CONNECTING WITH PORTER PAQUOT

By Loegan Magic

Photos by Cavelle Somerset

A couple of things come to mind when you think of Porter Paquot; one, she has one of the best singing voices anywhere and two, she really knows how to put on a show. Both of these facts are acknowledged by anyone that has had the pleasure of catching one of her live shows in Second Life. However, what you may not have known is that Porter Paquot likes to scuba dive. I discovered this at once, when she invited me to join her at the Benares Underwater Garden and Scuba area to do some deep-sea diving.

Porter and I have known each other for a awhile now and is no stranger to me. So it was a real treat for me to be able to talk to her and pick her brain about music, her Second Life, and what she deems important. Our interview began when she teleported me onto a small dock in the middle of the sea; where I was greeted by the pleasurable sounds of the surf. The Benares scuba area is a pretty isolated spot full of the gentle chirp of seagulls with just a few lavish island homes in the distance. This is where you can grab your free scuba gear for your under water adventure. Porter, who wore a bathing suit and scuba gear of her own, greeted me and then quickly dived right off the dock into the deep blue ocean. Eager, to enter the Benares underwater world myself, I put on my swim trunks and free scuba gear, and dived in after her.

I was at once struck by the wide assortment of fish around me. The Benares Underwater Garden is a small area but packed with all sorts of wonderful sights. A sunken pirate ship immediately stood out as I took in my surroundings. I floated for a bit and took a further look around. I could hear the sounds of a dolphin as it leaped up and out of the water, playing in the ocean waves. The deep-sea sounds were soothing and the whole area had a nice relaxing effect. I immediately liked it.

“This is my favorite place in SL,” explained Porter as we swam with the colorful fish. “When I first came to Second Life, I met someone who took me scuba diving in the Costa Rica sim and it totally blew my mind. In real life I kind of have a fear of the ocean... not major but enough. But I feel so free when I swim in the SL ocean - it's so beautiful down here”

It really was. As we chatted, I allowed my avatar to float aimlessly in the water as I continued to explore my underwater surroundings. I noticed a cave, complete with cuddle and dance balls.

Benares, a lovely island estate full of fine-looking homes including Porter’s, is owned by Brinda Allen . “My sim owner, Brinda, has been a real mentor and friend to me in SL since the very beginning. When I told her I wanted to sing in SL she encouraged me, but I think she didn't really think I would do it. She's a wonderful person. This sim really is like a family, and she is the den mother of us all. I was very lucky to fall in with them my very first day in SL.”

Brinda gave Porter the space and the prims to make a public Scuba area for the sim. It is a project that is clearly close to her heart, a never ending work in progress, and she is quick to point out that many of her fellow residents have contributed to it.

“I don't come down here nearly as often as I would like to.”

“You are clearly proud of it,” I remarked.

“I am proud of it. I really wanted it to be a place everyone could enjoy together. I wanted to share that first experience I had - where it blew my mind. I want everyone to feel that way in Second Life. I want to give that gift to other people.”

Porter with ease grabbed hold of a stingray and allowed it to guide her around the underwater garden. She suggested I ride the turtle, commenting that its “more my speed.” Unable to find the turtle and feeling a bit cocky I chose the nearby octopus. Immediately, I was on the verge of becoming nauseas due to the bucking creature that was clearly unhappy to have me as passenger. I realized Porter was probably right, the turtle did seem more my speed. First chance I had I quickly abandoned the octopus for the much more docile turtle.

It was apparent that Porter created the scuba area not just for herself but for others. I wondered if that was true when it came to her performing. Those who are in Porter’s group, “Porter’s Party Peeps” know that it is like no other group in Second Life. Porter knows everyone of her fans and they truly interact as friends. They are a community and you can tell that she truly cares about them. I asked Porter to talk about this connection she seems to have to communities.

“I'm someone who gets people to come together. I make little families, at school, at work, in Second Life. I don't like people to feel left out or unimportant maybe? Or maybe I just think we work better together than apart. I think people are interesting; I like to get to know them

“It is clear that you love your fans, they aren't just people who come to your shows.” I commented.

“ No they IM me, and we go out on boats in the middle of the night, and they come scuba diving, and they end up living on my sim and coming to play with me other times. The word fan implies I don't know them but they know me. I hate that. If they care enough about my shows to come and join my group, I want to get to know them. Then they aren't fans, they are friends.”

“So the peeps are another community for you, like your neighbors here at Benares.”

“They are a special community.”

“Why special?” I asked.

“I feel very close to them. I know I can ask a question or invite them to an event and someone will come or if I'm lonely they are there to cheer me up and I would do that for them. They are wild and crazy and fun but they are also really caring people."

“But the Peeps wouldn't exist without your music.”

“The music brought them together, yes. That is what we all have in common and a love of obnoxious gestures.”

Porter is not joking about obnoxious gestures. Just attend one of her shows and you will realize that the louder and more unruly the people are the happier she is on stage. She clearly feeds off of it and her fans love it. You never know what you’ll get at a Porter show; it truly is an interactive experience. I asked her what a typical show is like.

