Text Request Madness

Last week I built a mobile version of MarcDobson.com. I thought in addition to a mobile website I would take "Text Requests". Turns out "Text Requesting" is way more popular.

Last night at Bogard's I took in 15 text requests. I'm not sure how this compares in tip jar results to shouting out requests yet, but it feels good.

The list of things I do on a gig is just getting geekier.

Also, I've been updating MarcDobson.com this past week changing it from an html site to a Drupal/PHP site. As is the mobile and desktop sites are separate. With Drupal I should be able to spit out a mobile friendly and desktop site with the same content, allow things like guest book entries from both mobile and desktop and more.

Mobile MarcDobson.com

I just finished the 1st build on a mobile friendly version of MarcDobson.com

It's at http://m.marcdobson.com

I've placed a link at the top of most pages on www.MarcDobson.com as well.

Main purpose or gimmick is to request songs. I already hand out song request lists on paper at my gigs. Now persons at the gig can view my song list and "text request" songs from there mobile phone. There's even a link on every song list page to (hopefully) open the text message application on a mobile phone.

"Text request" is additional geekiness to running my live webcast with chat where persons at the club can make a dedication request for someone at home who they send to the live webcast.

I can even record the dedication request for viewing later.

Cheers,

Marc

50/50 tickets on a 1950 Panhead Chopper

I got tickets to sell for a Classic 1950 Panhead Chopper.

Tickets are $100, only 300 tickets will be sold and the bike is worth $15K.

Proceeds go to the Joe Realino Memorial Fund, more info at JoeRealino.com

Drawing will be at 9PM on Saturday November 7th 2009 at Patrick's Pub in Port St. John Fl.

This is a registered charity so you can use this as a tax deduction.

Joe Realino Memorial Fund, April 19th at Johnathons Pub

On April 19th 2009 I'll be at Jonathan's Pub (140 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach Fl) hosting "Party With A Purpose" to raise money for the Joe Realino Memorial Fund.

We are in need of solo and duo acts for the Benefit. We're keeping it simple so NO BANDS PLEASE.

I'll be managing the entertainment, performing, MC'n and running a live webcast off of webpage yet to be built on MarcDobson.com. There will be a PayPal link to make online donations via credit card.

More info below (If on MySpace or Facebook you may have to click through to http://marcrocs.blogspot.com to see image with more info)

Secretary of the Arts Petition

Please take a moment to sign this important petition and or pass it on to everyone on your e-mail list.

Quincy Jones has started a petition to try and influence President Elect Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. Please take a moment to go to the sight and sign at www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html

This is very important. Many other countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries. The United States has never appointed a person to represent the Arts. We in the Arts need this, and the country needs the Arts--now more than ever.

MarcDobson.com

Feb 19 Digital TV and Wireless Audio

I'm sure all of us are aware on Feb 19, 2009 TV broadcast is transitioning from analog to digital. If not have a look here http://www.dtv.gov

This transition IS going to affect many operators of wireless audio devices. If you own a wireless audio device that operates in the RF spectrum between 698 to 806 MHz ( the 700 MHz spectrum) in the near future you may need to replace your device.

You should check your wireless audio device manufactures website. AKG, Shure, Sennhesier and other manufacturers are offering limited rebates for upgrading/exchanging 700MHz wireless audio products.

After Feb 19:

- public safety agencies will begin to use 764 - 776 MHz and 794 - 806 MHz for two-way radio communications.

- 746 - 764 MHz and 776 - 794 MHz will be opened up for use by new commercial wireless services. Licenses for these new services by competitive bidding. Some auctions have already occurred, but the winners will not be able to use this spectrum until it has been vacated by the television broadcasts.

* Wireless audio devices that operate on frequencies above 698 MHz should not be used after February 19, 2009. How ever...

If you own a device operating in the public safety agency range 764 - 776 MHz and 794 - 806 MHz, I would be really concerned and consider a back up plan straight away.

If you own a device in frequency of the 700MHz spectrum not in the public safety range you may have a grace period. As of my research today, it appears none of the new devices licensed to use these frequencies will be available for public sale till late 2009 or early 2010. They all have to got through development and pass FCC.

* ALSO NOTE if you end up buying a new wireless audio device you still may not be future proofed :(

The issue(s) are complicated but boil down to:

- Digital TV is freeing up "white space" in the 150 - 700 MHz bands
- Manufactures and wireless carriers for new breeds of cordless telephones, wireless multimedia systems, PDA devices, and similar equipment want those bands to provide us with faster wireless data transmission.
- Over the past 35 years, wireless audio devices used by the performing arts have operated on radio frequencies between the television broadcast channels, on the so-called "white spaces" (from 150MHz - 175MHz and 470MHz - 806MHz) and these operators have not has to carry a license.

Personally I have $1,000's in wireless audio, most of which is in the 700 MHz spectrum and to old to qualify for manufacture rebates. This gear has worked for years flawlessly.

On the other hand I love my PDA, a WM6 HTC Tilt 3G speed (fastest available) mini computer cell phone. This is at least my 25th cell phone. I've spent $1,000's on cell phones. My kids have a older $200 cell phones as toys. Here we are gearing up for another round of faster wireless networks and new devices. If history repeats I will go out and buy a faster PDA Cell before the "price drop" with the desire to be geek cool. That new PDA will be just like the previous 25, it will not work flawlessly.

MarcDobson.com

Reference's for this article:

What’s the FCC Doing to My Wireless Microphones?

Other Issues that Impact the Performing Arts from American Arts Alliance

What Digital TV Means to Wireless Microphone Users from Shure

FCC Rules for NEW TV BAND DEVICES: What This Means For Wireless Microphone Users from Sennheiser

Mah Nà Mah Nà - for the record

I've been using a "Pointless Thought of the Day" trivia question at gigs lately:

Where did the song "Mah Nà Mah Nà" originally come from?

The obvious guess's of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show are wrong. I got to correct myself, it was not Swedish Porno film it was an Italian Porno film with a Swedish title.

The definitive answer:

"Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian softcore pornography movie Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell) (1968), a pseudo-documentary film about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden ("Mah Nà Mah Nà" accompanied a scene set in a sauna). A soundtrack album, "Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso" was released in 1968. The movie was also released under the English title Sweden Heaven and Hell.
SOURCE