Live in Second Life

BY STAFF WRITER ALBION SPITTELER

One of the cool things in Second Life is the live music scene. It’s a global thing, and in the past I’ve listen to everything from Argentine jazz to French indie and all things in-between. The standard is variable, passing through sublime onto mediocre and culminating in the downright dire; but everyone who performs in Second Life does it for the joy of the music and heckling should therefore be verboten.

Of the many Second Life gigs I’ve been to one stands out, and that was when established British rock star crooner Richard Hawley played a tiny gig in Second Life. A surprise choice at the time. Not being renowned for his technical indulgences, Hawley had an island created and an avie too for the 15 minute gig which caused a minor media stir. The BBC even carried a stream of it on the Radio 6 website. My friend Sienna and I were amongst the lucky few to get invites to the show, and Albion even briefly appeared on TV–well his back did in a grey jacket. My mate Sienna plonked herself directly in front of Hawley and appeared on TV a lot. In fact Sienna won free tickets to see Hawley live in the flesh. She had to give her Second Life name to the guy at the door, and was she grateful she’d rejected the name Wibblyboobies Fannystrap! I got a free guitar out of it too so that can’t be bad. (Hawleys Island is well worth a visit although you’re unlikely to see the man himself strolling along the beach, or sadly hear his mournful voice crooning across the airwaves.)

It was a rather bizarre experience being at this gig, and at a time I think a few legitimate “stars” played Second Life gigs; indeed my entry to the grid was after hearing on the radio that Susan Vega had played here which pricked my curiosity and got me inworld. Will there be further rock gigs? I dont know, but I enjoyed my moment on the beach with the stars.