“It's like hanging out with your best friends, making fun of each other and shouting over one another, while listening to great music... and the hijinxs escalate until someone is on a stripper pole, someone else has taken off their clothes, and everyone is laughing,” She continues. “I think what happens is that I have fun with them, and so if they start something I'll take it to another level, and then they escalate, and then I do, and then we reach some kind of critical mass where everyone is just nuts and wearing costumes and yelling Hoooooooooooooo!”

While Porter’s show may seem all fun, one thing she is very serious about is her singing. It is unmistakable that she has a natural gift with her voice; however that has not prevented her from working on it most of her life. She has studied music and theatre arts in college, has a performance degree and training in classical piano.

“I almost became an opera singer but when I was 18 I was diagnosed with vocal nodules and had to go on voice rest. I haven't been the same since. My voice rest period was 1 year.”

“Did your voice change as a result of that?” I asked.

“No, I changed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I sing loud, but I don't talk as loud anymore and I'm pretty careful with my voice now - like I try not to sing TOO much. My voice gets tired easily and I protect it. I'll still do arias and art music on occasion.”

Being a serious musician and singing with tracks in Second Life made me curious if that gave her a disadvantage. Some venues in Second Life won’t have track singers and some musicians won’t even play in the same lineup as them, many referring to them as Karaoke singers. I know this is an issue Porter takes seriously; she can sometimes be spotted wearing the tag, “Singers ARE Musicians.”

“It's my own self esteem that takes the hit, I shouldn't let it get to me, but it does. I feel it more than see it."

“In what way?”

“I personally don't get rejected very often at venues - I'm not someone who goes looking for shows. If someone wants to book me, they ask and I try to work it out. But there are venues that won't take people who sing with tracks. While that's their prerogative, I think it's silly to take someone who is a sucky guitar player and sucky singer and sucky performer over someone who puts on a great show that HAPPENS to use tracks. I'm a trained performer in RL I can play piano, but I'm just better with tracks. I prefer it. I have an enormous voice and I should sing with a horn band. So, I use tracks in SL for a variety of reasons. That doesn't make me less of an artist. In real life I sing with a band that does all original music, I understand the artistic process. I think there is room for everyone. Why do people need to get put into such a tight box? SL is supposed to be wide and creative and people are supposed to be able to be whoever they want here right?

“Yes,” I had to agree.

“Honestly, it reminds me of racism. It’s a very elitist perspective.” Porter paused for a moment. “OK here is the bottom line on it, there are people we consider "good" and people we consider "not so good" in every genre, every group, on every stage, and in every venue in SL. So why pick out the singers who use tracks? There are good and bad just like there are good and bad guitar players. So don't go see the ones you don't like- the end.”

Porter let’s go of her stingray and does some impressive underwater acrobatics, tumbling in the water beautifully, reminiscent of a mermaid. I continue on my turtle, both of us moving slowly and safely through the garden in a much less graceful sort of way.

I wanted to know more about Porter’s music. She can be heard covering such performers as Aretha Franklin, Nora Jones, Stevie Wonder and Tracey Chapman. She really lets the crowd guide where the show goes, giving them access to her extensive song list of blues, jazz, funk and soul and if the mood strikes her she may break out some disco or even some rockers by such singers as Joan Jett and Pat Benatar. You can tell she knows her voice and puts a lot of thought into what she performs.

“What draws you to a song?”

“Hmmm…well I have to connect to it - there's that word again. But I have to feel it down deep I guess. I like funk, soul and blues, I like to really chew on something and I like to have fun.

“What do you mean by chew on something?”

“It has to have heart - some guts to it. I also like technically challenging music, things with hard or interesting vocal runs or rhythmically challenging.”

Porter is a singer in Fez Fatale, a Portland based band that does all original music. They can be heard doing the occasional show in Second Life, currently about one per month.

“Fez is difficult to describe. I would say we are jazz, funk and blues influenced - lounge rock seems to fit. We play across all genres really and the lyrics are written by a woman who is a writer and a lawyer and completely out of her mind. Her name is Pam Quinlan. The music is started usually by Tim Henwood, our guitarist and then the whole band fleshes the songs out together. I usually come up with the vocal parts with help from Michelle, who sings with me.”

Again you can see Porter quick to acknowledge others involved with her work and again I see her band as yet another community Porter is involved with. This made me wonder if Porter came to Second Life specifically in search of community.

“I don't think I was seeking community, I think I build community everywhere naturally. That is one of my gifts in life I guess. I came into SL because I heard a radio show with Dr. Drew and he talked about SL and it intrigued me I had never heard of it before.”

As my virtual skin began to prune up a bit, and I sensed my turtle friend growing tired, I realized that our interview had to come to an end soon. So I asked Porter what was the one thing that people would be surprised to know about her.

“I doubt anyone would be very surprised about anything that has to do with me,” she said with a laugh. “let me think…If I wouldn't have studied theatre arts performance, I would have been a geologist.

That fascinated me. “Why do you love rocks so much?” I asked.

“I'm not sure! They are beautiful, and I like to connect with the earth, Put my hands on it, and think about where it came from. I love the formations of rock.”

“Yet another connection of sorts,” I observed.

“All the processes that take place, it's all very fascinating to me. I rock climb in RL although that's fairly recent. I am an outdoorsy kind of girl, that's why I like scuba diving and going on adventures and flying things and sailing in SL.”

