Sponsors for Second Life Live Music Venues

For those who don't know, Second Life Live Music Venue owners typically carry all the costs of running the venues. They pay tier for land to have the venue on, some venues pay the performers and some are tips only and some pay a staff.  Most rely on venue tips to help recoup just a small fraction of those costs, however, it rarely comes close to covering even the costs of paying performers. So it is very important that people do tip the venues when they can. Tipping is a kind gesture to thank venues for providing free entertainment.

To further help alleviate some of the costs, I recommend venues try to find sponsors. I have had success in the past with finding sponsors for the performers I manage for their individual shows. Also, I have had success with sponsors covering costs for big events.

Here are a few ways to get started finding sponsors.....

1. Figure out your venues numbers. How many shows a week for how many hours. Then keep track of your average draw per hour. This can be done simply by looking at how many people are at the show at the mid way point which is typically the peak time. Keep track of those numbers for a few weeks and then you have something to approach sponsors with.

In real life events are sponsored all the time.

2. Know how much of your costs you are trying to cover. If you spend L$XXXXX a week, what % would you like to get sponsors to help with?

3. Put together a note card that outlines the data from your venue numbers to show the sponsors how many people they can reach by sponsoring your shows. Also, include how long the sponsorship would last.... weekly? monthly?

4. Reach out to content creators that are suitable for your venue and explain to them that you can offer to place their Logo on a clickable prim or adboard with a LM to their location near your stage for X amount of time for X amount of L$. Also, it will help to explain that the sponsors will be mentioned by you or your staff through out the shows X number of times.

Don't fear rejection, this is after all a sales pitch to the content creators. You have to go through some no's before you get to yes's but if you can point out the benefit to the creators, then eventually you will find some willing to give it a chance.

Start with creators from stores where you shop, then you can tell them that you are a regular customer and you will feel good about promoting their brand at your venue.

This is just a quick blog post with ideas, its up to you to put in the time and effort to make it happen. I'm happy to consult with venue owners if you need more information or tips on how to go about finding sponsors. Just drop me a notecard in Second Life, Kalli Birman is my legacy name.

Marketing for Second Life Venues

Marketing your venue is important to both the venue and the performers you hire. I’m sure you would like to see that the money you are putting out to hire performers, pay tier and staff is being put to its best use. One of the ways to do that is to market your venue shows to get the best possible audience you can. As most of you are aware, I manage and am business partners with musician Seth Regan, also known as Mankind Tracer in Second Life. When we are promoting anything, the following are just a few of the things we do to get the information out there to the SL public.

One of the important ways you can market shows at your venue is to list them in Second Life events. This is a very critical step in marketing as the majority of fans are looking in events to see who is performing. You should list in events as early as possible. If you book the performer a month before they actually play then list it right then because the sooner you can, the closer to the top of the event listing for that time you will be. Make sure to ask the performers if they have any promotional text just for SL Events.

When you are hiring musicians to perform at your venue, consider the time you are booking them and have realistic expectations. In SL the most live shows are starting between 6pm and 8pm. There could be 40 other shows happening at the same time and there are only so many concurrent users to attend those shows. This makes marketing even more important because if people do not know what is happening at your venue then how will they show up?

In SL another great resource is SL event groups. You can join groups and send notices and group messages about your events. There are a plethora of groups out there like Musical Metaverse, Live Music 24, Shooting Star and many more. If you do not have many group spots left, you can create an alt and join the groups and then log into your alt 30 minutes before the show and send notices.

Seth Regan performing at To The Stars live music venue.

Social media is also another great way to market your shows. Facebook has tons of groups specifically for Second Life and SL Events. There are a lot of SLers that have Facebook accounts either as their avatar or under their real life name and they use FB as a way to communicate. There is Google Plus and Twitter as well but with both of those, you need to follow people for them to follow you back, there are few groups on G+ that are SL events related and you cannot have groups on Twitter. There is also Second Friends, an SL only social media website where you can create groups, a profile, blog and list events for free.

Another great marketing tool is booking performers back to back that play similar styles of music. Then you will get carry over from one performer to the next keeping people at your venue longer. Also, keep consistent events, even if it is just once a week for a couple of hours will let people know that they can count on your venue at those times to have performances.

These are just a few ideas on how to market the shows at your venue. You can also take cues from real life and adapt them to Second Life. Think outside of what everyone else is doing or not doing to come up with some fun creative ways to get the word out there and build up a regular crowd who come back week to week. Coming soon, Seth will be posting a follow up to this topic on his blog with even more great marketing tips for SL venues.

Giving Back

As many of us are aware, venues in Second Life (SL) are typically not money making ventures. Often venue owners are paying out of pocket for performers because of the love of live music and to support it in SL.

