Secondlife music has always been near and dear to my heart. I look at live performances as a 'gift' that just can't be bought, so it was a real treat when I went to work at Elysium on Wednesday. We had two outstanding performers on the schedule for the evening: JustinElias Anatra and Jon (Mulder Watts).
Elysium is an elegant venue owned by Lucifer Atheria. The idea to create Elysium was first conceived in October of 2017 but not actualized until February of 2018. Recently the venue relocated to a full sim. Lucifer has done a stellar job at translating his real world experience in the music industry to a place here in our virtual world for all to enjoy. The dress code ranges from smart casual up to formal. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, where on most nights, it is not just Lucifer that greets his guests, but hosts and other members of the staff are there to welcome people in, making it feel like a 'family' atmosphere.
As starting time drew near, I found a comfy chair and got ready to relax and listen. Justin hails from Ohio and is an experienced musician in RL. He not only sings, but plays the piano and sequences his own backing tracks. Justin opened his set with "Quando Quando Quando". He delivered a beautiful rendition of a classic. His set continued with a variety of other songs spanning the genres including: "Boogie oogie oogie", "Stormy Weather", "I've got you under my skin". He even included a Justin Timberlake song, "Can't Stop the feeling" and a song from Disney's Pocahontas "Colors of the Wind".
Justin's set continued with "Have I Told You Lately" another touching rendition! While Justin's set was jam packed with tunes, he always found a moment to greet guests and make everyone feel welcome. His set concluded with one of his signature songs, "Smile". This is one of my favorites. When I close my eyes and listen to him sing, I don't just hear the notes, I feel the emotion.
As Justin's set drew to a close, I got ready to listen to our next artist, Jon. Jon is originally from Wisconsin but relocated to California in 2012. He is an experienced drummer, keyboard player, guitarist and vocalist. His RL experience includes writing and performing with a variety of bands including "Mending Faith", "Tom", "Edwin's Fix", "Magic Pants", "Juliey Ann Bailey" and "The Shane Martin Band".
In 2006 Jon released his first album, "Down to the Top of the World". He also continued to play with various bands, now adding "Gini Dodds" and "Dahliahs" to his credit. His second and third albums came after his move to California, "Ages" and "The Tales of Lefty Chicago".
Early in his set he played "Brand New Life". I love how Jon has such a mellow, soothing voice, definitely relaxing to listen to. His set continued with "Crime Story" and "The Tales of Lefty Chicago". Jon is not only talented in the technical side of music, but he does a wonderful job at letting his music tell a story. His set concluded with "Low Light", a song from " The Cursed" album. Some of my favorite songs from Jon come from "Songs for Tired Ears".... next time I need to get a request in early!
Until next time, let the music play on!
GP