Anyone familiar with Porter, knows that she has a passion for fun in Second Life, a passion that I have always found infectious. It made me wonder more about this amazing underwater garden we had been exploring throughout the interview and how it connected to her music.

“If I leave Second Life the music will leave with me, but this garden will be here as long as the sim is and Brinda Allen will guard this sim with her real life.

“But the people who see your show will remember the experience.” I noted.

“Yes but this is as tangible as a virtual world gets. A memory can be powerful too though. People may never meet me, but they will know me through this garden. They will click on the box that gives scuba gear and get a gift from me with my words inside and come down and live an experience that I wanted them to have even if they have never met me.

“Just like the first time you went scuba diving at Costa Rica when you first came to Second Life.”

“Yes, I actually never thought about that before. Someone else spent a painstaking amount of time on the Costa Rica scuba area just like I did here. That one is way better of course,” she laughed, “but I like my little garden.”

I liked it too. Porter can be seen all over the grid performing and connecting with others, and just like her underwater garden, she’s worth checking out. Connect with one of her shows, join the party, meet some new friends and share the experience, you won’t regret it.

*********

Benares Underwater Garden and Scuba Area

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Benares%20East/142/3/21

Porter Paquot on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/people/Porter-Paquot/100001157382545

Fez Fatale

http://www.fezfatale.com/

************

This article was originally published in the January 2011 issue of SCRUPLZ'S magazine and can be read at http://scruplz.com/

Let's Get Serious for a Moment

This blog is a bit more serious then the past ones.  I recently sent out a notecard to people in the SL music commnunity, the reactions and stories of support people have sent me have been so overwhelming that I decided it needed to be shared.  When you see something that is wrong you should speak up.  And that is what I'm doing with this particular blog. 

This is the notecard i sent out to the SL music community on 1/11/11

My venue was recently approached to join a group for venue owners called Live Music Review. I would encourage the SL music community to NOT join this group. They have set down guidelines for what they feel is a quality venue. After a heated discussion with one of the groups founders, I was still unable to determine what the purpose of the group was – needless to say he no longer wanted my venues in the group (which is fine by me).

One of the standards of what makes a venue, “high quality” according to the group is “no karaoke acts." I own two live music venues with Porter Paquot; The Mill and Kasbah. We do not book karaoke acts, we book high quality vocalists who use tracks, live musicians, and DJ’s. We have original music night and do our best to support the live music scene and art community in Second Life. I have worked for almost two years trying to bring people together and book quality music at my venues. I feel that my venues can stand on the reputations they have made for themselves over the last year and half. In my opinion, reputation is what a makes a good venue not an arbitrary checklist. It frustrates and angers me when someone makes blanket statements like this group is doing. If a venue does not want to book vocalists who use tracks, that is their choice, It DOES NOT make them a higher quality venue. This attitude is what is wrong with an otherwise amazing second life music scene.

It is time to put a stop to this. This is a debate among musicians, managers, and venue owners. The fans don’t care they just want to hear good music. Let’s stop creating divisions and work together. If we as venue owners just book the best people out there and run our venues the way we want, then the people going to the shows will decide who runs a quality venue and who doesn’t. It’s simple. Groups like this that see things as black and white are what is wrong with the Second Life music scene. I also encourage musicians to not support venues with this attitude. This debate is getting old.

I have attached an article I have written for Scruplz Magazine that is coming out this month about this issue. I wrote it before I had this incident with Live Music Review. This is a hot button issue with me and it's about time that we as a community STOP making divisions and work together. Good music is good music.

The Scruplz article follows:

DON'T CALL IT KARAOKE
by Loegan Magic

The Second Life music scene is an ever changing component to to an already complex virtual world, filled with it's own politics and unwritten rules. It has become a thriving independent global music scene unaltered by the corporations that have pretty much gobbled up the airways and watered down the music being put out in the “real world”. Sure some of it is pretty amateurish, but even that has it's charm. What's better then then a kindergarten teacher by day who is a SL rock star by night? The musicians here are all on various levels, some are just having fun, some are trying to make it big, and some are just playing for a much needed outlet or release. Whatever the reason, second life is full of music and we the fan have tons of choices.

I have been involved in this scene on various levels for almost two years now and I've seen a lot (keep in mind SL years are like dog years). Most of what I've seen has been good, some of it wondrous and amazing and yes some of it not so good. I have met a lot of great people, venue owners, musicians, managers and fans. However, one aspect has troubled me, and that is the blatant disrespect, by some in the scene, for singers who use tracks. For those of you who don't know, “track singers” use per-recorded music to sing live to. This has labeled them by some as Karaoke singers or being dismissed as not live music. I disagree. Even the term track singer, I have an issue with; why don't we use the term vocalist?

First off karaoke is an activity. You go to karaoke with your friends to drink and have a good time. And getting up in front of your friends in a supportive environment and singing badly is just that - fun. If you don't believe me ask yourself what happens when the one person in the room that can sing gets up and does it? No one wants to follow them, its no longer fun. It is completely different then listening to a trained professional singer putting on a show and entertaining a crowd.

