A Favourite Irish Musician Returns to Perform at Music Island

by Klaus Bereznyak

Two years since his last recital inworld, the composer, performer and raconteur, Dainial, returned to Second Life to give a live performance on Sunday December 9 at Music Island. A little slice of Ireland was created for this intimate opportunity to hear Dainial's music and stories once again. The audience were invited to join him around the fire in a traditional Irish croft house, with a roaring fire in the hearth and the sound of birdsong in the trees outside the window.

The room full of avatars, lounging in armchairs and perched on kitchen stools, was evidence enough that Dainial's return was much anticipated and his music well loved. We were treated to a program of original works entitled "an Sean Phobal " (The Old Parish), drawing inspiration from remembered faces and voices from the past. Dainial 's music is strongly influenced by Irish traditional music and song with a twist of jazz and classical expression. He uses synthesizer and piano to score layers of sound as a canvas for his lyrical saxophone melodies. While juggling all these elements during the live performance, Dainial kept up a patter in his soft voice, bringing each piece alive with his own memories.

The audience could follow along with a specially prepared souvenir program with text and photographs. It opened with "Equinox", a song written for "Mikey" , one of "old people" who Dainial recalls gathering each in an old shop that sold clocks, radios, bikes and bric-a-brac, to exchange songs and poems. The program continued with compositions in which the music was layered over poems, stories and songs passed down through the generations, from various sources such as an interview with Dainial's grandmother and an old cylinder from a German POW camp in 1914. We were also treated to interpretations over the words of poems written by Irish poets and read by people known and dear to the composer. His piece "Summer has Gone" in memory of Sean O Cinnéide was especially poignant. Dainial explains: "Sean recites a 9th Century Poem for Christmas: It is called 'l have news for you' and was written in the margin of the Book of Kells by a scribe monk. Really though, this is a song about my grief still at his sudden death last February. He was a true friend and colleague. With a remarkable voice."

Dainial learned music in the traditional, aural way, by playing and by listening and, although he can read music, he doesn't sight read, and prefers to learn by ear. While he scores his music, he says "it doesn't feel intuitive to me. I suppose this is not surprising for an Irish musician in a way, because I share this way of learning tunes, by ear, with generations of traditional Irish musicians, but also my own family who are alluded to by my grandmother in my tune 'the music is in all of us'."

We came back in to land by way of "The incantation of Amergin", featuring the voice of  Padraigin Ni hUallachåin singing an ancient Irish poem. The magical, transportive experience was over all too soon, leaving the audience hungry for more. Dainial thanked Kate Miranda of Music Island for hosting the concert. We hope it will not be as long as two years before we have the chance to hear him again.

You can hear a little taste of Dainial's music on his SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ceolsampla
Music Island has an ongoing program of wonderful live music performances:

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VIRTLANTIS%20Community/197/66/23


Klaus Bereznyak

Interview With Graine Macbain

By Fritter Enzyme

Graine Macbain is one of the best supporters of live music and the arts in Second life.  For close to five years she has had clubs giving newcomers a chance to get up for open mic night and test the waters.  Bringing live music, poetry readings, live comedy and particle shows to fans in many venues, starting with the Azure.  Now the owner and operator of two venues and galleries:  The Riverside Café and Galleries, and The Avian Retreat.  A third location is often rented just for special events, seasonal music festivals like the Holiday Festival coming on December 12 – 14.  She is definitely in it for the love of doing, as, with most club owners, there is no profits being made. 

Fritter Enzyme: Was the Azure your first club?

Graine Macbain: Yes, it was. I sort of adopted it off the previous owner.  Dem Uriza  I was at a point in SL where I had grown tired of just wandering around and exploring, or hanging out at other people's clubs, so I thought I would try running a club. I couldn't script or build or sing so it seemed the only thing to try.   I also must admit I thought I might make so small profit, but that was a dream,(laughter).

Fritter Enzyme: Hehe, a dream many have had. Many of the same artists that came there come to your two venues.

Graine Macbain: Yes, I have kept in touch with most of my former Azure performers, although some have left SL or otherwise become too big for my small place.

