Ministry of Trance

By Netera Landar

You never know where I may pop up because of curiosity. I heard about Ministry of Trance and thought I might check out what it had to offer. I mean, who can say no to Trance?

DJ Ravie was playing the “Other Side of the World Extended Mix” by Craig Connely & Haliene when I walked onto the dance floor. The forest-and-water setting was lovely, with a boardwalk surrounded by pink-leaved trees, each nestled in a planter. There was a big welcome sign and a promotional poster listing the DJs for the day. 

 

Sitting on her unicorn was DJ Puddles, who is a fairy. She’s into tech, and you can tell from how the venues are run.

Before DJ Puddles took over the venue’s ownership, the DJs hosted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They presented high-quality, live-mixed Trance music in a laid-back, friendly atmosphere. When the previous owner decided to close the club, DJ Puddles, who was a DJ there, took over to keep it running. The other DJs and dedicated staff stand beside her in their commitment.

I asked her what changes she made nearly 4 years ago.

“We kept the focus on the music, only Trance (and PsyTrance), that’s the club’s most important identity. But we also put a huge emphasis on community, fun, and friendship,” said DJ Puddles. “We don’t try to fill the club to capacity every night, but we do have a very loyal family of friends, and everyone is welcome.”

She also incorporated AI into the outdoor venue and the Fairytale Palace. DJ Puddles stated that Ministry of Trance was the first club to use AI NCP characters. There’s a grumpy host named “Minime,” Puddles’ vane sister who thinks she’s the boss, “Fairy Puddles,” a polite gentleman bartender “Phoenix,” and a lazy security guard named “Fred.”  DJ Puddles said that some people think the NCP characters are robots. It’s actually brain surgery and fairy dust that makes them work. She’s currently working on a project to have a fully animated club manager. 

“MotBot is the latest project from my Lab,” she stated. “She is a very advanced robot. She will support the managers by assisting staff and guests 24/7 so we can drink Pina, party, and sleep more,” she joked. “MotBot will be able to greet guests and assist them with any questions, but her main duty will be running the staff schedule. DJs and hosts can ask her in our Groups, Discord, or via private messages, using normal speech in any language, to deal with things like holiday cover, and she will take care of it.”

Another interesting fact is that the club runs spaceunicorn.radio. This allows for both an internet audience and an in-world audience. Guests can listen to the club stream and chat live with those in the club on their smartphone, tablet, or computer. This year, 128 countries have listened to the stream.

Those in-world can also visit the main stage, which is the Fairytale Palace. Not only is it the residence for the Fairy Royal family and Unicorn cavalry, but they also host special events there. One of which is Nuvolino’s laser and light shows with his musical sets. There are Cinema nights and live video parties. They watched the Artemis Space launch, moon orbit, and splashdown together. They have a 12-timezone New Year’s Eve party and celebrate regular guests’ birthdays.

Ministry of Trance also has seasonal theme stages, such as Halloween, Spring, Summer, and Winter. There’s also a pirate ship, a hollow asteroid, a space station, and “Bladerunner.”

 

“We are blessed to have a team of skilled volunteers who help build our theme stages. I love seeing their imaginative ideas come to life so we can party in some beautiful and extraordinary places,” said DJ Puddles.

And then there’s staff. Ministry of Trance has 25 resident DJs with sets every week. There are also occasional cover and guest DJs. 

“Our automated system means even when the club is closed, any DJ can start a show whenever they like, and my sister will automatically send out set notices. Our wonderful team of hosts supports our DJ shows, and normally our club’s core hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. All our DJs mix live and have passed a rigorous audition to prove their amazing skills and keep standards high,” said DJ Puddles.

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/TRance%20Island/176/82/23 

 

Netera Landar

 

SLEA - The Quiet Between Worlds

 

By Netera Landar

The  Masquerade Ball in the Ballroom. (Photo courtesy Neme Marville)

I went to an event celebrating “The Quiet Between Worlds” region an hour before singer Austin Moores’ gig. Max Kleene was singing live during the Masquerade Ball. 

 

Max Kleene

He was dressed in a black suit and wore a mask that covered half his face. On a blue, sparkling dance floor, 40 participants were surrounded by tall arches and floating candles. Many were dressed casually, while others chose formal gowns, suits, or styles that suited them.

The landing point information board.

“The Quiet Between Worlds” was created from a growing sense of unrest and exhaustion – both online and offline – that now permeates our world: the constant performance, polarization, and pressure to define and defend identity. The region is a refuge that offers true emotional safety and comfort. It is LGBTQ+ centered on care and visibility for the most vulnerable members of the Second Life community. Here, visitors can experience moments of peace and reflection, mourn loved ones that they have lost, and support our fellow brothers and sisters,” according to Team Nabi/Butterfly Nation. Over 1,500 people have visited so far.

The team includes Nemesis Marville – engines, storytelling, and meshes; Nyx Marville – scripting and dynamic art; Dean Acer – meshes and textures; Cypher: Muse and the boss of Dean; and Rin Nemeth: artists’ coordinator and manager.

