Hotel Chelsea (12.29.20)

Enjoying some year-end rock at Hotel Chelsea. Photo by Kat.

It's the end of 2020, or at least close to it. There are still a few hours to go, so, let's not jinx it or anything. Anyway, here on the last day of the year each year it seems, human nature tends to focus on negativity, to the point that as far back as I remember, there's someone (or many people) saying that whatever year it was, was the "worst year ever". In fact, on this day four years ago, I wrote about how many people were talking about 2016 being the worst year ever. Ha! You poor fools... you had no idea what a bad year was, or what was coming over the horizon.

So, obviously, 2020 was the worst year ever, right? Nope!

Ask someone from 1348, when one-third of Europe died from bubonic plague, how 2020 was in comparison. They'd say it was a fucking cakewalk. Too far back? Okay, how about 1968, when massive unrest due to Vietnam backlash and civil rights protests threatened to end global society as we knew it? Not bad enough? Let's go back some 66 million years, when a large rock slammed into Earth and nearly killed every living thing on the entire planet.

If you think 2020 couldn't have been worse, here's some perspective for you.

It Was Bad, Though
Look... I'm not saying that anyone who feels 2020 was a terrible year was wrong; you're not. We faced challenges that, for most of us, were unprecedented in our lifetimes. And we humans have a tendency to think of historical events like we do about a movie we've seen. Things that happened so long ago don't seem real, or seemingly don't have a direct impact on our day-to-day lives.

I started 2020 like most of you, feeling like it was just another year in a series of years that make up our relatively short lives. Instead, it was 12 months that included a global pandemic, an ensuing economic crash, political election year insanity, protests and riots over racial injustice and police brutality, global climate change that spurred some of our first fires and hurricanes in recorded history, and more. I'm not trying to sugarcoat any of this.

2020... how it started, and how it ended.

Good Thing We're Done with All That, Right?
Um... well... no. We're not done with any of it.

I'd like as much as anyone for the calendar to flip to January 1 on Friday, and have everything bad about 2020 magically disappear. I really would. But here's the reality.

COVID-19 is not going away any time soon. We will be better off as a whole as more people are administered the various vaccines, but that will take many months. In fact, at the current pace they're on, it would take 10 years to vaccinate everyone in the USA. Meanwhile, we're already seeing mutations in the COVID virus that may render the current vaccines ineffective. And, of course, not every person will even be willing to take the vaccine regardless, and those people will continue catching the virus and spreading it around.

Here in the USA, we're in the midst of a transition of leadership that's like no other in history. Even when the lame duck president begrudgingly leaves office as he eventually will, his actions have left us in a position where a good chunk of his followers will not accept the new administration, and will continue to cause problems in 2021 and beyond.

The changes in lifestyle due to the pandemic and the way it has affected the workplace and the way people get income might be, in some ways, permanent. We can confidently say that what we thought of as normal before 2020, from how we work to how we interact with other people in all areas of life, is likely never coming back to pre-2020 standards.

And what about the climate? Again, we will have no choice but to acknowledge that mankind's affect on the planet might have gone past the point of no return. Bigger storms, bigger fires, rising sea levels, crop failure, higher temperatures... this will continue to be a very sad trend throughout the remainder of my life, and represents the biggest existential threat toward humanity.

Gee, Thanks. Now I'm Depressed.
It's totally understandable that many people have had a hard time adjusting to this. People aren't good with change, especially rapid change. It seems impossible to me that less than a year ago, in January 2020, I was at a huge trade show with over 100,000 attendees... maskless, shaking hands, hugging people... it seems impossible to even consider today, and more than a little gross.

But here we are. We always have the potential to be better, and for trends of negativity to turn around to a positive note. And, in the interest of honesty and full disclosure, my personal 2020 had ups and downs, but I remained far, far better off than many people. My income remained steady. I did not get COVID-19, nor did anyone in my immediate family. I dealt with some shit, as everyone does every year, but I made it through. In 2020, making it through is a good enough reason to be grateful, and I truly am.

To end this little train of thought, I'll just say that I'm hopeful that on this date next year, at the end of 2021, I can look back and say that things got better. Even if it's just a little bit.

Maybe by the end of 2021, I won't feel compelled to wear a mask in SL like I do in RL. Photo by Kat.

Wasn't This Blog About a Show?
Yes, of course. I played live on Tuesday night at Hotel Chelsea in Second Life. Max Kleene had been scheduled to perform before me, but apparently wasn't feeling well, so I arrived to a nearly empty venue as opposed to one already packed with people. It's never a great feeling. Also, as I warned my audience, I'm still dealing with the aftereffects of a bout of bronchitis, so my singing voice wasn't in tip-top condition.

But despite those factors, the show went just fine. We pulled in a small but seemingly happy crowd, the folks at Chelsea were as nice and accommodating as usual, and I pulled out several tunes that had remained absent in my sets for quite some time. It's good to mix it up now and then.

Playing some tunes, having some fun at Hotel Chelsea. Photo by Kat.

Hotel Chelsea set list...
Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon) 
So. Central Rain (R.E.M.)
From the Beginning (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Trouble Child (Joni Mitchell)
Saved by Zero (The Fixx)
Tea in the Sahara (The Police)
Shame Chamber (Kurt Vile)
Mary Jane's Last Dance (Tom Petty)
Vendetta (They Stole My Crayon)
Alabama (Neil Young)
Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)

Big thanks to the folks who came out to the show, with super thanks to the following who helped support it!

Tyche Szondi, IDeirdrewood Resident, Rusty Seisenbacher, Trouble Streeter, Sailor Williams, Nina Brandenburg, Keykey Underwood, Kat Claxton, my excellent manager Maali Beck, and Hotel Chelsea host Melvin Starbrook!

Lutz City of Templemore (12.12.20)

Another great show at Templemore. Photo by Kat.

As I mentioned during my show at Lutz City of Templemore on Saturday, I had a bit of an "oh shit!" moment previous to the gig. I love playing Templemore, and I always prepare a set that I think is complementary to the fantastic vibe of the venue. So, I'd done that, as usual, and was ready to rock it when I happened to see the well-designed promo poster for the show... and noticed that it was specifically a holiday event.

I mean, come on. It's December 12; of course there's going to be a holiday vibe in the air, with Christmas around the corner and Hanukkah already underway. I just hadn't been aware that this particular show was being advertised as such. It certainly wasn't a problem. I've done dozens and dozens of holiday shows over the years. It just meant that I'd have to do a little last-minute re-tooling of my set list to include some of the songs of the season.

Lovely Templemore
I never have enough things to say about Templemore. I've performed there on just about all of its stages and in different incarnations over many years, and every single time I've been blown away by the design of the place. Owners Luis Lockjaw and Grace Sixpence do a wonderful job in featuring many of SL's absolute best and most original performers. Even if I wasn't a musician, Templemore would absolutely be a place I'd want to hang out and see shows.

Purely in terms of the detail and overall design of the build, there are few live music spots in Second life that can hold a candle to Templemore. Photo by Kat.

Just... wow. Photo by Kat.

A Linden Visit
I knew ahead of time that I'd have a special guest in the crowd today, though I didn't mention it to anyone. I'd recently been interviewed by Tara Linden for Second Life's "Music Monday" community news feature, and she asked when I had an upcoming show where she could come by and take a picture. Knowing I had Templemore on my schedule, I advised her to stop by and take the pic there. Seriously, where is anyone going to get a better shot of me? So that was cool, and Tara admired the venue and seemed to enjoy herself at the show, which was also cool. The interview will be out on Monday December 14 on the official Second Life site.

If you're ever out and about in Second Life and see someone with a bright blue name tag, that's a person who works in some capacity for Linden Lab, the makers of SL. This is Tara, who is writing an interview on me for their "Music Monday" community feature. I will say that back in the days or yore, it was a much more common event to see blue-tagged Linden folks popping up at shows. Photo by Kat.

I have to admit... when Tara said she'd like to get a pic of me performing for the interview, I was quite happy that I had a Templemore show booked on my schedule. What live music venue in SL is going to result in a better photograph than this place? Photo by Kat.

We Got a Tree
This has nothing at all to do with my show, but I had committed to getting a Christmas tree today, so not long after I wrapped up at Templemore and lunch was consumed, I hopped in the Jeep with Kat and my adult son, and went down the street to Peter's Garden Center, where we'd picked up our tree each December for years and years. It's a little more expensive there than typical tree lots in the area, but the trees are definitely nicer and I prefer to support local businesses, and they're here in my neighborhood.

So we went down there and... they were literally out of trees. I'm assuming that perhaps due to the pandemic, they may have ordered less of them, or maybe people who've been stuck at home decided to do their holiday decorating even earlier than usual this year. So, back in the Jeep, up the road to the lot on 190th and Anza (a three-minute drive, to be fair), and ended up getting a really healthy fresh tree from there.

Christmas tree 2020, soon to be decorated.

I should note that while we've all had individual excursions from the house for various necessary tasks, this was our first trip out with the three of us together since last April. I'm serious. So while we were out, we did something that seems completely foreign and strange: we went into our local Starbucks. The place, usually teeming with people on a Saturday afternoon, was completely empty. As we waited for our beverages to be made, alone in a large and quiet store except for a couple of staff members and one other customer, my son remarked that it felt like the Twilight Zone, and I had to agree.

Touch Me I'm Sick
No, I don't have the 'Rona. No worries. I'd picked up a case of bronchitis that plagues me nearly every December, right around this time. It didn't even get to the point of being too bad... just some coughing and wheezing, being worse and more annoying in the evenings. But frankly, having gone down the pneumonia road twice, I just can't be screwing around with gunk building up in my lungs.

How was your Friday evening? I spent part of mine in an urgent care center in the midst of a COVID-19 spike. Good times. 

On Friday, I went to the urgent care place here in Redondo Beach that has been my default primary care doctor for over 20 years, and I went through the too-familiar process of an exam, chest X-ray, and the acquiring of antibiotics. I was actually very impressed at their COVID-19 protocol there, and with the current spike we're experiencing, it's welcomed. I was told to wait in my car when I arrived, and was summoned in when they were ready for me. There were almost no other patients in the facility at the same time as me, and my exam doctor was in an N95 mask, a surgical mask, a face shield and safety glasses. As a result, it felt like it was as safe of an environment as one could possibly expect while seeking medical treatment in the midst of a pandemic. 

Anyway, it's just a bit of the old bronchitis, my recurring arch enemy, but I am now bombarding it with water and azithromycin, and I was quite able to sing my show at Templemore with no audible effects of the illness as far as I could tell. I'm treating it now and I will be fine.

As I've mentioned in every show report for the last nine months or so, I will continue to wear a mask in SL for as long as I do in reality. I don't do this to rain on anyone's virtual parade, but as a reminder to all that wearing a mask is a crucial part of us getting past this pandemic as a society. Photo by Kat.

Templemore set list...
Airport Bar (Martin Courtney)
It's Easy Like Walking (The Sadies w/Kurt Vile)
Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (Traditional/David Bowie)
Barely Breathing (Duncan Sheik)
Half Moon Bay (Sun Kil Moon)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Traditional)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
River Man (Nick Drake)
California (Joni Mitchell)
Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince)
Alison (Elvis Costello)
Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)

Big thanks to every single person who came by my show at Lutz City of Templemore, with special super thanks to the following who helped support it!
m0onchild Resident, Ruby Starlight, Medea Frostbite, \Trouble Streeter, Bee Blackrain, Brooks Conundrum, Kalamea Resident, AmberleJanniah Resident, go2smoky Resident, GlassCoraa Resident, Toxic Darkmatter, Kat Claxton, my manager Maali Beck, and the entire great team at Templemore including Grace Sixpence and Luis Lockjaw! 

