Am I to cool for clubs or a stick in the mud?

I recently returned to SL and started going to clubs to meet people since my absence had caused my friends list to shrink. I quickly learned though that unless you speak in gestures, you really cannot carry much of a conversation in many of them. There are usually people who do not say anything except "HOOoooOOOooo!!!" 10 times in a row making any real conversation zip past quickly unnoticed. I find myself leaving those places completely frazzled after spending 2 hours trying to sift through all the obnoxious spam in local chat. I don't like to think of myself as a grumpy old fart, but am I being one? I think I can tolerate a lot usually, but these places raise my blood pressure when, I think, I am supposed to be having a good time LOL.

So my experience tells me that clubs are for people who like to gesture only and watch their avatars dance and not really converse with others in the open. Am I right in this assumption? Are there clubs that restrict the use of gestures so everyone can enjoy the place?

So, you were at Bad Girls too, eh?

Depending on the club, I will either mute gesture spammers or leave. If the club seems to have good music and a lot of real chatter going on (say like Blackhearts) I'll just mute the spammers, mostly figuring they are overly scripted bots that aren't going to add anything to the conversation anyway. If all you have are "whoooo"'s and "rawr"'s filling up the chat, it might be time to leave the club though... unless you don't mind being the only real person dancing with 20 bots.

No there are none, you should play the sims as they are mindless zombies. And theyre rants are meaningless. Keep your friends or get lost. Just my friendly SL Psychic advice. GL in the future and pay more for SL! So you keep those friends!

Most new clubs cater to the new players, so you are going to get the standard noise and gestures. Try some of the more established venues - the smaller places that have a strong following. Elbow room and some other pubs are fun.

I'm at alt7 now and there's no hooing going on here, just good tunes and people chatting about music, weather, food and life.

you're just going to the wrong clubs :/ there are clubs out there with interesting music and intelligent, witty, or at least entertaining conversation going on - check out the indie music scene - skip the discos.

I didn't think about pubs. I will check some out. Come to think of it now, I suppose live music venues would be a bit more social and laid back as well. Thanks.

Sometimes spam is used deliberately to interrupt and diffuse heavy conversation that might spiral out into drama and ruin peoples' fun.

Me? I get annoyed with the spam when it gets excessive. I even have a gesture that goes:
"I like spam too but I want it on my plate and in my mouth. In the eye stings!"

I also love
people
that
talk
like this
in little strata
that actually amounts
to nothing interesting
and is usually
just a
LOL
ROLF
demand for attention.

Funny, I was just thinking of Alt7 as I was reading the OP. I don't think I've ever heard spam there. Good music and nice people. It's PG (for what that's worth), and not a pick up joint. (Or maybe I'm just not doing it right )

I tend to mute the spamtards if the music is good.

Interestingly, I've had to mute the performer's "manager" or whatever those cheerleaders are called, more than once. The constant sales pitch to join the group, hire the performer or pony up tips is just as annoying as the mindless Hooooo's.
I'm pretty sure that I have the presence of mind to tip a good performer or consider hiring them if I have the opportunity and desire.

I shall orbit the next person that shouts the phrase "Linden love". What moron did ever come up with that?

In case you did not figure it out the "people" that never converse and just emit random gestures on a random basis are bots. Some are a tad more advanced and simulate conversation but if you watch carefully you will spot the problem since they will be conversing but about different topics. basically the appearance is people having conversations with themselves in a crowd. Like maybe a lunatic asylum day room.

Nah. Not bots. That's just me, typing a response into the wrong window . . .

I've been finding it very easy to find genuinely friendly crowds on estate kink sims. (^_^)

Though... It's been more difficult to take forum-friendly pictures in those places. (._.)

The nude beach in The Wild Coast is always crowded with people, real people. If you don't mind nudity, this is a great place. TP in my picks if you look in my profile inworld.

I dont tend to go to clubs either for the same reason as the gesture whores or the ones who have the spanking HUDs who cant keep their cyber hands to themselves

The 'Mute' button is your friend in this case. You miss nothing by muting a spamtard and the added bonus is that it's much easier to follow conversation. I think it might also reduce lag although I'm not sure.

I make a point of weeding out the spamtards first thing on arrival anyplace. I usually clear the Mute list before I log out but it's no big deal if I forget and they stay muted for a few days. It's not as if I'm missing anything, is it?

me too! Usually at a music show or event, I will just mute spammers until I can't hear it any more. A lot of times it is the 'cheerleaders' who go grey first.

Avoid disappointment: DJs often do not recognize the connotation of "Linden love" as a euphemism for anal sex.

LOL.

Generally speaking... when would be a good time to accidentally bump into you there?

:does a double take.

Eli, your double entendres are getting smoother all the time.

Best to go to small bars/clubs that cater to members of a particular group. I had the same problem as you until I met a DJ who does small gigs. We have a fun time discussing each song she plays and the memories associated with the song and the artist.

IM me inworld and I'll introduce you to these groups.

Thanks!
What can i say... it's a gift.

The Wild Coast didn't make the move to Zindra, so it's more like the "Mild Coast" these days, no bumping allowed *grins*

Still a pleasant hangout with friendly staff though.......