Kowloon Locker Festival: A Virtual Spectacle of Creativity Second Life

 

By Klaus Bereznyak

 

With the event running until the 14th of February, there's still time to explore the unique celebration of tiny spaces and creativity that is the Kowloon Locker Festival. It's an eclectic collection of decorated lockers contributed by Second Life residents and showcasing some exceptional flights of imagination.

Easily found to the left of Kowloon's main gate landing point, the festival features around 30 lockers, each one modded according to the tastes, interests, and imagination of participants: from crowded rooms to fan tributes and minimalist spaces. Participation was open to any avatar from January 26th as explained on the Kowloon's Wall blog. On joining the group for a small fee, Magnum Yoshikawa, Kowloon's caretaker and "chief carpenter", gave each participant a simple locker as their canvas, and the challenge was to unleash their creativity however they felt inspired.

Surely invoking the joy of having a small space to personalize that many of us may have had at high school, the result is a fascinating array of lockers, each reflecting the diverse interests and talents of its maker. This is what SL is really good for (in my humble opinion) and the variety of themed designs, sculptures and imaginative interiors offers a glimpse into the vibrant creativity of the SL community.

Many of the lockers demonstrate not only the way avatars can step up when artistic freedom is offered but also the sense of humor we bring to our second lives. Some of the modifications include some impressive applications of scripting, likePyo Igaly's rocket locker, which gives visitors a surprising ride into the sky for a bird's-eye view of the exhibit.

The sim, Kowloon's Gate Reborn, is commonly referred to as just "Kowloon", and it will likely be familiar to long-term residents of the grid, having stood the test of time. It's a homage to a little-known classic PlayStation adventure game from the 1990s, which draws on the neon-drenched, shadowy aesthetic of Hong Kong's infamous Kowloon Walled City. It's quite possible to get lost in its immersive maze of narrow, overhung streets, lined with shops and dark alleys and shady characters. Life here goes on with events such as the Locker Festival as well as hunts and games organized throughout the year.

Art, technology, humor, in a setting that celebrates ancient and modern culture, it's all here, inspiring us with the potential for innovation and connection in virtual spaces. What would you put in your locker?

SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/kowloon/147/11/24
Blog: https://kowloonswall.wordpress.com/

Klaus Bereznyak

 

Samedi Gras: New Toulouse Pulls it off Again

By Klaus Bereznyak

True to form, New Toulouse dished up another resplendent "Samedi Gras" celebration earlier this month, on Saturday the 10th February. The carnival season coincides with that held in New Toulouse's RL shadow, the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and it is always well attended, attesting to the historical status of this sim in SL and the popularity of the event.

Along with the annual New Toulouse hunts, it's one of the highlights of the year. Festivities begin with events in the week leading up to Samedi Gras: Masked balls, float decorating parties and parades come to a head when the authentically modeled French colonial streets are hung with purple, green and gold, and play host to an epic float parade. This is typically a huge technical challenge, tackled with dedication and humor by the Krewe captains.

The parade was scheduled to kick off at Noon, by which time the floats were lined up along Shotgun row, with their horses, unicorns, pegasus and various mythical draft animals rearing to go. The crowds kept piling in, at least 50 avs packing into the sim before the parade had even started. I was riding with the fiery Krewe des Flambeaux for the second year running, drawn by a pair of white horses ably driven by long-standing talooster, Francesca Alva.

Last year, the start was very much delayed with technical difficulties but, this year, while there was lag and a few crashes, we got moving around 12:20 amid cheers from the bystanders - "Laissez les bons temps rouler!" Residents, turned out on their porches and balconies to watch the parade throw beads and offer refreshment to the revelers as they passed.

DJ Outlaw kept up the patter and filled the airwaves with a steady stream of spicy New-Orlenian classics that made the whole event feel as close as could be to the real thing.

Apart from some interesting amalgamations of floats piling up at points along the route, and minor damage to some buildings on street corners that proved a little too tight for the tottering vehicles, the parade was successfully concluded around 1pm, with floats drawing up around the town square and krewes disembarking for a party in the park. The Mayor of New Toulouse, Henri Godenot, was there to greet them, and it was a chance to socialize and admire the effort that had gone into some of the costumes.

A good time was had by all, and it was gratifying to see that the affection for this unique sim and its events is still alive and kicking.

Links
New Toulouse Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/696411@N23/
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/196/131/23

Klaus Bereznyak

Editor's Note: Among those who had a float in the parade was Baron Wulfenbach and Baronin Zantabraxu.  Zantabraxu had a well done avatar of Tinka the Muse of Dance from the "Girl Genius" graphic novel/online comic.

