Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Historic Music Venue “Menorca” in Second Life for Sale

One of Second Life’s oldest and most venerable musical venues “Menorca” is up for sale by owner Slim Warrior. The Class 5 SIM, which has been open and running since Jan 2006 has been featured on Channel 4, RollingStone Magazine, Sky News and many more. Ms Warrior, who has owned the Music Events Island, has an extensive musical resume in virtual worlds. She was the first Musician from the UK to perform in Second Life and has performed in several other virtual worlds including; Twinity, Active Worlds, Metaplace and Reaction Grid. She is also the owner of the group, Independent Musicians, founder of the SL Music Community Forum, Co-Organizer of Metameets 2010 and is the owner of Music in Virtual Worlds. She is one of Second Life’s revered performers and it’s been both a pleasure to have seen her perform and to have her as a friend. We happened to have caught each other in world yesterday and chatted.

“How's it going Slimmie?” I said in an instant message.


“Hey, all is well ... I moved to Denmark about five weeks ago and I am loving it. I have a wonderful old farmhouse.” She replied and then added; “The sad news is I am closing Menorca. I am trying to find a buyer, but so far no offers. After five years I can’t afford the tier.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Slim. You’re still performing though I trust?”

“Now and again yes, mainly DJ’ing my station and won’t be in SL as much really now. But there is something very new arriving that I am doing for Music in Virtual Worlds. So am really excited.

“Five years is a long time in SL ... what's your best and most wonderful memory and when was the first performance there?”

“Oh far too many memories … It was in April 2006, and was sponsored by City Stages and Coca Cola. They were the first official brand in SL to sponsor a concert. But the island had shows before that, just not the official opening. It’s been featured on a sky news two part thing. We did Metajams here which was the first time ever that we had duets and trios playing on one stream as a concert. We have had celebrities here and more importantly the SL Musicians. I think over the years we have had around maybe around 800-900 musicians perform here.

“Oh wow! That’s a lot of Music.”

“Every week and it soon adds up over the years.”

“It was the cost that drove you to the decision to sell?”

“Yes, same as for many others of course … tier for islands here is expensive, plus the VAT I pay for being in the UK on top.”

“What's your asking price?”

“I haven’t set one. I simply asked for interested parties to IM me and maybe offer something. As just a SIM one can get them for less than a thousand dollars, but if it went as it is, then of course it comes with the music history and a group.”

“There should be a premium for that.”

“That would be nice, but in all honesty I’m not sure if anyone has the money for places anymore. I’m not wanting to make a profit at all … so I’m not looking for stupid money … but I would like to be able to cover at least a bit of the tier I have paid this last two months. I’m stretched so far I can’t pay for next month at all, so it will go.”

“The Lindens will take it off line?”

“Yep, it’s still in my handbag though … all the build etc..“

“To recreate it if and when you have the opportunity?”

“No, I’d never to be able to afford the set up fee and I have a new and very exciting project coming that will take up my time. It’s still about music in virtual worlds though.”

“Other than SL I take it?”

“Yes, although I won’t leave SL … too many friends here to do that … will of course not be here as much

“We'd miss you Slimmie if you left.”

“It may be I will have more time, if I don’t have the island. That may be a plus!”

“A Silver lining huh?”

“But of course it is very very hard to let go after so long and having been here before many others … it was the second full music SIM in SL and the only ever not to have a store or mall … it has simply always been just about music.”

“Anyone can ping you directly to make an offer?”

“Yes goodness yes … all my IM’s go to my email

“Please let me know if anyone buys or if the Lindens take it off line and what your new project is up to when you're ready to discuss.”

“Absolutely! It will be fairly soon I hope. I work for Extreme Reality, Executive Partner for that … and that’s where the new project will be going through.”

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I received a note from Slim Warrior today with an announcement: On Saturday 28th August 2010 from 12PM SLT until 6PM the island is open to ALL ... and that will allow me to send a few last region notices, lag out the sim, serve cake and vodka :) and more importantly, say thank you to all of you who have allowed my dream to have an existence for four years.

Unknown said...

Wishing you all the best