Fritter Enzyme: You have always supported the arts in a big way, do you make art in real life?

Graine Macbain: I went to art school, and I realized there that I was just another mediocre artist, so I never pursued art in real life except for my own amusement. I tried to do it here in SL as well, but no one ever seemed impressed with my work, other than a few SL photos.

Fritter Enzyme: Do you know how many people have you given a SL career start to?

Graine Macbain: Well, that is hard to say, but I only know of one who claims I enabled her to have an SL career, and unfortunately she no longer sings in SL. I think Smilemaker Mathy gave more people a start in SL through the Open MIc Nights she used to host at the Azure every Sunday night.  I still see many of those names in SL playing.  So I provided the space but Smile did the work.

Fritter Enzyme: Most venues are not there because there is money to make this way, what are the other benefits to the time and love you put into a club in SL?

Graine Macbain: Well, I heard a lot of great music I would never have had the opportunity to hear otherwise and made a lot of friends who I wouldn't have had much interaction with had I not hired them. I hope I helped many people have a good time on their computer for a few hours that they might otherwise have spent watching TV or something else totally passive. I learned a lot and I a lot realized that running a club in SL was almost as much work as doing one in real life. Almost...

Fritter Enzyme: You have always brought in the new and unique things, live comedy, poetry readings, and the annual festivals, like this coming Christmas one.  Are there any new plans on the horizon for The Riverside Café?

Graine Macbain: Well, not at this point. After the Holiday Festival we will host another ambient/classical festival after the New Year, and of course, as you know, trivia continues every Thursday night from 5.30-7 PM SLT. I was thinking of having more activity at Avian Retreat again, but right now I am just trying to survive the holiday season in both SL and real-life.

Fritter Enzyme: You have preserved some of the Apollo sim at your sky gallery, and award winning photographs have been taken there.  Are you interested in keeping pieces of SL for a museum with that basis?

Graine Macbain: I have thought of that but it is beyond one person's ability to do that and do the effort justice. It is something the Lindens should have been doing for years now.  There was a fellow who passed away about a year ago, whose name escapes me now. He was mostly a fox furry, one of the first in SL, He used to do a blog dedicated to preserving SL. He would visit the earliest sims and give their histories with data and photos. He should have made a book about the subject, but even he found it too time consuming. He eventually moved to InWorldz, but then came back to SL. He died not long after that.

Fritter Enzyme: I would love to see that blog.  With the festivals and the booking for the club there are many times when things don’t go right, what keeps you going? 

Graine Macbain: Well, I just have a sort of inability to give up. I feel obligated to honor a commitment and not just give up once I start something. Not that I've never cursed myself for being a fool and taking on too much work. And I've known a few moments of panic as well, but ultimately, no one has died yet at one of my events, so I keep my fingers crossed and keep plugging.  If you try to control things too tightly they get even more out of control, oddly. Its best just to relax and let things go their course.

Fritter Enzyme: It is very nice that you have a gallery for Edward Vintner here.

Graine Macbain: Yes, I wanted to ensure that his name was not forgotten, and his art as well.  The nature of SL is ephemeral, so it takes some effort to make sure people don't forget.  And many new people will who never have heard of him.  I couldn't stand the idea that his art would disappear after his death. And I knew that Skye Gravois wanted to preserve his memory. It means so much to her.

Fritter Enzyme: Thank you for the interview, and thanks for the friendship.

Graine Macbain: You are most welcome, and thank you for yours, not to mention the great bartending (smile).

Graine has a blog at http://grainemac.blog.com/ . 

Fritter Enzyme

Interview with Winston Ackland

By Fritter Enzyme



I first came across Winston Ackland when someone posted the Post-Fact video on Facebook.  I have gone to many of this performances in Second Life.  He is a real life musician of over 20 years, having his music featured in two movies, “Lithuim” from Marley and Me.  “Psycho Killer" in Oliver Stone’s Savages.  He plays music from “the old days,” as he puts it, with an acoustic guitar. He adds in his own interesting composition to the mix from time to time.  I’m walking home is one of my favorites from him.  I had the pleasure to chat with him the other day about music, art and Second Life itself. 

