Good Times at The Notes Shack (10.14.08)

Marking my third day in a row of rocking SL was this semi-rare midday show in the middle of the week. Krakov Letov hit me up a couple of days ago to see if I was available today at 2:00, and I decided that it seemed a fine time to do some ZakTunes™, so I agreed. Taking a break from my work day was rather nice, and having just come back from the chiropractor that morning, I was feeling like a noodle as I eased into a mostly classic rock-themed edition of the Zak Show at The Notes Shack.

Another cool note: I had no idea, but the Born Again Pagans had the slot preceding me, and rocked the house! Madame Amoufhaz and hexx Triskaidekaphobia were terrific, and I was feeling great from the moment I stepped onstage from their awesome sonic extravaganza.

Speaking of which, here's my set list:

Pigs on the Wing - Part 1 (Pink Floyd)
A Day in the Life (Beatles)
Sister Golden Hair (America)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Crosby, Stills and Nash)
Thank You (Led Zeppelin)
Just Like Starting Over (John Lennon)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Love Hurts (Everly Brothers)
If You Could Only See (Tonic)
Won't Get Fooled Again (The Who)

Big thanks to the following folks who helped me rock them!
Sally Silvera, Star Korhonen, Grateful Stryker, Krakov Letov, Lyn Carlberg, Artel Brando, Horizon Darkstone, Eli Schlegal, jsmn Yao, hexx Triskaidekaphobia, and Krakov Letov!

One Year at Crystal Sands (10.13.08)

We didn't make a big whoop-ti-do about it, but this show at Crystal Sands marked a full year of my having the Monday evening slot at that fine venue. What can I say? All the respect to Sandi Benelli for continuing to keep Crystal Sands rocking, and putting all the effort she does into running it and her sister venues as well.

Anyway, it was a fun show, befitting of the comfort level one acquires for playing the same venue at the same time slot for 52 weeks. It was also great to see The Diva Rockin and Hope Clary from the Beat Chicks there! Hope to see them at another show sometime soon. Also, I did bust out one tune I hadn't played in SL before... keeping it fresh, yo.

Here's the set list:

Heart of Gold (Neil Young)
Triana (Zak Claxton)
Accidents Will Happen (Elvis Costello)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
*If You Could Only See (Tonic)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)
Comes a Time (Neil Young)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
Mother (Pink Floyd)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)
Old Man (Neil Young)

*Indicates first time I've performed this song in SL, or perhaps anywhere.

Thanks to all the folks who supported my show at Crystal Sands!
Barton Cale, TheDiva Rockin, Ictus Belford, Manx Wharton, Hope Clary, Kala Pixie, Triana Caldera, Cher Harrington, and of course, Sandi Benelli!

The Beat Chicks

Crap Mariner recently pointed me to a Podcast blog that I really like. It's called The Beat Chicks, and like the name implies, it's created by two gals (Hope Clary and TheDiva Rockin) who interview SL musicians and have them perform live on the show.

It was actually in my plans to produce exactly such a Podcast myself, but a) I ran out of "spare" time, and b) these ladies seem to be doing an excellent job of it themselves. Their first four interview shows are live, featuring SL artists such as jueL Resistance and Cylindrian Rutabega, and I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in getting some more in-depth info on great SL musicians.

Happy Rezday Zak & Kat (10.12.08)

Two years! Amazing that we've been in SL and done as much as we have in the past 720 days or so. Kat and I joined SL at the same time on October 12, 2006, and we've never once regretted it.

So, we had a little ZakRock™ at COYOTE today, and put it out as an event, and had a few cool people show up.


Zak rocks Coyote. Kat is there in spirit.


Sunday is Funday!


After the show, I hang out with Doubledown Tandino, jsmn Yao, and hexx Triskaidekaphobia


A smoke two joints before I smoke two joints...

Here's the 2-Year Rezday setlist...

