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EROTIQUE BURLESQUE: Our fairies choose a frock from their exceptionally curated closet and leave a trail of custom fragrance and perfection in their wake. As they dance by the light of the moon come see if Tinker Bell is among them. This Friday night at 7:15pm slt.
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/French%20Soleil/117/135/28
“Hillbilly” music originated in the Southern regions of the United States in the 1920’s and focused on story telling in ballads and dance tunes. In the 40’s this genre gained popularity the term Country Music was adopted; also known as Honky-Tonk, Bluegrass, folk and gospel and crossing over into. The musical instruments commonly played are fiddles, banjos and various types of guitar coupled with line dancing.
In Second Life, Blue Ridge Country is a venue dedicated to Country music and rock. It is a place where friends and good times are what it’s all about. Visitors can Rock the Dock on Saturdays with a whole day of rock. For those that like playing games, there is a Game room, Water horse rezzers and trails to ride on. There are also boat rezzers and an open water area to enjoy as well as Stores to shop. The SL Enquirer met up with owner Hannock Evergarden to learn more about Blue Ridge Country and what it has to offer Country Fans gridwide.
Interview with Hannock Evergarden
SLE: Hi Hannock, before we get down to the nitty gritty, can you tell us how you discovered Second life and what inspired you to create Blue Ridge Country?
Hannock: I encountered SL almost 11 years ago. It was just a curiosity, and I had no intention of staying long term, but I discovered friends and fun destinations that intrigued me. I found a few fun clubs and from the start I had a fascination with some day starting my own. I had left Sl for a while and found many of the clubs and friends had disappeared. It was during Covid that I found my way back in and looked for a club I could call home. At the time I was not all that familiar with country music but found a love for it along with many new friends. After about a year I became interested in becoming a DJ and absorbed all I could from my favorites. It was through the help of many close friends that happened to be DJ’s that I learned the ropes and as of 5/22 I performed my first set as a DJ and the rest is history. I learned a lot about how a club works and eventually became part owner of a well-established country club. After about a year I started toying with the idea of starting my own club. Lola and myself started from scratch and built a country club based on the Appalachian Mountains on a ¼ region. On September 1 2023, Blue Ridge Country opened with only 3 sets per day for 5 days. We only had 7 DJ’s and 7 Hosts. Within 2 months we grew to 27 DJ’s and 27 Hosts and with 4 sets per day 7 days per week.
On 3/1/24 Blue Ridge Country moved to a whole region with an adjoining sim wide open water area. Blue Ridge continues to grow with hopes of expanding sets from 6AM – 10PM.
Lanai: Your backstory is impressive. It shows with hard work and the right people in your circle to really manifest your vision into virtual reality! Every successful venue has a solid team, can you share who makes up your team and what their roles are?
Hannock: Hannock and Lola Evergarden – owners
Ange Blackwell – General Manager
Myth Blackwell - General Manager
Rayn Vortex – Day Manager
Jessie Demure – Schedule Manager
Lanai: It looks like you have management covered! Country music is gaining popularity amongst the millennials and Gen Z as new talents hit the recording studios and popular singers Like Beyonce coming out with a whole Country Album. What does Country Music mean to you and how do you feel about other artists crossing over to the genre?
Hannock: I came from a rock background and knew very little about country music before I became a DJ. I learned quickly from other DJ’s and binged all the popular country songs on my music app and listened to them every day and downloaded everything that appealed to me. I never play a song that I do not like. Country music has now become my favorite music genre and I get excited finding new songs every day.
Lanai: I like how motivated you are to try new things and really get involved in Country music so quickly. What type of events do you host at BRC?
Hannock: We have future RFL events in the planning stage. We have a racetrack skybox that we will soon be having competitions. Live singers are being approached and we hope to host a live event in the near future.
SLE: That sounds like fun! Are you currently hiring? If so, what positions are you offering?
Hannock: We are always looking for good energetic DJ’s and Hosts. Many of our sets are covered but we always need cover DJ’s and Hosts as well as hoping to expand our sets in the mornings.
SLE: Aside from live shows and DJ events, what other activities do you offer at Blue Ridge Country?