For those who do not know how venues work in SL, here is a little break down. Venue owners rent virtual land and purchase a build or build something themselves on the land for concerts. The venues can vary from a traditional rock concert hall or club to very unusual builds like art installations, outer space or anything you can imagine. Venue owners then book musicians to perform. Some venues pay and some are tips only, just like in real life. However, there are no drinks or food to sell and no one in SL has really adopted a cover charge. So when venues have shows, any costs come out of their own pocket. Sometimes there are shops on the land that pay rent and help supplement the costs.

Knowing all this, it is extra important that performers do all they can to support the venues and encourage the fans to tip and if there are things to do at the venue, to explore and look around.

As a venue owner and manager and musician manager, I can see things from both sides. My venue and venues I manage all rely on shops paying rent to help support the live music I book. So when I do book performers, I try to give them some information about the stores and things happening on the sim and the location of the venue tip jar.

I usually make a few bullet points on a note card to give to the performer or manager as some talking points between songs. This is the most basic form or promotion for the venue. I also make sure I or my host are ready to answer any questions that concert goers might have about the venue.

From the musician manager standpoint, I am very appreciative when I book a show at a venue and we always make sure to ask right away for a few lines about the venue for our promotions. Seth discuused this in his last blog post HERE. We also do ask if there is anything the venues want him to mention while performing.

For us it's all about supporting the venue, showing respect and giving back. If it were not for the venues, performers would all have to own their own venue and perform only there and absorb the costs of land rental with out the possibility of collecting a fee for their performance.

Make sure you show the venue respect and help them as much as you can. Another good way to show the venue respect, as a performer, is to show up a little early to make sure they know you are there and prepared. When booking multiple performers, it is nice for venues to know that the next performer is there and ready to jump on stage when it's their time.

Also, being there a bit early shows respect for your fellow performer who should be up there saying "John Doe is up next so please stick around." and promoting you from that perspective. That also goes back on each performer who is not announcing who the next act is, you should be. It's supporting the venue and the next performer.

Quality Vs. Quantity: Performing In Second Life

Something I’ve noticed about myself when considering going to a concert in Second Life is that I look at who is playing at a certain time, say 7 pm slt/pdt, and if there is a performer that I enjoy but performs multiple shows a day many days a week, I will pass over their show for someone who does not play as much. I will basically say to myself “Oh X will have more shows tomorrow or later tonight, I will maybe catch them then.”

I’ve known performers in SL that are doing multiple shows a day, sometimes with only an hour between shows. I really feel like they are doing a disservice to both their career and the venues that are booking them. Second Life.

Playing multiple shows close together will affect your potential draw. People will have more possible times where they can come see you, so instead of having one really well attended show, you end up with several less attended. The exception for this in SL is if you put 6 hours between your shows, which will be targeting different time zones. If you have a show at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm, you are essentially targeting the same basic audience but if you have a 2pm show and 8pm show, there are different people on for each time period.

As a venue owner and longtime venue manager, I have also seen how overbooking negatively impacts the venue. The owner pays for a performer to come play, often the venue has stores or something that helps them generate income to pay for the performers. If you are losing draw because you are booking a lot of shows close together, you devalue yourself to the venue since your draw suffers and consequently, the venue traffic. Then venue owners will be less likely to rebook you and even want to pay less because you are not bringing in the traffic to justify  paying the full price. There are venues who book and pay for shows for the love of music and do not have an expectation of draw. However, since many venues have stores that pay rent - as their main source of revenue - they will simply will not pay performers if traffic is not repeatedly maintained.

Potentially, in performing fewer shows, you can actually generate more money. You can charge a little more per show and expect higher attendance. This means better tips for you and better donations to a happier venue (who is more likely to have you back).

Also, by performing less, you can help reduce the 6pm to 8pm slt “event congestion”. On any given day there could be 50+ concerts happening at 7pm slt. Having so many possible concerts at one time also can hurt attendance. If you eliminate a few shows a week during those “prime times” it can help the community over all.

Second Life Performers Support Each Other

One of the things I love about the live music scene in Second Life is how much performers support each other.

I am arranging an event in Second Life in support of Seth Regan’s (Mankind Tracer) Indiegogo campaign to help fund his next album, “Left of Center”. If you are reading this and don’t know who Seth and I are, he is my best friend, business partner and I manage his musical career. He is one of the most generous people I know. He is always there for me when I need someone and for others too. So arranging this event was the least I could do for him. If you don’t know his music...check HERE.

I approached a few performers and asked them to do 30 minute sets during this event. Without a blink Noma Falta, Maximillion Kleene and Savannah Coronet said yes. I also wanted to make the event more than just music, so I asked well known SL stand-up comic Lauren Weyland to be involved as well and she agreed right away.  Find the event deails HERE.

This sort of support from SL performers just made me smile ear to ear. Seth has given over 6 years to the Second Life music community with live concerts, donating his time and shows to charity events and even helping friends with personal events to cover a need. It is great to see performers coming together to support him.

