SLENTRE.COM

Compiled by Avarie Parker

This month, a new club has blasted it’s way on the charts taking over the coveted #1 position. Phat Cats Jazz Club, fashioned after the perenially popular Frank’s Place, requires avatars to sport formal wear on the dance floor. The club is packed at all hours with couples and lone avatars on the prowl for dance partners. Perhaps parents of May prom goers are attempting to virtually relive those glory days. It looks like formal dance clubs are making a strong come back as Frank’s moves up to position #2 after falling to #3 for the first time ever in April.

The nude beaches of Wilder Islands and Laguna Bay have taken a slight tumble on the charts, but are still packed with bare skins. Gaming sims Kingdom of Sand and Remembrance have both moved down a few places on this month’s chart. May tempts SL residents with S&M and sex slavery as House of V moves up the charts into lucky position #7.

This month’s ‘Best of the Worst’ destination goes to Russia. The Island is dedicated to Second Life residents wanting to speak only Russian. In fact, it’s hard to get anyone to even respond in English! Check out photos below.

Per usual, you won’t find camping chairs, free lindens, automated avatars, or “bots” listed in any of the SLENTRE.COM’s top 10 sites. The weekly population data was compiled by a 3rd party source and then reviewed to exclude any sites that engage in tactics designed to boost traffic rankings. What remains is an accurate listing of where real Second Life residents are dancing, chatting, spending Lindens, and enjoying their second lives.

		Phat Cats, Owner – Brianna Talbot
		Frank’s Place, Owner – Gymmy Sinatra
		Wilder Islands, Owner – Gunter Vandyke
		The 6th Element , Owner – Dakota Neumann
		Purgatorio, Owner – Kora Zenovka
		Laguna Bay, Owner -Martin Mounier
		House of V, Owner – Vveronica Pony
		Midnight Reflections, Owner – Missbehavin Neva
		Remembrance, Owner – Luxa Budan
		SLeek, Owner – Hummer Corleone
		Russia, Owner – Crisalis Clary

Stayed the same

Moved up

Moved down

New entry

1) Phat Cats, Owner – Brianna Talbot
http://slurl.com/secondlife/PhatLand/133/114/22

Phat Cats has leaped onto the charts making it’s debut as May’s most popular location in Second Life. This crowded jazz club is an upscale destination that requires all guests to wear formal attire :

We respectfully request that formal attire be worn inside the club to maintain its ambience. We invite you to visit our dressing rooms for quality complimentary dresses and tuxedos. Accessories and other gifts may also be available there from time to time courtesy of the merchants of The Courtyard’s at Phat Cat’s.

(Phat Cats requests all guests wear formal attire in the club.)

Other club rules include no weapons, no harassment and no nudity. Phat Cats is housed on a strictly PG sim so if you’re in the mood for something a bit spicy, this may not be the place. They also prohibit the use of vulgarity and do not allow any advertising. The club invites residents to become members of their club:

We invite you to join the Phat Cat’s Romanticats Group to keep abreast of the live music performances, special events and benefits available only to members.  Ask your host or hostess for membership or use search to join.

(The top level of the club offers comfortable seating surrounded with lush trees and a beautiful view.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Franks Place, Owner – Gymmy Sinatra
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Franks%20Place/53/162/24

Frank’s Place is a 30’s/40’s style jazz club paying homage to Frank Sinatra. According to Ray Trafalgar, one of the managers, the place is packed nightly with 80+ residents. The sim also houses a mall where one can find the formal wear required to gain entrance into the club.

(Formal attire is requested at the Second Life Jazz Club, Frank’s Place)

“We try hard to keep the formal attire enforced and have a security of some 25 to keep it that way,” says Trafalgar. “If you enjoy the music of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and the Rat Pack, then this is your place.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Wilder Islands, Owner – Gunter Vandyke
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wilder%20Islands/244/219/21

Self-described as ‘one of the best nude beaches in Second Life,’ Wilder Islands is sure to deliver. The wildly popular sim offers ‘free sex of all kinds,’ dancing, windsurfing and MANY ‘areas for intimate moments.’ Wilder Islands has rocketed up the charts, making it’s debut as the #3 most popular sim in Second Life. The sim consists of a lovely landscaped beach, palm trees and sexy pose balls.

(Sign posted to all Wilder Island’s visitors requests no clothes or swimwear only.)

There are signs posted on the beach imploring visitors to wear swim suits or nothing at all as street clothes are not permitted. Just the thing if you are looking for a quickie on the sand with a stranger. And apparently, Second Life is still filled with many residents fixated on sex. No surprise as the platform offers complete anonymity along with free voice chat and incredible graphics and animation.

(Mactabilis Gravois discusses why Second Life residents visit the islands.)

