Triana's Music Trivia (06.19.11)

About twice a year, usually on special occasions, I get the opportunity to do a live performance at Triana's Music Trivia. TMT is Second Life's longest running trivia game, but much more importantly, it's run by a lady who's become one of my best friends: Triana Caldera. Triana, who's called Jess in her real life, is a wonderful person who has grown close to Kat and I over the years we've been participating in her weekly trivia game, to the point that on several different occasions, she's come out to the West Coast to visit us. We've gone on two vacations together this year alone (to the San Diego SL Music Jam in February, and just a couple of weeks ago to Joshua Tree National Park).

Rocking the TMT crowd once again. Photo by Kat.

The lady of the hour, Ms. Triana Caldera.

Anyway, last night was the celebration for TMT's 6th anniversary, and it's also about time for Triana's 7th rezday. As we did in 2008, 2009, and 2010, Triana asked me to perform live at a special show where she hosted trivia for an hour as usual, and then I spent an hour playing live music. When I play these events at TMT, the audience is made up of close friends, and I forego my standard set list to play stuff that I'd probably never do in other circumstances. It makes the TMT shows very fun, and very memorable both for myself and anyone who was there.

MrNoCal Honey. Photo by Kat.

Samantha Poindexter Photo by Kat.

Rey Tardis. Photo by Kat.

Diana Renoir. Photo by Kat.

Kaklick Martin. Photo by Kat.

Charriol Ansar and Atrum Slade. Photo by Kat.

Juliette Venom. Photo by Kat.

While we've had some fun events in the past, I'd have to say with all honesty that I might not be able to ever top the show I did this year. Almost everything I played either had some meaning toward specific audience members, or were wild and crazy versions of songs with which they were all familiar.

TMT6B Set List
Triana (Zak Claxton)
*Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
Mother (Pink Floyd)
Shine (Zak Claxton)
*Borderline (Madonna)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
*In My Life (Beatles)
*Stacy's Mom (Fountains of Wayne)
*NoCal, You Got It Going On (Flight of the Conchords)
Pulling Muscles from a Shell (Squeeze)

*Indicates the first time I've performed this song in SL, or possibly anywhere

I never explain my set list choices on this blog, but I should this time. "Triana" is the song I wrote a number of years ago that is specifically about Triana and TMT. "Born to Run" was played in homage to the recent passing of "The Big Man", Clarence Clemons. "Thanks Anyway", one of my songs from my last album, featured an extended triangle solo by Kat that elicited more than a few WTF's from the crowd. "Mother" was played for TMT attendee Xerxes Ninetails, a big Pink Floyd fan, while "Shine" was dedicated to his lady, Diana Renoir, who likes this song of mine. "Borderline" was done purely because it was so incongruous to hear me playing a Madonna song. "You're Like a Cloud" was played at breakneck speed with a Primus-like rhythm, and included many references to meat (don't ask). "In My Life" is Triana's favorite Beatles song. "Stacy's Mom" is a favorite of Alchemy Epstein and her significant other, Nakira Tennen. For our great pal MrNoCal Honey, I modified a song from the show "Flight of the Conchords" to be personalized toward NoCal's quirky vibe. Finally, I did a semi-serious rendition of the Squeeze song since it was Triana herself that reminded me how much I enjoyed that band.

Kicking back with Triana on top of the giant "6" after my show.

Massive thanks to everyone who makes our lives wonderful every Sunday night at Triana's Music Trivia, and extra special thanks to those who helped support my show at TMT6B!
Charriol Ansar, Alchemy Epstein, Jordan Hazlitt, Nakira Tennen, Borealis Hammerer, Rey Tardis, Samantha Poindexter, Kaklick Martin, Wendy Swenson, wendela Beckenbauer, Jordan Hazlitt, Kat Claxton, MrNoCal Honey, Diana Renoir, Juliette Venom, and most of all, that beautiful and terrific person who makes it happen every week, Triana Caldera!