Step UP! logo

There is a legacy in terms of materials and ideas. We now have some great educational materials, for example, and some ideas have come up about ways in which they could be used, such as creating a Step UP! information book and /or information packs. There’s also the idea of a coffee table book of Step UP! materials, events and exhibitions.

There are also other issues that came up during the planning – such as looking at having a RL component to Step UP! and even developing a database or registry.

To draw all this together, and to begin the work of education that we’ve laid stress upon, we want to start planning for what we are calling a Step UP! University.

Step UP! University
Step UP! University will be a totally mobile schedule of conferences, classes, presentations and workshops open to all.

We will invite some people to give a presentation or teach a class, but anyone can submit a course outline on what they want to teach or talk about. People who want to offer sims or spaces for meetings can do so, or we can organise provision of suitable spaces.

Some suggested topics for the University are:
• Help! I think this is stolen! What do I do?
• How do I file a DMCA?
• Content theft or copyright violation?
• US versus European law – can we use either?
• How can we protect our rights?

We think that there would be four course verticals that represent the different types of residents that the courses should be structured after: General, Consumers, Business Owners, and Artists/Musicians. Just like a real university, courses will be open to all, so you could, for example, attend a class in the Art strand even if you were in general on Consumers strand.

So … we’re now open to your ideas and help. What do you think? How would you be prepared to help? And what do you think should be our timeline on this?  If you want to play a part, join our Ning where we are planning this, or add your comments on this blog!

We believe that, for the first event of its kind, started just over a month ago, this has been a great success.

It wasn’t perfect, of course, and there are lessons to be learned. But we believe that the overall impact and effect of Step UP! has been incredibly positive.

Step UP! ribbon

We now come to the next stage of Step UP! There is a legacy in terms of materials and ideas. Over the next few weeks, we think we should explore that legacy and how we can move forward. We’ll both be setting out some thoughts on our blogs and linking here – we’d like to encourage you all to do the same, so that we can move the discussion on.

We have some great educational materials, for example, and some ideas have come up about ways in which they could be used, such as creating a Step UP! information book and /or information packs. There’s also the idea of a coffee table book of Step UP! materials, events and exhibitions.

There are also other issues that came up during the planning – such as looking at having a RL component to Step UP! and even developing a database or registry.

We are talking on the Ning about ways in which these ideas – and the materials we developed – can be taken further, especially to re-enforce our campaign of education.  If you’d like to be part of that discussion, please join the Ning.

And we will very soon, we hope, be sharing here with you our plans for the next stage of Step UP!

Step UP! logo

At 9pm SLT, Christopher135 Quan is paying LIVE Music at Planet Mongo to celebrate Step UP! Day!

As a member of the West Coast Songwriters Association, Christopher135 Quan has been involved with music & performing for nearly 30 years (playing small coffee houses in college towns, leading worship for large churches & developing the craft of songwriting). Christopher writes lyrics, composes melodies, plays piano & guitar.

Soon to be released in sl:
A new collection of songs written & performed in Secondlife by Christopher135 Quan … “Heart & Soul”

Chris reaches down deep in his soul to deliver a soulful perfomance, kissed with ambiant keys …. that which emerges captivates one’s heart…Enjoy listening to love ballads from the 80′s 90′s and today; dreamy piano licks or sing along with heartfelt worship. Either way, sit back and become captivated…

http://web.me.com/cthompson135/Captivated_Soul/Welcome.html
http://www.myspace.com/christopher135quan

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At 8pm SLT, Lyndon Heart is  paying LIVE Music at Planet Mongo to celebrate Step UP! Day!

Lyndon Heart (“not that other” George Michael in rl) belts out with vocal styles that spans a diverse range of airy-textured ballads, roaring, gritty-edged power rock, reinterpretations of contemporary hits, and avant-garde indie lesser-knowns… George’s music runs the gamut. As such, his guitar method evolves, incorporates and keeps pace by embracing a range of techniques from intricate open-tuned finger picking and gentle slides to crunchy blues riffs and experimental funk. He has collaborated and contributed to over 40 US recordings and shared stages with performers such as Shania Twain, Brooks & Dunne, Tanya Tucker and Dan Seals as well as The Average White Band and Loudin Wairight III.

Find out more at:
http://www.lyndonheart.com

RL Bands and music samples at:
http://www.shadrackband.com
http://www.tom-cats.com
http://www.lyndonheart.com
http://www.macjams.com/artist/daddyg
http://www.myspace.com/georgemichaelusa

Step UP! logo

At 7pm SLT, Dann Numbers is playing LIVE Music at the Step UP! Art Gallery on Toor to celebrate Step UP! Day!