Fritter Enzyme, "I was going to ask why you always end with the little fishies song, but you kind of got into that today, someone you used to dedicate it to."

Winston Ackland,"Yes, to my partner, Sesi. She and I did a lot together in Second Life in the past. And, it's true, she was swallowed whole by a pack of hungry alts.  Tried ending shows with some other song, but it didn't feel right, so fishies."

Fritter Enzyme, "How old were you when you began preforming in real-life?"

Winston Ackland, "I know that i got interested in it when I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. I took piano lessons and my father eventually bought me a guitar. I started playing music for people as soon as I could get through a song."

Fritter Enzyme, "In Post-Fact you mention the north woods, did you grow up in the north?"

Winston Ackland, "Ummm. Relatively north.  That song is actually about Sarah Palin, the American political crackpot."

Fritter Enzyme, "Tell me about the source for 'I'm Walking Home.' ”

Winston Ackland, "Have you heard of the RPM challenge?  Their thing is to write and record an album's worth of songs (at least 10 songs or 35 minutes of material) during the month of February.  It’s like the national novel writing thing.  I’m walking home was from the first of the two of those that I did.  I was working at a place and felt that I was not long for that place, so this song came out.  When I first started playing it inworld, there was someone in the audience who had just lost her job *that very day*.

Fritter Enzyme, "How long have you been making art? I went to the gallery and saw it yesterday."

Winston Ackland, "Thank you for going to see that!  I made those images with blender, which is a very powerful, free 3d modeling program.  I wanted to make sculpties for inworld.  In fact, Sesi and I used to have a store called little boxes.  It took me a very, very long time to just get bad at blender.  At some point, however, I had a eureka moment, and it got easier.  What do they say? It takes 10,000 hours of working with something to really master it."

Fritter Enzyme, "When it becomes like a language I hear anything is liquid in thought."

Winston Ackland, "Liquid in thought, good way to put it.  It’s like singing a song remembering the words rather than reading them off a page.  Two different parts of your brain at work.  You make deeper associations with the words when you sing them from memory."

Fritter Enzyme, "Live music has taken over quite a bit in Second Life."

Winston Ackland, "There is an awful lot of it, isn't there?  I’ve been to a few live mixed DJ sets.  I find those fascinating.  They do it a lot of good, I know there must be other places too."

Fritter Enzyme, "I have always loved animation, hence my love for Second Life."

Winston Ackland, "I love Second Life.  I’ve learned so much being here."

Fritter Enzyme, "Nothing else like it."

Winston Ackland, "I’m going to go have some dinner. Take good care, Fritter (smile)."

Fritter Enzyme



(Click here if the video fails to play)

Burn2: DJ Healer and Oberon Onmura

When it comes to Burn2 and DJs, one can’t go wrong with Qwark Allen. He invited me to listen, sending me a TP, and arriving at the desert I found myself in a platform high in the air with over a dozen avs around, Qwark in a sleek steel skin, resembling a “naked robot.” He was certainly one of a kind.

So who else was out there? One of my neighbors told me about another Burn2 DJ: Healer Ladybird. Before the festival, I went over and had a few words with her. She had been logging on since 2007, “I was never into games online but SL hooked me (grin). I used to go to real-life desert raves and was always fascinated with the DJs.”

She had wanted to DJ herself in real-life, but didn’t have the money. She searched for a place that played “underground” music, and found a club called “Piranha.” “They had live DJ that played all genres. .. It became my home ... I hung out there for almost a year until the owner there who was also a DJ, she said if I wanted to learn how to DJ she would let me play there (grin). So she helped me. I got my software & music and practiced like crazy for like 3 months. And I debuted at the club in Feb 2008 (grin).”

She had been attending Burning Life/Burn2 for the past four years, DJing for the past three. She had seen her share off odd sights there, “Even Barack Obama was at my set (grin), well his avatar.” She went on to say the name was a bit misspelled. A favorite build of hers was when someone built some “oil pigs” in the ground that were actually oil rigs.

