Finding My Place Behind the Decks

Coming back to Second Life was one thing.

Finding somewhere to DJ was something else entirely.

Back in the day, I never really had to think about it. I already knew people, knew venues, and opportunities seemed to come naturally. Returning after more than a decade away felt very different. The DJ scene felt saturated, there were clubs everywhere, and I had no idea where to start.

So I did what any returning resident would do and headed straight to the Second Life Destination Guide.

The very first listing that caught my eye was Warehouse 21.

Landing there, I was immediately greeted by a packed venue. The club's music policy was simple: anything but the mainstream. Honestly, it was a vibe.

The atmosphere reminded me of some of the warehouse raves I attended in real life years ago. Dark corners, interesting music, people genuinely there for the music rather than just standing around looking pretty. It felt authentic.

I liked it enough to put in an application.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the gig.

Still, it was a positive experience and a reminder that there were some genuinely unique venues still thriving within Second Life.

Continuing my search through the Destination Guide, I stumbled across Creamz.

Inspired loosely by the legendary Cream nightclub in Liverpool, this was the venue that taught me one very important lesson:

Always set your environment to Midnight.

The lighting was absolutely stunning.

I had been wandering around in broad daylight like some sort of lost tourist, completely missing what made the venue special. Once I switched over to Midnight, everything clicked. The lighting design, atmosphere, and overall presentation were incredible.

I reached out to the management team, introduced myself, and before long I had secured a place within their DJ roster. At the time of writing, my regular slot is still to be confirmed, but it was my first real breakthrough since returning.

At this point, I still hadn't discovered Primfeed.

What I had discovered was All Out Music.

As soon as I arrived, the venue immediately felt familiar. Being UK-owned probably helped, but there was just something about the atmosphere that clicked with me straight away.

I dropped one of the owners a message and we started chatting back and forth through IM.

Several minutes into the conversation, I suddenly realised something.

They had been standing directly behind me almost the entire time.

I had effectively been having a conversation with somebody while completely ignoring their physical presence.

An impressive first impression.

Thankfully, they seemed willing to overlook my lack of observational skills.

One conversation led to another, and before I knew it I was being asked to do a live audition there and then.

No preparation.

No planning.

Just hit the stream and go.

Thankfully, after years of DJing both in real life and within GTA roleplay communities, that's a situation I am fairly comfortable with.

The audition went well, and I was officially welcomed into the All Out Music family.

My first regular slot was confirmed for Sundays between 2pm and 4pm, starting on the 21st.

Not bad for somebody who had only recently returned.

That said, I am still trying not to overcommit myself.

One thing I learned after stepping away from Second Life all those years ago is that real life always comes first. Between family, work, GTA roleplay, and everything else life throws at us, I want Second Life to remain enjoyable rather than becoming another obligation.

So while I am happy to take on regular sets, I am equally happy covering shifts, helping out clubs when they need a DJ, and meeting new people along the way.

After all, finding a DJ slot was never really the reason I came back.

The people, the music, and the community were.

The DJ gigs are just a bonus.