Now, does that mean that their are people using tracks who can't sing and should not be labeled vocalists – yes it sure does and a lot of them. Does that mean they shouldn't sing – no! It means I might not book them at my venue or go see their next show but that is the great thing about Second Life music, someone else will. The point is, I can think of countless people who strum guitars and sing that aren't any better. Does that mean I dismiss everyone who strums a guitar – no. So why are we dismissing everyone who uses tracks?

The truth is some music can not be reproduced with just a guitar or a piano. So why limit the music in second life to someone playing one instrument? Many track singers sing jazz, blues, soul, funk and more, giving a much needed kick to a music scene saturated with people strumming guitars. I welcome the variety.

Now most fans don't care, they just want to hear good music and be entertained, it's mostly other musicians, venue owners, and managers, that have issue. It just seems sad to me to declare, that you only have 100% life music at your venue when what you are really saying is we don't let people sing with tracks here. As a venue owner I want the best most talented people I can find, Personally, I don't care if you are banging on a bucket, scratching a record, or strumming a guitar...art is art and good art should be seen and heard.

Music is an art form and I can't think of another art form that I would dismiss due to the tools used. Singing is actually the most pure form of music I can think of and while we all do it, it doesn't mean we do it well (or should). So if someone is using a prerecorded track it doesn't matter to me as long as they are singing well over it. I've heard some amazing vocalists in second life, trained professional singers with successful real life music careers that should not be missed. And to not book them because they don't strum a guitar seems absurd to me.

Second Life is an amazing place, it is literally what we make it. Just think how music will be experienced twenty or even ten years from now in whatever second life will evolve to.

We are experiencing something that is in its infancy and we are the ones who will say remember when.

So if you are a musician, venue, owner, manager, or fan who dismisses vocalists who use tracks in second life, I urge you to reconsider. We are all in this together, pioneers in a new world, but whatever world you are in, real or virtual, one thing that does not change is talent is talent. So open your ears and mind to some amazing music, you might be surprised what you discover.
This ediorial was originally published in the January 2011 issue of SCRUPLZ'S which can be read at
http://scruplz.com/

I encourage people to respond to this, leave a comment here or at Scruplz's or at both.  You can also email me at loegansl@gmail.com Please share this with others.

THE 2ND ANNUAL KASBAH CHRISTMAS SHOW!!!

By Tessa1 Beck

Photos by Cavelle Somerset 

The night started with Karter Stonecutter. He was dressed appropriately in an awesome santa suit ready to deck the halls with sounds of music! His rendition of The Little Drummer Boy was sweet! He even broke out a little of Elvis's Blue Christmas...the atmoshphere in the club...festive to say the least! Each musician was given 30 minutes to sing as many Christmas songs as they could. Karter made the time fly by and before we knew it he was leaving the stage to make room for Taunter Goodnight!

The crowd was ready for some fun and Taunter delivered with her usual flair! She set the tone for her 30 minute set with songs full of mirth and the audience was delighted! Taunters voice was perfect for her version of I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas and everyone was dancing in SL and I can just bet a good portion of the audience was chair dancing in RL too! It was an awesome half hour. She left us feeling all happy and welcomed AMFORTE Clarity to the stage!

AMFORTE was a big hit with the excited crowd! She regaled us with Christmas songs with her haunting twist. It was great to hear her sing Santa baby! She was chatting between songs about shopping and kids and everyone was sharing their stories about the holiday mall crawls! The set ended on a high note..Jingle Bells!!! We all clapped heartily as AM left and Porter Paquot climbed up on the stage in her lovely gown to entertain us.

Porter started her set off hot with her smoky voice, singing Merry Christmas Baby. Everyone mellowed out and held their loved ones tight as she crooned. She moved into some fun tunes as she cheerfully threatened everyone..Take a copy of the gift I made! Take it! We were all laughing along with her as she sang her own 12 Days of Christmas. It was just too funny! She finished off the set telling jokes and generally entertaining us as only Porter can. I was sad to see her go, but then...Buckley was up next!

That's Buckley Moonwall for those of you that don't know...and he was amazing tonight! The audience began to fill with some of the best musicians SL has to offer...one after another arrived for the festivities! The venue was rockin and the crowd was enjoying Buckleys low key personality and beautiful voice. Everyone was a comedian tonight...Buckley was singing songs he said he was "passing off" as Christmas songs...and we all pretended they were totally Christmasy! He sang some the most obscure and awesome holiday songs and we all had a blast! Buckley wished us all happy holidays and exited the stage as Max Kleene took his place.

Max crashed right off the bat but he continued on as the wonderful performer he is...singing a gorgeous version of Little Drummer Boy. Max and a few others knew a secret and we were so excited....it was torture waiting for the big moment when the secret would be revealed. When all was ready, Max began his song and Loegan asked the big question..."Porter, will you be my partner? The crowd erupted with shouts and well wishes for the happy couple.....it was truly a special moment and we were all lucky to be a part of it! Max ended his set with congratulations to the happy couple and moved aside for kasbah fave Strum Diesel.

The general good feelings we all shared were kept in tact as Strum sang his heart out. He was giving us covers and orginals that really blew us away. I personally love Strums originals, they hit home for me and I am sure many others. The venue was chock full of friends all enjoying this incredible night full of fun, music and love. Strum ended his set with a beautiful, sweet Christmas song that brought tears to some...what a lovely performance. His heartfelt way of sharing his gift of music was the perfect seguay for the final performer of the night LizAday Solo.