Check out Seth’s Indiegogo campaign HERE

My heartfelt thanks go out to Noma, Max, Savannah and Lauren!

Second Life "Tribute" Shows

Today I ran across a group notice in Second Life that said:


Sat10th Nov =DURAN DURAN LIVE= 11.00 AM
.☺/ .: ★Ѡℍ◎:  ♫ DURAN DURAN in CONCERT ♫
./▌ .: ★ѠℍΔT: ♫Show ♪ by XXXXXXXX
./ \ .: ★Ѡℍ∈ᴙ∈: ✩XXXXX✩ 11.00 AM
THE POP ROCK GODS OF THE 80'S!  DURAN DURAN
WILL PERFORM LIVE THEIR BEST TUNES in THE DESERT!
AMAZING STAGE, INCREDIBLE LOOK ALIKE AVATARS!
BEST DURAN DURAN IN SL!

(names removed)

I have seen these sort of notices countless times. No where on this notice says that it is a recording being streamed into SL or that it is a "tribute" show. The way this notice is written is made to look like Duran Duran is actually performing live, when in actuality, it is a recording of a live Duran Duran show and there is nothing connecting this to the real Duran Duran.

I'm not a newb in SL, I get what it is and what they are doing and my question is... do they have the licensing to use the real Duran Duran's music and likeness? When I inquired to the owner of the company I was told that it was none of my concern.

I'm sure these people put a lot of time and effort into making avatars, doing lighting and putting on instruments. I've noticed that these shows do get people there and I think there is an entertainment value to them. However, they still need to be held accountable for their advertising and licensing.

This is not a live music performance, they should not be listed in Live Music in SL Events because there is nothing LIVE about the music, they should be stating that it is a "tribute" show.... saying "Duran Duran WILL perform live their best tunes" is false advertising because Duran Duran is not performing, it is only a recording of a Duran Duran performance.

I'm by no means saying these people should not do these "tribute" shows. What I am saying is advertise them as what they really are, make sure you can use the music, name and likeness legally and don't list them as Live Music when they are not.

I do encourage everyone to check out real live performers. There is a huge live music scene in Second Life and they need your support. Some of my favorites include Seth Regan (naturally), Maximillion Kleene, Tamra Hayden, The Follow (a 3 person live band) and many others. Just search the live music category in SL Events and you will find a wide variety of live performers of many genres and skill level. Check out several so you can get a feel for what is available.

My business partner, Seth Regan, also wrote on the subject of "tribute" shows: Seth's Blog

Musicians and Venues Working Together

In an effort to assist live music venues, many of which pay for their overhead out of their own pockets to provide live entertainment, Seth Regan (Mankind Tracer in SL) and I have recently started offering venues something which we believe to be a reasonable solution.

The first idea Seth had was to only have one tip jar for venue and musician. Since the majority of audiences tip the artists considerably more than the venues, Seth offered to automatically split the tips he receives with the venue and remove the venue tip jar completely. This could work to the venues benefit in several ways.

The first benefit of splitting the tips, using only Seth's tip jar, is that at a concert with 60 people or more in attendance (Seth's average draw) it can get very laggy. This way, people only have to find one tip jar.

Another benefit is that there will be less "tip that, tip this" in local chat. This allows people to socialize more with less interruption.

During the week, we approached the venue, Ground Zero, owned by our friends Thea and GMetal, about this idea. They were both very open to trying a something new. We decided to try it out that coming Saturday.

After the concert, we all got together on Skype, discussed the outcome and worked out the numbers. We found that the venue saw a 33% increase in tips. Also, Thea and GMetal reported that several people expressed to them how they enjoyed the lack of "tip reminders" in local chat and it was a much more fun and relaxed show with greater audience interaction.

With this success, Seth and I didn't want to rest on our laurels, so we decided to revisit something we had discussed in the past: Sponsorship.

We then approached long time live music venue owner Liz Harley at Key West, where Seth's next show was scheduled. We asked if she was open to the idea of not only having paying sponsors to reduce the cost she pays Seth as a booking fee, but to also try the tip split as well. After informing her of the success at Ground Zero, Liz was very receptive to trying a new approach.

Seth and I got to work and found three sponsors for that show.

I'm happy to say that this show was also a success! The venue made good tips from the split. Further, the reduced booking fee kept money in her pocket. Liz was very pleased at the outcome, as were the sponsors and the idea of having sponsors was well received by the people attending the show.

We have decided to continue on with this model of splitting tips and getting businesses to sponsor Seth's shows. We are also continuing our brainstorming to try to come up with new ways to help the venues reduce their out of pocket expenses.

While this model may or may not work for every venue and performer, I felt it was worth mentioning to perhaps encourage more ideas but also to just inform that there are different ways to do things.