A week after the music event, I met with Neme, who lives overseas, and Nyx. They gave me a tour of numerous parts of the region and offered explanations at each highlighted space.

“Our grant started in January of 2026. We have this region through Second Life Endowment for the Arts for six months. So, the region will end and go on to a new artist at the end of June 2026,” said Neme.

The team members met in a region where the community was supportive of LGBTQ residents. When it closed, they discussed ideas on how to offer a safe space. The opportunity came, and they began their work.

They create unity and bring people together by holding weekly events. One of which is a week-long watch party in their theater, and on Sundays, a DJ mixes ambient tunes and more. They hope to offer more events, especially for Pride coming up, now that the building phase is nearly complete.

As for the tour, Neme and Nyx showed me the upper levels. I explored the beach area myself. Not far from the landing point is a guitar stage with rainbows and stars streaming from the sand. Bean bag chairs surround the area. 

 

A memorial park features a marble headstone and a touching message, a harp that plays after you click it. Sit on the Pride bench and listen.

 

Step into the wooden cabin and watch a special video.

Watch the interactive video in the wooden cabin. Relax by the fire pit or in the cuddle heart.

Neme’s tour led to the exploration of the upper part of the build. He told me to walk slowly towards the first teleport, which should bring us up.

“This marks the end of the world as we know it,” said Neme. “This is why in the book up there it says choose wonder over fear.” We went over the bridge instead. “This is a spot for gatherings, for friends and family, and for concerts and events. This is the Ballroom biome. It’s the face we show to the people around us. It’s what we want them to perceive us as,” he told me.

I recognize it as the room where Max performed. Neme tells me that every arc in the room has a message, and together they become whole.

The Little Prince build.

We took the portal to the next area. He said this was the Little Prince biome, which features elements from the book.

“You can either be the Little Prince or the Narrator, as they are the only characters missing,” he said, and asked if I knew the story. 

 

Netera with Neme.

“It should feel like they were just here, and their absence should be notable. I think the first thing people do is think of a loved one who is now among the stars. People react with feelings of nostalgia, some even grief. Although it’s more introspective in a way. It’s the feeling of lost potential, of what life could have been if they were still around."

Another wooden cabin for sitting and reflecting.

We then move on to the cabin. Neme said that this is a place to calm down from the feelings we experienced in the previous setting. Most of the scene has interactive areas to hang out, contemplate, or just share a moment with someone you’re close to.

He added that there is an important over-arching theme that extended across all the builds in the region and that was the opportunity to contemplate your life as well as options for making memories.

“Which is so important in a space like SL where folks are looking for connections,” Neme said. “Around this ark/biome, this is a place where you can withdraw and relax and leave whenever you feel ready to. A place to be yourself without having to meet any expectations.”

“There needs to be safe places to come,” I told him.

“Exactly,” said Nyx. “Whether it is someone decompressing from real life, or looking for a way to reach out to a community, that is what SL is at its heart. A place to be more than you can imagine and to find your chosen people.”

Nyx stated, as Neme did, that their region will be open to the end of June, and then another team will create an installation, or whatever their passion is, and it will be bittersweet.

“We do not have an option yet to move elsewhere, but we are open to any opportunities folks may have. We put in a very concentrated effort to do everything ourselves. So, approximately 98% of what you are seeing is something our team members made or created together,” Nyx added.

A tree-house build focusing on grief, how it is love with nowhere to go. Play your song anyway.

Onward we went. This time, we were transported to a floating treehouse, which Neme said was a standard blender ruins made with mesh.

Not all wishes are meant to come true...some are meant to change you.

“Neme has created much of the mesh you see around each scene. Each scene is encapsulated within its own biome. Right now, we are about 2,500m over the beach below,” explained Nyx. “I think we have space for everyone to claim a spot as their own at this point.”

Neme tells me I’ll love the next area. He points across the bridge to a piano, the next portal, he said. There are messages.

“He has made pieces, since we started, that tell stories, follow a narrative, and make people connect. This piece made me teary-eyed,” Nyx admitted.

Nyx and Neme.

We are at a gazebo where the stars sparkle above. Neme said that there are four messages and poses, perfect for couples. Perfect to ask your loved one to marry you, and there’s even a wedding venue downstairs.

“If you wish to book space for a wedding, it’s free. If you want to flex your DJ skills on any given night – free. If someone wants to hold a morning yoga class, the only hurdle is your imagination and wanting to see it thrive,” said Neme.

You are not alone.

“I think the little messages are cute and endearing,” added Nyx.  “Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to say how one feels.”

You are more than what hurts you.

Neme explained that they tried to alternate heavy places with places to rest your mind and soul so it wouldn’t be overbearing.

Your journey just begins - we are walking it with you...

“I think the vastness of massive objects like space, reminds us of how small we are and how small our troubles can be in the grand scheme,” said Nyx.

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA8/56/66/32

Netera Landar