On Saturday Oct1, the night after the opening day of the festival, she was DJing for a small crowd under a tent, playing psytrance to a small crowd, mostly women. This wasn’t the biggest music event at the desert, but Healer was having fun all the same.

Healer Ladybird’s next event is tonight October 6th.

“I always wanted to DJ in real life, but never got the chance to and SL has given me that chance. It’s my passion, I love to play my music and I hope they like to listen. (grin)”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A couple days later, I was walking around, taking in some of the sights of the exhibits. Some were colorful, some were odd-looking, and some were odd looking and colorful. On my mini-map, I noticed a cluster of avatars at one exhibit, so I went closer to investigate. The exhibit, at the corner of "Rod's Road" and "7." wasn’t too colorful, a pale olive color. But there were several people inside, and a couple girls went up to another man sitting up front, one saying, “I brought my bestest friend to see it.” They soon left, and the man, a Oberon Onmura, looked to me, “ Hello Bixyl, enjoying the Burn?”

I asked Oberon what kind of exhibit this was. He answered, “Well, I'm one of the invited artists. So this is an art installation ... It turns on when someone enters.” I posted out the avs already in there. He chuckled, “Oh no, they live there. The ones in there now are bots, the ‘actors on the scene.’ “

And it wasn’t long before someone else did walk in, and things changed. the lights inside looked different, and some odd music came on. Oberon explained the music was chanting Croatian monks. Maybe it was those bots, but the scene reminded me a bit of some UFO abduction experience.

There were other sights that night, but this was the one that came with its builder.

Bixyl Shuftan

“An Enchanted Evening with MoShang and Cypress,” Followed by a Generous Donation of Goods for Passionate Redheads

It was a good week for the Relay for Life team Passionate Redheads.

The night of Thursday July 7th had a special event in Southern Colorado. In the Enchanted Forest, there was a live music concert featuring two musicians. One was MoShang Zhao, the other was the self-described “best ambient artist in Second Life” Cypress Rosewood.


Come to the beautiful Southern Colorado sim and the Enchanted Forest for a mesmerizing concert with Second Life artists MoShang Zhao and Cypress Rosewood as they present a two hour concert called "An Enchanted Evening with MoShang and Cypress" on July 7th, 2011 from 8-10 PM SLT. Don't miss this event, it promises to be spectacular! Sponsored by the Passionate Redheads, all proceeds from the show go to benefit the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life.


And as 8 PM approached, people began showing up at the entrance of the forest. Some of the Redheads teleported directly over from a favorite club of theirs, Club Zero, which had an event just before the “Enchanted Evening.” A few dozen people in a variety of avatars came to listen in.



Sabine McGettigan: Hi everyone, Cypress Rosewood and Moshang are playing a duet for us here in SoCo. Take a break and come listen! Nydia Tungsten- Foxtrot (nydia.tungsten): and they are GREAT! Sabine McGettigan: Heavenly :)


Cypress played first, followed by MoShang doing his solo on his flute. Then the two went on stage together to play. People sat down on cushions rezzed for the event to listen, or danced to the music. Two kiosks were set up to collect funds for RFL. Several thousand Lindens were raised. It wasn’t as much as some earlier fundraisers the Redheads have held, but the event was still considered a success.

At 10 PM SL time, the event came to a close, the musicians giving their thanks to all, "Thank you so much. See you next time, thanks, and good night."

For more of Cypress Rosewood’s music, he makes regular appearances at the Space Music Theater at Spinthrift (156, 81, 98) at Sundays at 8 PM SL time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On Friday, the Passionate Redheads received a special gift from an old friend. With the Relay for Life Walk about a week away, builders for the team were setting up their exhibit, or “campsite” as they called it, with a "Forest in the Spring Theme." Previous exhibits have had help from friends. Among them, Lilith Heart, the owner of the Heart Garden store. On Thursday, Sabine McGettigan got a message from her.