20 Mostly Indie Music Releases for 2020

It's that time again... time for you to read some list that some person made. In this case, the person is me, and the list is of songs and/or albums that I happened to notice this year. It's meaningless, and has nothing to do with the popularity of the music, the quality of the music (which I have no idea what that even means), or the style of genre of the music. My sincere advice to anyone who doesn't like this list is to make their own list, and then everyone will be happy. I will say that I do these annual lists focused primarily on indie music because, well, I figure you can find the pop stuff on your own. So let's goooooooo!

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Abram Shook: "Summer of Drug"
Western Vinyl

I have an oddly specific criteria of music: if I can imagine myself driving up the 62, heading into Yucca Valley on my way to Joshua Tree while listening to it, it's usually something that I can enjoy. This guy is from Austin and seems weird in a good way. Here's his Facebook if you'd like to know him more.

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Andy Shauf: "Dust Kids"
ANTI-

Andy is from Regina (rhymes with vagina), Saskatchewan, and has a terrific mellow sound. This is a song I'd put on during the pandemic while I sit at home and contemplate the fact that I really never liked going out anyway. This whole album is pretty neat, by the way. You can probably hear more stuff at his web site, I suppose.

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Bob Dylan: "Murder Most Foul"
Columbia

Bob Dylan ain't exactly indie, amirite? But this song was a nice surprise, and it tells you something that I sat through all 17 minutes of it the very first time I clicked 'play'. He's obviously an icon and will be in the singer-songwriter history books thousands of years in the future, so why not enjoy the man putting out more fascinating music in 2020? Here's Bob's web site, for web purposes.

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Brothertiger: "Shelter Cove"
Symphonic Distribution

I may be primarily a guitar fool, but I am also always down for some good chill electronic music. Brothertiger is a New York-based synthwave artist named John Jagos. The coldness of the music is contrasted by the warmth of the vibe. 10/10 would drive through the desert at night with this on. Here's his web site, if you wanna.

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Chappaqua Wrestling: "The Rift"
Self Released

Is this music representative of a lot of shoegaze alt-rock that came before it? Yes. Can I name the bands that influenced these guys from listening to just one of their songs? Yes. Does that make me enjoy this any less? No, fuck no. They're out of Brighton, UK, and I can hear that. Here's their Facebook for some reason.

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Doud: "Baby"
Dot Wave

I know almost nothing about Anthony Doud or his music. I know this was a cool song, and that I was surprised by the random sax solo at the end. I'm kind of a fan of sax solos at the end; that's Bowie's fault. This guy seems to be a drummer and multi-instrumentalist. Again, I just liked the song. Here's his Insta if you like that kind of thing.

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Helena Deland: "Lylz"
Luminelle

Ugh, God, this is an amazing song. I listened to it like 10 times when I first heard it, to the point that it made me kind of insane because I'd wake up hearing it for several straight days. It got to be so much that I purposefully didn't listen to it again for several months, but it's still great. Fun fact: she's Canadian. Here's her Bandcamp where you can buy her stuff.

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Hovvdy: "I'm Sorry"
Self Released

You have no idea how much I loathe the trend of using weird letter combinations to spell bands names in some uniquely phonetic way. Chvrches, Pvris... I won't list them all. So that tells you how absolutely great Hovvdy (yes, they're from Texas and it's pronounced "howdy") does this bedroom pop masterpiece. It's pretty and minimal and definitely represents what I admire in the most recent indie music. Get this on Bandcamp right now, if you so choose.

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Jaymison: "Rock Star"
Roger Ranger

There are only four chords and they never change... and nor should they. This is fucking great! Totally likable slacker vocals over a killer progression. Keep up with him on Facebook, if you'd like.

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Jadu Heart: "Metal Violets"
Rough Trade

I like music with vibe, and that concept of vibe transcends genre. This is dark dance electropop from a London-based duo that's reminiscent of several bands I liked as a young teen in the early '80s. It's got a good beat and some interesting sounds; sometimes that's enough. This song is great. Here's their web site for things and stuff.

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JFDR: "Dive In"
Krunk

JFDR is supposedly an electronic artist, though I hear a ton of organic sounds in her work, so maybe I'm the one who is fooled, or maybe I'm the genius and everyone else is falling for genre compartmentalization. Anyway, she's from Iceland (real name: Jófríður Ákadóttir), and like most people from Iceland, she seems very smart and deep. Her stuff is on Bandcamp if you want it.

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Mini Trees: "Want Me To Stay"
Self Released

Mini Trees is Lexi Vega, a lady from here in the LA area. She's an indie bedroom pop artist and her stuff is really great. Picture yourself looking out a window at gloomy skies on a melancholy autumn day while this plays. Get this on her Bandcamp if you'd like to do so.

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Momma: "Biohazard"
Danger Collective

I'm gonna spaz out for a second and just say this album, Two of Me, was unquestionably my favorite new music of 2020. Like, the whole thing. Call it whatever you want... grunge, shoegaze, alt rock, indie rock, I do not fucking care. I love Momma. I do. Just go get this album on their Bandcamp.

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Neil Young: "Vacancy"
Reprise

Here's one of the weirdest entries on my annual list ever. This song was written and recorded in 1974, along with an entire album that would eventually be known as Homegrown. And then Neil, being Neil, shelved it and didn't release it until this year. "Vacancy" is now one of my favorite NY songs, and it was damn nice to hear this terrific album right in the midst of the shittiest year ever. Go enjoy the Neil Young Archives.

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Night Tapes: "Truly Being Alive"
Self Released

These are three people out of London making cool, '80s-infused, dark synth dream pop. Very atmospheric and cool. Definitely a "drive fast in the dark on a lonely freeway" thing going here. You can get it on Bandcamp. 

