Live website?

[rattle]

As I mentioned to some of you at the Belfast Pledge gig I would be a wee bit of a U2 fan :whistle: (hence the username, mind numbingly boring story really but ask if you're curious and, I know, it's U2, corporate monsters but I like them so shoosh :p) ..... anyway, a group of U2 fans some time ago decided to establish a website cataloging every gig the band played, posting set lists, gig pics and videos etc.

It can be found at u2gigs.com.

I've long thought about establishing a Duke Special version but never mentioned it for a number of reasons until I noticed a line in a Mr. Fizzy post this morning on the NYC thread:-

I always like to note the setlist and take one photo if possible as a minimum.

Would it be feasible for us boardies to pool our combined resources and produce a similar site for DS? It doesn't have to be every gig given that DS plays some small venues but at least the major tours and larger venues should be well covered.

Things like fan reviews and fan pics as well as a wee bit about the support acts, a link back to the official site and shop could also be included. It could also be used to promote future gigs ..... but visit the above link for a better idea of the potential.

From the outset I would like to stress that this idea is in no way intended to be competition to the official site/this forum and, indeed, if Stephen or Phil etc. would like to take this particular ball and run with it I'd be delighted, I mean why else would I mention it here first if it was intended to be a challenge?

I just think it'd be something that would be a boon to us fans and help promote DS that little bit further on t'internet.

I would be willing to provide the hosting, the domain, the design and maintain the site (I manage and edit three official websites for a living, hopefully four if a certain job opportunity comes off) but if someone else is interested feel free to make your interest known.

Anyway, I'm just throwing the idea out there ...........

[Guildford Ghost]

I'd go further and maybe it could also be noted if there's audio or video clips of the sets. I know I've got copies of nearly all the DS gigs I've been to, and I have a fair few set lists hanging around in various places. Likewise, hundreds of photos at this stage. I think it should have a Wiki-style access, but those who are going to contribute have a password (to prevent SPAM) to make their own additions.

[rattle]

I'd go further and maybe it could also be noted if there's audio or video clips of the sets.

Yep, that'd be the intention, moreso for video clips than audio, mainly for the reason that people don't expect as high a sound quality from a video than they would on a live mp3 - and the intention here is very much to promote Duke, not to detract from his work.

There's also the internet stigma related with mp3's that strangely doesn't surround video.

I have a fair few set lists hanging around in various places.

If these and those from other contributors could be collated to help launch the site it'd be a great start, even incomplete set lists.

Hopefully, it'll be a user driven project so that others can contribute by filling in the missing gaps etc.

I think it should have a Wiki-style access

Indeed, I'm testing a few content management systems at the minute for a couple of my other sites which will allow a small group of people to update things as and when required.

[Mrfizzy]

As I mentioned to some of you at the Belfast Pledge gig I would be a wee bit of a U2 fan :whistle:

I've long thought about establishing a Duke Special version but never mentioned it for a number of reasons until I noticed a line in a Mr. Fizzy post this morning on the NYC thread:-

Would it be feasible for us boardies to pool our combined resources and produce a similar site for DS? It doesn't have to be every gig given that DS plays some small venues but at least the major tours and larger venues should be well covered.

I just think it'd be something that would be a boon to us fans and help promote DS that little bit further on t'internet.

I would be willing to provide the hosting, the domain, the design and maintain the site (I manage and edit three official websites for a living, hopefully four if a certain job opportunity comes off) but if someone else is interested feel free to make your interest known.

Anyway, I'm just throwing the idea out there ...........

Had a look at your U2 website at http://www.u2gigs.com/ rattle and it is an amazing body of work and useful reference point for gigs specifically. I'd say you were a fan and an IT talented one at that!

Stephen does a great job with the DS official website and I especially like the music discography reference/lyrics, tour diary on the front page and the forum organisation is considerably better than most. The problem for any main official site is that it has to provide content for absolutely everything and picking out a specific subset of information such as live gigs/where's Duke details would indeed be tricky.

Where your U2 site is so strong and useful is in collating all of this type of information in an easily searchable database. If it is feasible to collate the specific information required from the main site to a live gig database similar to your U2 site this would save an awful lot of double-posting. Fans could then add setlists and other details. I think that a DS "live gig site" has the potential to compliment and be synergistic with the main site but I'd be interested to hear Stephen's take.

My other comment is - when do you sleep?

[rattle]

Had a look at your U2 website at http://www.u2gigs.com/ rattle and it is an amazing body of work and useful reference point for gigs specifically. I'd say you were a fan and an IT talented one at that!

It's not my site, I'm just inspired by it, sorry if I gave the wrong impression. That's not to say I couldn't pull something together like that for Duke :cool:

But, like you and as I said in my original post, I'd be interested in the 'official' take on the idea before proceeding. I'll stress again that it's not and won't be intended to be competition of any sort to the official site.

My other comment is - when do you sleep?

Usually during the day, I've worked nights for over ten years so my sleep patterns are all over the place, it's a few hours here and a couple of hours there :redface: