A Visit To The Odd Ball

 

 Last week, I dropped by a longtime unique and "only in Second Life" show, the "Odd Ball." Organized by Tuna Oddfellow, these events involve partying in the middle of an animated light show, resembling the inside of a kaleidoscope. The event was inspired by Tuna's appearance in "Second Life's Got Talent" in 2007, appearing soon after. 

While there have been pauses over time, the Odd Ball continues to this day. To see a little of what it looked like in the past check out this video from 2009 (link). 

 There was a surprise this time. I've always known Tuna in his pale skinned look. But this time, he was sporting a melanistic one. He would explain to me that since going mesh, he's been alternating between light and dark

 

The music for this event was done by AthenablueDJ.

One can get notice of Odd Ball events by getting on Tuna's list.

"Still odd after all these years."

Addition: Tuna would message me, thanking me for the article and saying Athena performs every Sunday at 11 AM, "I have learned to create visuals and perform music at the same time. What you were hearing was a live ambient electronic music concert. I have been a musician for many years it's just recently become possible to fuse the two artforms for me. It was also my 7000th day in SL."

Bixyl Shuftan

The Return of the Odd Ball

 

Even years after it first came to Second Life, the Odd Ball continues to wow and amaze people. Created by Tuna Oddfellow, a real-life magician, it's been described as a psychedelic experience without the side-effects by some. The event was on hiatus for a while. But Tuna recently brought it back.
 
Read, and see, more in Design.

SL Video: "Easter Light Show by Mario2 Helstein"

(click here if the video does not play)

From SL4Live TV on April 1, 2018, at Theater on The Hill

The Odd Ball, With JaNaMooN, Today

"It's time to get odd, odd, odd."

Second Life has a number of performers. But there's only one Odd Ball. It's been about ten years ago since Tuna Oddfellow's unique performances started. With it's unique special effects, it's been described by some as like a psychedelic trip without the side-effects, there's been nothing else like it. It had been a while since I'd last seen one of it's events, but Friday night, I dropped in on a show. Tuna is "Still Odd after all these years."

His next show will be on Sunday at 12 Noon SL time. Jana Kyomoon aka JaNaMooN will be playing the music.

"Come, get odd."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lagrange%20Point/131/122/451

Interview with Azar Shelman (Chev, Tony Dyson OBSS) (Nov 2008)

In 2008, Bixyl Shuftan interviewed Tony Dyson, the "inventor" of R2D2 from "Star Wars." Known as Azar Shelman in Second Life, he had some plans for the virtual world he wanted to share then. Recently we came across Dyson on Facebook, and he expressed interest in the interview. So here it is.

Read the story in People.

Trans-Siberian Tribute in Second Life

 Second Life is fortunate enough to get a number of tribute events, pulled together by some talented msucians (and virtual stagehands). And on Saturday December 14th, there was a tribute to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They're a rock band known for playing classical music to a clearly modern beat, and this time of year their Christmas tunes are quite popular.

 You've heard their music on the radio in RL... You may of forked over big RL bucks to see them live... or maybe you couldn't afford it? The band comprised of heavy metal giants from groups such as Megadeath, Savatage, Journey.. have put together a Christmas show that is second to none, and Mavendorf Entertainment is the ONLY Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tribute Show worthy of being called #1 so catch their show today at NOON SLT at the United Realms of the Archipelago Battlegrounds.

The show was quite impressive, opening up with fog, and before long, the place was lit up with lots of laser lights, which the crowd cheered for. Not all of the event was dazzle and razzle. At one point the heavy music took a pause while a children's chior sang.

Great music with great special effects.

Be on the lookout for more tribute events across the Grid.

Bixyl Shuftan

The Odd Ball's First Event in Inworldz

On Sunday in the virtual world of Inworldz, the Odd Ball, once an event in Second Life, made it's first performance over there. Tuna Oddfellow and Shava Suntzu, along with singer Jana Kyomoon, were all set to perform for the crowd. So how well did the event go, and just how was Inworldz to those at the event just coming over to Second Life?

Read more in Events.

The "Odd Ball" Closes in Second Life Due to New ToS

Shava Nerad, known as Shava Suntzu in Second Life, made a post on Google Plus on Monday Sept 23, which Tuna Oddfellow shared on Facebook. It seems due to Linden Lab's new Terms of Service concerning ownership of content rights, Oddfellow Studios, and therefore the Odd Ball, has closed the curtain on it's performances, possibly for good in Second Life.

