The ArT CaR(s)

RED HOT BEVERLY is a giant, flame-throwing, "Fire Extinguisher" art car. The Bev debuted at Burning Man 2017, with huge flames and dirty beats for all to enjoy. We brought her back in 2018, with even bigger flames, and more dazzling LEDs. This year, the flames will be even BIGGER!

Red Hot Beverly was conceived and built by a dedicated crew of long time Burners, artists, and makers. We went from concept to completion in less than a year, and got Bev out to the Burn with huge flame effects, booming sound, and dazzling LEDs. Great joy was spread to everyone who jumped aboard, or gathered around for our many spontaneous dance parties.

Last year, we made the flame effects substantially larger, doubled down on the number and intensity of dazzling LEDs, and made major mechanical repairs.

This year, we’re making the flame effects even BIGGER! (Anyone who saw the flame effects last year knows we’re not kidding!) Sound system repairs will also be made, and some essential mechanical repairs . Daily fuel cost for the giant flame effect alone comprises a significant portion of our budget.

Come find us on the Playa and jump on board for the ride of your life! We pride ourselves on being open and inviting to all comers, and never turn people away unless we’re at capacity.

And please donate if you can, every little bit helps!

APIS INCLUSIO (The BEE!)

In 2013, the Beecharge camp collectively built The Apis Inclusio (Latin 'Illusion of a Bee') at Nimby in Oakland, CA. It is a large, fantastic, stylized bumblebee art car. It features an elegant, organically shaped skeleton of curved, spiraled steel tubing, alternating yellow and black shade cloth panels, a menacing bee head/face, illuminated double wings, leg/ladder side entrances, a stinger/tail ladder at the rear, large led panels for the eyes, and fireball-launching antennae. The interior can accommodate up to 30+ people and features a large open space for dancing or scoping the Playa, a cushioned and carpeted space for lounging, an open rear deck, and an elevated driver's platform offering an exceptional view of the Playa and the car's path. At night, the yellow head and panels are illuminated from the inside with golden/yellow light, turning the Apis into a magical, glowing illusion, indeed. The Apis also features a crispy, club-quality sound system concealed beneath the lower side panels.

The Apis was conceived and designed by Aaron Cutchin, and built by the tireless, intense devotion of many of the Beecharge crew and friends during the spring and summer of 2013. It was constructed at NIMBY, one of the main facilities in the Bay Area for building art cars and other projects for Burning Man. Our crew all developed many new skills during this process.

The Apis was a huge hit on the Playa in 2013. Hundreds of people stopped us, took pictures, and enjoyed the fire effects! We stopped frequently to pick up random burners for spontaneous rides and art tours. We were invited to join the Space Cowboys for their annual Wednesday night "Black Rock Hoe-Down" party, and we proudly drove up and parked right next to the Uni-Mog, taking Dusty Rhino's place when they took of for more adventures.

After Exodus, the Apis has been invited to Decompression, where we created a busy, fun dance floor with the Janky Barge and the Airpusher DJ crew. We were also very honored to be invited by Opel Productions to contribute to the incredibly popular and groundbreaking New Bohemia new year's eve party at the Kink.com Armory. The Beecharge crew converted the Apis into a full-scale lounge, and it was enjoyed by many. Aaron, Marvin, Thomas, and the Apis were even featured in a SF Chronicle front-page article covering the party! We made the paper people! Beecharge camp is very proud of the Apis, and we will continue to bring it to festivals, fairs, concerts, and any other venues or events in the area--coming to YOU soon!

The Apis has is taking a much needed rest and will not be joining us at Burning Man 2019.