Thank you, Gabi!

I love so many things about my current relationship to music.

For most of my life I was a fairly passive consumer of music. There was music I liked, but I didn’t really seek out new experiences. I’ve become quite adventurous about buying and listening to all kinds of music, however.

Except for concerts, which can actually be kind of impersonal, I usually listened to music alone. Now I share the music I love (and some music I don’t love but am exploring) with other people just as often as listening alone at home.

I used to buy music only occasionally, and only from musicians with whom I was already familiar. The number of musicians to whom I pay attention has expanded by an order of magnitude, and I feel I am supporting them, rather than just conducting a commercial transaction by buying their music. I seek out and purchase music sold through small distributors.

And all this increase in musical richness in my life is largely attributable to one person: Gabrielle Riel. First, Gabi shared her love of music with others by hosting wonderful weekly dance parties. I showed up and had fun hearing new and old favorites as well as chatting and gossiping with friends. Then when she added events, and the young Radio Riel was born, I was a host in support of the DJs. Eventually, through Gabi’s encouragement, I took the step into DJing in Second Life. And my musical life has never been the same!

So, thank you, Gabi!

At this very moment, I’m broadcasting from Caledon Highlands for Radio Riel’s fifth anniversary celebration. I’ll be playing Scandinavian music until 8am SLT, and then Balkan music til 9. Please join us!

Challenging music

The idea behind my “Not So Easy Listening” program on Radio Riel is to present music that might not otherwise have a place in our programming: long forms, oddities, music that needs explanation, and, yes, sometimes, music that’s hard to listen to.

Tomorrow (Thursday 24 March, 6pm SLT), for my second such program, I’ll have music that challenges us in two ways.

First I will have a few songs to mark the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. On March 25, 1911, 146 garment workers died in a factory fire in downtown Manhattan. Most of them were young immigrant women. The factory owners had locked some of the doors, and the victims either succumbed to the smoke and flames or leapt from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors.

The longer portion of the program is music by composer Philip Glass, including selections from early works such as Music in Similar Motion and the opera Einstein on the Beach, as well as concert and film music.

Consulate Games Day

The Consulate of Europa Wulfenbach is having a games day, and there are several events I’d like to draw to your attention:

I’ll be DJing the opening ball today at 12 noon SLT at Castle Wulfenbach.

There’s an ice-sculpture speed-building contest tomorrow from 11am-noon SLT, with a registration deadline of today at noon—so there’s still time to enter! Details here.

There is an En Garde tournament, with both team and individual competitions, and a closing ball DJed by Miss Cerise Blackheart tomorrow at 3pm SLT. Full schedule here.

Terpsichore Tuesday: Gypsies!

Which will it be? Mama Rose or Muzsikás?

Kitsch or Klezmer?

Only one way to find out.

Captain Veles Jaegermonster and I invite you to the weekly Terpsichore Tuesday dance event at the Harborside Horizon Ballroom, Tuesdays, 5-6:30 pm SLT. The motto of Terpsichore Tuesdays is “It’s Second Life–We can dance to anything!”

Launch party for Radio Riel Volksmusik

Radio Riel has launched a sixth music stream: Radio Riel Volksmusik. It features traditional and contemporary folk music of Eastern, Central, and Northern Europe.

In honor of today’s launch, I’ll play a special live Volksmusik program from 6:00pm – 7:00pm SLT on both Radio Riel Main Stream and Radio Riel Volksmusik. If you are in Second Life, please join me at the Edison Ballroom in New Toulouse Bourbon (http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse%20Bourbon/166/133/27) for the party, or you can tune in on either of the simulcasting stations, Main or Volksmusik.

Terpsichore Tuesday returns

Captain Veles Jaegermonster and I invite you to the weekly Terpsichore Tuesday dance event at the Harborside Horizon Ballroom, Tuesdays, 5-6:30 pm SLT. The motto of Terpsichore Tuesdays is “It’s Second Life–We can dance to anything!”

Terpsichore Tuesdays was created by Valentine Janus in April 2009 and hosted by her in City of Enoch until December 2009, when she was no longer able to continue. Steadman Kondor then hosted it at Caledon Mayfair until March 2010. Veles and I hope to continue in this fine tradition of musical variety and friendly conversation.

Music for walking

For the next 24-36 hours, I’ll be playing music on Radio Riel in honor of Relay for Life of Second Life. The program ranges from gospel to new age, with a bit of classical cello and viola da gamba to bridge the gap. Notable among the religious music is a variety of Sacred Harp selections, including both highly stylized and very traditional renditions.

Please consider donating to Relay for Life, which supports the work of the American Cancer Society and their international partners.

Klezmer, polka, and drones

On Sunday, July 11, 3-5pm SLT, I’ll be DJing for Riel Day for Life, a fundraiser for Relay for Life of Second Life. I’ll be picking up from “French Classical Music” at 3 and playing a set of Klezmer and polka, as requested by Frau Annechen Lowey, until 4. Then from 4-5, please join me in celebrating the vibration, the overtone, the rasp, the twang–yes, the drone, in all its varied glory.

Riel Day for Life is in support of the New Babbage RFL team.

Dancing under the stars

I’m delighted to be supporting the Relay for Life of Second Life by providing music at “Dancing Under the Stars,” June 12 from noon to 3pm SLT. Captain Veles is holding the grand reopening of the Harborside Horizon Ballroom in Steelhead with a dance in support of RFL in SL.

Suggested dress is formal fantasy.

Please join us!