Mary and Joseph Near the End of their Journey

By Klaus Bereznyak,

In Mexico, the lead up to Christmas day is marked in many places by the tradition of "Posada". Each night, Mary and Joseph are figuratively "hosted" in a different home in a village, with a parade and ceremony marking their progress from one home to the next. This tradition has become increasingly popular beyond Mexico, and it even has an equivalent in Second Life.

Since 2009, the Anglicans of Second Life group has hosted an annual Posada in which figures of Mary and Joseph are passed from one volunteer host to another through the season of Advent, staying over in chapels, gardens, campuses, cafes, private homes - wherever a space can be made for them. They reach their destination in the crib scene at The Anglican Cathedral of Second Life on Epiphany Island on Christmas Eve.

The Posada provides a simple moment for people to get together. Sometimes hosts will provide food or entertainment as part of having Mary and Joseph to stay on their sim or parcel. This year, for instance, there was a performance of the St. Columba Choir before the figures moved from Salem Land School to St. Columba's. While the event is run by the Anglicans of Second Life, hosts may come from any or no church or denomination in Second Life - all it takes is a willingness to show hospitality.

Coordinating hosts and handovers across multiple time zones is an enormous task that usually falls to a single volunteer. This year, nobody felt they quite had the time or energy to take on the responsibility, and the event was cancelled. However, it has been such a popular feature of this time of year that the community rallied and Hunny Spiritweaver volunteered at the last minute to make it happen.

"It was an honour and a privilege to coordinate the Posada this year," she tells me. "I was nervous, because the past coordinators did such a splendid job, and those were big shoes to fill."
 
I asked her about her best moment in coordinating the Posada. She is quick to point out how important the wider community is to the success of the event. "It was a pleasant surprise to meet so many generous people who embodied the spirit of generosity that we honour in the Posada tradition. It wouldn't have been possible without the support form Vincent Markovic, as he kept the times organized and took really nice pictures."

The figures will complete their journey around the grid by returning to Epiphany Island on the 24th December at noon. Following a short service in the Cathedral for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, they will be handed to the Second Life Anglican Lay Pastor, Helene Milena, by the final host,  Father Nolasco at the Mater Dolorosa Cathedral. A stable has been made ready at the entrance to the Cathedral and the crib scene can be visited throughout the Christmas season.

More information on Posada hosts and handover times is available inworld at

Epiphany Island - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Epiphany/100/147/50

St. Columba Abbey- http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Toyah/205/12/22 

Klaus Bereznyak

Burn2: Getting The Burning Man Alight

By Klaus Bereznyak

Saturday 28 October at 1600hrs the traditional Man Burn ceremony started on the Burn2 playa with the lamplighters turning out to dance to eclectic ethnic beats provided by Dj Cuga Rajal.  Each year, the festival reaches its climax and conclusion as the landmark Man and Temple are set on fire and burned to the ground in separate ceremonies. To give organizers the best chance of success at the Man Burn, scheduled for 1700hrs, the Black Rock sim was closed to all but the Man Builders and Burn2 Rangers. Spectators gathered at strategic vantage points on the edges of adjoining sims where a good view could be had of the flammable wooden Man in its surrounding 'Temple of the Golden Spike'.

However, after the lamplighters had walked off the area, leaving it to the Man Team to start the fire, crews ran into technical difficulties with scripts on the sim. A lively camaraderie settled on the crowd, waiting in the certainty that it was going to be an "awesome burn". Calls went out for builders on Black Rock to temporarily turn off scripts on their builds, AVs shed their Animation Overrides to minimize lag, and spectators were requested not to try camming in and touching the Man while the team was working on it.

To pass the time, refreshments and other free stuff was shared among the punters, and helpful suggestions about rubbing sticks together or throwing a zippo out to the team were made. Someone was even picking a banjo. Generally everyone stayed upbeat and, as one AV commented, "I'm content sitting here in the glow of radical inclusion." Down on the ground, over in Black Rock, the Man Team worked steadily in the dark at the base of the Man, who continued to defy their efforts to set it alight.

At 1738hrs, nearly 40 minutes after schedule, iSkye finally announced, "BURN IS READY!". The crowd primed their cameras and, moments later, a series of explosions went off around the Man, followed by the red flicker of a flame. The whole structure was quickly engulfed in flames and began to break apart as ground crew hurried out of the way of falling debris and the crowd whooped with delight. It was over in a few minutes; the remains of the man lay smoldering on the desert floor and everyone agreed it was a great "burn!"

The Temple Burn was scheduled for Sunday, beginning with a lamplighter's procession at 1000hrs. The Temple burns at (approximately) 11:00am and this was preceded by a public readout of all the messages that had been posted in the Temple Censer during the week. For those missing the first event, there was the chance to see that again at 1600hrs, with the Temple being ignited at 1700hrs. The best view of these was from Black Rock, along the sim edge.