I will send you some boxes to get things started. And if you need more of anything please let me know. Also if you see anything in the garden centre you would like me to send, pop a list on a notecard and I'll send those too. If you have too much of anything, maybe you could set the boxes for sale and the proceeds could go to the Relay. Have a fun weekend :-)



Her “some” boxes totaled over two dozen! They were rezzed at the campsite temporarily. In group chat, there were cheers and praises, “WOOOT!!!” “She's always good to us! :) ” “It's kind and great that a designer has done that.” Daaneth Kivioq got yours truly a group tag to get over to the campsite to see the goods for myself. It wasn’t long before builders Dusk Griswold and Lomgren Smalls showed up, and they and Daan began unpacking the boxes and setting things up. They were joined by other builders, including Shockwave Yareach.

Lilith’s Heart Garden store is in Heart 1 (124 124, 28)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

With all the “Bid me Human” events the Passionate Redheads have pulled, a few of their furrier teammates have asked, “So who’s having a ‘Bid me Furry?’“Almost lost in the excitement of SL8B, a couple weeks ago on June 25th, the “Cure Chasers” RFL team, noted for their cheerleader uniforms, held just that.


Yes once in a lifetime because she will never do it again. “Turn Sienna Thor Into A Furry For RFL.” Sienna has been been locked in a back room at the Red River Saloon since Thursday so she could not get away. She will turn her beautiful body FURRY for $L10,000 for the first week and $L1,000 for every additional day after that.


The event went on for several hours, with DJs Stormie Windlow, April McCoy, and Jocelyn Sands providing the music. Yours truly dropped in about halfway when about $15,000 was raised. Sienna was there dancing away as a racoongirl. She remarked of one of the greetings she had gotten from a furry passing by, “Hello cutie,” was that it had been months since anyone had ever greeted her like that.

For whatever reason, the stakes were soon changed. After $20,000, she would take on the form of a “tiny” raccoon. It wasn’t long before that was raised, and she shrunk in size to kneecap height. Fortunately for her, there was a “tiny” danceball for her and the other tiny present to dance around in.

There was also a kissing both there for additional fundraising.

Also that day, singer Lance Rembrant was giving a two-sim concert to raise funds for Relay for Life. So much was happening that day, there just wasn't time to write about it all.

With about a week to go until The Walk, the various teams are pulling numerous events. One I noticed was a “biker babe” Road Rash rally being held this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There’s no shortage of events, so be on the lookout for one if you’re inworld, and stop by.

Bixyl Shuftan.

Mystery’s “Masked Lover” Reveals Himself

Since October 2009, The Mystery sim has had someone occasionally sending anonymous love notes, roses, and presents to sim manager Amythe Moonlight. Always sent through newbie avatars, the real source of what sim owner Tygeria Mirabeau called a “wonderful seduction” remained one of the mysteries of Mystery. Occasionally the Don Juan would take a break, but eventually would remind Amy she had an admirer.

On Easter Sunday, April 24 2011, the “Masked Lover” finally revealed himself, after the sim was done with it’s holiday event.

The event had begun innocently enough, innocent that is except for Amy’s “playboy bunny” outfit that had little fabric on it. Debi Latte was back from a hiatus, her first live performance at Mystery in weeks. The top of the deck was filled with Easter decorations, Easter eggs with prizes inside, an “Alice in Wonderland” globe with Alice and the White Rabbit slowly rotated, and while the Easter bunny may not have shown up, a number of people in kani bunny avs (and a lavender wolfess and frog) showed up to dance. It was about halfway into the party in which the familiar evil laughter echoed across the sim, and Bloodrose joined in, asking Amy for a couples’ dance.

Finally, Debi finished her last song, and people began leaving. When there were just a few others left, Bloodrose got Amy’s attention, brought up the “Masked Lover,” and admitted he was him. Amy was shocked, “It was you?! Oh my God!!” Bloodrose gave his characteristic evil laugh, quite proud in the mystery lasting so long. Debi chuckled, and admitted she was in on the big secret, much to Amy's surprise, “Debi? Oh my God! You knew?!” Blood smiled.

