Getting fancy at The Majestic (01.30.09)

Because The Majestic is a little more formal than the typical casual venues where I play, I decided to make a special night of it by a) actually dressing in something other than jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, and b) picking out some more of my softer tunes to play. And all in all, it was a really fun departure from my more rocking shows (though I wouldn't want to be Mister Softie every time).

As usual, Cher was a great host... there aren't many better than her in SL. We had the fun presence of some good friends at the show, plus a nice sized crowd that drifted in and out as the evening went on. I decided to mark the occasion by performing a Joni MItchell song I'd long wanted to do, and also (since Cher promised it in the notice), I played my new tune "The Sands of Redondo" for my finale. All in all, a fine show and a fun Friday night.

Song Sample: "Furry Sings the Blues" (Joni Mitchell)

The set list...
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Help Me (Joni Mitchell)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
Love Hurts (Everly Brothers)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
She's Always a Woman (Billy Joel)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Breaking Us In Two (Joe Jackson)
*Furry Sings the Blues (Joni Mitchell)
The Sands of Redondo (Zak Claxton)

*Indicates first time i've performed this song in SL.

Thanks to everyone who came, especially those who helped support my show!
Anutte Frankfurter, Triana Caldera, Missy Stransky, Aurelie Chenaux, Rey Tardis, MrNoCal Honey, Kat Claxton, Padula Bing, and the amazing Cher Harrington!

I'm baaaack! Zak at NYA Stage (01.24.09)

Well, it sure felt great to start playing in SL again. As you loyal blog readers know, I had my annual forced hiatus from performing in SL (or anywhere else for that matter) while I took care of a large business event. So that took me out of commission for almost three whole weeks.

So, Saturday, I made a relatively quick decision to do an informal show at one of my own venues, the Neil Young Archive stage in SL. It's basically a small stage and dance floor attached to the entrance of my Neil Young Archives, and I wasn't expecting a huge crowd. We announced the event and at the last minute sent out some invites, and I was happy to get a small but cool crowd there on Saturday.

I kept the set list pretty simple, and since we were at the NYA Stage, I threw in more Neil tunes than I normally would have (and did a few tunes I haven't done in ages). But all in all, it was a good time, and now I feel more warmed up to get back to my shows at other venues.

The set list...
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Neil Young)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
My Heart (Neil Young)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Nothing Left to Dream (What The...?)
Comes a Time (Neil Young)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
I Am A Child (Neil Young)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
The Needle and the Damage Done (Neil Young)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
A Man Needs A Maid (Neil Young)
Carey (Joni Mitchell)
The Sands of Redondo (Zak Claxton)

Thanks to the folks who came by and supported my show!
Triana Caldera, Morticia Kagu, Leyah Renegade, Blindboy Gumbo, Keokipele Ansar, and my darling Kat Claxton!

New Zak Tune! "The Sands of Redondo"

Hi folks! Yes, we have a mix of another Zak Claxton song from our last session in the studio. While it's not available for sale yet, you are welcome to give it a listen right now. PLEASE FEEL WELCOME TO SEND FEEDBACK! The best way is to drop me a comment right here on the blog. Love it? Hate it? Could care less? Let me know! And, of course, I hope you like it. :)

A Short Break

Hey loyal readers, fans, friends, and fiends alike!

As those of you who are close to me are already aware, this is a time of year when I am forced to put aside some of the things I enjoy, including my music and my sanity, and focus pretty much 100% on my job. Why? My little marketing company mainly services one industry -- musical instruments and pro audio products -- and the biggest business event of the year happens each January. It's called the NAMM Show, and it's a large trade show where pretty much everyone who makes or sells guitars, drums, recording gear, audio processors, trumpets, kazoos, basses, cymbals, mixers, computer audio interfaces, castanets, and just about anything you can imagine that helps make music.

So, I'll be headed for lovely Anaheim, CA -- the home of Disneyland which is only about 30 minutes away from here by car but is a world away in attitude -- next week. And before then, I'll be working away to make sure my clients have a good show. All that leaves very little time for doing live performances in SL, or working on my own music, or really sleeping, or eating, and so on. In any case, if you find that I'm a little less present than usual, that's why. Now you know.

For the time being, I don't have any shows scheduled until January 30, but I might fit another one or two shows in between now and then, insanity permitting. The show itself is only from Jan 15 through Jan 18, but in between getting ready for it and recovering from it, it's a good two-week chunk from my life from which it's tough to veer away.

In any case, wish me luck, and I'll be back and good as new as soon as I can. In the meantime, as usual, you are welcome to get in touch with me, the best way being through my main web site at zakclaxton.com.