If you own a business (SL or RL) and would like to discuss sponsoring Seth's shows, please contact me by email brandy@sethregan.com or message in Second Life (Kalli Birman).

Supporting Independent Musicians Or Big Labels?

I saw this quote today on Facebook in one of my friend's feed. I did share it on my page as well and it really got me thinking.

Do I want to support a big label musician buying a new Mercedes or would I rather put my money back into the independent music community?

As someone who manages and works with indie musicians, I would rather support the struggling indie musicians.

If it is a Second Life indie artist or a real life indie artist, the chances are that my dollar will be going to help feed and house them, not buy their next line of coke or pay for their big house and the BMW in the drive.

When I go to see a Second Life performer, I always tip them. On average I tip 200L$ - 300L$ or more if they are a close friend or someone I particularly enjoy. In SL 250L$ equals approximately ONE DOLLAR. It is absolutely worth $1 to get an hour of live music streamed to the comfort of my home. I also will always tip the venue about the same amount because the venue is paying the performer and usually relies on venue tips to recoup at least part of that expense. They cannot sell booze and the only way a cover charge will work is for most venues to get on board. There are tips only venues in Second Life, a plethora of them actually, those venues I might tip a little less because I know their expenses do not include paying the performer but mostly I do frequent the venues I know are paying the musicians at least something.

Another way to support indie musicians is to buy their music. Sometimes musicians in Second Life will have SL CD's you can purchase and often those CD's can be listened to in SL or downloaded to your computer as MP3s and typically it is less expensive than purchasing them on the web. However, if your favorite musician doesn't have a SL CD, go buy the music online.

Just because a musician is popular or books for a higher fee does not mean they are wealthy. They may be struggling financially, like most are these days. Forgetting everything else, what they are offering you is their heart and soul in the music they have worked long and hard to write and perform and that deserves respect. Musicians do like to hear nice things about their music but they also have to put food on the table, clothing on their children and make repairs to their homes. Unless a musician shares their financial situation, we don't know what's going on in their lives.

I understand that it is hard sometimes to tip because you might be struggling as well in real life and cannot afford to buy L$. One possible and fun solution might be to get an enjoyable job in Second Life which will also help you make some tip money. Especially for live music fans. There are more venues in SL than you can shake a stick at. Maybe apply for a venue hosting job, then you get to listen to and support the musicians and make some extra money as well. I know that if I went out in real life to the local pub to listen to my favorite local band,  I will have to take time to get dressed up, do my hair, maybe grab a bite to eat, buy expensive gas, pay a cover of  $5- $20, depending on the pub and performer, buy a couple drinks, tip the bartender, pay a babysitter.... we are talking an easy $100 for one night out.

Going to live music in Second Life saves a LOT of money. I can sit here in my PJ's while my kids are sleeping and go see a couple musicians, grab a snack from my fridge and enjoy myself and at the same time, support an indie musician and venue with just a few dollars of tip money.

I can almost guarantee you that all the musicians in Second Life are not getting rich by performing. What they are getting is a way to help them make more music to share with you.

Video Premiere and Vintage Glam

Seth Regan / Mankind Tracer

Seth Regan / Mankind Tracer in SL, whom I manage, premiered his new video on the 5th at The Rose Theatre Opera House (add to your "must visit" list) to a packed sim. His video "Behind The Second Life Music" ( CLICK HERE TO WATCH) is more than just a music video. Seth speaks about his over 5.5 year very successful career in Second Life and the SL Music Industry. Sharing his insights for musicians who might be considering coming into Second Life and other tidbits.

After the show and premier, I decided to get up on stage and take a few snapshots of the fab outfit I wore for the premiere. If you know me at all, you know I love vintage clothing! So I decided to glam it up with a very Marilyn Monroe look.

The dress is Gizza Creations' Lollipop in Black and this is a very versatile dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the sort of event you are attending. If your avie is extra curvy like mine then the sculpted skirt really accentuates those curves with no worries of your hip popping through. If you are one of the unfortunate avatars born with no hips then this skirt will give you the illusion of great feminine curves.


The hair is Bombshell from Shag (store currently moving, check marketplace) in the color Vodka, fishnets that have that sexy seam up the back from Sheer and red platform pumps from Pixel Mode. As always my skin is from League and a diamond bracelet from U&R Dogs (awesome jewelry, just remember to save a copy and remove the size scripts before going to an event).

SL9B Street Fair And Pub Crawl

Second Life's 9th Birthday Party - Street Fair & Pub Crawl: June 19 - June 24.

Since Linden Lab will not be hosting a SL9B event this year and instead have chosen to promote resident's SL9B events....

The Tracer | Birman Agency is coordinating an SL9B Street Fair & Pub Crawl... a 6 day event from June 19th - June 24th.

