The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #32 Show Date: May 20, 2009.  Venue: The Bushy Beard

It was our weekly Wednesday show at The Bushy Beard Pub!  To fill in new readers,  the drummer who plays with us in real life, joins us in Second Life for one show a week, as Chops Baxton.  We’d love to have him for all our sl shows because live drums sound better than a machine, but he’s a pro drummer and they are in very high demand, so we’re lucky to have him here once a week.

Anyway, we make the most of his time by doing this show at The Bushy Beard, where there is a solid group of regulars and friendly experienced staff who warmly welcome newcomers.  It’s always a good time!

We are usually preceded by a couple of hours of music dug from the seemingly bottomless bins of dj Krakov Letov, and followed by another two hours of music supplied by Lahoha Chestnut.

This line-up highlights the special beauty of Second Life, which is the ability to interact with people from all over the world.  Krakov is European, Lahoha is American and we are Canadian.  And the guests … well they are from all over as well.  It’s great that way.

And though we were drinking at the event, Jeremy & I decided to go for a nightcap afterwards!

That’s because we’re rockaholics!

And you can be one too, by joining our inworld group called ‘The Rails Band’ Group.  For anyone who is interested in checking it out, this regularly scheduled show is at 1 pm Second Life time, = Pacific Daylight time = 4 pm where we are in Toronto. If this weekly performance is not convenient for you, we do other ones as well and you’ll always know about them by joining the group.

Thanks for reading!  Please see the details of our outfits after the break.

(more…)

The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #31 Show Date: May 17, 2009.  Venue: The Notes Shack

It was a pleasure to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon at the friendly establishment owned by Krakov Letov!  We played our set at 12 pm slt (3 pm in Toronto), then hung out for the afternoon, because Krak had arranged a good line up of musical acts.  He is good at picking out entertainment, so shows at The Notes Shack are worth checking out.  Today, we heard a new-to-us musician, named Astronimus Randt, who performed a great set of originals, mixed with some well chosen covers.

So it is springtime, and the rain has been falling falling falling,  making our location for photos perfect!  What a stunning discovery we made when we came upon this amazing spot.

The astosphere at this place is impossible to describe properly in writing, as it is a visual and audio experience that words cannot do it justice.  It is called Bitterblue and was built by Lennox Latte and Paris730 Juran.  If you are an explorer, you must visit!  It is stunning.

When you first arrive, there is a shelter, which thankfully comes supplied with spare umbrellas.  Jeremy didn’t have one so he got his there.

We were able to get out of the rain for a bit, in a lounge.   There was a piano in it so I could practice while we waited out the storm.

Please read on for details

(more…)

The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #30 Show Date: May 13, 2009.  Venue: The Bushy Beard Pub

Back for our regular show at The Bushy Beard  …  What can I say about this place, that I haven’t already said?  Have I told you that the people are great and we really appreciate being invited to play there every week?  I think I have, but I’ll say it again!  We’re sort of amazed and quite grateful that so many regulars come to hear us every week.  Thanks guys!

These photographs were inspired by a single bubble that floated past my window the other day (in real life).  I have no idea where it came from or how long it had been drifting.  An intriguing mystery that stayed with me.

And a true story … while I was taking these photos I received a notice in SL about an upcoming performance, via one of the music groups I belong to … the sender was someone named Bubbles!  I have never noticed any other announcements coming from her before.  How weird it that?!

Please continue reading for the details.

(more…)

The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #29 Show Date: May 10, 2009.  Venue: The Rails Nightclub

When Jeremy and I first began performing in Second Life, the only regular show we could get was one we organized ourselves.  So we set up a night club and began doing a show every Sunday night at 6 pm slt (which in 9 pm for us here in Toronto).  We booked an excellent indie dj, named Jasper, to spin for a couple of hours after our set and made a party out of it!

This weekly event went on for almost a year … by then we were being invited to play at other venues, and over time, the 6 pm Sunday night show slipped away.  But the memory of the good times still lingers.

So this past Sunday, we decided to give the old time slot a go.  It had been sometime since we played a ‘late night’ show, which is very very late (early?!) for our European friends, so we were really uncertain if people would show up for it.

Much to our delight, they did come.  We met several new friends, several of whom were Canadian (I don’t know about anyone else but we’ve been surprised by how few Canadians we run into in-world; they are missing out!)  Also a few of the regulars from before came out, and it was go good to see them.

After the show, Jeremy walked me home and we talked about reinstating this regular show so we’ll see how that goes.

(please keep reading for details)

(more…)

The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #28 Show Date: May 6, 2009.  Venue: The Bushy Beard Pub

Toot woot … it was 3 weeks since the three of us had played together and we were ready to give a good show.

Playing and speaking live, to an international audience, has some risks attached.  We’re trying to be entertaining without losing your reputation for being a class act! lol

And when Chops and Jeremy get going?  Well, they are fearless and you just have no idea what they’re going to say!  Could be anything.

I read the chat after the show, and someone said it funny how the words translated differently … I hope they meant in a good way!

All in all, I notice that the audience members who speak(=type) out loud, like to joke around quite a bit.  While the non-speakers are a mystery, we hope you’re laughing too

We love our Bushy Beard Friends!

(Details after the break)

(more…)

The RAILS Band Gig Diary - Entry #27 Show Date: April 29, 2009.  Venue: The Bushy Beard Pub

Question:

Knock knock … Who’s there? … Banana … Banana who?

Knock knock … Who’s there? … Banana … Banana who?

Knock knock … Who’s there? … Orange … Orange who?

Answer:  Orange you glad I didn’t say banana again?!

We missed our weekly Bushy Beard show last Wednesday, so this week we were raring to rock out.

There was a good turn out and by reading the chat after our set, it seemed that people were having a good time.  Following our show we all danced our little avatar feet off to the dj picks of Lahoha.

Sorry I tried to squeeze the juice out of an old knock-knock joke in the opening.  It was all I could think of that suited the citrus theme of limes and oranges.  Oh well, you can try it on a child in your life … they’re bound to respond to it with peels of laughter.   I know I always laugh about that one.

(Please continue reading for the details of our outfits)

(more…)