But despite the obvious sexual lure, SL resident Mactabilis Gravois claims that visitors to the islands are more interested in making friends than hooking up. He argues that “most people come here to find friends.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 4) The 6th Element , Owner – Dakota Neumann
http://slurl.com/secondlife/GOL 8/128/128/20

The 6th Element, owned by Dakota Neumann, is a large dance club where one can find music, modern design, parties, and live DJ’s.

(5th Element Club in Second Life offers dancing and intimate areas to chat.) The newly designed club, created by Dakota Neumann himself, evokes a sense of modern sophistication. The only complaint: lag. It is often so busy with Second Life scenesters that just getting to the dance floor can be problematic. SLENTRE.COM recently profiled The 6th Element, outlining the new design elements and getting up close and personal with the owner.

(The 6th Element’s new dance floor sprawls beneath the open sky peaking through the modern rooftop)

Mr. Neumann was nice enough to sit down with SLENTRE.COM to discuss the club’s continuing success:

Avarie Parker: Your club grows more popular month after month and when I first did an article on it, it was a topless club. Were you the owner then, and if so, why did you change the format??

Dakota Neumann: I have always been the owner, yes. This club is the 6th in a row – first one was built in spring 2006. It was originally a dance-topless club. I did change it for strategic reasons and it’s been a great decision. GOL is a large company; 18 sims, residential islands and design sales. I wanted to cut any connection with sex.

AP: Do you own all 18 sims?

DN: Yes.

AP: So as you cut back on the sexual element, the success of the club increased?

DN: I have to say the club has always been successful, but now it’s consistently popular. It’s a pure dance club now with nothing – no shops or anything else – to increase traffic. We don’t have events and we don’t give out money.

AP: I love the design. Who designed and built it?

DN: I do the design and build all the projects on my sims. All of GOL was born because of my passion for the design and architecture. I build a new club every 6 months, changing styles along the way. That way we are always offering something new. So we can evolve.

AP: So why do people keep returning to the club?

DN: It’s a mixture – djs, great manager, cool environment.  Many managers and staff have been with the club since the very beginning in 2006. It’s like a family.

5) Purgatorio, Owner – Kora Kenovka
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Purgatorio/128/128/42

Purgatorio is home to the very popular Kingdom of Sand action role-play game. As with most Second Life role play adventures, Kingdom of Sand has an extensive set of rules and a complex storyline. You can read more about both on their website.

(Map of Ireem, home to Kingdom of Sand’s fictional storyline on Purgatorio in Second Life)

The game is based around the Arabian fantasy city of Ireem, lending an exotic and breathtaking backdrop for the virtual role play. One of the participants, Keil Ansar, was nice enough to take a few minutes to chat with me out of character.(Kingdoms of Sand Action Role Player, keil Ansar )

Avarie Parker: So how long have you been a member of this role play?

Keil Ansar: I have been enjoying this game for about 5 months now. I am a gardener and a citizen and so I don’t participate in battles.

AP: What’s the goal of the game?

KA: The goal is to have fun! Men and women joke around all day like kids and become very good friends. I very much enjoy the community and the sim itself is SO beautiful. I love to just wander around looking at the beautiful scenery.

6) Laguna Bay Nude Beach, Owner – Martin Mounier
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Laguna%20Bay/128/128/0

Laguna Bay Nude Beach is an adult sim that is heavily populated with unclothed and clothed avatars alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many ocean side areas to chat, cuddle, sun bath, etc.

7) Chained Lust ( House of V), Owner – Vveronic Pony
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chained%20lust/81/61/57

House of V on the Chained Lust sim is one of the most popular BDSM clubs in Second Life. Closed to anyone under 18, the club works to ensure that all who participate in activities here are willing participants and not innocent victims. There is a large billboard with the following warning:

Every Tuesday and Friday is Member’s Day. Any paid up House of V member or Gold member can claim the free use of anybody they find at House of V on Tuesdays and Fridays (Midnight to Midnight SLT). This includes HoV escorts, dancers, staff, friends, and non-member visitors.
The only people who can say no are House of V members, Gold members, HoV Concierges, DJs and HoV Officers. The only safe places are the landing and vendor areas! If you don’t want to be used, we advise you leave or stay in the safe area.
Duration of any session is 30 minutes minimum.
CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED!

So what does the term ‘free use’ mean exactly? I had a chance to talk to Ebony Takacs, House of V Concierge, for the juicy details:

“We are a rather friendly bunch – it IS BDSM sim of course, but I feel residents come here for the chatter and the obvious – to dance, hang out, and have fun. It’s open not only to those in Dom/Sub but for anyone who likes to play and follow the rules. I will say that its best for members on Tuesdays and Fridays. On those days, members are able to claim others – sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.
For 30 minutes a member can claim you as a sub and you do what she asks.
This can often mean something as innocent as dancing. However, this is an adult sim, so other things happen as well.
I like it because you never know from day to night what you might see.”