Over the course of the 6 days, each participating venue will take one day to be the "Featured Venue". Each venue will host 3 hours of live music on their day with three different Live Performers. See each venue for other events happening that day on their sim beyond the official hours of 6-9pm pst.

PERFORMERS SCHEDULE: (ALL TIMES LISTED IN PDT)

June 19 - Club Graffiti

6. Mankind Tracer/Seth Regan “Live on Video” 7. Damian Carbenell 8. Darkshore

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Good%20Day%20Sunshine/141/73/22

____________________________

June 20 - Gwampas Dance Kamp

6. Mandoaa Dragonash 7. Christopher135 Quan 8. AcousticEnergy Nitely

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gwampa%20Castle/202/138/3015

_____________________________

June 21 - Boom Pony

6. Alex Mays 7. Noma Falta 8. Andreas "Anj" Gustafson

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Amardon%20East/7/170/26

_______________________________

June 22 - Ground Zero 

6. Dragonfly 7. Vodoo Shilton 8. Mulder Watts

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Atlantizz/28/223/21

________________________________

June 23 - Key West 

6. David Csiszer 7. AMForte 8. Edward Kyomoon

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Key%20West%20Island/48/71/22

_______________________________

June 24 - San Diego 3D

6. August Moons 7. August Moons 8. Max Kleene

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/San%20Diego%20City/240/205/33

Thanks to our sponsors: 

Second Friends, Gizza Creations, Island Dreams Realty, [Cynful] Clothing & Co, Angel Manor, Miss Darcy!, Snowpaws, LYRICA, House Of Dragovar, VelvetRythms, Time Lost Land, The Alice Project.

This event is Produced by the Tracer | Birman Agency in cooperation with all participating venues.

We'll see you at The SL9B Street Fair and Pub Crawl!

Brandy Maltas/ Kalli Birman in SL

Seth Regan/ Mankind Tracer in SL

Know Your Venue's Limits!!!

Mankind Tracer / Seth Regan performing at Club Graffiti

As a venue owner and manager I know how many people can be on the sim where my venues are located. However, many new and old venue owners do not understand this and as someone who does know and has worked in the Second Life land industry with Solace Beach Estates for over 3 years now, I feel the need to get the information out there.

There are several different types of land options in SL, including, Mainland, Private Full Prims Sims and Homesteads.

Each type of land has different limits.

Homesteads:

A homestead sim holds the smallest number of people at 20 and there are also less prims available to use. While this may be a great option for a home, it makes a poor option for a venue. Unless it will be just you and a handful of friends, you are going to want land with a higher limit.

Mainland:

Second Life mainland is the huge original continent that SL started with. Mainland is divided into regions that are all connected. Mainland can hold 40 avatars per region. This option can be acceptable for a small club or venue that plans on booking performers with a more limited draw. Keep in mind, mainland can be very laggy and often you cannot get the region restarted on demand. Also, there is no covenant that states what sort of build can be placed on mainland, so you could buy a parcel of land and the next day have a giant toilet rezzed next to your club.

Private Full Prim Sims:

Often a private full prim sim is the best option for a venue. These sims can hold up to 100 avatars but you would need to check with the person you rent from to see what number they have set. Also, if you rent from a "land baron" you can, often times, have sim restarts scheduled to help with any script lag issues. There is also sometimes a covenant that will keep people from putting up eyesores next to your club.

If you are not sure what the land is that you are looking at, check the region/estate menu and it will tell you what sort and what the avatar limit is (called "agent limit").

When shopping for land please keep in mind the avatar limit. If you want to book popular musicians that have a higher audience draw you need to consider a parcel on privately owned full prim sim. Musicians like Mankind/Seth, The Follow, Max Kleene and others normally will bring in more than 40 people. When you limit yourself to a mainland parcel you limit not only the audience size but also potential venue and musician tips as well. Ask yourself would you book Bon Jovi at the corner pub?

Something else to consider when renting land is parcel size. Even if you rent land on a sim that can hold 100 avatars, you need to think about stuffing all those avatars into a building for the concert. Make sure your land will be big enough to have a venue that will comfortably house 60-70 avatars and not feel like you are packed in a sardine can.

Do You REALLY Want To Manage a Musician in Second Life?

So, you think you want to manage a musician in Second Life?

Photo by Syx Sixpence

I got very lucky when Seth Regan (Mankind Tracer in SL) and I started working together because he had been managing his own career for 3 years already and knew the ins and outs of the SL music industry. He and I both have backgrounds in business and marketing, the same strong work ethic, similar business beliefs and our philosophies about life and work just mesh well. All that lead us to very quickly becoming not only manager and musician, but best friends as well and still are almost two years later. We have even become business partners in The Tracer|Birman Agency and The Village. It is rare that people will get as fortunate as we have been in this area.