The pair danced together a little longer, then when Debi and one of the staff left, they decided to leave as well. And so came an end to Mystery’s most memorable Easter, and the end to the “Mystery of the Masked Lover.”

Bixyl Shuftan

Interview with Kaeko Freenote

Kaeko Freenote is a talented, live singer with a sweet, soulful voice that you will instantly warm to. I had the distinct pleasure of attending one of Kaeko's live shows in Second Life recently and afterwards, I was honoured to spend some time with Kaeko to have a chat with her and to meet her SL family.

Kaeko invited me to her home - a delightful little trailer set amongst an orchard of peach trees (more about that later!) where I joined Kaeko and one of her loved ones, Carson Wylie for a chat.

This evening, Kaeko performed at Hepburns, a club where she has only sung a couple of times. Kaeko considers her 'home' venue to be 'Smooth Jazz Club', "The venue owner, Maebh Jewell, is an amazing person. She found me and 'rescued' me from just a dreadful venue, that treated me horribly. She heard something in me. She has always been laid back, professional, friendly and encouraging. I asked Kaeko if this felt like a rebirth of sorts for her. "Well, in a way I've had two rebirths at Smooth. First was her finding me at all and welcoming me to sing jazz standards, which I really prefer to pop and alternative. And also giving me somewhere I felt welcomed and appreciated and just...home. And then, after I got sick and had to leave for a while and had my surgery and all that, she welcomed me back with open arms. I could sing again, something I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to do again. So that was really an SL and a RL rebirth, through Maebh and Smooth and SL."

"She is brilliant. I can't imagine anyone I would rather sing for..."

Kaeko has branched out and written some of her own lyrics and one day, she would love to be able to hear her own music and to try it on her own audience.

"Because of my Chiari Malformation, I have never been able to learn an instrument. It effects the part of the brain that handles the fine hand/eye coordination it takes to play. Sometimes I think it would be wonderful to have a live pianist or guitarist that I could sing with, so we could create music together."

"Theres something about the energy of two artists thats intoxicating..."

Our chat is momentarily but pleasantly interrupted by a lively bundle of energy, also known as Kaeko's son, Cable. Little Cable greets us all before running off as quickly as he bounded in, his mind fixated by other, less 'adult' endeavours.

Kaeko smiles at her son as we continue our chat. Kaeko's taste in music is varied, although she has no particular favourite genre of music. "I don't have a favourite style, persay, but its what I studied in real life. Jazz standards, choral pieces and Broadway. So my style is more tuned for it. I do enjoy my pop shows. We have fun!"

Kaeko's pop shows have an extremely universal theme - the theme of SL love. "Moving from the moment you see each other and feel that spark, to the passion, to the doubt and jealousy, to the insistence of self-strength, to the trip and sobbing over the one who got away, to finding yourself again. To me, thats such a common, common theme in SL. Almost everyone knows it, almost everyone understands and can relate"

Our chat takes an interesting twist when I ask Kaeko an extremely personal yet soul-searching question....

'Kaeko, tell me honestly, do you sing in the shower?'

Kaeko laughs, "Its funny. I ONLY sing in the shower when I'm sad or angry and haven't found words to capture it yet. And then you can hear me singing 'Noone Knows Who I am' from Jeckyl and Hyde or 'Need A Place' from Secret Garden.

"My mind works, and sound comes out of my face without my knowledge or permission..."

An evening, an hour, even a few minutes with Kaeko and her beautiful voice will inspire you to believe in the words as you listen to them escaping her lips. Her songs are chosen especially by the lady herself, "Songs that touch you because you know that situation, that feeling, thats the common factor for me."

You can find Kaeko in Second Life and on Facebook. Oh, and if you attend one of her performances, you will not only leave with a lingering smile on your face and sweet memories in your heart, your head will be FULL of facts on peaches....Kaeko loves them!!

Kaeko, thank you for your gift and once again, thank you for sharing your voice, your time and your family with me. YOU are the sweetest peach in the garden.

Nova Halderman