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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS BROKEN IN THE SECOND LIFE LIVE MUSIC COMMUNITY

I have seen a lot on Facebook lately, even unfriended people because of it.  It seems like something is broken in the live music community. In so many ways it seems that the very community that I loved so very much over the years is turning on itself.

I* have seen performers publicly discuss their views on some of the venues, not only voicing opinions but doing it in language that I personally find disgusting.  Performers have always turned on each other between acoustic and track,  That is nothing new.  Hosts and managers turning on venue owners.  Venue owners turning on each other.  Venue owners turning on performers.

So lets seriously take a look at this because ultimately we are all in this together.

1.  Performers should appreciate any venue that offers them a place to perform, I mean seriously, if you are all here solely for the love of music as you claim....does the amount of lindens really matter?

2.  If a venue is a paying venue and is willing you to perform, you should appreciate that venue even more, sincerely promoting it while you are performing.  I have often heard the excuse that I forget.   Hmmmm here is someone willing to pay you to perform, is it right to tell them you you forgot them.  Why not take an extra 10 minutes out of your day and check out the venue so you know what you are talking about when you are on their stage.

3.  Performers should not be saturating the market so much that attendance at their shows is falling.  Think about that one for a second.  If you are performing so much, whether it be for paid or tips only, why should anyone make the effort to see you at one show when you have 3 others that you are also in.  and you do this all the time?  It is actually very true.  I know of one performer personally that realized this.  One of the oldest in Second Life.  We were talking about attendance and he told me he realized this, cut back a lot on his performances and noticed a huge jump in attendance.  People that liked him, truly had to make an effort to go see him.

4.  Venue owners and performers need to build a rapport....with more than just a manager.  I have noticed the most sincere performers when it comes to promoting a venue are the ones that I have formed a bond with of some sort.  I do not like working with a manager alone without the rapport between myself and performer already in place.  Mind you I am not knocking the managers, they do an extremely wonderful job of promoting their performers.  So if you are a performer that your manager has booked for you, take the time and reach our to the venue owner.  I know that myself, I just cancelled a booking because I did not have that rapport so rather than commit to spending those lindens every week, I cancelled it completely.  It was not the manager's fault in any way shape or form.  She had done a fantastic job of promoting him to me. I had said yes.....but then never heard another word from the performer themselves.

I did do this with two other performers and both of them reached out and we chatted, renewing a bond.  One of them has already started in their booking and I was so happy to have her.  I did not care about the amount of lindens ....she did a wonderful job of promoting the venue and sincerely believed in the venue as I am sure she does for every venue she plays at.

There is another reason to build that rapport, too many times I have seen managers change.  without that rapport, you could be losing a booking with the change of a manager.

5.  This is one I have preached about since I started in sl music.  Acoustic versus track.  I will never understand the disharmony there.....someone plays a guitar well that is their instrument....I have noticed that even best guitarists there are some that do not sing as well...Where as I seen track performers use their voice as their instrument.  For those who dispute that one is a performer and one is just karaoke....here is a rather large example.....when was the last time that you say Celion Dion holing a guitar so she could perform? 

Managers and hosts, rather than slamming a venue on Face book, appreciate the fact that someone took the time to hire you, and it is their venue and you should be agreeing with them, no matter how you used to run your own venues.  That was your old venue, this is theirs and they their sl, they should be allowed to run it anyway they please, especially since it is their money that is footing the bill for it.  If you disagree that strongly with then things, then find a venue you are happy at.

I will be honest here, seeing the bullying of venue owners and sometimes performers, well that gets old really fast,  everyone needs to get over themselves and remember that we are in this together.  All of us do this because we love music and there is a camaraderie there.  Yes things have changed, yes tips have dropped off.  Much of that we can look at within in our ranks and see that we have lost some really good people.  The other part is that of the economy as a whole, everyone is feeling it in some way  (an even larger reason to appreciate the venues that are still in operation and paying performers).  I have also noticed a much younger generation of sl'ers.  That in turn means maybe becoming more flexible with the music being performed. 

Please keep in mind that these are just my opinions and not the answer to everything.  But I really wish I would see less complaining, especially publicly since that can ruin things for the community as a whole in making everyone look bad.


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