DJ Micah's Club Culture

By Grease Coakes

DJ Micah hasn't been in Second Life long but he's well known as a DJ around Furnication which is Nemoen Magne's club. And now as a blue tiger from the UK he's taken the next step from DJ to club owner. Micah has made a graphically pleasing club with a vision all his own. In 2013 he created the club however money issues forced him to close it down. When I talked to him on Jan 14^th this year he said it only just opened the previous Friday.

 Unlike some other furry clubs, Micah's new club is centered on the music and not so much nudity and sexual hijinks that a few have been noted for. One of the rules is no sexual conduct in the club. It's also welcoming to humans who are looking for a new place to hang out. Also he has put a lot of blood sweat and tears to make sure his club looks like a real life club. The only exception is that no security searches you for weapons or drugs like in the real world. You can warp in at Nocturnal Chaos (200/220/4001) and just walk in.

Like Shadowquine Maltz's Ark it's like a lounge environment where you can hang out if you like or dance to either the radio stream or the live DJ throwing down tracks for the crowd. I also noticed he had a very realistic light system. Another rule he stated was “no excessive glowy things”.He wouldn't want his club to be lagged to all heck if 20 people had script intensive glow add-ons. There was also a couple statues that look very realistic and not cartoony. When I tried an laugh emote I was surprised that it didn't make any sound. It made sense that DJ Micah didn't want any sound spam like in some human clubs. Also there's a very realistic looking bar for bartenders (Like when I was a bartender for the old BAY club.)

For such a young club he already put a lot of pizazz as he has a website explaining club rules here at http://www.indigofuzz.co.uk/culture/opguide/. Also never seen before in Second Life is a there's also an option to fill the club with foam just like a real life foam party in a club. Already it shows a video with DJ Micah djing live on their facebook page here at https://www.facebook.com/cultureonline

Micah being a DJ in real life his SL club is being sponsored by his own record label Tantrem records. The record label itself is also young. So if you have written a song you really want heard, talk to DJ Micah he might choose your song to add it to 700 retailers in the real world like Sony music Amazon Beatport and much more. Feel free to read it here https://www.dropbox.com/s/xo5jo02qunzxxua/Tantrem%20Distribution.txt?dl=0

Club CULTURE being a new club is looking for bartenders hosts and of course DJs! However Micah warned that his club sets a high standard for high quality so you have to have excellent skills or at least above average to represent the ethos of the club which is all about the music. Rock music or jazz DJs need not apply. DJ Micah made it clear that he wants to have it as an edm club. Remixes of rock or pop songs into house music or any other edm genre is ok.

If you're looking for a new place to work at or just to hang out and have a good time Club CULTURE is the place for you.

Grease Coakes

The Portuguese Way

By Gemma Cleanslate

Often when I get an invitation to a LEA sim I encounter spectacular  installations that are really busy, show the art of one builder, and sometimes send one spiraling into the space or depths. There is a new installation on LEA19 to which I received an opening party invitation and, for once was able to attend. It was wonderful to sit at a picnic table and listen to a tribute to the popular Portuguese Fado singer, Mariza. I sat among some of the famous artists of Second Life and enjoyed it all. There was even a very famous performance artist who is banned by  LEA, but attended, incognito, almost, and actually sort of behaved. The party was fun, but to enjoy the sim I had to go back several times. 

The installation is quiet and lovely. It is called The Portuguese Way. It was created by Winter Wardhani and a team including Chagal Campestre, FlorCampestre, Janjii Rugani and Wan Laryukov. The scenes depict the beauty of the land of Portugal and tries to incorporate the history of  the past 900 years since its beginning. I took Qwark, a native of Portugal, on my second visit and he said so easily “Oh, there is the famous bridge into Lisboa”... “Oh! There is the castle of Sao Jorge” and on seeing a windmill on a hill said those are very common in Portugal. 

Along the way you can learn of the  history culture of this lovely land by picking up notecards at all the interesting stops. We visited a charming farm village typical of ones you will find in the Portuguese countryside. In a quaint shop there we saw the wares you might find in such a tiny town. Outside you will find pens with pigs and other animals roaming. As Winter said she thinks she went a it overboard on the contents of the notecards.  As you roam the sim you will find delightful views and places to sit and enjoy. I collected a shield and sword at the castle, a costume cap outside the chapel, and a few other items, so watch for them. 

