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By Farqot Gustafson, Reporter
SLReports.net Several of us were sitting around last Wednesday, and at one point the conversation came around to what was the most exotic drink we’d picked in our travels to clubs. Our friend Bevan said “I’ll bet you’ve never had a Caipirinha, let alone ever heard of one!” You could have heard a pin drop on the carpet. She told us that that a Caipirinha (pronounced [kaj.pi.'ri.na]) is Brazil's national cocktail, which is a concoction of Cachaça (made from sugarcane juice), sugar and lime, and that she’d gotten it from Club Pulse, in the Columbia Sim. After hearing her excited description, we left immediately to check it out. The first thing that hit me was the music, which is a very workable mix of contemporary Bossa Nova and Electronica. The DJ, Tarsis Korobase, made it all flow like very few DJ’s I’ve heard, in or out of SL. Combine that with a spacious dance floor, a large mixed crowd, and plenty of seating for conversation, and it’s a very impressive place.
I sat down recently with Club Manager Yvette Quijote and DJ Tarsis Korobase, to talk about Club Pulse, and what set it apart from other clubs. As Yvette put it, “It seems that popular clubs tend to cater to the younger demographic. Tarsis and Club Pulse are offering a different kind of experience—almost an ‘appointment’ club night that you just don't miss, with above average crowds, chat and music. It draws people that are looking for that in SL—something a little less superficial or fleeting.” “Early this early summer, I went gone to one of the club nights, and was surprised at the quality of the music and Tarsis' DJ'ing. I believe it was his Friday night gig. I contacted Tarsis to ask him where his fan group was, and that's how we became friends! I've followed him around since then. ” When I asked Tarsis how he developed his style, he said, “I host a popular 1980's modern rock podcast on the Web called Alternative Classix, and saw Second Life as an opportunity to extend my brand through live shows. I started looking for a club that would fit not just my format, but the ‘style’ I was looking for, and Club Pulse met that need perfectly. So I began, at first doing just a Friday night gig playing Alternative 80s dance music.” “I've expanded my work at Club Pulse to the Thursday night gig playing more general 80s music, then also to the Wednesday night gig playing Brazilian Bossa Nova and Electronica music. Each genre tends to draw out people in their 30s to 50s.” As Yvette put it, “I think Tarsis has a unique approach to DJ'ing, likely borne out of his experience with his long-running podcast. He doesn't just do your run of the mill 80s cuts—he delves deeper into different band’s catalogues, finding those songs that you may not have heard, but you find you love. And it just makes for a great atmosphere—to have someone take that much care in creating a fun mood.” I asked if SL’s large Brazilian population was coming in, and Tarsis replied, “Absolutely! They actually began coming in droves for the Friday night gig, particularly after they discovered that I speak Portuguese. And now, they come to all three events.” “You see, my RL mother is Brazilian, so I grew up speaking the language. I also speak Spanish. I continually practice both Portuguese and Spanish to avoid loosing the languages.” As Yvette (an RL native of Puerto Rico for whom Spanish is her native tongue) put it, “I think that is one of the things that draws Tarsis apart in SL—his ability to spin for different language groups.” When I asked if he was looking for additional gigs, Tarsis replied, “I'm looking at various options right now, but they need to be opportunities that meet the specifications I'm proud to be a part of at Club Pulse.” Tarsis also said that “Kallyfaith Rolland, who’s the owner of the Club, is also seeking to fill other nights with various types of events. She's looking at folks that can bring some contemporary Top 40 to the club, and a Motown night.” Besides the regular Wednesday through Friday schedule, they’re planning a Halloween Party for October 31st, from 7-9 pm with Tarsis. Yvette added that, “The location has already been transformed. Kallyfaith has opened up her Haunted House, which should also be a lot of fun. I was a little spooked in RL, to be honest!” Club Pulse’s SLURL is http://slurl.com/secondlife/Columbia/81/46/22 To check Tarsis’ availability, contact his manager, Ribbons Whitfield. For more information on Tarsis’ podcast, go to: www.alternativeclassix.com To check out MTV’s Subterranean Community blog, go to:
http://www.subterraneanblog.com/2007/06/19/where-to-find-indie-in-second-life/
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