The night was winding down...Liz gave us a fantastic performance....she was joined by Golden Xenno...and the banter was fun and entertaining! I think everyone was laughing when they sang the silliest songs....it was a great time! 10 PM came around way too soon...and Liz was on a roll...anxious to keep the night going. It was a perfect party...The best music possible...the sweetest moment shared between 2 very happy friends and a celebration of a wonderful holiday season. We at Kasbah would like to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

SANTA IS COMING TO KASBAH!

The sims are turning white with snow, the holiday decorations are up, and everyone can see that It's that time of the year again - The 2nd annual Kasbah Christmas show! A special night of ALL HOLIDAY SONGS by your favorite SL Musicians!!

ART + MUSIC = THE STUDIO GENRE ART CRAWL!

Today was the first ever Studio Genre Art Crawl! For those of you not aware, an art crawl is just like a bar crawl but without the liquor lol. We started at Lucky, the home of Strum Diesel. The lush greenery of the landscape coupled with the incredible music of Strum created the perfect beginning to an amazing three hours of live music and beautiful art. Strum is a true artist, writing songs that touch us all with emotions and thoughts from his soul. He spent 30 minutes entertaining us with his original music and always enjoyable banter. The crowd that gathered were enthusiastic to say the least! It was a treat to be among some of SL's premiere artists, musicians and art supporters.

The next stop on the art crawl was Van's Wild West Gallery featuring the music of SweetLilly Pinelli. Van is an interesting artist who does his paintings primarily on small pieces of glass. He has a vast array of paintings displayed here, ranging from the older style of western art to his unique perspective on the SL avatar. SweetLilly filled the gallery with the gentle sounds of her sometimes hauntingly but always beautiful voice. The guests traveled through the gallery to the rooftop stage, stopping along the way to enjoy the art covered walls. I think it was a perfect blend of music and art, giving us 30 minutes of relaxation and pleasure.

We traveled on to The Aries Gallery to take in some breathtaking paintings from the incredibly talented littleone Aries. Kelvinblue Oh was onstage and ready to take over the next 30 minutes of SL music. Littleone's art is a tribute to her surroundings, she paints what she sees from her studio windows and all the beauty of her island home. The studio quickly filled with visitors anxious to hear Kelvin rip into some of his trademark songs.The sharp contrast between Kelvins hard rocking blues and the romance of the art made this half hour pure fun with some awesome guitar and vibrant images that SL has to offer!

I took the tp to the next gallery and was immediately hit with the sounds of Amforte's smoky voice. She was giving herself to a song full of angst. It was a kind of weird feeling hearing her, the screen black during tp...and as the room came into focus there was another surprise, a stage befitting an art gallery...indescribable really...gold and red hues surrounding a small stage. Syl Darcy's Fine Art Gallery held so much to see and enjoy. I cammed down to the art below and really enjoyed the original works she is sharing with all of us. Such lovely landscapes and beautiful watercolors and even a gift for everyone under the christmas tree! Amforte sang songs ranging from the afore mentioned sad to the very happy, Felice Navidad! Her originals and covers were the perfect compliment to Syl's beautiful gallery.

Antenna Rae's Fine Arts Studio was the next gallery in the crawl. I had never been to her studio and I found out quickly that I had missed something wonderful. The paintings were exactly my style, soft, beautiful water colors washed over the canvas, each more beautiful than the next. These are the kinds of paintings you want surrounding you when you want to relax, have a glass of wine and listen to some good music. This is exactly what I did as I listened to Porter Paquot, an awesome SL vocalist with a powerful voice and the bubbliest personality ever to grace SL. The art crawlers spent the half hour perusing the paintings as they hummed along with our Miss Porter. The mood was definitely happy as we finished the half hour and moved on to the last gallery.

Kundemor Tamatzui Fine Artis a fabulous studio full of color and light. His vision of incorporating the kundiamor melon and the latin woman together in his unique way has been accomplished skillfully. The colors and textures creating a feeling of understanding, each painting more vivid and interesting than the last. While we took in the art gracing the walls of this elegant studio we were entertained by the beautiful sounds of Lawanda Andel. Her gorgeous music, all instrumental piano, added to the elegance of the scene. It was the perfect way to close the Studio Genre Art Crawl. I encourage each of you to stop by the various galleries, there really is something for everyone here. Share the Landmark with a friend. Art, music and friendship, who could ask for anything more.

Tessa1 Beck

STUDIO GENRE 1st ART CRAWL December 11 1pm-4pm

ART CRAWL @ STUDIO GENRE:

Music and Art!

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE STUDIO GENRE ART CRAWL

The art crawl is pretty much like a bar crawl. You get a rowdy bunch of people who go from one bar to the next, usually walking and creating mayhem as they go. An art crawl is the same thing only people will be going from one gallery to the next.

The idea is to get people to roam around the sim, discover all the great art Studio Genre has to offer, and enjoy some great music in the process!