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The Ophelias: "Grand Canyon"
Joyful Noise

I'm not sure what kind of music this is. It's kinda dark and there are guitars and things, so it's no surprise that I like it. The Ophelias describe themselves as a "Cincinnati/New York art rock nature punk moth music" band, and that's totally fine with me. Get this on Bandcamp right now, or whenever.

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Pool Holograph: "Medieval Heart"
Jurassic Pop 

This is some very nice contemporary art rock. Super clean, very smart sounding indie pop out of Chicago. The song is great but I really love the outro. It sounds like taking the first steps of an adventure. Get it on Bandcamp.

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Pretty Sick: "Allen Street"
Dirty Hit

I genuinely know next to almost nothing about this band. I know they are young and from New York City and make grungy, grimy rock that I enjoy based on "Allen Street". Maybe that's all I need to know. Oh, and I like singer Sabrina Fuentes' voice. Buy their song if you want. I did.

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Skullcrusher: "Places/Plans"
Secretly Canadian

A-ha! You thought I was sneaking in an industrial death metal band with blast beats and cookie monster vocals, eh? Nah. Skullcrusher is sweet and lovely ethereal music by an LA-based singer-songwriter named Helen Ballentine. I'm a fan of indie folk and of pretty sounds, and she delivers both. Her stuff is on Bandcamp, you know.

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Widowspeak: "Money"
Captured Tracks

I've casually enjoyed this band since they first started releasing music about ten years ago. I think I like this album Plum the most of any they've done thus far. Kinda dream pop, kinda indie rock, all good. And yes, by all means, get some of that on Bandcamp.

Hotel Chelsea (12.01.20)

Rocking Hotel Chelsea on the first day of December. Photo by Kat. 

What a weird life this is. I mean, truly bizarre. I've been alive for over 51 years, and I remember as a kid not necessarily being bored per se, but wishing things would be in some indefinable way drastically different and more interesting than they seemed to be.

Well, as they say, be careful for what you ask for, because you might get it. And, as the supposedly ancient curse goes, "May you live in interesting times." Side note: it's usually claimed that this is a Chinese curse. It's not. There is an old Chinese saying that goes, 寧為太平犬，不做亂世人, or in English, "Better to be a dog in times of tranquility than a human in times of chaos," and that's the general idea. But the actual phrase "May you live in interesting times" is likely a misinterpretation or translation error. Ah well.

But 2020 Is Almost Over, Right?
This era we're in has been far too interesting. As it turns out, you really don't want to live in a time frame that will consume large swaths of history books. Why am I bringing all this up now? Well, it's December, and this terrible year 2020 is drawing to a close. For some reason that I suppose is understandable given human nature, there's a concept that the end of a calendar year marks a time of change, and on the surface in 2020, it would seem that's true. We've chosen a new U.S. president who will take office in 47 days. We have a vaccine for COVID-19 that's supposedly effective.

Am I looking forward to the end of this shitty year? Of course I am. But don't assume everything will change for the better very quickly in 2021.

However, as has been pointed out, removing Trump from office doesn't change the mindset of millions of people who adhere to Trumpism outlooks. And the vaccines are very promising, but it will be long into 2021 before the majority of people have access to it... and we're all aware that far too many people will choose not to take it for their own twisted and misinformed reasons.

All I'm saying here is that, as per the song I covered Tuesday night at Hotel Chelsea in Second Life, "There's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last," there's not going to be some magical switch that flips at the stroke of midnight on December 31 where everything will magically become better. It's often said that patience is a virtue, and it truly is... just not one that the majority of humans possess.

Life may be weird, but at least I have the normalcy of performing live music at a digital representation of a real hotel in New York City, in a virtual world. Photo by Kat.

Um... How About the Show?
Ah, yes. So, I did my second-ever show at Hotel Chelsea on Tuesday, and it was enjoyable. Unlike my first outing there in November, Max Kleene was present this time to perform before me. I remember the first time I performed after Max; it was probably sometime in 2007 or maybe 2008, perhaps at an SL venue like Crystal Sands or one of the other old-school live music spots. I distinctly recall being initially excited because such a big crowd was there at the venue when I got started, with that excitement quickly turning to dismay as the majority of his audience disappeared quickly after Max wrapped up his set.

What I learned was really simple, and it was a positive thing: never take that shit personally. Those folks made time out of their day specifically to see and hear Max... for good reason, I should add. He's an outstanding musician, a genuinely nice person, and is so good at engaging his audience that his popularity is completely understandable. So when that hour is up, they move on to other things. I could be literally the best performer in the world, and that fact would not cause everyone to stop and stay another hour for my show.

Me, onstage at Hotel Chelsea. My virtual mask stays on as long as it does in real life. Photo by Kat.

Once you understand that, it becomes less of an ego-bruising experience, and in fact the opposite happens. I know for a fact that I've gained new fans via exposure to people who would never have even heard me at all had I not been on the bill with other popular musicians. That's why I always welcome any and all opportunities to play before or after the more popular musicians in SL, providing that our performance styles are reasonably similar enough that there's a potential for crossover with our respective fans. With Max, that's very true. I always look forward to the next show where I'm on the bill with him.

Problems Solved by Enchiladas
My portion of the show went great. There's always a discrepancy between how a performer judges him/herself versus the perception of the audience. I wasn't necessarily feeling a high level of energy going into my show; it had been a brutal work day filled with long meetings and difficult deadlines. My voice and guitar playing seemed adequate but not at the top of my game.

And yet, a number of people specifically mentioned to me afterwards that I was sounding particularly good, which was mystifying to me. I didn't think I sounded bad by any means, but I didn't feel it was a super strong show either. So, I'll just accept that people enjoyed it, which is all I really want from any show.

What a cool place to see a show... or play one, in my case. Photo by Kat.

I mean, come on. How cool is this? Photo by Kat.

