Regarding the Michigan Hardcore myspace profile - If you care about the scene in this state please read and give input!

Most of this is reposted from a bulletin I just sent out from the MI HC profile.

I posted a bulletin on the profile yesterday asking people to let me know if they actually used the page and referred to the calendar to get updates on shows happening all over the state and had a really amazing response making me much more assured that it serves its purpose and isn't being unappreciated. However, A few people brought up some good points and if anyone has any ideas about how to make this profile better or fix some of the kinks PLEASE don't hesitate to message me about them:

I plan on switching this over to a band profile when I have the time to do so in one fell swoop which will make it easier to click on the individual dates on the calendar. Please don't forget to do show as there's important info in there about age restrictions (when applicable), cost, venue address and other bands playing any given show that I couldn't fit into the main subject line.

Someone suggested that there be a site for shows with a calendar that other people can post to and update so all the work isn't up to one person. I love this idea and have seen it work for scenes in other cities however there actually is one for MI (Jon Carpus from Deathskin Razors made it last summer) and no one ever goes to or uses it. Perhaps that can change. I believe the link is under Michigan Hardcore show calendar in the links section. http://www.radiodysentery.com/mihc

I know it doesn't show when I add new shows to the calendar making it difficult to navigate through the very long list of shows and try to see what's new and what's not. If anyone has any ideas about how to change this please let me know. I will try to do a better job of making a bulletin and letting you all know when I add new shows to the calendar.

As far as flyers go I post the ones I come across but I would say that 75% of the shows in the calendar either don't have flyers or I never come across them. Often times I'll see a flyer for shows less than a week (or as close as the day or 2) before a show. This is not good promotion! I will be happy to put any flyers for shows on the page so PLEASE, if you're in a band, do shows, have friends that are in bands etc. Send me the flyers when they're made!

As always send me shows with complete info! If you're in a MI band I'd expect to get at least the show info if not a flyer for every show you have booked in the state. The profile has proved to be great for promotion.

Also, whether in a band or not I encourage everyone to put the profile in your top friends, I know many already have but all the exposure possible is needed!

If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions please let me know.

Thank You.

http://www.myspace.com/michhardcore

Oh man, I kinda forgot about that. I was meaning to keep it updated, but that hasn't happened for some time. fucking lazyness.

I'm so glad people actually gave feedback on this. I wonder why I still care about the scene in MI sometimes.

Regarding the calendar, and actually promotion as a whole, you could always set up a google group and make a publicly editable calendar on there. I dont know how familiar you are with google groups, but pretty much anyone who wants to receive updates through their email can be added and also any gmail users can be allowed access to certain documents, etc.

tbag01 wrote:I'm so glad people actually gave feedback on this. I wonder why I still care about the scene in MI sometimes.

Maybe people were happy with the MIHC page and didn't have anything constructive to add, so they didn't bother to reply. I for one am grateful for the page, and I think it is doing well and serves its purpose.

You still care because there are good people and good bands here. Don't get all saucy.

unfortunately it seems like myspace is the best way to get the info out there. websites like the old +/- forum (for smaller regions) just don't really get much traffic today. Myspace/facebook/twitter is just too easy, but at the same time it sorta generates laziness/apathy/lack of community. If your goal is simply to provide info, I think myspace is the best bet. If you want to build a community, this forum is your best bet.

As far as improving the myspace thing, def. make it a band profile. One suggestion I have is I actually prefer the myspace list of shows over the flyer images. I usually just skip past the flyers and go for the formatted text, I don't know if you should change it, but just letting you know how I use the site.

Does anyone else prefer the calendar list of shows over the flyers? Should I start putting the flyers in a photo album that way people can click on the album if they'd like and see what flyers there are. You'd also be able to see when I add a flyer through the automatic updates that way, which I like the idea of.

I wish there was an update for when you added a show/event to the calendar. I know I've seen it done on the Metal Frat profile and maybe one or two others but have no idea how to make that setting. Does anyone?

This google group idea is intriguing though I'd like to get a calendar set up that is edit-able by anyone so 1 person isn't stuck keeping track of and updating all the shows going on. I just don't have the time or energy for it right now.

I usually only use the calendar and not the flyers

I still think making a twitter would be the sweet. Everyone has one now. Getting an update the day of the show would really sweet for people who forget or don't know what time it starts, costs, etc. Plus its really good promotion, cause it addresses everyone instead of having to keep updated on a Myspace.

As far as input about the Myspace, I think the fliers idea is awesome, but other then that I think the Myspace is ran very well.

ericlauder wrote:I still think making a twitter would be the sweet. Everyone has one now. Getting an update the day of the show would really sweet for people who forget or don't know what time it starts, costs, etc. Plus its really good promotion, cause it addresses everyone instead of having to keep updated on a Myspace.

As far as input about the Myspace, I think the fliers idea is awesome, but other then that I think the Myspace is ran very well.

The problem with the twitter in my opinion is he would have to update it when ever there is a show, which is almost every single day, and I could see that becoming a pain in the ass.

lifeandlimb wrote:

ericlauder wrote:I still think making a twitter would be the sweet. Everyone has one now. Getting an update the day of the show would really sweet for people who forget or don't know what time it starts, costs, etc. Plus its really good promotion, cause it addresses everyone instead of having to keep updated on a Myspace.

As far as input about the Myspace, I think the fliers idea is awesome, but other then that I think the Myspace is ran very well.

The problem with the twitter in my opinion is he would have to update it when ever there is a show, which is almost every single day, and I could see that becoming a pain in the ass.

Yeah, but it would be awesome.

I like the idea but totally don't have the time for it unfortunately. If anyone wants to do that we can collaborate and make a twitter acct. for MI HC as long as you'll handle the updates on it.

I will obviously do the twitter since I tweet all day anyway.