Often times a musician will not understand the business side of music and make no mistake, music is a business.  As a musician manager, you need to really have a good grasp of business. The artist and their music are your products and you are selling them. You will sell them to venues, bloggers, magazines, radio stations and the general public. It will be up to you to sit down with your artist and decide how best to brand and market them. You NEED a business plan and a marketing plan.

Communication with your musician and in general is so important, I cannot stress this enough. Seth and I often are on the phone, skype, or SL voice 6 times a day or more but do not expect that from the musician you manage. As I stated, we are business partners and best friends too, so we are very involved in each others lives. I've have heard from other managers in the past that they can have real issues with communicating with their artist. The musician does not log in except to perform, they won't provide a means to get in touch with them outside of Second Life or there could be days between finding time to discuss important business matters. Other people you will need to communicate with will be venues, the press, fans and the public. If you cannot communicate, how can you effectively manage?

Another thing to keep in mind is that the musician is an artist. Sometimes an artist is a bit touchy on certain topics like their music. "Now keep in mind that I'm an artist, and I'm sensitive about my shit"- Eyrkah Badu, singer/songwriter. Everyone has insecurities or things they are sensitive about but sometimes with an artist they can be more sensitive than others. You might find that your musician cannot take constructive (or any) criticism, they might be sensitive about their age, or feel insecure about their talent even. These are personality quirks you have to decide if you can handle or not. When it comes to Seth and his music I can tell him if he is sounding off or if I don't like a song or if he needs to tweek something here or there and it's okay. An artist needs to appreciate professional input as they should always want to sound their best, but sometimes, need that extra set of ears. Seth knows this and truly appreciates my input. However, some people will not want that input or you need to walk on eggshells and choose your words carefully to express things to the musician. Some musicians want to be "true artists" and do not want any advice at all, so my question is... How do you grow as an artist with out at least listening to the input of the people with your best intentions at heart?

The last thing I want to touch on here is commitment. You HAVE to be really committed to your musician. In the course of the time that I have been managing musicians, even before Seth, I have missed 4 shows. I was in world working a show with 102 degree fever and throwing up but I was there and the audience had no idea that I was sick. If you make a commitment to your musician then follow through on every level.

Seth Regan "Underground" CD Release

Cover Art for "Underground" Created by Seth Regan

Seth Regan, known in SL as Mankind Tracer, will be releasing his fourth CD this weekend with an exclusive event in Second Life. With this newest CD, Regan gifts us with a cathartic landscape.  Song themes include falling down in life and getting back up to dust off and try again and the help that we can get from other people when we let go of our pride and reach out.

Emile Sands-Stratten, venue owner, stated, "Seth's latest effort, 'Underground', takes us on a musical journey as deep as the name promises."

Ground Zero Owner, Theadee, comments "Seth Regan is a talented performer and songwriter.  He writes about themes that I can relate and connect to, especially in songs like 'Do It Again' and 'Underground.' The music that goes with his lyrics is equally amazing and I keep wanting to hear more!"

Seth remains Second Life's most well known "rock star." In the five-and-a-half years that he has been performing live in SL, he has self released 3 CD's and shared them with the SL community. More than that, he released them first into SL.  "Underground" will be Seth's fourth self release into Second Life. Seth has said, "Much of the lyrics and music are incredibly personal to me, I didn't want to hold back on this album." He went on to say "…and as the listeners are in the songs, I just hope they can understand these things that have happened in my own life influencing me and relate on a deeper level."

Previous CD releases include "Beyond the Shade" and Depth of Shadows." They are full of Seth's insightful original music featuring haunting melodies and recognizable vocal performances that pull the listener closer to his meaningful lyrics. Seth's most popular and requested song, "Inside Your Dreams," is a moving ballad played in rotation on many SL radio stations. "Stream of Sound", Seth's third release, contains acoustic version of twelve covers and 4 originals. All recordings for "Stream of Sound"  were voted on and chosen to appear on the album by SL residents.

The Release Party for "Underground" is set for Sunday, April 1, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. SLT at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Good%20Day%20Sunshine/207/79/22 , a location exemplifying the theme of the album, its music, and artwork. Devoted to every aspect of the album's creation, Seth let us know, "I really enjoyed every aspect of bringing this project to fruition."


For more information, promo requests or to set up an interview please contact:

Brandy Maltas/ Kalli Birman in SL
Mankind Tracer Manager
Email - brandy@sethregan.com

Yes, You HAVE To Provide A Stage!

In real life I wouldn't expect a performer to come over in the afternoon and build the stage they are to perform on in the evening, would you?

There are certain things that as a venue owner is expected to provide, for example, a STAGE!!!! Now a stage can be a simple one prim riser with a texture on it, a frying pan with green eggs and ham, a piece of plywood held up by milk crates or a very elaborate set up with stage lights and fog machine. Just something to put a mic stand on and give the artist a place to perform from. It should NOT have to be listed on the confirmation card or in booking info that a musician NEEDS a stage! This stuff is common sense not rocket science.