The reason I wasn't brimming with energy is simple: I didn't manage to eat a lot before my show. I had breakfast, but work responsibilities interrupted my lunch when I was only a few bites in, and by the time my show came around at 5PM, my stomach was already growling quite a bit. That was likely the culprit for my feeling less than my usual hyperactive self when I took the stage, understandably. Directly after the show, Kat ordered us a bunch of delicious food from Rosa's, which is kind of our default place for inexpensive and authentic Mexican food. I plowed through two cheese enchiladas, rice, beans, a chicken taco, and a big batch of large homestyle tortilla chips without coming up for air before I felt sated, and then all was well.

Hotel Chelsea set list...
All I Want (Joni Mitchell)
Crosses (Jose Gonzales)
Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)
Long December (Counting Crows)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Northern Sky (Nick Drake)
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)
Love Hurts (Everly Brothers)
Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed)
Hey Ya (OutKast)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who)

Huge thanks to everyone who hung out at Hotel Chelsea to see my show, with special uber thanks to the following folks who helped support it!

Guinevere Westland, BouganVillia Resident, Rusty Seisenbacher, CB Axel, Maximillion Kleene, Trinket Macbeth, Kat Claxton, noowun Wind, my excellent manager Maali Beck, and Hotel Chelsea manager Shyla the Super Gecko!

Homes For Our Troops (11.22.20)

Another excellent and successful fundraising show at Veterans Isle for Homes For Our Troops. Photo by Kat.

This week is Thanksgiving, and it's very understandable that in 2020, it's harder than usual to find reasons to be thankful. It's pretty fascinating that each person's individual background and perspective plays so heavily into this matter. As I occasionally do on Monday mornings to cheer myself up at the daunting prospect of another week ahead of me, I watched the latest segment of CBS's On the Road with Steve Hartman via YouTube when I got up, and it directly addressed this dilemma.

 

As you can see, as trite as it sounds, things really could always be worse. Much, much worse. I remain very, very thankful that no one in my immediate family has contracted COVID-19, for example. That's not a given in this age. We have also kept our steady sources of income over this annus horribilis, while many other people did not. And, as I've pointed out many times in many ways, I am always appreciative that we live in a lovely part of the world here in Southern California.

So do I have any reason to complain at all? God, yes, I sure do! This year of disease and political unrest has been chock full of stress for just about everyone around the world. On a personal basis, I've been in varying degrees of constant pain due to a spinal issue that is something I'll still be fighting for some time. Focusing on those aspects of 2020, it would seem disingenuous to claim that everything is fine. It's not fine. We all know that.

And still... I'm alive and mostly well, and have a large clan of family and friends who are equally fortunate. I'm even thankful for things I shouldn't have to be thankful for, like the huge belly laughs I get from reading posts on Twitter pointing out the insane ridiculousness of the current presidential transition. So while things are NOT okay, I'm far better off than the majority of people around the world... something that's been true my entire life regardless of current circumstances, and something I always try to appreciate.

Raising some funds and keeping some healthy perspective on our respective quality of life. Photo by Kat.

Homes For Our Troops

One very clear example of that line of thought is that of veterans who've been severely injured while serving their country. On many, many occasions, I've performed at the series of benefit concerts that help raise funds for Homes For Our Troops, a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. These shows are organized by my fellow Second Life performer Frets Nirvana.

I'll quickly address something (since I've said it before and don't like repeating myself): I am a pacifist. I think war is barbaric and anachronistic, and should be avoided at nearly all costs. That being said, the one thing for which we must assume responsibility is caring for those who've put their lives on the line and paid a huge price. Regardless of what political party is in charge or who's running the current administration, these injured vets don't receive the amount of care that's required for them to lead happy and productive lives upon their return.

Per my statement at the top of this post, if you're mired in self-pity over how 2020 has gone for you, please compare your life and lifestyle to the people in the video below. They are some of the armed services veterans who've benefitted from HFOT's mission, and the only way they're able to do so is with the support of kind and generous people like you. 

The Show

I always put together a unique set list that seems appropriate for whatever venue or event I'm performing, and that's certainly true with benefit shows. As I mentioned last night at Veterans Isle in Second Life where the HFOT shows are held each month, there's one song that always makes its way into my list there, and it's Neil Young's "Comes a Time", with its lyric, "That's how we kept what we gave away." I really believe in that concept... that we gain more by giving than by taking.

Rocking the HFOT show on November 22, 2020. Photo by Kat.

I've now worn a mask continuously in SL since March, when I started wearing one in real life. While I do understand that Second Life is a world where some people go to escape the challenges of their real lives, it's so important to promote the basic measures of preventing COVID-19 transmission that I've committed to wearing my mask in-world for as long as I'm wearing one in public in the flesh... which will likely still be for quite some time. Photo by Kat. 

We had a decent crowd there, and with my not doing as many shows on a regular basis as I did previously, it seemed like a number of my Zakster fans were glad to see me back and performing live. As usual, the fundraising portion of the event seemed to be going very well, and I was glad to have helped bring a small portion of the proceeds to this great cause via the generous donations from my friends and fans.

Short side note: I don't cross paths with fellow SL musician Stratus Mactavish often. We used to both perform at the Islands of New England venue occasionally, but it had been a year or more since I last heard his set, and I'm always reminded that he's one of SL's better live musicians. I always enjoy his show when I happen to catch it, as I did last night when he performed in the slot before mine. 

HFOT set list...

One of These Things First (Nick Drake)

Cat’s in the Cradle (Harry Chapin)

Long Time Gone (Crosby, Stills and Nash)

Pretty Pimpin’ (Kurt Vile)

Falling Down (Zak Claxton)

Don’t Let It Pass (Junip)

Six Underground (Sneaker Pimps)

Into the Mystic (Van Morrison)

Comes a Time (Neil Young)

’Tis Autumn (Nat King Cole)

Wildflowers (Tom Petty)

America (Simon & Garfunkel) 

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to the show, with special super thanks to those who were able to give to the cause. You all are making a difference in someone's life! Here are some of the people who were in attendance and deserve kudos for their support.