"Dear Linden Lab -- it's been a nice eight years," her post begins, "but you just broke the social contract with me as a creator in Second Life BIG TIME." Then listed the new part of the Terms of Service in question.


This means that not only +Tuna Oddfellow's art, but the way we present it and the methods of the Odd Ball and the Cathedral Effect that we present as entertainment and therapeutics in Second Life are conceivably Linden Labs' property if we present them in Second Life.  We didn't see this until today, and it wasn't presented to users in any prominent way.  Please consider any presentations we've done since the change in TOS as lacking due notice.

This is heinous and contrary to every aspect of creator centered culture that #lindenlab  and #secondlife  has promoted, and if you don't pull back on this policy I'm going to actively encourage creators in SL to pull out.  

Even if we trusted you (which, frankly, LL has given us reason to not hold perfect trust over the years -- I'll remember the purge that lost us Pathfinder and many other of the Lindens, for example, and gutted support), the company could be sold with our assets as part of the deal and you would have no control over it.

Shava described Oddfellow Studio as having been made "gone pitch dark, with nothing but a notecard giver with this essay on it." She also encouraged other Second Life residents to do the same, telling the Lab, "You really blew it."

She would later make a second post, saying the decision by her and Tuna was a sad one, and one they hoped they could reverse, "We are very much hoping some inexperienced and/or clueless lawyer at LL made a mistake in revising the TOS and it will be revised and we will be able to unpack our stuff back into SL." She, and Tuna on Facebook, stated they would be moving their performance to Inworldz.

There were a number of comments to Shava's second post, including one from Aeonix Aeon, suggesting the ToS change was part of Linden Lab's "long-tail exit strategy for Second Life as a product/service. That doesn't mean I think Second Life is going to shut down tomorrow, but what it looks like is that they are circling the wagons and preparing the lifeboats." There was also a long thread posted in the official forums (Click Here).

The "Odd Ball" has been a one of a kind performance in Second Life, run by Tuna Oddfellow and Shava Suntzu. It's been described in many ways from dancing in a kaleidoscope to a psychedelic trip without the drugs. After several years of wowing both regulars and people just finding out about it, the show is coming to an end in Second Life. Perhaps that will change if Linden Lab changes the controversial part of it's Terms of Service back.

Bixyl Shuftan

Interview with Tuna the Oddfellow of Second Life

Grease Coakes recently interviewed one of the more unique performers of Second Life: Tuna Oddfellow. At his Odd Ball, Tuna puts on quite a show with spectacular special effects. Grease had a chance to talk to him about his interesting past, and of course this one of a kind performance on the Grid.

Read Grease's article in People.

Still Odd After All These Years: Tuna Oddfellow's Odd Ball

One of the more unique regular performances in Second Life is the Odd Ball, taking place twice a week. Run by Tuna Oddfellow and Shava Suntzu, it's been running on the Grid for a few years.

For those who don't know, Tuna Oddfellow is a magician in real life, Mathew "Fish the Magish" Fishman. He got attention during Second Life's heyday in 2007 when NBC did a "Most Talented Avatar" competition. "I've got a mission to bring a little magic to everyone's day," he told the reporter then. And magic he has delivered, eventually coming up with the Odd Ball.

Tuna's partner in bringing the Odd Ball to life is Shave Suntzu. They met in real life before meeting in Second Life, and worked to make the show a spectacular performance. The dazzling special effects are more than just a visual treat. In some people, they can produce a "mild euphoric state," others comparing it to "getting stoned." Not everyone reacts in this way, one person I took over saying it just gave her a headache. But they were interested enough to have medical research done on the matter (details in a 201o story).

By 2010 though, the two were more concerned with Tuna's health problems that were taking a financial toll as well. With the help of friends and family, they got through them. Tuna's heath problems haven't gone away, but he and Shava continue their performances on the Grid. Occasionally they have a guest musician, such as Cypress Rosewood.

The Odd Ball normally takes place twice a week on Wednesdays at 7PM and Sundays at 11AM at the Dragonhenge sim at (126, 122, 651).

"It's time to get Odd, Odd, Odd!"

Bixyl Shuftan