Exclusive to NWN, Willow Caldera covers SL's burgeoning live music scene
If water coolers were a popular feature of Second Life, you probably wouldn't need to hang about with your plastic cup for very long before you heard the name Lance Windlow mentioned. A performance from Lance is not simply notable for his powerful singing voice and never-ending repertoire: it is an experience, an all-round slice of entertainment that makes full use of the joys of SL.
His creativity, when it comes to livening up an already enjoyable set, seems to know no bounds; you might hear mentioned some of the characters he takes on, which have been known to include the mad tip cow, the pink pimp and the spam man, or perhaps the props and particles that appear during the show, the free items he hands out so that the audience can join in, or the dancers who flank his every move.
Video featuring Lance's take on Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water".
"My shows are a celebration of our Second Life," says Lance. "Every person present receives a personal acknowledgment from me. My music speaks to the emotions we experience here - joy, happiness, laughter, sadness, romance. My shows take advantage of Second Life's multi-media capabilities - objects are rezzed, particles are displayed. There are many free objects I give people - guitars (so thay can play along), wings (so they can fly when I play 'Free Bird'), and drinks for songs like 'Margaritaville' and 'Tear in my Beer'."
A Lance Windlow performance features a wide range of musical styles (rock, country, blues and classics) to cater to all the tastes of the audience - from whom requests are also graciously accepted.
"Second Life gives us a second chance to make our lives better here than they are in Real Life. I try to reflect that in my music," he says. "I do mostly cover songs that people are familiar with that bring back good memories. I also have a number of originals I sometimes perform - some of these talk about our SL experiences!"
You'll notice quickly, however, that not every song sounds quite how you remember it.
"I create all of my own backing tracks, so my music tends to sound a bit different from the backings other musicians use. I tend to put my personal emotions into the way I play and the way I sing. This means a rock song might have just a bit more 'kick' to it; A romantic song just a bit more passion; A blues song a bit more 'poor me'. Sometimes I will sing live using an acoustic guitar for accompaniment," he explains.
Lance, who has performed both solo and in rock bands in the real world since he was 18, began playing in Second Life in October 2008 with the help of his wife and manager, Adina. He uses a vocal processor for reverb and harmony, backing tracks recorded as MP3s using an 8-track recorder and a special backing computer for bass and drums, and an electric guitar and amp. He streams using Winamp through a USB sound mixer.
"In addition to the music, I give the audience a lot of visual stuff - dancers on stage with me, a different style of dress for each performance, use of particles, special effects, and rezzed objects. I also talk between songs sharing some humor or anecdotes about the songs I am doing. But most importantly, every person at a performance is greeted by name."
Lance performs weekly at Wiseguys, Club Island Paradise, Fantasy Ranch, Rovers Return Inn, Discreet Desires, Shattered Dreams, M.ASH and S&A Fashions - he is also a regular at Limberg Live Stage, Clubship White Eagle, Ally B's, and Nudist Paradise.
"There is another element I should mention. We (Adina and I) believe a person's Sl experience is enhanced when they have friends, a lover, or even a partner. The problem for a newcomer is, where do you meet people? We believe music venues are the ideal place. So Adina works very hard recruiting newcomers into our group, and inviting them to our performances. In doing so, they meet other people, and hopefully will have a good SL experience and will stay to become contributing, productive citizens of our virtual world."
More about Lance Windlow:
What
live music groups should Willow Caldera cover for New World Notes?
Suggest groups and performers by contacting her by IM or at
[email protected]
Her taste in music is somewhat eclectic, ranging from Kings of Leon to Frou Frou and Deftones to Lady GaGa and Avenged Sevenfold.
Comments