Scenes From the SL15B: Stage Left - "The Serpent"

While the Cake Stage at the Second Life Birthday has been a longtime favorite, for the past three years, the Stage Left builds constructed by Faust Steamer have gotten some attention, and for good reason.

 Faust has made his Stage Left builds with skill, with both detail and that they're able to move. This year's build, "The Serpent," has a huge snake winding around a dark, foreboding structure.

Not exactly the most comforting thing, seeing a huge enormous predator, especially when it's looking right at you.

But while the place may be scary, the music by the DJs are plenty of fun. Stage Left is at SL15B Mesmerize (128/227/25).

This is the last day of SL15B events. The sims will remain open to the public until July 1, but if you want to catch any more of the parties, stop by today.

Bixyl Shuftan

Interview with Faust Steamer (Walton F. Wainwright), Builder of The SL14B Stage Left

Besides the Cake Stage, the build the Second Life Fourteenth Birthday will likely be known for the most is "The Guardian," or "Stage Left" as it's official name is listed. The huge beast with three moving heads wowed and impressed many. The man who designed and made the build was Faust Steamer (Walton F. Wainwright). Second Life Newser recently had a chance to interview him about his time inworld, and how it led him to create this noted structure.

Read the interview in People.

"Happy Birthday Second Life!" SL14B Celebrations End

Sunday June 25 was the last day of official events at the Second Life Fourteenth Birthday celebrations. And there were a number of performances at the stages.

The energetic DJ Tantari Kim, who performs every Tuesday night at the Happy Vixen, made an appearance at the DJ stage.

Among those in the audience were Golan Eilde and Catboy Qunhua (pictured).

Later on, I went to "Stage Left" where Jaycatt and Frogg were performing.

While Frogg Marlowe rezzed, my viewer refused to render more than small parts of Jaycatt Nico during the performance.

I had to wait until after the show for a good picture of the pianist.

Xiola Linden and April Linden were also there. Of Xiola's shirt, does "We are the weirdos, Mister" refer to Linden Lab?

As Midnight neared, people gathered at the Cake Stage. The last DJ there was Laz Dressler

Among those there was Cake Stage builder Mikati Slade.

"This is the Birthday!"

"That's why you're in a cake..."

As Midnight neared, Laz ended her set with "Goodbye To You." "Thank you all so much for staying with me tonight," she told the crowd, "Good night everybody. Have a blessed Second Life."

 In previous years, Midnight would mean the end. But I noticed a gathering at Stage Left, and going over, I saw fireworks.

Among those there was Walton F. Wainwright (Faust Steamer), the builder of Stage Left.

Seeing another gathering in front of the Cake Stage, I went over, and there were a few people, including Warp Linden and Mikati enjoying one more event, a few fireworks. Some spelled some words.

"Happy 14th Birthday Second Life. See you next year."

And so, the official events for "The Birthday" are done. But that does not mean the end of the SL14B just yet. The sims will remain up for several more days, and most exhibitors leave their builds up, allowing those who couldn't attend earlier due to real life events or older computers to see them. One unofficial event that's become a tradition, the "Cake Explosion" has been given a date: Sunday July 2 at 4PM SL time. But on Monday July 3, the sad part begins with "the breakdown." And on July 6 the sims go offline, leaving nothing but memories, recordings, and articles such as this one.

Bixyl Shuftan

Journeys Across the SL14B: Dragon Island and the Stages

This is the week of the Second Life Fourteenth Birthday celebration, and there are a great many builds there. Besides the exhibits by regular residents, there is the welcome area and the four stages. The Cake Stage, once again this year by Mikati Slade, always steals the show. But the others, such as "Stage Left" by Faust Steamer, also have much to admire. Yours truly went about on Press Day to get some pictures, and a little later to the stages to see them in action

See the pictures in Places.