Another thing that a venue owner is expected to provide is at least some promotion. Including listing the correct date and time and accurate info in SL Events. Sometimes people make mistakes or SL is being buggy... it happens. If an error is made, either by the venue owner or because SL is being buggy, just fix it as soon as it comes to your attention but definitely FIX IT!!!!

If you want to have live music, then promote it. Join groups in SL that you can send notices to about live music. Post in social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Second Friends, Google+, etc. Send notices to your own group... send early notices... get the word out there. Also, send friends conferences to let your friends that love and support you know what you are doing. Do you really want to pay a performer and not do everything you can to promote what is happening at YOUR venue??

Do not use outdated material about the artist. Make sure you have the most up to date bio and promo pictures.  The musician's manager should have provided you with these things ahead of time, however, if you are not sure that what you have is current then just ask. You don't look stupid for asking but you would look stupid using outdated information.

Have I mentioned yet that owning a venue is a business and should be treated as such? Well, I'm saying it now. When you open a venue in Second Life, tips only or paying, it is a BUSINESS!!! If you want your business to succeed you have to have to have a plan. If you have no clue how to manage, promote, plan or any of the very basics, maybe you should reconsider opening a venue right now. Instead, learn how it's done first. Get a job working for a good venue as a host and learn. Take the time to educate yourself.

When considering whether to open a venue or not, you should take a look at how well run venues like Key West, Boom Pony, Ground Zero, The Source, The Rock Store/Whisky a Go Go, Sweet Whispers or others. They have it together!

I could keep going but I think this is enough of a rant for now because I guess it is plain to see how pissed off I am over the events of last night. I know that Seth, my business partner and musician I manage, is also writing on the topic of venues. You should also go read his blog which has more valuable information in it. Link to Seth's Blog HERE.

Through our company, Tracer|Birman Agency,  we also offer training for venue owners and managers. If you get through all the advice written in our blogs and want more advanced information from people who have a combined experience in the SL music industry of over 9 years, please feel free to email us at : results@tracerbirman.com

Musician Spotlight: Troy Shoreland (Darkshore)

Tonight it was my pleasure to go see Darkshore (Troy Shoreland from The Follow) perform an all acoustic live set of heartfelt originals and timeless covers. The show was held at a beautiful venue called Ce Soir, which is a large natural stone build almost cathedral like nestled into lovely trees and landscaping.

Darkshore is a true artist and a dear friend who never fails to amaze me with his shows. When talking between songs you can tell he has a great spirit and amazing soul. He connects with his audience and shares a rare piece of himself.

Troy Shoreland in Second Life is the front man and lead guitarist for the band The Follow. When performing together he is joined by AJ Darkwatch on bass and Powers Avon on drums. They stream from their studio fully plugged in. I highly recommend checking out both Troy's acoustic sets as Darkshore and The Follow, as they are nothing less than fantastic! Check out The Follow HERE

Managing A Musician in Second Life

I've been managing musicians in Second Life for three years now and I love it! In the past I have managed the music career of Craig Lyons, Guitar Zane and others. Currently, I am managing Mankind Tracer/Seth Regan in real life.

With every musician I have managed, I take it seriously. To me it's no different than a real life job with real commitments and by taking on the management of a musician, they are putting their career into your hands. Second Life offers musicians a global audience that they may never have had in RL. It is a chance to get their name out there and develop their very real fan base and even sell some CDs.

If you want to manage a musician, or currently do, you MUST keep in mind that this is a business. You are in the business of promoting, booking and creative development. Also, I cannot express enough, you are a reflection on the musician you manage and they are a reflection on you. So act professionally.

What do I mean by act professionally? Well, to start with, be kind, to everyone. Be nice to newbies, venue owners, fans, hosts, other managers, musicians....everyone. Even when someone is not being really nice to you, be nice back. Kill them with kindness. There will be times when you might have a disagreement with someone, that is bound to happen eventually, just remember to not lose your temper and keep a professional attitude.

Dress to impress! Think about the shows you have booked and even visit the venue before hand to see what is appropriate for that venue. Don't wear jeans to a ballroom and don't wear a ball gown on the beach. As a musician manager, you have some flexibility because you can dress "rock & roll" or to a theme but keep in mind that it is still unprofessional to have your butt cheeks hanging out or cleavage spilling out all over the place. In Second Life I believe that we have become a bit desensitized to blatant sexuality but as a professional you do need to dress the part. When in doubt go conservative.

Communication is key! You NEED to be able to communicate effectively with many people, such as, the musician, venue owners, hosts, fans, media and others. Make sure you have good communication skills! You can schedule times to sit down to meet with your musician to discuss upcoming gigs if they are very busy in RL or you can just make a point to communicate daily with pertinent information. This is very important to a successful working relationship. Also, communication with venues is super important. If your musician needs to cancel or reschedule or is running late you HAVE to let the venue know or you might not get your musician booked there again.

