Hippiestock 2023: peace, love and music in Second Life

Hippestock, January 2023

Sunday, January 15th will see the 2023 edition of Hippiestock take place in Second Life. A day-long music event, Hippiestock was established in 2011 by Hippie Bowman as a way to for him connect directly with friends he’d made through the Second Life forums. and this year it is sponsored by sponsored by Corsica South Coasters and Commune Utopia.

Whilst intended as a “one-off”, such was the response to that first event in 2011, the Hippie agreed to consider making it an annual event -and 12 years later Hippie and his friends once again present an opportunity to come together with fun and music and to embrace the “hippie philosophy”, once described by Hippie himself as:

[A belief] in peace as the way to resolve differences among peoples, ideologies and religions. The way to peace is through love and tolerance. Loving means accepting others as they are, giving them freedom to express themselves and not judging them based on appearances. This is the core of the hippie philosophy.

– Hippie Bowman, January 2011

Hippestock, January 2023

The event kicks-off at 09:00 SLT on Sunday January 15th, with the music line-up as follows:

  • 09:00 SLT – Hippie Bowman
  • 10:00 SLT – Dimvan Ludwig
  • 11:00 SLT – Alsund
  • 12:00 noon – Cranston Yordstorm
  • 13:00 SLT – The Vinnie Show
  • 14:00 SLT – Joe Paravane
  • 15:00 SLT – Lluis Indigo
  • 16:00 SLT- Jed Luckless (2-hour set with particle show by Moondance Parx)

As well as enjoying the music in an outdoor setting designed to recapture the sense of Woodstock, attendees also have the opportunity to explore the Hippiestock region, there the beach, a camp site between it and the region’s river, a barn recalling Woodstock, a rendition of England’s Stonehenge and multiple places to sit and relax might be found and enjoyed. This setting will remain open to the public to enjoy through until the end of Wednesday, January 18th, 2023 – so even if you don’t make the event on the 15th, there will still be time afterwards to drop in and explore.

Hippiestock, January 2023

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A Lyrical visit in Second Life

Lyric, January 2023 – click any image for the full size

An entry in the Editor’s Picks section of the Destination Guide for Lyric recently piqued my curiosity, although I found it a struggle when it came to blogging about – not because there is anything wrong with the setting; it is simply that I’m cautious about writing-up locations that might public spaces and rentals, as is the case here. However, the setting is photogenic, so I decided to take some photos and offer a brief write-up.

Lyric is inspired by the Caribbean Islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines, where the architecture of different eras meet the uniqueness of the Island’s natural landscape. It is composed of three regions streamed together to offer its residents and visitors an opportunity to sail between them. Come live, love, and play!

Lyric estate About Land

Lyric, January 2023 – click any image for the full size

This is in fact a couple of regions within a small estate. The first is a Full region utilising the land capacity bonus. Split between public spaces and rentals; it is joined on its eastern side by a Homestead region, both of which have been designed by Algernon (Algernon Bamaisin). A further point to note – as indicated at the landing point via local chat – is that Group membership (free to join) is required to use some of the sit points, etc., found throughout the public spaces.

Speaking of the landing point, it sits on the main road circumnavigating the region. Sitting on the west side of the setting, it lies between an advertising board that repeats the greeting found in the About Land description and the local harbour, with the latter offering the the colourful mix of architecture referenced in that description can be found in the form of shops to rent. Above and behind these sits a small town square dominated by a church and, to one side by a nightclub space offering open-air dancing.

Lyric, January 2023

It is here where private and public spaces overlap: the loungers and seating at the club space are restricted to group access, whilst the east side of the square is dominated by two rental homes, the path between them leading to more rentals – these in the form of beach cabins – below, while steps climb the southern highlands to the region, where more rentals are located, public paths winding through them.

Between the raised town square and the waterfront shops sits a narrow alley with a north-south orientation. Accessed where the road runs along the region’s west side, the alley is called, appropriately enough, Gloomy Alley, it is home to some of the seedier aspects which might be found in holiday / vacation spots.

Lyric, January 2023

To the east, a terrace with a large pool offers a view over the water to the Homestead region, on which more beach huts are arranged – although at the time of our visit, they did not appear to be for rent. Two smaller island lie off shore, again with seating set to Group. A rezzer down on the beach can provide boats to group members so that they can reach the eastern islands and land mass.

The latter forms long finger of land with the cabins to the south and a ribbon of sand to the north, home to a large pier. Beyond this lies a further full region which appeared to offer a mix of rental and private homes; however, whilst designed by Algernon, it appeared to be under a separate group ownership, so our explorations didn’t extend into it.

Lyric, January 2023

Open to a range of EEP settings which lend it to photography, Lyric presents an opportunity for gentle exploration and, perhaps for those looking for it, a home with a Caribbean vibe to it.

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