Cindy Sheehan Arrested at State of Union

Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.

I guess we're for Freedom of speech everywhere, except inside of our nation's capital building...

Dan Bern is the Messiah

Dan Bern rolled into San Francisco's 12 Galaxies last night and put on another stellar intimate affiar showcasing his broad and evolving talent. Mixing it up between new and old songs, Dan fought off the technical difficulties as best he could, even garnering the electric guitar for a few numbers. Always nice to hear his tribute to Barry Bonds "rincon" and the often gentle swirling of major keys as he floating through his mind.

When the staticy feedback was too much to handle, Dan ripped the chord from his accoustic and ventured out into the audience, breaking down the fourth wall and busting into a crowd-wide sing-a-long of his personal anthem "Jerusalem"

When I tell you that I love you don't test my love, accept my love, don't test my love, cause maybe I don't love you all that much.

The crowd surrounded him and stood up close while he gifted us with several old-time rarities including Marilyn Monroe and a few more new tunes.

The evening ended as Dan came back downstairs for an encore, perched upon the single stool on stage at the venue, still unplugged, and sang what must have been a 10 verse song that I had not heard from again.

If there is anything consistent about Bernstein appearances in San Francisco, especially during the off-season, is that they are diverse, spontaneous and you'll never know what you're going to get.

There is always one thing for sure, however. As my friend Chris likes to say - He just makes you feel like a human being again...

Server Transition Fun

I moved JamBase to a new set of servers tonight. The site was offline for just over 2 hours while I turned off the database, backed it up, FTP'd it to my new server and then restored it.

It took most of the day Saturday & Sunday just to move all of the regular code and image files over to the new location and configure the server. Then tonight I had to cre-create anything that was added during the workday, cross my fingers and flip the switch.

Not sure why i'm blogging about this...hopefully it will be smooth enough that noone will notice (except maybe the increased performance on the new server) - - maybe if there's an inquisitive developer out there preparing to move servers they'll find this and it will give them comfort knowing that others are sharing the pain. It sure did for me.

Here's a tip - if you're going to move your web server - tell your ISP a few days beforehand to change your DNS TTL settings to 5 minutes - this is the lowest setting. Then, when you shut your site down and move it, as soon as you switch your DNS, it will propogate immediately, instead of having to wait the typical 24-48 hours.

Ok, time to sleep.

Phix

Phix, the Phish cover band, rolled into San Francisco last night and a bunch of us went to check it out. It was fun, from the (sorta) pre-show jitters to the Boy Man God Shit of You Enjoy Myself, it was a genuine good time.

Sure, you had to go in allowing yourself to accept the premise of the situation, and if you closed your eyes, stood in the middle of the floor and let your imagination wander, it kinda felt like those moments during the summer nights out on the lawn.

Appropriately, the evening allowed me to appreciate how special of a band Phish truly was, and I'm pretty sure that was the whole point. Phix doesn't hide their intentions. They are there to honor the legacy and give people a taste of the vibe of what those songs are all about.

It all boils down to this: PHISH has given us some of the most powerful and creative music that our generation has seen. PHIX is made up of four musicians in Colorado who have been profoundly inspired by their music, not only as musicians, but as human beings. Rather than trying to imitate the original (as is typically the case with tribute bands), Phix attempts, in our own humble way, to recreate the special energy and spontaneity of a live Phish concert.

And they do it well. I've never heard a band cover Phish before (i met the Biscuits too late unfortunately), and for the most part - these guys nail it. I especially appreciated when they improvised, took a song out there in their own special way, but with that looptidy bouncity Phish flavor, and of course I really enjoyed their covers of covers, Crosseyed and Painless, and the Loving Cup closer (with Frankenstein teases INTO Sparkle! Sick!)

All in all, a nice evening out on the town. Special props to Super Dee for throwing it down, Holly for the smooth Tequila and 12 Gs Robert for the kind hospitality.

Rock on Phix - Fluffhead next time

JamBase Mobile

Say you're out on the town having dinner and suddenly get the urge to Go See Live Music. Now you can turn to JamBase from your mobile phone.