Hannock: Blue Ridge country has several stores with owners that would be happy to create something personal for you. We have an open water area with boat rezzers, bumper boats, kayaks, canoes and jet skis. Islands to explore, a huge tree house with several levels, cuddle spots and plenty of scenic photo opportunities. We have a trail that surrounds the region and horse rezzers to take a casual stroll around to see the mountainous sites. There is a beach area where occasional music sets are located. The huge club can accommodate over 100 vips with a massive game room upstairs.
SLE: it sounds like a little something for everyone. What group can guests join to stay up to date with your events?
Hannock: Blue Ridge Country, we also have subscribers if you are out of group space.
SLE: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about BRC?
Hannock: We are a family friendly club where our number one goal is having fun and making friends. Blue Ridge Country will never have a sploder or linden chasers, we prefer genuine folks that enjoy good country music, good friends and a good time. Blue Ridge Country wants to be your club and a place anyone can call home.
Additional Links:
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/lohana/113/112/29
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/French%20Soleil/117/135/28
While venue hopping and sampling the music of the evening, I came across a live performance at Love Kats II. I found a seat near the stage and took in his nostalgic voice. If you grew up in the 90’s, you would appreciate this sound. It takes you back to the days of Alternative rock and Grunge. What a time it was for all music. From covers by Alice in Chains, Incubus and Foo Fighters to Pearl Jam, Audioslave and Nirvana, he had me at “Welcome”.
Ivy Fadel is a singer and songwriter with influences that come from Classic Rock to Post Progressive, with heavy inspiration of Alternative Rock and the Grunge scene. In RL, Ivy has been a vocalist since 2006 in numerous rock and metal bands and is also an executive producer of festivals and music events in his 1st life.
I spent the hour going through his profile for information and reached out to his manager Arisha (arishaflame75). I wasn’t surprised to hear he was new to the SL music scene for about 5 months and was gaining quite the attention. It didn’t take me long to want to meet him for an interview.
Lanai: Hi Ivy, it is a pleasure to meet you. I enjoyed your concert. Your sound is so nostalgic, it brought me back to the 90’s when I was a teen. The music from that time was great and it brought me back to those carefree days. So, where are you from and how did you discover Second Life?
Ivy Fadel: My pleasure, Lanai. Really glad you enjoyed. The "grunge scene" from the 90's. It is one of my biggest influences musically and I try to bring it here. I'm from Minas Gerais state, Brasil. I remember that I heard of Second Life years ago when I was at school. A teacher mentioned it as a new and revolutionary thing. Back then I tried to make an account but got confused and I quit haha. Then, last November I heard of the musical movement in Second Life and came to check. And here I am.
Lanai: I am glad you gave SL another shot. There is no place like it. Outside of Second Life you have an interesting profession as a Cultural policy Consultant. How do you balance it with your music both in real life and SL?
Ivy Fadel: Well, it's really busy work haha. I'm working for six different cities, soon seven. The good part is that a considerable part of the work is done at my home office, so I can work my SL schedule reasonably, most of the time.
Lanai: Gotta love a home office lol. As you know there are a lot of musicians and singers out there with their own unique sound. Can you describe your style and genre to our readers and what music means to you?
Ivy Fadel: Well, I have a variety of musical influences. Brazil is a very musical country, my state even more and my city too. My father is a journalist and was an amateur musician in the 80's. He is really into MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), Rock and Metal. So, I grew up surrounded by music. And my influences come from the MPB, passing to some Latin American classics and, of course, Rock and Metal too. I have been singing since i'm 15 when I started my first Hard Rock/Metal band. Some years passed and I met the grunge scene and started some tribute projects/bands playing songs by bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Nirvana. And for years I sang that. Today in RL I'm trying to bring up a Post-Prog project, but here, I'm doing Alternative Rock and Grunge, mostly. Like I used to do in my previous bands. And about the meaning of music? All I can say is that if it wasn't for music and friends, I wouldn't be alive.
Lanai: You truly are a musician with all that background. As a new musician on the grid in Second Life, I must say you have a great manager. Arisha is very experienced in the SL Music scene. I can see you being a sought after musician by the top venues on the grid. How often do you perform in SL?
