Featured Venue
August
The Night Owl
This month our Venue Of The Month is the ever popular French owned The Night Owl, which has been putting on top class live entertainment as long as I can remember. The owner, Sweetpea Shilova kindly agreed to be interviewed for TFM.
Michael : Hi Sweetpea - thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview with Toggle For Music.
Michael : First things first - How did you get involved in the crazy world of Second Life?
SweetPea: I was chatting with an American friend on skype and he had just discovered second life, so he invited me and I found it very funny and interesting to meet so many people from different countries.
Michael : At the start of SL, did you plan - or even consider - owning a successful concert hall?
SweetPea: Not at all, but I had the chance to meet JFR Beaumont who had a radio in Switzerland (DBC) which broadcast in French-speaking countries and broadcast live jazz concerts every Wednesday. He accepted me into his team and it was a very good school. When he opened an art gallery he offered to manage it. It was very interesting, JF was interviewing the artists live on the air.
Michael : So how did this happen?
SweetPea: When DBC stopped by a friend who had bought land on which there was a club he asked me if I wanted to take care of it. It was a very tempting adventure. I tried and liked it. It was the "Step in my groove".
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Michael : Tell me about Night Owl, please.
SweetPea: I stopped the club to become the assistant of some singers but by going to the clubs where they were going to sing I often said to myself if I had a club I would do this or that or else I would never do that ... I wanted a club where singers have as much pleasure to come and sing as the public to listen to them. I don't race for traffic. If a singer is good he is welcome and word of mouth works well :) The TNO audience is always respectful which means that we always have pleasant evenings. The public participates a lot by commenting or requesting songs. There is a lot of interaction with the public. I admit that I love when an artist is seized with a fit of giggles because of the reflection of a spectator
Michael : Strengths and weaknesses?
We welcome new singers to SL and give them time to make themselves known TNO is also a wonderful place to go for a romantic stroll on the shaded trails or on the beach. Not enough communications to make it known. Lack of jazz singers or saxophonists
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Michael : You know the Second Life live music industry inside and out by now. Do you think he is in good health at the moment? If you could do one thing to improve it, what would it be?
SweetPea: I find that there are more and more artists with exceptional voices. I really like the fact that now some singers are broadcasting their concerts on facebook or other system. I dream of having a big screen in the back of the stage for this kind of broadcast.
Michael : Finally, in closing, is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
SweetPea: I would especially like to thank all these artists who agree to sing at TNO. Some were already well known, others grew up with the club and stayed with us as they are in great demand now. I like this team spirit. The singers come to the club to support each other ... Without forgetting the hosts Sandra and Virgile who also give their all.
Michael : Thanks Sweetpea!
SweetPea: Thank you for your interest in choosing TNO for your article. Hugsss
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Michael : Hugggsss!
** Translated from French **
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