Just go to your cellphone's web browser and type into the location bar:

M.jambase.com

The M is for Mmmmm...
mobile.jambase.com works too

It will take you to a quick form which asks for your Zip Code and then prints out an easy to read list of concerts within 50 miles of your location for tonight.

Give it a whirl, be sure to call before you haul and have fun.

Sirius

I have been enjoying my Sirius Satellite Radio for the last week. The signal is clear and the programming is solid. No commercials is definitely nice.

I find myself switching around between Jam_on 17 (duh), The Vault 16, The Globe 98 (all Rolling Stones this week), Outlaw Country 63 (thank JBau) and of course, I can't resist seeing what Howard Stern is up to. It's tough to listen for me to listen for very long, as the fart jokes get a little old. I personally was a bigger fan of his when he was fighting the U.S. government, but I can understand how that wasn't really working for him.

I appreciate the read-out of what song I'm listening to. All too often with "terrestrial" radio I'll find myself wondering what in the world it was that they were playing, only to find the DJ off on another planet when the time comes to clue everybody in.

Given the clear two-way communication which exists with this device, I wonder when we'll see MySirius - a station that I can program online at their website which will play songs for My Favorite Bands and other like it, just for me. Some day...

It's quite unifying to consider the fact that everyone in the world can be listening to the same thing at the same time. Imagine the possibilities of the positive musical messages to spread...

p.s. Schwartz, you rock...

Goog

Google (Goog) dropped $22 / share today on news that Yahoo! didn't meet their earnings expectation by a penny. Now everyone is freaked about the January 31st Google Announcement and a few analysts pulled their support for the Google stock saying it was over valued.

Curiously - how many times did you use Google today, without really even thinking about it?

Yeah, i'm not selling yet...they're a power appliance.

The Song Tapper

Tap your keyboard, it tells you what song is in your head.

http://www.songtapper.com/s/tappingmain.bin

Technology is the great enabler

Throughout time, humans have been blessed with technological breakthroughs. The arrow, the wheel the knife, the telephone the fax machine, the computer...Technology is truly the great enabler allowing us to go faster and father than before. Is HAS made our lives better, allowed us to live longer and connect with each other like never before.

Technology on it's own is not a business.

There are companies out there who will try to tell you that technology is their business, but they're wrong.

All businesses are products or services.

The technology is there to support the product and service, but technology alone is not a business.

You might now say, but what if I'm selling technology?

Even if it's an exclusive item that no one can get anywhere else, chances are they don't really need it and it's the service OF the technology that you're selling, not the technology.

TVs - you don't buy a tv for the technology, you buy a TV for the access to the entertainment it provides and the way it provides it.

Cars - you don't buy a car for the technology, you buy a Car for the fact that it gets you from point A to point B in a certain way with certain add ons.

Technology can be there to assist the service in all it's glory, but when technology becomes the focal point of the service, something gets lost.

I got thinking about this due to the rise of Social Networks on the Internet. In many cases, these are pieces of current web technology creating communities. But is it working? I tend to think that it's better to have the community first, and then utilize technologies to enable existing communities to connect like never before...

A Picture Share!

A Picture Share!

NYE: A TIME TO CELEBRATE

We just published as MASSIVE retrospective Photo/Review article on New Years Eve over at JamBase: http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=7750

In addition to the pieces this week on Galactic (http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=7733) and Bisco (http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=7758)

Obviously that wasn't them all, as there were 592 NYE Events in JamBase (372 at a zipcode I could map), so before anyone starts complaining that we weren't at your favorite bands show and how could we possible not mention this sickness that went down or that sickness that was dropped please understand that we can't be everywhere at the same time (i know, it is possible, I know)

BUT - the beauty is, we can. We are at every show. Because, as I've said before, WE is YOU. And if you were there when IT happened and it's not mentioned, use the comments section at the bottom of the article to continue the thread on what you did for NYE...or if you're tired of talking about last year and re so inclined, why not use the opportunity to say what you're most looking forward to in 2006!