Although the events schedule concluded on Sunday, all the builds are staying up through to the 4th November for visitors to admire and enjoy, and 'Skin Burn', a reprise of the Man Burn, will take place on Saturday the 4th at 1100hrs and 1700hrs.

The Temple SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Mirage/116/80/24
The Man SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Black%20Rock/113/153/25
Main Entrance SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/117/18/25
Events Program: http://www.burn2.org/calendar
Flickr Group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/burn2/pool/

Klaus Bereznyak

* * * * *

Addition: Bixyl Shuftan contributed a few pictures.

 The crowd just before the burning of "The Man."

"The Man" just before the burn. "Should we save The Man from being burned?" the crowd was asked, "Or do we let him burn?" The crowd of course wanted fire, "Burn him!" "Let him Burn!" One person spoke, "Yes, let him burn, but burn him with *love.*"

 The first few lights.

And "The Man" becomes aflame.

 The fire quickly spreads.

And it isn't long before "The Man" is in pieces, sooner than in most previous burns Yours truly remembers.

The supporting structure continues to burn.

Marianne McCann and Pygar Bu watch the fire from next to the plunger, which they apparently pressed to start the fire.

 Those nearby are invited to go up and enter the fire.

"Anyone up for a game of pickup sticks?"

Burn2 Radical Ritual Gets Off To A Firey Start

By Klaus Bereznyak

Saturday at 10AM, the five sims of radical self expression that makes up this years main Burn2 festival opened to the public with the usual ceremony. As darkness fell on the baking dust of the playa, the lamplighters emerged like the sun at midnight to lead the procession. 

 

The event was hearteningly well attended, to the point where the Deep Hole sim was full at times. The lamplighters rode a truck, haltingly navigated iSkye Silverweb, passing significant landmarks, and followed by an array of burners on bicycles, on foot and in other random vehicles. The pomp and high jinx culminated in the 'blessing' of the Temple with lamplighter fire at 10:30am.

 

In the pervading atmosphere of anarchic fun, avs scooted around, test driving freebie vehicles, greeting strangers and exploring the builds from magnificent to homely. Burn2 fosters a "gift  economy" so any visitors would be well advised to take along a big sack in which to stuff freebies. 

 

 

 It felt like everyone was letting their hair down a bit after the huge amount of planning and building in recent weeks. When the lag got too much, I retired to Sojourner's Outpost, the camp I co-built with a friend, where we chilled, drank moonshine and entertained a couple of guests and some wandering visitors. 

 

Being a participant this year has given me an insight into the back-story of Burn2 festivals, which begins for builders with the pre-sale of plots back in July. Particular attention is given to ensuring that builds minimize lag in order to give a range of visitors the best experience possible. For instance, most of the textures used are limited to 512x512 pixels, particles are kept down and prim building is favored over mesh. Once building starts, creators move in on the playa and many put up tents and make sure their basic needs are supplied while building goes on. This is an enjoyable time, when it's possible to get something of the authentic feeling of  participating in a Burning Man festival. Of course, some builds go up very quickly at the last minute, and even during the opening there were a few random things the organizers had to see to, such as porta potties popping up in the middle of a roadway.

 

 

This year's theme of "Radical Ritual" has inspired a range of interpretations and exploded in a  wealth of 'temples' reflecting dimensions of spirituality and the mundane, and constructed with spades of the humor and creativity that tends to characterize Burn2. In kinship with the real-life Burn this year, builders were invited to consider "reinventing ritual in our post post-modern world - disregarding assertions of belief and focus on the immediate experience of play. Play can free us to envision truths of which we have no proof or warrant, and breaks down the distinction that divides belief from make-believe. Whole-hearted, creative play induces self-surrender to experience that is beyond the scope of reasoned thought.” 

 

 

This year's festival is spread across five sims and will probably take more than a single visit to explore fully. On the fourth sim, Alkali, building rules have been more relaxed and creators have had the opportunity to take their 'radical expression' a little further while ensuring that their fun doesn't interfere with anyone else's. In addition to the main stage, there's a second big stage for live events on this sim. 

 

 

Kicking off events at the main stage following the opening procession was the one-man-band Al Hofmann with his Burning Guitar, playing his laid-back style of jazz fusion. The Alkali stage was baptized at noon with the explosive beauty of Yman Juran and the ChangHigh Sisters' fireshow of light, life and love. Both sets of performers can be seen again during the week as part of the stuffed program of events running until Sunday 29 October and ending with the final Temple Burn at 5pm.

 

 

 It's going to be a blast. See you there!

Main Entrance SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/117/18/25

Events Program: http://www.burn2.org/calendar

Flickr Group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/burn2/pool/

 

Klaus Bereznyak

 

Le Six: A New Event For Designers, Photographers and Shoppers

By Klaus Bereznyak

"Le Six" is a new event connecting designers with photographers and shoppers on the wonderfully photogenic sim of Le Sixieme Sens. The event is a little unusual in that there is no rent or fee for designers, and there is a maximum price of 160L$ on any items offered.