There are teleports in many locales that will take you around to the interesting spots. I like to walk this type of sim after teleporting to the important places  because there are many quaint spots I will miss if I don’t. I found a paddleboat rezzer and took a ride along the river to a lighthouse , passing by the experience called blindness. This is described as “This totally dark maze was build based on the book "Blindness" by the Portuguese Nobel Prize winner José Saramago. Do you dare to feel all the emotions arising from being blind? To feel the despair of not seeing? To struggle to see the light again?” 

I went back the other way along the river, which passed a charming cozy spot to sit, and went to the base of a great waterfall where the fish are jumping all around. These are the points you might miss by just taking the teleports so take time to wander. I recommend beginning at the balloon ride, taking the TPs to various spots of interest and then ending with the paddle boat ride so you will not miss much in the region. The river winds under bridges and finally leads back to the beginning spot where you will find a fisherman’s camp . Grab a pole or just sit by the fire and relax. Savor the time you spend here. It should be here until December. 

Begin at the balloon ride. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA19/155/200/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Burn2: The Temple Burn

Sunday November 4th was the second of the two burns at the Burn2 festival: the Temple Burn. Like the burning of "The Man," it was scheduled to take place three times, morning, Noon, and evening. Due to the technical glitches that weekend, the early morning burn was postponed until the following day. So the first one that day was at Noon.

At Noon, the Temple begins to catch fire.

The temple brazier, which had been lit the entire time of the festival, is now joined by other flames.

Before lighting, people had been sending various messages to the temple, which it read aloud before and the early part of the burning.

"Peace love and friendship to all," "Love and light," "Life and love are best when both made fresh dailey :-D ," "I will always love you M," "Computers are useless. They can only give us answers. (Pablo Picasso)," "May the God and Goddess bless us all," "Pip is the greatest/Christ is the bestest," "Beautiful Dreamers~May love always lead your way," "I was never able to tell you how much I love you, it was always there deep in my heart, and will stay there till the end, I love you .. I wish you would know it!"

"May the long time SUNSHINE upon you, all LOVE surround you, and the pure light with in you GUIDE your way Home," "Truth and Love are gifts from the Universe to us! Reach out and receive Love," "Kindness is free share it!" "Hope for a gentle warm wind blown upon your mind and sail away to a dream state of harmony!" "I love Second Life, and all it's creative bliss," "We are spirits having a human experience!" "For those who burn, those who wish to burn, and those that have burnt before, (love), ""Which ever way I end up here I'm always home, Burn On, Burn on ツ "It is well to be born in a decadent age, one may obtain a reputation for virtue at a bargain price - Voltaire, " "Goodbye Paul David Addis, the dark impish soul of Burnin Man."

The sims adjacent to the burning Temple were packed. Among those were was blogger Daniel Voyager in his owl avatar, "I'm really excited!"

It wasn't long before the whole temple was afire, "Here comes the flame, boy!"

The Temple was soon consumed by the virtual flame, and began coming apart, "There she goes!" "Hot grits a'flyin, y'all!"

"Moar C4!" "Whoah!"

Parts didn't just fall down, but sometimes flew off a short distance, "Ow! I got hit by falling burning temple!"

Eventually, the Temple had completely collapsed.

And the all-clear was given, "Rabbit Hole is open now!" "Be brave and enter." And it was quickly filled with enthusiastic burners, "It's not letting me in." "Damn, this sim fills fast!" "Please try to take turns going in and out so everyone has a chance to enter." "Rabbit Hole is a homestead sim, so only 20 allowed at a time. Please take turns."

A close up of one of the Burners, a few items on her face still not completely showing, but the light made for a picturesque view.

People darted around, and even in, the virtual flames, "This temple burn was, and is, beautiful!"

One Ranger approached with a fire extinguisher.

With the flames dying down, some left. Others hung around, a few offering words of thanks and poetry, "Rebith, renew, not the same, better, again, brighter, for the past, renew, another opportunity, gifted, like each day, we burn, we renew."

The temple burn would take place again in the evening, and the next morning. After that, the Burn2 festival was officially over, although the sims remained up for a few more days and there were some smaller parties.

And so, the largest art and music festival in Second Life came to a close for another year. But fans won't have to wait a whole year for another taste. Saturday the 10th is the Skin Burn. And some smaller Burn-related events had been organized between the 2011 and 2012 festivals, so there will likely be more. But there's only one Burn2.

"Can't wait till next year, goodnight everybody!"

For more pictures, check the Burn2 Flickr. 

Bixyl Shuftan