Hotel Chelsea (11.04.25)

Hotel Chelsea is always a great spot for fun, casual times with friendly people in Second Life. Photo by Kat.

Hey there peoples. It's me, Zak Claxton, your friendly neighborhood bard, galavanting through the streets and strumming my lute, singing stories of ancient yore as a minstrel-poet-warrior.

Or maybe I'm just some other guy with a guitar. I don't know. I just play music for whoever happens to be around. One this particular occasion, it was for my regular first-Tuesday-of-the-month show at Hotel Chelsea in Second Life.

Shows on Election Night

I've talked about this before, specifically because I always play at Hotel Chelsea on days of US elections, which tend to get scheduled (often by law) on the first Tuesday of a month... and definitely when that month is in November.

By the time I took the stage at 5PM, polls across the country were starting to close, and a number of election results were starting to come in. As a low-level political junkie, I'm always very much aware of key races in any election year, and I'll be the first to admit that while Kat was there in SL, watching my show and taking pics as usual, she had another window open to a news station so that we'd be among the first to know about any races that got called.

The 2025 election was definitely one of my favorites in recent history.

I'm not going to talk about those election results here. As I mentioned in my daily Random News article, it was an astonishing victory for Democratic candidates and causes at all levels, even in races where Republicans won but the numbers skewed wildly away from the MAGA world. I was in a great mood while doing my show, which got even better as we monitored the results into the later evening.

How Was The Show?

It was a really good one. We got a surprisingly big crowd, and everyone seemed to be having a good-ass time. And now would be a good time to say that when I'm performing, I am not thinking about anything but what I'm doing. Kat could have told me just about any political news while I played and I wouldn't have allowed it to interrupt my show. Well, I suppose one thing would have interrupted it, but that didn't happen.

My whole set was very mellow and occasionally melancholy. I think those songs and sounds are appropriate for the vibe of autumn. And yet, the show itself was upbeat, and the crowd was engaging and I have zero complaints about anything that happened that night.

I have a long-running joke with my manager Maali, complaining to her if there isn't a large crowd present when I'm starting my first song. We ended up pulling in a fairly good amount of people this time, especially for a Tuesday night at 5PM. Photo by Kat.

Just me. Photo by Kat.

What I see from the stage. Photo by Kat.

Hotel Chelsea set list...

All I Want (Joni Mitchell)

It's Easy Like Walking (The Sadies w/Kurt Vile)

River Man (Nick Drake) 

Man on the Moon (R.E.M.)

Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)

Lost Cause (Beck)

Carry Me Ohio (Sun Kil Moon) 

Don't Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young)

Six Underground (Sneaker Pimps)

Blew The Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)

Hannah Sun (Lomelda)

If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)

If I Had a Tail (Queens of the Stone Age)

Big ol' thanks to everyone who came out to the show, with super special sauce thanks to the following who helped support it!

Brontie Bisiani, VladDarrow Resident, Ember Twinkle,  Laurel Aurelia, tony1945 Resident, Faith Reilig, Xariee Resident, Eva Knoller, Mika McAlpine, Buck Dezno, Jarris Fairelander, Kat Claxton, my terrific manager Maali Beck, Hotel Chelsea manager Shyla the Super Gecko, and Chelsea's great staff!

Veterans Isle Benefit - Homes for Our Troops (11.02.25)

Rocking for a great cause at Homes for Our Troops. Photo by Kat.

Hey there everyone. Zak Claxton — musician, composer, performer, producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, former child model, political activist, and very handsome aging Gen X man — here to tell you about the benefit show I did on Sunday in Second Life for Homes for Our Troops.

What Is Homes for Our Troops?

I've done fundraising shows for this terrific organization many times in the past, though my most recent one was all the way back in 2020. I believe that while my pal Frets Nirvana — the face of the organization in Second Life — has requested my presence at shows since then, I'd run into a number of scheduling conflicts. But this time it worked out and I was happy to be there.

Homes for Our Troops is a 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 vets — who've have sustained injuries including limb amputations, blindness, severe burns, and/or severe traumatic brain injury — get homes that restore some of the freedom and independence they sacrificed while defending our country.

As I mention at each one of these fundraising events, I am as much of an anti-war pacifist as you can imagine. I consider the needless violence of war to be an anachronism that we should have grown past long ago in the goal of conflict resolution. But I also am clear that if a person if going to risk life and limb in defending their country, the least that country can do is not abandon them once their job is over.

If you want to learn more or donate to HfOT, visit their official web site.

Anything Else Going On?

Well yeah. A lot.

Friday night was a combination of Halloween and the sixth game of the 2025 World Series, with the Dodgers facing elimination against the talented Toronto Blue Jays. I stayed downstairs, minding the door with my big bowl of candy for the trick-or-treaters while simultaneously watching in astonishment as the Dodgers pulled out a victory in Game 6.

Saturday night had Game 7 of what is now being called not only the greatest World Series in MLB history, but perhaps one of the greatest championships of any sport, ever. It was a privilege to watch the Dodgers win both of these games and get their back-to-back baseball championships. But the Blue Jays couldn't have been a tougher opponent, and it took all seven games and a bunch of extra innings to determine the winner. That series will be discussed for generations to come.

There are about a thousand moments like the one above that I will remember about the 2025 World Series for the rest of my life.

And then that night, before we went to bed, we had to set our clocks back an hour, because it was the end of Daylight Saving Time. I know, most of you hate the end of DST. I'm not one of you. I don't like it being pitch black for hours after I get up early in the morning, and I don't mind it getting dark earlier in the evening. But like all time changes, it always requires adjustment, and that's the part that none of us like.

And let's see... there's an election today on Tuesday November 4, with huge implications moving into the future. There's a world around us where the very essence of democracy in the United States of America is being challenged by outright fascism and authoritarianism. So yes, lots going on.

How Was That Show?

That show was superb. As always, I'd have liked a bigger crowd, but not to stroke my own ego... at a fundraiser event, you want as many people there as possible so that their generous contributions — large and small — add up to a worthwhile total.

But it turns out I needn't have been concerned. Due to the kindness of the people in attendance, HfOT pulled in about L$50,000 during the event, which is a bit over $200 USD. Not bad, for playing guitar and singing for an hour on a random Sunday afternoon.

A mellow crowd for a mellow music set. Photo by Kat.

Rocking for the vets. Photo by Kat.

Kat reps our hometown heroes while Triana dances in bunny slippers. Seems about right. Photo by Kat.

Hoes for Our Troops set list...

Airport Bar (Martin Courtney) 

Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)

California (Joni Mitchell)

It’s Good to be King (Tom Petty)

America (Simon & Garfunkel)

Perfectly Calm (They Stole My Crayon)

Sleeper in the Valley (Laura Veirs)

Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon)

Thank You (Alanis Morissette)

Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Zandt)

Cat’s In the Cradle (Harry Chapin)

Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)

Huge thanks to everyone who came out and provided both moral support and — more importantly — financial support for this terrific cause!