Real life, or something like it

ABOUT six months ago, BBC's Newsnight pulled off a technological first. The Beeb broadcast part of the show from a weird online virtual community called Second Life. This is an exponentially growing virtual world which boasts some 370,000 "residents" from more than 80 countries.

The popular prejudice here is that these are places for anoraks to play advanced level shoot- 'em-up games and slay the odd dragon. But Second Life has stretched the whole concept of the virtual community. Newsnight was there to report on how Second Life has its own economy: residents can buy and build on land and make and sell their own clothes. They even pay taxes and have voting rights.

From a specially constructed Newsnight facsimile studio in Second Life, Jeremy Paxman talked to business correspondent Paul Mason (both done up as avatars of themselves) about the implications of virtual economies. They didn't talk about the implications of virtual bands and virtual gigs in Second Life. But as virtual communities continue to grow, music is becoming a key attraction in their development. Already in Second Life, you can go to a nightclub. But so far there's been no real virtual (excuse the paradox) music to talk of.

Last May, though, BBC Radio 1 rented a virtual island in Second Life on which it staged its One Big Weekend event. It mirrored the real event being held at the same time in Scotland, which had performances from Muse, Gnarls Barkley and a number of DJs.

For this inaugural show, it simply wasn't possible to get avatars of all the acts ready in time, so virtual gig-goers had to make do with old-skool video and audio streaming from the real- world event. However, you were able (if you were so inclined) to take part in a dance-off in a DJ tent or experience a virtual mud- slide. Yes, a virtual mudslide - what a brave new technological world we live in. Radio 1 hopes to continue using Second Life to host shows by unsigned musicians.

Taking things one step further are the "are they still going?" Duran Duran, whose next tour will include a Second Life show, when they will perform what they describe as "an actual live concert". The idea came from keyboardist Nick Rhodes, who discovered the virtual community a few months ago.

"I was astounded by the possibilities that were there," he says. "When I started looking at the figures running around, chatting and interacting, I thought this is somewhere between a bizarre virtual reality TV show, a surreal real-life experience and a video game. Somehow the amalgamation was just irresistible - what became obvious was that Duran Duran should have a presence within there."

Duran Duran are now constructing their own avatars, which they will unveil next month before announcing the actual date of their virtual show. They will qualify as the first band to gig on Second Life because the only other musical performance was by a solo artist, Suzanne Vega, who played two weeks ago.

Obviously, because of the whole virtual thing, you will have to pay for your Duran Duran tickets in Second Life currency. There will be virtual security guards and, no doubt, virtual Z-list celebrities on the guest list.

It's not too late to stop this: residents on Second Life have already proved themselves to be just like residents in the real world. Previously they have formed in groupings complaining about how certain land has been zoned off and how some policy changes within the virtual community are believed to be more beneficial for some than others. So don't be surprised to see a "Stop This Gig"/"Second Life says no to Duran Duran" move- ment emerging. Complaints could vary from those to do with noise pollution to the actual lightweight New Romantic musical act themselves.

Whether the protestors are successful remains to be seen. Either way, you can bet that any day there'll be a virtual Ticket- master setting up on Second Life.