What am I most excited about for 2006?
Finishing some of these new features I've been working on and being able to talk about them...let me know if you want to help test.

Bob Dylan :: New Morning

Bob Dylan :: New Morning.

Nice album from 1970

Ticket Stick-It

Our buddy Dean has come up with a novel concept for holding onto those old ticket stubs from concerts past: http://www.ticketstickit.com



He's not selling magnets, he's selling memories ;)

Very cool!

Broken Thermostat

We were moving some furniture around last week and literally took the face right off our thermostat. That little hole in the middle is where the white pivot control piece goes and it broke off.

Not exactly sure what I'm blogging around this, I'm just finding new knowledge of thermostats and how the mercury controls the coils which turns the heat on and off...fascinating.

Off to the hardware store where Stan is gonna hook us up with a new piece.

The Rules

When we started JamBase some 7 years ago, there were some 'rules' that kept coming back around. I'm not sure if we ever wrote them down, but nonetheless - here's what I can remember:

1. You've gotta be nice

2. Avoid "Coming Soon"
Don't pre-announce features or stories. When they get there they'll get there. If you're "coming soon" it means that you're "blowing now". But when you're ready to go live, make it count: ANNOUNCING!

3. Get people to where they want to go or the information they want as quickly as possible (even if its not on our site) and they'll keep coming back.

4. Win with the fans and everyone else will follow

5. ...I can't remember right now, what are your rules?

Neil Young

Whatever it is about the sound of an acoustic guitar or piano with the harmonica which makes it timeless...I like it.

Neil's music can always soothe my mood, and creates an essence of sound that no matter where I am or what I'm doing, it zones me into the present.

It's an incredible thing he's been able to do - reinventing himself along the years, experimenting with new bands, going electric, back to acoustic, concept albums and then returning home to the Prairie...

Thanks Neil.

"Blue blue window behind the stars. Yellow moon on the rise. Big birds flying across the sky. Throwing shadows on our eyes...."

Chatty Crowds

Why do people pay good money to go out to a club, see music and talk the entire time?

I understand the need to converse every now and then, but when the band is pouring themselves out on stage (especially in some of those 'quiet' moments) I cringe at the overwhelming patter of discussion and general chit chat that is likely nowhere near the substance or expressive potency of what's coming off the stage.

Sure, there are those who will tell you that they paid their good money to be there and they're entitled to do whatever the hell they want. They may be right, but when you are diminshing the quality of experience for those around you, it might be time to self-check and ask if what you're saying is really all that important at that moment.

OK I'll admit, I'm guilty of doing it sometimes too. We can't help it.

What can we do to quell out desire for expression and just for a brief and shining few moments be there to aborb and reflect the art, without needing to chime in with random conversation?

I've never seen it, but I've heard the crowds in Japan are pin-drop quiet and respectful during shows. They also often know all the words and changes and are dialed into the vibe with perfect attention...how incredible it must be to perform for such an attentive audience.

Please Stop Your Auto-Play Music Websites!

I listen to music at work, my music. Then of course, while stumbling around the web researching and discovery, I'll come across an artist's website where their music will begin blasting immediately.

Why?

If I want to hear your band, I'll click some promiment link you provide me to listen to your music. Otherwise, it's kind of annoying...and can also be disturbing or even turn people off.

Making it easier for people to hear your music doesn't have to mean shoving it in their face as soon as they come to check you out.

In related news, I've been listening to this kick-ass Jazz Guitarist Rhapsody playlist all day. Check it out!

New

I always like New Years Day.

Everything is closed, nobody does anything and time seems to stand still. Today is starting out very much the same. I woke up early, unable to continue sleeping through the day (i'll nap later). It's overcast, windy and rainy outside - no reason to go out. Even better.

It feels like on New Year's Day we give ourselves a chance to breathe before taking in another year. A day of reflection, grounding and settings our intentions (resolutions) for the coming year.

Here's to hoping that 2006 is 200SICK!