Dec 11, 2010

1:00pm SLT Gallery: Strum Diesel/ Musician Strum Diesel

1:30pm SLT Gallery: Van Caerendow / Musician SweetLilly

2:00pm SLT Gallery: Littleone Aries/ Musician Kelvinblue Oh

2:30pm SLT Gallery: Syl Darcy / Musician AMFORTE

3:00pm SLT Gallery: Antenna Rae/ Musician Porter Paquot

3:30pm SLT Gallery: Kundemor Tamtzui / Musician Lawanda Andel

TESSA CHATS WITH KUNDEMOR TAMATZUI

Welcome to the Kasbah Blog, and another installment of Tessa Chats. Today I had the good fortune of speaking with one of SL's most interesting artists. His name is Kundemor Tamatzui (Orlando Catro Ortiz), a wonderful painter from Puerto Rico. When Kundemor isn't painting he is hard at work at the Department of Education in Puerto Rico. He began drawing as a child and painted even before he began his Bachelor studies in the late 1970's. I was lucky enough to see some of his earliest works. His style has changed greatly from those early days, most of the paintings he did back then were done of the human figure, usually quite realistic, almost photographic. I was treated to a timeline of images ranging from oil based to pencil applications. It was very interesting to watch the progression from the realistic art he started with to the more abstract painting he does today. There is a story in each of his paintings, and the one I liked best was the inspiration he found in something most of us would find annoying. The coloring on his television went bad, making the color of the people abnormal....as he was trying to fix the television he realized how interesting the change in color made the people...and thus he began painting the human figure in unrealistic tones with wonderful results.

Kundemor also has an interesting story of how he came to be in SL. He received an e-mail from an SL resident who owned a museum inworld. It was a request to place 2 of Mr. Tamatzui's paintings in the museum. Kundemor had no idea what SL was, but he agreed anyway with the thought that any exposure was good. Once the images had been placed the museum owner sent photos for Kundemor to see. He was so impressed, he decided to investigate what SL was all about. He logged in and was immediately hit by the idea of how great the exposure of his art could be and quickly opened a gallery. He now has 4 such galleries including the one at Studio Genre.

I was given a tour of the Studio Genre Gallery as well as some very interesting conversation about the types of paints used (all oil now, but he has used acrylic in the past) and the implements like brushes and knives to create the desired effects. Kundemor's most recent works all center around the cundiamor or bitter mellon, a fruit that grows on his property.

Each painting shows the bitter mellon with the image of the female form somehow incorporated into it. In some of the paintings it is easy to see the human body shown in colors of orange and yellow, in others you have to really look and sometimes even imagine it. Kundemor's inspiration for this series is the idea that the Latin woman is very much like the cundiamor and he wanted to express that thought in every way possible. The paintings are vibrant and interesting. His other recent works are also full of vibrant colors and so beautiful, you almost wish you could reach out and touch the wet paint...to actually feel it.

Kundemor's art is shown in RL so the people of his country have the opportunity of being almost close enough to feel and experienceit first hand. His goal is to reach all the cities and towns of his country through his art. I asked Mr. Tamatzui what else might be coming up for him and he said that he has met someone from SL who resides in Japan and they are in talks about showing his paintings at the University of Japan. We talked about how wonderful it is to have a platform like SL to reach so many people from so many places and share not only art, but ideas and thoughts.

One of the ways Kundemor is reaching out to the SL community is by painting live on webcam. I was lucky enough to see one of these moments, beautiful music filled the gallery as I watched colorful images slowly appear. It was fascinating to see the progress from a blob of paint to a beautiful stroke on the canvas. This type of interaction is something Kundemor really enjoys and hopes to continue with in the future, along with perhaps a piano concert for which he has ample space.

After having seen many of the paintings in his gallery I was curious if he had a favorite. I know it is a difficult question, almost like asking a parent to choose which child is their favorite, but, Kundemor was thoughtful as he showed me a few of the ones he was particularly fond of. My personal favorite is a 3 dimensional painting, somewhat darker than the rest. I have included some images of my favorite as well as some he specifically pointed out to me. I really enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Kundemor and his paintings, they are beautiful and thought provoking. Please take a moment to stop by the gallery on your next visit to Studio Genre, I am sure you will find the paintings as interesting as I did. Thats all for now, until next time...Tessa1 Beck.

Tessa Chat's With Strum Diesel

 Hi Kasbah friends and fans! It's time for another Chat with Tessa! This time I sat down with Strum Diesel to learn a little bit more about this awesome SL performer. I have had the pleasure of attending several of Strums shows, but I must admit it was fairly recently, so I didn't really know too much about him. I decided to start at the beginning and asked Strum how he got started in SL music. Strum said that a little over two years ago his RL friend, DJ Deere, aka as Fantasy2u Deere in SL, began mentioning Second Life to him. It was probably 6 months of DJ talking it up before he actually gave it a try. He had become burned out, performing way too often in RL for far too little appreciation, so he decided to take a break, lucky for us, he popped into SL! "I was really lucky, right off the bat I met  Valeria Paster and she helped me get set up to stream, I had a lot of help, met so many nice people at first...I started performing and never stopped.....in fact I think I went a little crazy, played too much...I actually sprained a tendon in my hand and had to stay off the guitar....thats how I began using the piano in my performances." I know I for one am really glad he did!

