house of space-themed costume wearing burners bouncing to the electro beats of an alien DJ in a king’s robe and giant eyeball mask spinning amongst the decaying gray skyscraper facade of a dystopian future.

The crowd was dressed better than any we’ve yet experienced here in Reno (or anywhere really, except maybe BRC).  More than half wore full on space costumes complete with makeup and hair done to match the theme.  Everyone had on at least one spacey item and the vibe was positively cosmic.  Zentai outfits were significantly en vogue as were hoops of every kind especially the LED variety.  Metallic fabrics, ray-guns, mildly erotic 70s Star Wars-esque ensembles, helmets, and, of course, antennae were all around as were neon wigs, bug-eyed glasses, foil tape, glitter, and EL wire.   It all hints at the powerful notion that Reno has significantly more burners dressing up per capita than just about anywhere else.

Extravaganz kosmich is not nearly superlative enough (or Duetsch enough) to describe the space-cadet conflagration the verkers of Ein Hammer Krew put on for us.  With raffles, set design, multiple areas to rage or chill in, interactive art occupying every spare parsec, a cosmic coat check (it was pretty cold out that night), and a midnight stage show that was absolutely mind-blowing, every species represented was  able to get their genetic programming fulfilled with enough spacey goodness to last them a light-year!

The midnight stage show deserves a special mention.  The theme of this year’s Yuri’s Night Pre-Compression party was “Metropolis In Space”.  Drawing heavily from Fritz Lang’s 1920s German-expressionist Metropolis film with a subtitled silent Rotwang and three metallic hooping robots, the midnight show crescendo-ed in a reverse meteor shower of heavenly glory as all the stars in the audience boosted up onto the stage and blasted off with the beat of Infected Mushroom’s “Cities of the Future” driving their engines.

For many of us, this Metropolis party was our first chance to play with this year’s Burning Man theme.  Our first opportunity to really feel at home in a bustling city of futuristic freaks.  Triumphantly, we were able to transcend our archaic roles of thinker or worker to join together as fellow citizens and bring all we could home from the heart of our city of the future.

The vibe was electric.  In addition to rocking a sold-out venue through two sets of marching-fueled mayhem, M4 brought it fashion-wise, dazzling us with the finest couture aspects of their signature style.

Hats, collars, sleeveless tail-coats, vests, bustles, and layered vaudville (one of the stilters was wearing five layers of clothing on his torso!), all well accented with miscellaneous militaria.  Anywhere there’s a gap in cohesiveness, throw in some punk-rock accessories or a bit of tribal flair.

Just about every article worn by the band is custom, some of it gifted by fashion designer fans from around the country.  Speaking to the band members is a crash course introduction to the underground burner couture network.

One thing that stands out about all M4s costumes is their individuality.  While you can tell there have been certain trends, all the costumes are highly individualized conceptions and the band welcomes all takes on its core theme.

Their merchandise table was a veritable smorgasbord of wicked accessories.  Belt buckles, chain-ring M4 necklaces, custom designed hats by Faith, and of course, the infamous logo’d shirts in 31 different flavors.

The vibe wouldn’t quite have been what it was were it not for the fans.  We brought it too, with circus and marching band inspired creations of our own.

As M4 proved that night: it’s one thing to rock, and another thing entirely to look good while doing it.  If you’re near Portland, M4 will be celebrating their homecoming and the release of their newest CD “Rise Up” on November 19th at the Wonder Ballroom. March On!

*Alert* We just received a hot tip about a marching band/outfit project happening in the vicinity of Gigsville!  Subscribe by clicking the links to the right if you want to be notified when this story breaks!