Dann Numbers (Dann Russo in rl)”is attempting to become SL’s first prophet of rock and soul, rocking his acoustic all over the place.” Dann is a little alt, a little classic, a smidge country and all rock. He’s a singer-songwriter with radio-ready original songs and a live show so electric, you’ll be amazed it’s just acoustic. A “soon to be phenomenon” (NorthEast In-Tune Magazine), Dann is a lively act that’s hard to follow.

Dann has become one of the more popular acts in Second Life, complete with over-filling venues and crashing servers! These shows’ locations are listed as “other” on the calendar at http://www.sonicbids.com/dannrusso and are Pacific Time, streaming from the confines of his basement to computer speakers around the world.

Find out more at:
http://www.dannrusso.com/
http://www.sonicbids.com/dannrusso

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At 6pm SLT, JueL Resistance is playing LIVE Music at the Step UP! Art Gallery on Toor to celebrate Step UP! Day!

JueL Resistance (Suzen JueL in rl), is a self taught musician who has been performing since she was 13 years old. She has perfected the weaving of her mind’s eye and heart’s passion into lyrical paintings richly embedded with emotional hues from her personal experiences. Her lyrics feed the listener’s soul and stirs the heart and sentiment of any who have been privileged to hear her perform them. Her creative roots are deeply entrenched in a family of french musicians, artists and writers.

Her Grampa Jule made a guitar in 1967, that he later gave her when she showed a keen interest in music. With her newfound passion she began writing and playing at every opportunity. Her style and sound have been compared, both lyrically and vocally, to such legendary greats as Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Sue Foley, Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin, Mazzy Star, Curt Cobain as well as a generous handful of other talented acoustic musicians.

Find out more at:
http://suzenjuel.com/

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5.20 pm SLT, amd Clarice Karu is singing LIVE at Planet Mongo to celebrate Step UP! Day!

Clarice Karu grew up in a musical family and the rest of her siblings enjoyed family time and everyone singing the old favorites. Clarice stopped singing for a number of years but started again and has since found her niche in jazz. She loves to sing and hopes you enjoy the feelings and emotions she brings through her music.

Her schedule is available at:
http://www.my.calendars.net/clarice_karu

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At 4pm SLT, Shannon Oherihy is singing LIVE at Planet Mongo to celebrate Step UP! Day!

Shannon Oherlihy (Shannon McMahon in rl) is a singer/songwriter/ guitar player based in Stratford, CT. She has been singing since she was a little girl, when she sang into her hairbrush along with Carly Simon records. When she was nine, she got her first guitar, and started writing her own songs at the age of ten. Inspired by the music of John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and Bob Dylan, Shannon found her musical roots in contemporary folk.

Her music is available at:
www.myspace.com/shannonmcmahonbruchal
www.cdbaby.com/shannonmcmahon
and on iTunes

Step UP! Bear from Sway Creations

People have been making some very cool goodies for Step UP!

We have lost our hearts to this very cute Step UP! bear made by the talented Sway Dench, the creator of the Cookie Bears. You can get your own by tp-ing into the Sway’s Creations sim and buying one (for no Lindens) from the giant bear you’ll find there (he gives you little ones with Step UP! information.

Ona Ra has made a great sculpted prim ribbon – very useful for display purposes – IM her if you would like one.  And we have a great Step UP! pin ribbon from Hearther Connelly that you can wear on your hat!

Step UP! logo

At 3pm SLT, Avatar Quinzet is LIVE Music at Planet Mongo to celebrate Step UP! Day!

Avatar Quinzet (RL Quintin Stephens) got an early start on dulcimer at the age of eight and has played and given workshops on the instrument for more than 34 years. Along the way, he also got sideswiped by a rogue dobro guitar. Starting off playing Carter Family-style, he was seduced by the dark side and discovered Blues/Rock and Delta Slide Blues music. Bringing many of the techniques and tricks over from guitar to the dulcimer, Avatar is especially recognized for his double-stop and two-handed-tapping techniques. He has no qualms about freely adapting styles to create the music he hears in his head.

A 34-year veteran of the RL music business, Avatar is often described as a nod to the traditional with one finger on the Photon Disruptor! From traditional folks songs of early America to smokin’ hot originals, Avatar delivers all on his dulcimer with his distinctly “back-beat” feel that gets everyone up and moving! Or, with his blues music covering such greats as Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Jefferson, Josh White and John Lee Hooker, to modern blues musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Avatar delivers all with his trusty acoustics by his side like a good pair of Colts. His shows cover a lot of ground musically while switching between all these instruments.

Listen to his music at:
http://www.AvatarQuinzet.com

RL Concert Footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcQOUu6yVe4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDMi-QK3584
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvnUfztaEV4

SL Concert Footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fSk0Xzts9M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeNGYB3uXAg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Y3TUmrH4Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpFJSfqBPwc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv-6zC1Jisg