    
         Speaking of performances, I was curious about Strum's RL shows and how SL might have had an impact on how he approaches them now. He shared with me that when he first started in SL he really was burned out from the RL music scene, doing 4 hour gigs and really not feeling like he had been heard as a writer or an artist. The first thing he noticed in SL was how much more receptive the people are, how much more appreciated he felt as an artist and it really boosted his confidence. Now, when he performs in RL he says he thinks there is an overall improvement in his stage presence, a confidence he didn't have before. He went on to say, " Knowing people WANT to hear what I have to say has really helped...in fact, the first contest I entered in RL since joining SL I won!" I could feel the enthusiasm and appreciation for SL Strum has when he said, "It has really helped my writing, I feel like I am connecting with the people and it gives me more motivation! You can't beat the energy and many times a simple show turns out to be much more like a party!"

         The first time I attended one of Strum's "parties" I noticed his signature green hair...you know me, I had to ask about it! He was gracious enough to explain to me in detail how he enjoys changing the color of his hair in RL and that in SL the avatar is what we see as the perfect "us". He said green is the color his hair is now, and that it is his favorite color. He also believes in the power of colors and that green is known to bring fortune and good luck. Strum also said something I thought was so important in this day and age of computers and virtual worlds..."We need to stay connected to nature...we are heading into a virtual existence and it is vital that we keep in touch with the real world around us."

           I was really impressed with Strums views and it  brought me to thinking about some of his other views, more specifically, his political views. I had noticed that many of Strum's original songs have very strong political messages and I asked him if he used SL as a platform to get his messages out there. Without a moments pause he said "Yes, absolutely yes!" He explained how SL is full of people from everywhere and with his songs they can connect experiences...how any song with a political quality comes from his own experiences. He quoted Ani Difranco..."the personal is political and the function of art is to comment on society" he said one of his goals is to maybe not give people answers to their questions, but to inspire them to search for those answers. "SL is a great tool to reach people and to learn about what is happening politically all over the world" It was refreshing to speak to someone so in touch with what he believes in and so willing to share those beliefs with the rest of us.

            With such a strong desire to share his message  I was curious what might be coming up next for this interesting and animated performer. "I am playing a little less, trying to get the next album underway. I already released an album earlier this year....in the new album the songs are very connected SL and I want to capture the energy I feel from the audience" He also told me that there has been some talk about him going to Scotland, possibly late winter of next year...if that works out, he may even book more shows and possibly make it a tour of Europe. Strum can be seen most Saturday nights at the Kasbah! He is also doing the Fire and Ice show for Diabetes, taking place today from 3 to 9pm SL...a benefit being run by Mandy Ornamental at the Fire and Ice Club, all proceeds go to RL diabetes research, so be sure and catch him there if you are able!http://thestreamteam2.serverroom.us:8884
      
            If you are a fan you know that the relationship between fans and SL performers is unique. I asked Strum his thoughts on his fans in SL and WOW he really opened up to how he feels about SL and his fans. He expressed to me how incredible it is to know that people come to listen to you because they like what you have to say, how you sound..."so many times in RL the people at the shows are friends, or friends of friends that feel obligated to come...in SL, the people come not because they are your friends but because they WANT to hear you." He marveled at the generosity of his fans, even how he worries sometimes that they over indulge him. He raved about venue owners that will sometimes go over and above, turning the entire stage green, encouraging guests to wear green...how much he appreciates those ways the fans connect with him.  We talked about how wonderful it is to be able to touch someone with your music, people you might never reach if it were not for the SL platform.

           Strum really has a strong connection to his fans and I felt he would be the perfect person to ask my favorite last question to..."Do you have anything you would like to say to your friends and fans before we close?" I felt the smile, the warmth as he said "I have said it so much and I will never be able to say it enough...thank you for hearing me, for understanding, connecting to me...for buying my records and my groceries and putting up with me when I am acting like a total rockstar LOL...I am so glad you are all along for the ride!" I don't think you can truly aprreciate those words without actually hearing them...the chat was lovely...I love my job! Thats all for now, until next time...Tessa1 Beck