(House of V Concierge, Ebony Takacs dances while working at the club.)

Do you make money here?

“Honestly, Tuesdays and Fridays? Not much. Other days more.
I must admit I have worked and not gotten paid much,
but I have made up to 2 or 3,000L ($8.00 -$12.00). But trust me, this is not common.
It is fun to work here. That and the people I interact with outweigh the money I make.
At the House of V, come out and enjoy dom/subs, beasts, your fantasy – this is what it means to me.”

8 ) Midnight Reflection, Owner – Missbehavin Neva
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Midnight%20Reflections/128/128/0

Midnight Reflection is a sim that boasts “love and romance”. It is decorated with lush foliage and beautiful waterfalls. The center of activity is the large dance floor nestled among the high clifftops. A pathway runs along the upper ledge of the rocks making for beautiful views and a nice romantic getaway from the action on the dance floor. The owner, Missbehavin, is very friendly, accessible and willing to answer questions.

(Monet Bury sports her new frock on the dance floor at the Midnight Reflection sim)

One resident, Money Bury, makes Midnight Reflections a major part of her regular stomping grounds.”I love it here! They have many dances and events. Most everyone is rather friendly and there is always someone here. Evenings they have events, contests, a live DJ and theme nights.”

9 ) Remembrance, Owner – Luxa Budan
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Remembrance/128/128/0

Remembrance, or NOR sim, is one of 12 islands housing a dark roleplay and combat sim. According to Savina Decosta, who has been playing for over a year, the primary goal is to defeat other players and gain power.

( Savina Decosta, group leader)

She is a Lycan and “fights with her claws.”

(The city and combat area on the Nor sim)

When asked if there are there public battles, Savina replied; “Yes, HUGE public battles”.

10 ) SLeek, Owner – Hummer Corleone
http://slurl.com/secondlife/SLeek/128/128/0

SLeek is the newest club to hit the SLENTRE.COM Traffic Report. The vibe is fresh and international and there seemed to be many chats going on in languages other than English.

(DJ Janine Cummings spins funky house electronica at SLeek, Second Life dance club)

Club manager and SLeek DJ, Janine Cummings, was happy to answer a few questions about the club and why it’s so popular among residents:

Avarie Parker: Why do residents come to the club?

Janine Cummings: Residents come here to dance, talk and meet other people from over the world. A lot of people simply hangout at the beach area, which is packed with people windsurfing, parasailing, kite boarding, swimming and a wide range of activities to discover.

AP: What is the music like?

JC: We’re focused on House music and have a wide range of DJs playing here from all over the world.

AP: How long have you been DJing at SLeek?

JC: I DJ very rarely, because I am too busy with other projects in SL. I do the DJ bookings for the Club. I work in the music business in RL, so it’s interesting for me to spot new talent in SL.

AP: How long has the club been around?

JC: SLeek has existed for two years now. The actual location (Region) has been around since February 2007.

AP: Do you make good money?

JC: I guess the fact that that the club has continued running for two years speaks for itself.

AP: Why did the owner open the club?

JC: SLeek is not only a dance Club. Hummer Corleone (Owner) runs his Furniture and Gym Equipment business on the Sim and some selected shops featuring the best designers in SL (including Sartoria Traveller Bade [Men’s Clothing], Wrong [Women’s Clothing], Kalnins [Eyewear], SOREAL, Akeyo, Hyperion Studio [Shapes], Concrete [Urban Wear] and RE.ACT).

AP:What are the best nights to come out?

JC: We run events with changing life-DJ’s every Day in European peak time (12-04 PM SLT).

500)Russia, Owner – Crisalis Clary
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Russia/128/128/2

Russia is a straightforward sim dedicated to Russian speakers only. When you arrive you are immediately given a notecard requesting that chat is only in Russian. The most popular area of the Island is a central fountain surrounded by benches and lovely landscaping.

(SecondRussia in Second Life provides learning areas for Russian speaking SL residents.)

The Island also houses an ampitheater and classroom for students who want to learn to speak better Russian. If you are looking to bone up on your fluency, this would be a great place to find others who want to converse in Russian.

(SL resident and Russian speaker Olle Viper visits Russia in SL to have fun with friends.)

However learning isn’t the only thing happening on the Russia sim. Residents like Olle Viper visit the sim to “have fun with friends!”

*This report was compiled using the powerful mapping tools provided by Mappa Novus,http://www.mappanovus.com/. Their in-house data collection technology regularly collects population data for each region of the Second Life metaverse. The data is stored over time so various statistical analyses can be made. Any sim that offers camping, free-lindens, or bots is disqualified.