Additionally, every month, there is a photo contest. Photographers are invited to create imagery using items from the current round of Le Six and shot at Le Sixieme Sens. They will need to join a group to get rezz rights. Between the 5th and 22nd of each month entrants can add their picture to the Flickr group, sit tight and hope for the best when the round is judged on the 26th.

The shopping area is on a platform high above the sim, formally laid out with stone vendors, hedges and statues, very much in keeping with the feel of  Le Sixieme Sens. In the October round I noticed a variety of offerings, all of a very high quality. Not surprisingly, clothing and accessories were in abundance, along with some seasonal decor, furniture, sculptures and art works. There was plenty here to give a photographer some ideas for a set piece.

 

From the platform, there was a teleport to the ground, so it would be possible to grab some stuff and go down straight away and shoot a roll of film.

Le Sixieme Sens boasts rustic and Tuscan themes, with lots of charming nooks to sit in, and atmospheric scenery - some rugged, some soft - carpeted with flowers and foliage. It is easy to spend a pleasant hour, just wandering and exploring.

 

Information about sponsors and participants, and instructions for the photo competition are available from the landing point at Le Six. Best of luck to all the designers and photographers - power to your pixels!

SLURL:        http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Le%20Sixieme%20Sens/81/59/1501 

Website:     https://www.le-six-event.com/

Flickr Pool:  https://www.flickr.com/groups/3131319@N22/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/Lesixevent/

 

Klaus Bereznyak

 

Reader Submitted: Burnstock 2017

By Klaus Bereznyak

Burnstock is a full 36 hours of music from DJs and live performers at the Burn2 Deep Hole Sim this weekend. It's a final, major fundraising event to raise lindens for the week-long Big Burn in the fall. Quite simply, the more money raised the more sims and prims can be available for anyone who wants to contribute builds to the festival in October.

I rezzed at the official landing spot and had to walk a little way to reach the Burnstock stage, heading for all the green dots on the minimap. Having recently hosted a communal installation of art and building celebrating the "conception" of Burn2. The dry, cracked desert surface of the 'playa' has been cleared in accordance with the Principles of Burning Man to "leave no trace," and a stage has been put up in the NW corner to host the event. There's an option to rez an Art Car and drive down there, but the warm desert felt good under my bare feet, recently liberated from the historical garb I prefer to wear around New Toulouse.


Dotted about the playa are kiosks where visitors can donate to "Fuel the Burn" in October. While the Deep Hole Sim itself is sponsored by Burning Man for community building and creative expression throughout the year, money must be raised for the extra sims required during the Big Burn or "Octoburn". Burn2 is an officially sanctioned Burning Man Regional festival. It promotes the Ten Principles of Burning Man, which include an aspiration to "Decommodification" and mean that the festival is intended to be free of commercial sponsorship and advertising.

Other principles of Burning Man include "Radical Inclusion", "Radical Self Reliance" and "Radical Self Expression". In the spirit of these, there was an open invitation for avatars to contribute their own-designed posters for the Burnstock Event, and these are displayed all over the sim en route to the stage.

I arrived to sound of mellow world-fusion vibes on the airwaves as DJ Gleanr rounded off a set. Avatars were dancing in front of the stage, and on the roof of a bus, amid bursts of flame. Burn staff Mia Wallace and iSkye Silverweb were on hand to greet avatars while another veteran burner, Pianoman, took to the stage with a huge, pink piano to play some of his original solo piano compositions.

I suspect he was getting help from the parrot on his shoulder, as some of the pieces had bass or string-section accompaniments.

A laid-back atmosphere settled over the listeners, and many of us sat down in the dust and let our minds cool to the transportive melodies. This was just what I needed after another busy day in this extraordinary world.

The performance program continued through Sunday the 23rd July:

08:00 -10:00am    DJ Rockridge Constantine
10:00 - 11:00am   Al Hofmann Live
11:00 - 12:00am   DJ Cuga Rajal
12:00 - 01:00pm   Yman Juran: the ChangHigh Sisters Fireshow Performance
01:00 - 02:00pm   DJ Retune
02:00 - 03:00pm   Guitarhero Dougall Live
03:00 - 04:00pm    DRUM (Divine Rhythms Universal Music) Live

I'm especially excited to see that Yman Juran's group was performing. They are always a treat.

For the Octoburn, the theme that artists and builders are being invited to interpret is "Radical Ritual". Plots can be bought at kiosks on the playa and there's a 10% extra prim allowance for the early birds who bag theirs before the 31st of July. You don't have to be amazing to participate; it's all about Radical Inclusion.

Visit burnstock here:http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/55/216/24

There is more information on the Burn2 Website: http://www.burn2.org/

Klaus