Jasmyn Sugarplum, Dancing Gigi, Jax Rayne, Bri McMahon, Trouble Streeter, Sabryne Hotaling, Chacha Cyberstar, Nina Rose Setner, Kat Claxton, Ravensong Merlin, Jed Luckless, Waya Snowpaw, JameJame, Turn Pike, Firelie, Doris Johnsky, Angi Spires, and many more... especially the guy who makes it all happen, Frets Nirvana!

Kat Vargas Memorial at The Rose Theatre (11.14.20)

Friends and musical colleagues of Kat Vargas gather for her memorial. Photo by Kat Claxton.

Here's a show report that I wish I'd never, ever have had to do.

Kat Vargas passed away on November 1 from complications due to COVID-19. I'd been aware that she'd contracted the disease, but had expected, as I do with most people, that's she'd recover. It was terrible to learn that she'd succumbed to it. She was only 60 years old. Kat was a longterm fixture among the Second Life music scene as a fan and a manager of a number of musicians. I'm not sure who was around SL longer between the two of us -- I started in 2006 -- but it seemed that right from the get-go, Kat was a person you'd see at live music events in SL all the time. 

I came to find out that she was managing a number of the most respected and popular musicians in Second Life, including my friend Maximillion Kleene. The first time I met Kat in person was at the initial Second Life Jam that I attended, in San Diego, CA in 2011. She was every bit as warm and fun and friendly -- and gropey, as I related in a story at her memorial -- in person as she was in SL.

I was informed that there was to be a memorial event in SL, and was honored when I was asked to be a part of it. I knew that as you would expect, most of the event would involve somber remembrances of our friend who was no longer among the living. But I also knew that Kat Vargas was a lady who loved laughter and fun, so I decided to try and use my portion of the presentation to serve as a reminder about the fun-loving, rather bawdy, and lovable person whom she was.

The Rose Theatre looked lovely, decorated in Kat V.'s honor. Photo by Kat Claxton.

The Rose Theatre
The memorial event was held at The Rose Theatre, a very grand and beautiful venue where I'd never previously performed. The organizers of the event set it up as a three-hour tribute to Kat, including some speeches and stories, but mostly jam-packed with musical performances, which seemed very appropriate. As I mentioned while unsuccessfully trying to make my way to the stage, it's a fitting tribute to Kat's impact that so many people were present (over 120 while I was there) that it bordered on crashing SL for many of us. 

No matter; I just did my show from where I happened to be, in the very back of the stage area. Everything worked out fine, and the event was touching on multiple levels. The schedule of speakers and performers allowed many friends and musicians to pay tribute to Kat over the course of the day, and included Rusty Seisenbacher, Parker Static, Fly Kugin, Mimi Carpenter, Seli Blackmore, Winter, Quartz, Agatha Nowles, Neomaximus Brandenburg, Anj Gustafson, Kris Composer, Evilynda Baphomet, and others. I know that a number of people were involved in putting on the whole event, and they did a terrific job.

Video of my performance courtesy of Diadorine Lane. Check her YouTube channel for videos of the entire event. 

Goodbye, Kat V.
Since I was slated for 15 minutes, I decided to do a few tunes that would have some level of meaning for the spirit of the day. My first tune, Neil Young's "Try", speaks to the importance of spending time with loved ones while they're still around. Golden Smog's "Pecan Pie" is a thinly-veiled metaphor for being horny, and I used that tune to recall Kat's real-life groping of me in 2011. My third song was "Your Song" by Elton John, which was my way of expressing the many songs that were played for Kat V. as "her song" during her time in SL.

Performing for Kat V. from my spot in the back of the hall. photo by Kat Claxton.

I also mentioned during the event that anytime I looked out from a stage and saw Kat Vargas in the audience -- usually because she was with one of her artists who was up before or after me -- it was a sign that people were going to be having fun out there. Her presence as a strong supporter of the music scene in SL will certainly be missed, and she'll be missed as a person, in all of her gropey and silly fun.

Kat Vargas Memorial set list...
Try (Neil Young)
Pecan Pie (Golden Smog)
Your Song (Elton John)

Many thanks to everyone who came to Kat Vargas's memorial event, especially to the kind friends of hers who organized it. You could not have done a better job, and she would have loved it!

Congratulations, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris

Four years ago, on November 9, 2016, I wrote a post congratulating Donald Trump on his victory in that year's election. Today, I do the same for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

---

Dear Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris,

I write today to extend my congratulations to both of you for having won the 2020 general election. I am happy to say that I supported your campaign and that your victory, which will likely end up as a large 306 to 232 win in the electoral college and a greater-than 5,000,000 vote advantage in the popular election, is indeed a mandate by the American people that change is desperately needed. In contrast to this moment in 2016, I am very optimistic about your presidency and the administration you will build.

My message to you today is very simple: you have an enormous task ahead of you. It may be a bigger challenge than any executive branch has faced since the Civil War and Reconstruction. On one side of you are the people who truly and fervently believed in your predecessor's message... one of an America that is strong and self-reliant at its best, and filled with bigotry and hatred in its worst aspects. On the other side of you are people who felt that you represent the status quo of center-based liberalism, and they distrust that you will take strong action that the left considered essential regarding climate change, wealth inequality, health care, and much more. And, hovering over it all, you have the immediate challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic that has continued almost unabated since its start.

At this very moment, you also have the unprecedented challenge of a former president who has not yet accepted his loss, and will likely be anything but gracious as he eventually leaves office (which he will). But his reticence to act in a way that respects the American democratic process will, at least temporarily, make it even more difficult for you to impart your message of bringing the country together.

It's an interesting analogy that, due to the factors above, you start your jobs with a much heavier burden than nearly any other administration in the history of our country. In a way, that's similar to a person in America who does not have the amount of privilege given to those in the majority of race, gender, and national origin. You will have a more difficult time even getting to what would be the starting line for most presidencies.