Ivy Fadel: I'm really glad I met Arisha in my first days here. If it wasn't for her, I probably would not be singing in SL today. She taught me everything about Second Life. And besides being my manager she is one of the most human, kind and friendly persons I ever met. She is a gift SL gave me! And I wasn't expecting the amount of venues and shows I'm having so soon. I've been singing for 5 months now and there are weeks that I'm absolutely busy doing shows. Music is my real passion so, I try to sing as much as I can and really happy to do it a lot here hahaha
Lanai:I agree, she is and has done a lot for musicians in SL. I love your enthusiasm about performing and music.It shows in your performances. Do you have a calendar and group fans can join for the Ivy Fadel experience?
Ivy Fadel: Yes, I have a calendar, SL group, subscribo and facebook profile and group.
Ivy Fadel: Calendar here are the links.
https://bit.ly/IvyFadelCalendar
Ivy Fadel: Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ivyfadel
Ivy Fadel: SL Group:
secondlife:///app/group/4a5e5eae-57ee-1835-ba67-7a3ca6268027/about
Lanai: Thank you for the link drops! So, when you aren’t working or performing what other things do you like to do in Second Life?
Ivy Fadel: When I'm not performing, 99% of the time in SL I'm listening to other performers with friends or even alone. Well, sometimes I lose at some games or complain about the games to my Audiohouse family too haha. My thing here is music and knowing people.
Lanai: Being new to Second Life, I know it had to be a little confusing at first but now that you’ve been here for a few months, Would you say SL is a game or an extension of your real life?
Ivy Fadel: Definitely not a game. First I thought SL was a social media like any other, but with graphics. But when I really entered, I realized it's really an extension of real life. People here are real. What they do, what they say directly other people's feelings, behavior, reality, so there's no other way to define it.
Lanai: Well said Ivy. Thank you for sharing your gift with us in Second Life and taking the time out of your busy day to chat with The SL Enquirer. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Ivy Fadel: It's a real pleasure talking to you, Lanai. And it's a real pleasure to have the opportunity to know people from all over the world here. Before I entered, seeing social media and Internet relations as it goes, I had some fears about SL. Sincerely I was expecting to have to deal with a bunch of internet trolls haha. But no. SL has given me the opportunity to make new friends from the Netherlands, Canada, UK, USA, Germany, Philippines, Portugal... It's unbelievable! It has given me the opportunity to meet amazing musicians, it has given me a new family in my home club Synful Audiohouse and the Audiohouse performers and staff that are like a brotherhood, a family, there's no other word. I'll not mentioning names to avoid the risk of forgetting important people haha. I believe in the force of art and in the force of our capacity of creating bonds with people to succeed as humans. And we are at a place that opens that possibility even more. Enjoy it. More than that? It's been and will be a pleasure to meet and sing
for you all in the grid - and outside of it!
Additional Information:
Ivy’s Performance Calendar
https://bit.ly/IvyFadelCalendar
Ivy Fadel: Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ivyfadel
Ivy Fadel: SL Group:
secondlife:///app/group/4a5e5eae-57ee-1835-ba67-7a3ca6268027/about
Audiohouse
https://audiohouse.info/
Attention LIVE performers! Think you have what it takes to be a star? Join us on Friday, December 2 at the SLE Media Center starting at 8pm SLT and take advantage of this rare opportunity to showcase your talents to the SL world!
Open to both well-known performers and new performers alike, expect the unexpected as we bring you this exclusive, highly publicized event! Three songs, then pass the mic...participants will be provided access to additional opportunities based on creativity, raw talent, and audience engagement. You could even score yourself a coveted spotlight feature in the SL Enquirer and much, much more! Venue owners and management welcome!
Also, a special thank you to all who helped make our first SLE Open Auditions held on November 4th a resounding success: Lιαм 'Yoυɴɢвlood' M.Ƙ. Ecliρse, DALLAS WINSLET, Samuel James, LoopMan Blep, Mr. J, Mαє Äηαtίηє, ŤÃßØØ ℛℇIĞℕ, DanTheMan, ℬгɨєℓℓє ℰmiℓia ĄєϮєгηa Ӈєℓℓгαgє, and FlorizonaRichD.
We encourage our readers to stop and give these talented people a listen if you see them performing around the grid...you WON'T be disappointed!
Open Auditions will be held the first Friday of every month from 8 - 10pm SLT (or until)
With over 17 years of experience reporting virtual world news and participating in numerous charities, events, and sponsorships across the grid, the SL Enquirer is the longest-running media source in SL. We love working with our fans!
Contact: Ninja, SLE Events Coordinator (ninjaantwoord resident)
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