Key West (09.12.12)

I've mentioned before that I don't prefer to do shows in Second Life on back-to-back days; the only worse thing for me is multiple shows on the same day. I know this flies in the face of logic for musicians who are scrambling to get gigs, but here's my reasoning. First, I don't tend to perform my best when I start doing shows too often. I know from experience, since like many SL musicians, I went nuts at the beginning and was playing around 5-8 shows every week. It really started sucking. Second, my reasons for performing in SL are more about fun and promotion of my own music than treating SL as an income source. I can maintain more passion for playing there by not thinking of it as my job.

So, my manager Maali Beck knows that ideally, we space shows out so that I'm not constantly barraging my fans with spammy invites, and so on. However, when I have the opportunity to play at certain venues that are great supporters of live music in SL, I don't miss the chance. Key West absolutely qualifies as one of those places. I think you can ask any musician that Liz Harley hires to play there, and they'll say the same. I invariably have a great crowd there, and a good percentage of them really seem to like the tunes, both originals and covers.

Is this a pretty place to experience some live music or what? Photo by Kat.

Some Zak fans -- old and new -- enjoy what I consider to be one of my good shows. Photo by Kat.

I tend not to post photos of myself here, but this is the latest incarnation of Zak. In keeping with reality, I added a bit of a beard to my avatar. Now I need to work out my real-life body to get it a little more in line with the avatar's physique. Photo by Kat.

The show itself went really well, I felt. There was a good energy in the room. My set list came together nicely, and included a few tunes that I used to do often but have fallen to the back while I've added other songs. It was great to pull them out again.

Key West Set List...
On The Way Home (Neil Young)
Fade Away (Zak Claxton)
Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)
Broken Day (Zak Claxton)
Old Man (Neil Young)
The Crystal Ship (The Doors)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
You've Got a Friend (Carole King)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Nowhere Man (Beatles)
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Neil Young)
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Crosby, Stills & Nash)

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to Key West Wednesday night, espcially those who helped support the show!
Triana Caldera, Beth Catseye, amico50, GMetal Svartur, Cedar Silvercloud, Catz Mora, Aurelie Chenaux, BobbiJo Jonson, Sandra127 Sands, Artemis Rexie, TheaDee, Spiral Silverstar, Kat Claxton, my manager Maali Beck, and the whole Key West staff (especially owner Liz Harley!)