Save it for Later (English Beat)
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Comes a Time (Neil Young)
Tribute (Tenacious D)
Court and Spark (Joni Mitchell)
Man of Constant Sorrow (Traditional)
What I Got (Sublime)
Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
Tea in the Sahara (The Police)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)

Thanks to the folks who came out and supported the show!
Kat Claxton, Harlequin Randt, Arduenn Schwartzman, jsmn Yao, kif Mizin, melzi Amat, and hexx Triskaidekaphobia!

And back to the present: Crystal Sands (10.06.08)

Ya know, there's truly no rhyme nor reason as to why my guitar playing and singing can sound great sometimes and less than great at others. Monday's show at Crystal Sands is a perfect example. I'd flown home from a business trip late the night before, had gotten less than enough sleep, and hadn't treated my voice very well lately. Despite all that, I felt performance-wise my show was one of the best I've ever done in SL. Yeah, seriously.

On a side note, we really need to get Kat back into SL, with a new computer or whatever it takes. I love having her sit next to me here in RL while I play, but everyone at my shows has a great time with her in world. We'll get it fixed.

Anyway, good show, nice crowd throughout most of it, including new listeners and old friends as well. Good times.

Here's the set list.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
You Can't Always Get What You Want (Rolling Stones)
Thanks Anyway (Zak Claxton)
I Am The Walrus (Beatles)
Rikki Don't Lose That Number (Steely Dan)
California (Joni Mitchell)
Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Powderfinger (Neil Young)
She's Always a Woman (Billy Joel)
Love Hurts (The Everly Brothers)

And thank you, thank you, thank you to the people who supported my show!
Blood Klotzel, dragonfly Olsen, Feather Osterham, Sharn Parker, Tooobi Jarvinen, Basil Brooks, Ictus Belford, Carrie Laysan, Talos Fabre, Elle Metty, Anje Figueroa, and as usual, Sandi Benelli!

Back in time: Crystal Sands (09.29.08)

Well, you need to forgive me: I had a trip to prepare for last week, and never got around to delivering a blog for last week's show at Crystal Sands. And now, after spending a week or so out of town, I can hardly remember it! See why I try to write these blogs immediately after playing?

But upon some investigation and self-hypnosis routines, I was able to dredge the following artifacts from the depths of my mind:

1. It was fun.
2. I played music.
3. Sandi Benelli was moving and couldn't attend, so Dragonfly Olsen hostessed the show.
3. It was a small crowd but I didn't mind... the ones who were there were cool.

I do, however, know the set list!

I Am a Child (Neil Young)
You're Like a Cloud (Zak Claxton)
Last Dance with Mary Jane (Tom Petty)
Love Hurts (The Everly Brothers)
Accidents Will Happen (Elvis Costello)
Free Man in Paris (Joni Mitchell)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Sister Golden Hair (America)
Jack Straw (Grateful Dead)
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)
Old Man (Neil Young)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)

Thanks to the folks who supported my show!
Atara Ember, Torch Weinstein, Ictus Belford, Triana Caldera, Aurelie Chenaux, Tessa Rhiadra, dragonfly Olsen, and Sandi Benelli!

Sitting in San Francisco

My real life self is in San Francisco at the moment. I've got some time to kill... it's too early to head to the airport (my flight's not for another three hours) and too late to do anything else. So, I thought I'd drop a blog in for my faithful followers. Do I have followers? I don't know. It's lonely in here. Hello? Hello?

Anyway, I'm in the lobby of the Hilton Union Square, her on O'Farrell Street, in the heart of downtown. I was here in the City for the past few days, attending a trade show for my silly industry of professional audio. I really do love San Francisco, but like most great cities of the world, it's a lot easier to appreciate when you're with someone. This being a business trip, I was traveling alone, and while I like myself well enough, it's quite possible to get sick of yourself as it is with any other person who you've spent way too much time with. So, myself and I are anxious to get back to LA, where we can have other people to talk to.

More on topic for this blog, I have my weekly show at Crystal Sands tomorrow, and it's a strange world where performing in a virtual world has become my definition of "normal". But it's true. I am definitely looking forward to getting back home, and playing some guitar for my avatar fans tomorrow evening.