A personal side note: I didn't support either of you in the Democratic primaries, with my outlook leaning much more toward candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, whom I felt would take the more radical steps necessary to help our country get back on course. That being said, in retrospect, I am not at all sure that either of them would have been able to mount a successful campaign against the former president, nor would have had your respective abilities to help reunite the USA.

All that having been said, I am hopeful and optimistic about the results of your victory, short- and long-term. I am ready to help you achieve your stated goals. And I am truly excited about the possibilities that the next four years bring; it's a feeling far removed from how I felt at this time in 2016. I look forward to the next steps with the following caveat: I will not hesitate to keep pushing the progressive agenda and maintaining a critical eye on your actions. Unlike the last administration, I believe you would expect no less of me, and of all the citizens of the country, so that you can best represent what we want, and what we need.

Thanks, and good luck.

Hotel Chelsea (11.03.20)

Enjoying my first-ever show at Hotel Chelsea with a surprisingly good-sized crowd in the midst of a presidential election. Photo by Kat.

Oh, hello there. I'm back.

Where Have I Been for Like Six Weeks?
Fair question. On Saturday, August 29, I injured my back. The exact nature of that injury is still to be determined. I don't want to dwell on this too much, because it sucked, and it's still not over. The long story short is that like a lot of people my age, I have multiple issues with my spine... a herniated disc, scoliosis, and bone spurs. One of these caused a major bout of sciatica that not only debilitated me in various ways, but forced some lifestyle changes to which it's been difficult to adapt. I am still supposed to get an MRI and determine a longterm course of treatment.

It was only via coincidence that at the same time, my former steady show over the past 3-1/2 years ended due to that venue going on long-term hiatus. It's interesting that even if I'd had gigs lined up, I really wouldn't have been able to do them. Life is funny sometimes that way.

Long and sad story short: after things kept getting worse and worse, I had a remarkable improvement just last week, and coincidentally, I'd been booked for my first show ever at a Second Life venue I've long respected: Hotel Chelsea. When my manager Maali Beck told me about the show being scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month, I told her that sounded fine... and then somewhat belatedly realized that my first show there would end up being on Tuesday November 3, aka Election Day.

An external shot of Hotel Chelsea in Second Life, modeled after the famous New York City landmark where writers, musicians, artists, and actors made their home. Photo by Kat.

How About That Election?
I'm writing this on the morning of November 4. For anyone looking back from a historical perspective, we currently, at this very moment, have no idea who won the presidential election. It's looking like once all the votes are counted, Joe Biden will be our next president. But it's extremely close, and given what's happened in previous elections, there's no way to be sure right now.

There's no point in my discussing this here and now. All I can hope for at this moment in time is that the votes are fairly counted -- all of them -- and that the winner is chosen legitimately. I shall refrain from any other statement at this time. 

Sitting here in limbo at this very moment. No one truly knows how this will end up. I am somewhat optimistic about Joe Biden being the winner, but I'm certain that many things will transpire before that's official. Graphic from NPR.

How About That Show?
Yeah. So, my prevailing feeling was that no one would be at this show, my debut at this great venue. Literally no one. They'd all be glued to their TVs and their Twitter and whatever else they focus on during a major election. That feeling increased when I logged into SL and realized that my friend Max Kleene, who'd been scheduled to perform before me, wasn't able to do his show. None of this was upsetting to me; my assumption was that people have priorities, and that's completely understandable.

When I arrived at Hotel Chelsea, my anticipation of playing for no one at all was pretty much confirmed. There was literally me and Shyla, who manages the venue. Maali joined us after a bit, along with a couple of folks who were hanging out. I figured I'd just do my show to that little group of 5-6 people, and it didn't bother me at all. It would be a good way to pass the time, and to stop obsessing on election returns.

Damn, it felt great to be back up on stage and in front of a crowd. I will always be a performing musician; it's been in my blood since I was a tiny kid. Photo by Kat.

As I've done since the start of the pandemic, I wear a mask in SL just as I do in public in real life. Photo by Kat.

I can't tell you how pleased and amazed I was by seeing folks arriving to my show. That had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the circumstances surrounding doing a music performance during the most distracting event in many of our lifetimes. I am eternally grateful to those who came. Photo by Kat.

And then, something happened that truly shocked me. As I launched into my first song, people started arriving. You could probably hear the shock in my voice as I addressed the crowd between songs. Granted, I'd promoted the show as a great way to give yourself a break from election stress, and it turned out that people actually needed that. We ended up with a seriously great crowd there under the circumstances.

Musically, I'd very purposefully kept the selection of songs on the mellow side. No one, including myself, needed a bunch of high-energy songs in the midst of all the collective stress and anxiety. Despite having been away from live performance for about six weeks, I felt good about both my voice and guitar playing, and am looking forward to more shows soon. Perhaps a live video show between now and my next SL show would be a good idea.

Hotel Chelsea set list...
It's Easy Like Walking (The Sadies w/Kurt Vile)
Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon)
The Last Time I Saw Richard (Joni Mitchell)
All Lives, You Say? (Wilco)
River Man (Nick Drake)
Vacancy (Neil Young)
*Mr. Bojangles (Jerry Jeff Walker)
Say Goodbye (Beck)
Perfect Day (Lou Reed)
Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Zandt)
America (Simon & Garfunkel) 
All You Fascists (Woody Guthrie)

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

Massive thanks to everyone who came out to see my debut at Hotel Chelsea despite all the excellent reasons not to... and special super thanks to the following who helped support my show there!
Luis Lockjaw, storyofyoursmile Resident, Richy Nervous, Rusty Seisenbacher, Kat Claxton, Diana Renoir, Asimia Heron, Pureperle Anton, Alex Zelin, Maurice Mistwallow, noowun Wind, go2smoky Resident, CB Axel, TheHaroldTheBurrel Resident, my excellent manager Maali Beck, and Hotel Chelsea manager Shyla the Super Gecko!