Scruplz Live Music Event @ Kasbah

Hi all you lovers of live music! Tonight was an amazing night at The Kasbah! Scruplz sponsored 4 hours of live music to launch their new publication, The Scene. It is a directory listing active live musicians and live music venues across the grid with advertisements 100% focused on live music.  It will be a constant work in progress with improvements as times goes on making it more and more useful to the live music community in Second Life.  To celebrate this awesome new addition to Live music they put together a thrilling lineup! Guitar Zane opened the evening, launching into some of the best guitar playing I have heard in a long time! He did some really great covers from such greats as  3 Doors Down and my personal favorite, his cover of Heartless by Kanye West. He was really able to let loose and showcase his vocal abilities! Halfway through his set the place was packed and everyone enjoyed the originals he shared with us as well as the covers! Before we knew it, the hour was up and time for another awesome musician to take the stage...Maximillion Kleene, one of SL's shining stars, was ready to go, diving into his first song with the enthusiasm we have all come to expect. His set was filled with covers from some of our favorite bands and solo artists. There is little better in SL music than listening to Max, but as soon as that thought came to me...he upped the anty inviting Raspbury Rearwin to join him onstage for a bit of dual streaming! The two good friends performed together some really fun songs and through it all maintained a constant stream of amusing banter. They ended their set together with a dedication to me...playing one of my all time favorite songs, I Don't Want To Lose You Yet by Steve Earle. Max left the stage to huge applause, thanking everybody as he went. Raspbury continued on with his solo set never missing a beat. We were treated to some of his original songs and covers, all with the usual Raspy twist! Someone once said about Raspbury.."Yeah, he is fun, but when he whispers....there is nothing like it!" We got to hear a little of that whisper with his cover of Closer. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Raspbury and hello to the final performer of the evening...CraigLyons Writer. Craig was new to the Kasbah stage and he was welcomed in the usual Kasbah style. He had live video running so we could watch as he performed some really wonderful covers and great originals! Craigs audience comes equipped with loads of fun gestures including the stomp stomp clap, one of my favorites. It was nice to hear that Craig still donates a portion of his tips to Global Green and he even showed a short video featuring Global Green during his set. His last song was one of my favorites and he played it for one of his group members, a special version of a John Lennon song, Across the Universe. Craig does that song to perfection and the crowd went wild. There were fireworks and lots of gestures flying! It was a great end to a wonderful night of live music at the Kasbah! Be sure to grab your copy of The Scene so you can be informed of all the exciting things SL live music has to offer! Thanks to Scruplz for sponsoring this wonderful event and for bringing us all together again!

Tessa Chats with Porter Paquot

Hi Kasbah People! It's time for another Chat with Tessa! This time I sat down with Porter Paquot, from Portland, Oregon. We met on Skype this Sunday to chat about SL and RL. I have to say, I learned a lot about Porter, she is an open book, willing and eager to discuss both her lives.

Porter came to Second Life at a difficult time. She was struggling with depression and was barely handling RL. Coming to SL and performing gave her the opportunity to be herself and to gain back some of the strength she needed to again function in RL. She attributes her recovery to singing in SL and having the interaction she was lacking. She is now back to graduate school and performing both in and out of SL. I asked Porter what her favorite thing about performing in SL is and she told me how much she enjoys meeting new and interesting people and how she now gets to sing everyday!

Since Porter is singing everyday, I was curious to know if singing in SL had changed her RL performances. The answer was a resounding YES! Porter was very animated as she described how her band had been commenting on how much her vocals have improved, and even she has noticed her range has widened. She also told me how she has been able to explore different styles of music and to just have fun when she is singing. "Performing in SL is just fun for me, I am not here to get rich or famous, I just want to sing and be entertained."

When Porter is not in SL singing she can often be found performing with her real life band Fez Fatale. The band has been around for about 15 years and Porter has been a member for the past 5. She describes the band as "very quirky" and explained that they do all originals and are sort of a "lounge rock" act. Porter is one of 7 members, 4 of which do vocals for the band. If you go to the website www.fezfatale.com you can find some of their recorded works including one titled "Six Pack" which Porter can be heard on.

I happen to know that Porter's band has come into SL to perform with her so I asked about their next scheduled performance. I was pleased to hear they are scheduled to perform at Kasbah on October 3rd at 10pm, it will be a live show with the strong possibility of live video as well! For those of you that might be in the Portland area the live show will be held at The Blue Monk. Since we were speaking of future plans I, of course, asked what else might be in store for Porter. She was very honest and forthcoming saying "I want to widen my fan base, play new venues and even perform at different times than I am used to. I also plan on having Fez Fatale perform hopefully once a month."

Besides the October 3rd show, Porter will also be performing weekly at Kasbah. I twisted her arm (lol) to tell me a little bit about her feelings for the venue. "I LOVE Kasbah, it's the prettiest venue in SL, so classy and well done. It has such a high caliber of music and I am honored to have been included in the lineup!" I don't know about you, but I got the impression she likes it there :-)

If you have been to a Porter Paquot show two things will immediately stand out. First is her powerful voice, and second, her fun and sometimes rowdy group of fans. In SL more so than anywhere else, fans have the opportunity to interact with performers and the performers have that same opportunity. No one enjoys interacting with their fans more than Porter. She shared with me a few of her favorite fan stories. "At one particular venue, the stage is surrounded by water...but it's prim and you can walk right on it...I noticed my fans were all staying back behind the water...somehow the idea came to pass out flotation devices...rubber ducks, and before I knew it I was surrounded by an army of yellow ducks!" She also described a giant beer bottle designed by a friend that she loved so much she has included in her fan gift pack. Porter's relationship with her fans is special, she thinks of them as her friends and enjoys, even encourages them to be as silly and fun as possible. She says it makes the shows even better not only for the fans but for her as well.

The hour was winding down, so I asked Porter my standard last question...and her reply was both touching and fun if that's possible. "Last words to my fans...hmmm, I think my fans are fun, sometimes rowdy but not crazy. I think I have a personal connection with a lot of my fans and consider them my friends. I feel like they are there for the fun, but also to help me grow. They tp in people to hear me and always welcome new people just like I would. I want them to know I appreciate them so much, for coming to the shows, for being rowdy and fun...I just...their help has been invaluable to me. I call them My Peeps, they are family and I love them." It was an awesome hour, talking with Porter today will always be one of the highlights of my SL. Until next time... Tessa1 Beck