Celebrate the Legacy of Mayan Warrior With 5 of Its Most Iconic Sets

Mayan Warrior's untimely demise brings an end to a Burning Man staple.

Burning Man lost one of its most spectacular art cars last week.

En route to a flagship event in Punta Mita, the Mayan Warrior art car caught fire and burned to ashes. Pablo Gonzalez Vargas, the founder of Mayan Warrior, took to social media to share the tragic news.

“Mayan Warrior was never just an art car to us—it was countless moments of laughter, wonder, tears, dancing, and connection,” he said. “It left with it a beautiful trail of lifelong friendships for which we feel extraordinarily grateful.”

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Brought to life in 2011, Mayan Warrior was crafted by a collective of artists, engineers, photographers, designers, technologists and architects from Mexico City and Northern California. After an inspiring experience at Burning Man that year, the group sought to create their own immersive experience spanning music and visual art.

Blending ancestral Mayan and Huichol art with modern technology, they broke apart and reconstructed a heavy-duty International 4400 truck to realize their vision. The truck’s cab was formed into the head of a supernatural Mayan being while its sides were adorned with glowing geometric art that paid tribute to ancient Mesoamerican culture. And, of course, an elevated DJ booth was assembled atop the colossal truck, featuring over 300 watts of sharp lasers and loudspeakers with a consistent sound pressure of 143 decibels.

The magic of the Mayan Warrior art car bewitched revelers at Burning Man for over a decade until its untimely demise. Acts ranged from acclaimed Mexican artists like Rebolledo and Sainte Vie to renowned names in underground house and techno, like Bedouin and Damian Lazarus.

For those who couldn’t make the quest to Nevada’s Black Rock desert, Mayan Warrior offered fans a taste of the Burning Man experience outside the playa. From sprawling warehouses in Brooklyn to dreamy beaches in Tulum, the gargantuan Mayan Warrior art car regularly toured across North America.

Though the Mayan Warrior Foundation indicated the art car won’t be reconstructed, the collective intends to honor the its legacy with farewell fundraiser events in New York and Los Angeles this year.

To celebrate at home, immerse yourself in Mayan Warrior’s visual spectacle with five of the most iconic sets from the legendary art car on YouTube.

Keinemusik, Burning Man 2022

From production credits on Drake’s chart-topping house-inspired album Honestly, Nevermind to transformative DJ sets across the globe, 2022 was the year of Keinemusik. It also marked their first time performing at Burning Man.

"Being given the huge honor to play the iconic sunrise set on the Mayan Warrior during the Robot Heart link-up was a dream come true for us,” the Berlin collective said. “Enjoying this surreal moment together with so many people was a highlight in our musical career.”

WhoMadeWho, Burning Man 2019

After an impromptu set at Mayan Warrior during Burning Man’s 2018 edition, Danish trio WhoMadeWho were awestruck.

“Within moments, we fell in love with the art car and all people surrounding it,” they gushed. “We had a kind of musical epiphany there.”

WhoMadeWho returned to the playa in 2019 for an official performance, adding that they “didn't even have to think for a second” upon receiving the invite. Naturally, their hybrid live sunset set shaped up to be pure magic.

Monolink, Burning Man 2018

Blending live vocals, smooth guitar strums and psychedelic synths, Monolink is a one-man melodic house band. His performance atop Mayan Warrior in 2018 perfectly encapsulates that unique style.

Mira, Burning Man 2019

One of Berlin’s finest DJs, Mira knows how to work a crowd. From a slightly slowed down version of Pryda’s iconic track “Armed” to Wide Awake’s warbler “Zero Points”, her set at Mayan Warrior oozed hypnotic energy.

Pachanga Boys, Brooklyn Mirage 2018

While Mayan Warrior’s home turf is the playa, experiencing the enthralling art car in other settings is a treat in its own right. Pachanga Boys’ set at New York’s famed venue Brooklyn Mirage is a great example.