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Disco Inferno! Video Game, or Funeral Pyre?

Posted at 7:10 AM on September 6, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (2 Comments)

So you wonder what you missed at this year's Burning Man festival. Well, there's no way to sugarcoat this: You missed actual burning men and women, thanks to the pyrotechnics of a group called Interpretive Arson. They developed a controversial new version of the video game Dance Dance Revolution--the silly dance-step game favored by over-caffeinated ravers everywhere. The new version is called Dance Dance Immolation, and when you miss that kick-ball-change, a flamethrower goes off--and it's aimed at your head. Anticipating the concerns of the Underwriters Laboratory, the DDI folks offer this salient point in their FAQs:

Q. Isn't it dangerous? A. Before you play, you'll put on a full aluminized proximity suit, like this girl, with a forced-air respirator, gloves, fireproof hood, the whole bit. These are the suits that are used for fighting fires at airports. So, as you can see, it's completely safe!

We were just thinking the other day about how overheating on the dance floor is such a serious social problem. We're not sure if this would be part of the solution, or the problem. But either way: Sweet looking duds to trot out on the parquet, doncha think?

Listener/lurker Erin A. turned us on to this wacky story. Send your tips here and join the Buffering Stream illuminati.