Templemore 10-Year Anniversary (09.19.20)

There's never been a more visually fascinating place for live music in Second Life compared to Templemore. Photo by Kat.

Fact: For the first time in many, many years, I've finished a live show in Second Life and I do not, repeat, do not have another show on my schedule. Like, at all. Nothing. Nada. For all I know, that may have been the last show I will ever play.

I am relatively sure this is not true, and that more likely than not, I will be adding some shows to my SL performance schedule in the near future. But at this very moment, my calendar is tabula rasa... a vast expanse of nothingness as it unfurls through the infinite reaches of time. In any case, were my show on Saturday as part of the two-day 10th anniversary celebration of Templemore the last one I ever did, I'd have to admit that I went out on a high note.

The posters promoting the two-day 10th anniversary events at Templemore. As you can see, some of the best performers in SL are included here... no surprise considering that Templemore regularly features many of SL's most talented and popular live musicians.

Before I Forget
There are a lot of things going on in the world right now. The passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the earthquake that awoke me on Friday night, the lifestyle changes I'm dealing with as a result of a recent medical situation, my next door neighbor with COVID, the total insanity as we move closer and closer to the 2020 election... and I'm not going to talk about any of that right now. I will eventually. Just not here or now. I'm just gonna focus on something positive for the moment, which is the show I just did.

A Few Words on Templemore
Literally dozens of times, I've written about the wonder that is Templemore, a Second Life environment that is comprised of perhaps the most beautiful and awe-inspiring designs in the entire virtual world platform. At a bunch of different venue builds, I believe I've played at Templemore more often than any other location where I didn't have a regularly-scheduled show. If you feel like it, you can read about some of the Templemore shows over the years, from my first one on February 2014 where I recall being astonished at the detail level of the design, to subsequent shows like this one in 2015 where I began to really appreciate the level of genius in how Luis Lockjaw was innovating the look of virtual worlds beyond anyone else I knew. Luis has become a true friend over the years... someone who I can appreciate on a basic human level as well as the respect I have for his tremendous, awe-inspiring creativity.

My view from the Templemore stage. Photo by Kat.

I never know when I'm going to be playing at Templemore next, which makes it a sweet surprise each time my manager Maali Beck, or occasionally Luis himself, lets me know that there's an upcoming event there with my name on the marquee. It's funny because I really never feel like one of the cool kids in SL, and trust me, most of the people who perform at or attend shows at Templemore in its various iterations are indeed among the glitterati of Second Life; fashion designers and bloggers and models and whoever else passes for celebrities in the virtual world. 

Why Me?
I think the factor that keeps Luis bringing me back there over and over is that the songs I choose to do there are those that would represent a proper soundtrack to the vibe of Templemore in general. There's no single specific musical theme or genre or style I choose for Templemore. I try and do songs there that impart some emotional vibe, and what I'm feeling at the moment influences my set list choices as much as anything. But I try and do songs that impart some feelings, as if Templemore was a movie set and I was there to do a live soundtrack. I think Luis and Whata and Bee and the other folks who allow me to play there have an awareness that I do make that effort. They get it.

It's probably going to be a long time before SL audiences see me without a mask on... about the same time frame before, say, people in the grocery store see me unmasked. Photo by Kat.

I always feel like the crowd at Templemore shows appreciate what I'm playing there. Photo by Kat.

Luis and some of his friends watch the show from the VIP balcony. Photo by Kat.

Templemore Award
As I was about to start my show on Saturday, Luis dropped something in my inventory that I was unable to check out until after my show. When I did, I couldn't believe it; he'd created an award trophy for the 10th anniversary event performers that matched the larger one which was situated on the stage for the event. It has a personalized plaque on it, and I couldn't be happier to be a recipient. I will keep it on display with pride.

The inscription reads: "In recognition of an ongoing commitment to provide phenomenal live music, thank you for making our stages rumble at Templemore." I absolutely love this. My deepest gratitude to Luis and all the Templemore team!

Wait... Last Show? What's That All About?
Yeah, so... as I mentioned in my previous post, due to economic issues related to the pandemic, Serenity Gardens is taking a hiatus from hosting shows on their big main stage venue where I've performed bi-weekly since Spring 2017. I'm hopeful that perhaps in early 2021, they can get it back in operation and I'll happily return to their stage at the earliest opportunity.

I have very purposefully not been overextending myself in regard to booking SL shows, something my manager Maali has been understanding about over the years we've worked together. My real life is very busy on many levels, and I simply don't have time to do multiple SL shows per week as I once did for years and years. That being said, I do want to get some shows on my schedule at some point, and Maali and I will figure out some appropriate place that would like to have me perform there. No big thing. It'll happen.

After all these years, Templemore still blows my mind. Photo by Kat.

After I wrapped up my set on Saturday, I did something that I've enjoyed previously following a few of my own performances at Templemore: I hung out to see Oblee play. While I respect the abilities of many SL performers, Oblee is truly enjoyable to me, and his loop-based performance style is great. I've come to enjoy a number of his originals (which, frankly, is all he usually plays), and listening to his show is a great way to settle down and unwind after mine.

Templemore set list...
Crosses (Jose Gonzales)
Barely Breathing (Duncan Sheik)
Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon)
The Waiting Boy (Zak Claxton)
Autumn Sunglasses (Robyn Hitchcock)
Pecan Pie (Golden Smog)
River Man (Nick Drake)
A Case of You (Joni Mitchell)
Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
Right Down the Line (Gerry Rafferty)
Try (Neil Young)

Thanks to every single person who hung out for my show at the 10-year Templore anniversary event, with special thanks to the following people who helped support it!

Lo Bloch, ZackLightman Resident, go2smoky Resident, Kat Claxton, Nina Brandenburg, Dreams Riler, Trouble Streeter, FallenAurora Jewell, Asimia Heron, my excellent manager Maali Beck, and Templemore's incredible management and staff, Whata Conundrum, Luis Lockjaw, and Bee Blackrain!