Sister Venues

I want to preface this post by saying that I know there are many, many quality venues in Second Life.  Now that we are in the "venue business," GMetal and I have even more appreciation for what it takes to run a venue and the dedication put in by so many people.  The live music community is generally supportive of itself and of each other.  I hear very little negative commentary although I am sure that it happens. This post is not a criticism of any venue - it is a celebration of the special connection Ground Zero has to a few particular places and the people that run those places.

A brief backstory:  I started working for Gargravarr Rau (just call him Gar) at The Source in May, 2011.  I asked if he would teach me how live music in Second Life was done.  I asked him because I found The Source early in my Second Life and always had a great experience there.  He taught me how to be a host and shared a lot with me about how he booked artists and much more.  Along the way, I heard him refer to two venues, The Roof @ NYC and Idle Rogue, as sister venues of The Source.  I noticed that he did not regularly schedule events at the same time as those places.  I had attended events at both throughout my time in Second Life and also had great experiences there.  I also worked for Lingual Markus (yes, THAT Lingual Markus) at The Roof as a host for a period of time just before GMetal and I started Ground Zero.  I had the privilege of getting to know Chryblnd Scribe (it's pronounced Cherryblonde), owner of Idle Rogue, a bit by that point and have since gotten to know her better. 

My connection to The Source, Idle Rogue, and The Roof @ NYC was (and still is)stronger than my connection to any other venues because of these relationships.  When GMetal and I started this thing.. one of the first things we agreed on is that we didn't want to regularly schedule events at the same time as any of these venues.  . One of the first things we did after we got land was to invite Lingual and Gar over to our space to have a discussion about what we planned and to figure out where our plans fit in with what they were doing.  It was a great discussion that led to what we have now...  an understanding and a schedule that does not conflict with one another.   Lingual has regular shows on Mondays and Wednesdays, Gar on Sundays and Tuesdays, and we decided to have ours on Thursdays. It is easier not to conflict with Idle Rogue since Cherry and her crew frequently run events at times that are better for them (many of them are from Australia) which is typically late at night in Second Life time.  I ended up having a very similar discussion with Cherryblonde about a week later that lasted pretty much all night.  At one point she mentioned liking the idea of having places to send people each night of the week at times when there weren't events at Idle Rogue where she felt they would have a quality experience similar to the one she strives to provide at Idle Rogue.  (I am paraphrasing from a 6 hour conversation.. that is not a direct quote).  After these talks and many hours of discussion between GMetal and me, this bond was cemented and Ground Zero was accepted as part of that dynamic. 

What this term sister venue means to me:  they are the first people I turn to for advice and  I know if I need anything I can ask.. and they know the same of Ground Zero.  There have been others who have been incredibly supportive as well (especially.Alle of The Loft who I mentioned previously). but I feel like it is very true to say that I would not have felt confident to be co-owner of a venue so early in my Second Life had it not been for the mentorship of these three particular people.  The knowledge they impart and the skills they have shared gave me a great jump start.    It is a form of loyalty, yes, but more importantly it is a form of support.  I think of it like a safety net.  This support has already been manifested in so many ways, such as Gar helping us publicize our grand opening without being asked to, Cherryblonde and the Idle Rogue crew coming to our events, and so many indescribable things along the way. 


So you may be asking what prompted this post?  Yesterday afternoon, Lingual IMed me and asked me for a copy of the Ground Zero graphic and our official landmark.  When I asked what he was up to, he said he was making a landmark board to display at The Roof.  While this is something Cherryblonde had mentioned to me during that marathon all nighter, I didn't expect Ground Zero to be included in it right away.  When I made it to the place last night for part of the shows, this is what I saw:

[The one that is here between the Ground Zero board and The Source board is a landmark giver for Hotel Chelsea.  This is an amazing music and art location in Second Life run by Enola Vaher.  They have many galleries and she has live music on occasion in the lobby.  I recommend this place as well and you know how to find a landmark!]

In and of itself this landmark board may not seem like a big deal to some.  But to me it means the world and is symbolic of the generous support that has been shown to Ground Zero by her sister venues.  I now have what I need to create similar landmark boards at Ground Zero and will be doing so as soon as I decide on how to display them. 

I have said it before.. I feel that the live music community in Second Life is vibrant and generally supportive of one another.  The sisterhood that Ground Zero shares with The Source, Idle Rogue, and The Roof @ NYC really helps us to be better able to step up to be part of the community as a whole.