New Year Rock in San Diego (01.04.08)

There's something about playing at San Diego in SL. Maybe it's the fact that in the open-air courtyard, I feel like I'm busking in the city on a busy day, free as a bird. Maybe it's my RL connection with San Diego, having partied- er, gone to school at SDSU back in the '80s. Whatever it is, I feel I've I've been doing some of my best performances there. Today, despite the absence of main San Diego music queen Cher Harrington, was a terrific show and we had a fun and lively crowd that was really cool.

We had a pretty fun mix of original Zak songs and covers today (see set list below). Also, I got to once again break out the brand new tune "Lines On Your Eyes" for the second day in a row. That went so well that I'm using the recording of it (also below) as my official demo for the tune, which has yet to be recorded in the studio. I also did the extremely-rarely-performed "She's Leaving Home" by the Beatles. That was a fun one too.

Song Sample: "Lines On Your Eyes" (Zak Claxton)

Here's the set list...
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
She's Leaving Home (Beatles)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
Starman (David Bowie)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
The Needle and the Damage Done (Neil Young)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Suite: Jusy Blue Eyes (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Here Comes The Sun (Beatles)
Sister Golden Hair (America)
Lines On Your Eyes (Zak Claxton)

Thanks to all who helped support my show!
Valan Weston, Kat Claxton, Emmie Fairymeadow, Triana Caldera, Jordan Hazlitt, Chuckie Breda, Cliona Colclough, and Cher Harrington!

Awesome times at Rastafairy Beach (01.03.08)

Before I tell you anything about this amazing show at the grand reopening of Rastafairy Beach, I have a special treat for you. Instead of the usual song sample or two that I post here on the Zak Blog, I proudly present the entire show, nearly 60 minutes, unedited, uncut, and otherwise untampered.

Zak Claxton Live at Rastafairy Beach: January 3, 2009.

Two reasons that I've posted the whole show for you. First, I recently upgraded my web hosting and can handle a big-ass file like this more easily than I could have before. But more importantly, this was a very fun show, with a lot of aspects that made it unique. Pull up a chair and let me tell you more... but don't ask why I'm wearing a toga (there's no good explanation, I promise).







Since we were at Rastafairy Beach, the concert venue of hexx Triskaidekaphobia and jsmn Yao, there was definitely an encouragement to drop all concerns and just go for the gusto. So, not only did I do nearly an entire set of my own songs, but I played two original songs I've only done a couple times before in SL, one I'd never done before, and played a fresh cover as well. Everything went really well, and I had a fun time and was ridiculously silly throughout the show. Well, no need to talk more about it. Use the link above when you have an hour to spare, and give it a listen!

By the way, here's the set list...
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Real Life (Zak Claxton)
*Lines On Your Eyes (Zak Claxton)
The Sands of Redondo (Zak Claxton)
Stonehenge (Spinal Tap)
I Am The Walrus (Beatles)
*Loser (Beck)

*Indicates the first time I've performed this song in SL.

Thanks to everyone who made this show completely awesome, including those who helped support my show!
Zany Xevious, Kat Claxton, CelticMaidenWarrior Lancaster, EvaMoon Ember, Horizon Darkstone, Eli Schlegal, Bibi Ballinger, Roni Navarathna, Celeste Babenco, Kiaranne Flanagan, Aurelie Chenaux, Paisley Dawes, jsmn Yao, Silas Scarborough, Rabby Hawker, hexx Triskaidekaphobia, HomeLess Martian, and Triana Caldera!

Rainey's Club Oxygen (01.02.09)

You know how you start a new year and you want to get things rolling with a bang, and you hope that the first thing you do that year will set the tone for the rest of it? Well, that's pretty much what didn't happen at my first show of 2009, performing at Rainey's Club Oxygen. It's no one's fault; just one of those days where it was hard to scare up a good crowd in SL, and for whatever reason, I also didn't feel inspired to put on what I felt was one of my better shows.

Nonetheless, I did manage to bring some Zak Rock to the folks there, and I hope they had a good time.

Set List...

This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
What I Got (Sublime)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Sex and Candy (Marcy Playground)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
Rikki Don't Lose That Number (Steely Dan)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Black Peter (Grateful Dead)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
California (Joni Mitchell)
One (U2)
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who)

Thanks to the folks who supported my show!
Valan Weston, Bringiton Paine, bobby0952 Shinn, Spaceman Opus, Bones Writer, Billy Mikoyan, Kat Claxton, and Rainey483 Adamczyk!