"When considering a manager to handle your music career, it is imperative that you find someone you communicate well with and understands your vision of what you want for your music career. They need to understand that this is a job that you are counting on them to perform professionally and that you are putting your name, your brand and your trust into their hands."- Mankind Tracer/Seth Regan

These are just some basics of musician management, I do offer one on one training for managers. Right now, I am not taking on new talent in SL, however, if you need a little help with creative development or mentoring you are free to email me. If interested please email me with links to music, your name and the sort of assistance you are looking for:  brandy@maltasmanagement.com

Ladies of SL Music: CoMa & SweetLilly

"Spirit"

This weekend I had the pleasure of listening to two great ladies perform. Each one with their own distinct style and appeal.

The first show I saw was Saturday at Claudia222 Jewell's Art Screamer sim for her new immersive exhibit "Spirit" was CoMa, also known in SL as ColeMarie Soleil. I highly recommend taking a walk around this sim!

CoMa in SL

CoMa sat on a platform and delighted us with an hour of haunting melody and hypnotic voice on this amazing art installation.

Her voice will take you to an etherial place where fairies play and you get lost in the moment. You can check out some of her music on Facebook HERE.

SweetLilly Pinelli

This morning I went to see SweetLilly Pinelli performing at the San Diego 3D sim owned by Solace Beach Estates. She was following Max Kleene, whom I have previous written about. Unfortunately there were so many people there that the sim crashed, but the show was quickly moved to the main Solace Beach stage.

Lilly performed acoustic guitar and performs originals and popular covers. The thing that always comes across about Lilly is that she really is a genuinely sweet person. Her southern charm and charisma will draw you in and take hold, captivating you and bringing you back time after time. Check out Lilly on You Tube HERE.

Venue & Musician Management Workshops

Many of you may know that I plan to hold two workshops, one on venue management and one on musician management.

I have been in Second Life since early 2008 and in that time I have built up a great career managing musicians and venues, as well as doing PR and Marketing and various other ventures. Currently I manage the music career of Mankind Tracer/Seth Regan, who is also my business partner in the Tracer|Birman Agency and The Village & Club Graffiti and I manage two venues for Solace Beach Estates. In the past I have managed such performers as Craig Lyons and Guitar Zane. I  also co-produced and the creator of the Where Is The Concert? HUNT and just opened a vintage clothing store, Brandy's Attic.

Several people have expressed interest in the workshops. Below the times and dates are listed.


The workshops will be broken up into two sessions:

Live Music Venue Owner/Manager:

Feb. 11, 2012 from 1-3pm slt
Feb. 25, 2012 from  1-3pm slt

Musician Managers:

Feb 11, 2012, from 3-5pm slt
Feb 25, 2012, from 3-5pm slt

The cost for these workshops is $40 for each two session workshop, payable via paypal or in SL in L$.

Please contact me ASAP signed up.

In Second Life you can send me a note card with your SL name (not display name) and the name of the venue or musician you manage or you can send me the same info via email to brandy@tracerbirman.com

Musician Spotlight: Maximillion Kleene

Maximillion Kleene @ Luna Bliss

I have decided to start featuring performers and venues once in a while. I went over to see Maximillion Kleene today. He was performing at Luna Bliss surrounded by a beautiful green landscape. Max is a friend and also a great musician. He performs a vast selection of covers like Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz.

Max is probably one of the sweetest people you will ever have the fortune to run across in Second Life. I was lucky enough to meet Max in real life at the Chicago Jam of 2010 and I can tell you that he is as nice a guy in person as in SL. If you enjoy quirky upbeat performers with a true love for music, then I highly recommend checking out one of his shows. If you are very lucky you will get to hear Max dual streaming from across the country with a fellow performer.

Max @ Luna Bliss

Brandy's Attic Opening Today!

Logo by Seth Regan

You are invited to the launch of Brandy's Attic, a vintage clothing store located in The Village, and everything is priced L$200 or less from quality Second Life content creators. The launch will be held in the park right outside the store today, Wednesday, Feb. 1st at 1pm slt. Mankind Tracer/Seth Regan will be performing live!!

The Village,owned by  Seth Regan and myself, is a 1/4 sim build that has been modeled after Greenwich Village, NYC of the '70s. The build features several great designer stores and a club based on the famous CBGB where the punk movement began.
Brandy's Attic will feature designs from :  DeeTalez, Cynful, Sassy!, La Flat, Angelwings, Mashooka, 1 Hundred, Callie Cline, 24 Shoo Shoes, Paris Metro, Vanity Hair, Azoury. Lou Lou & Co, Siss Boom, Evale, Sakide, Snowpaws and The Jewllery Exchange

Join us for the launch by clicking HERE!