I won’t get into a long diatribe about the ongoing turmoil in Iran. There’s enough coverage of that going on from sources that are much more credible/knowledgeable on the subject than I am.

That being said, there are two reasons I’m posting this. First off, I’m a huge fan of Bon Jovi – his music is a cornerstone of my more pleasant childhood memories. Second, I like to draw attention to specific examples of social media / new media being used to support a cause.

Here’s an excerpt from the TV Guide article:

Earlier this week, Bon Jovi and bandmate Richie Sambora recorded a version of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand by Me” with Iranian superstar Andy Madadian. Their mission: to send a message of global solidarity to the people of Iran who are caught in the midst of debate and protest over the country’s recent election.

And here’s the video:

Sources:
Bon Jovi – “Stand by Me” for Iranian People (TV Guide)
Andy and Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora (YouTube)

In a Nutshell: Promote events through Eventful; view upcoming events for your region/city; rally together and demand that events/performers come to your hometown. I’m using Eventful (in tandem with other sites) to help keep tabs on what’s happening here in Kingston.

I just wrapped up my last few classes a couple of weeks ago. Since then I’ve been trying to get my head out of the “I’m a student” mode and back into the “I’m trying to figure out where I go from here” mode.

One particular subject is topping my list of priorities: I need to get out into the community and see what’s going on. What bands are performing downtown on Friday? What stores are having sales? Is there a public event taking place that I should know about?

The traditional way of finding this information would involve checking the community spotlight pages of the local daily newspaper, or poking through posters that have been pinned to community bulletin boards. But newspapers really aren’t a part of my routine. I’m always connected to the web, though – whether it be from home or through my phone, and eventually from work as well – so I’d rather have the information come at me through that medium.

This is where Eventful comes in. Although the service is oriented primarily towards performers, the service can also be utilized to promote pretty much any kind of event.

As a registered user, you are also able to receive weekly event updates for your area. (For example: I know that it’s Pizza Friday this week at Watertown High School, and Arlo Guthrie is performing at the Grand Theatre on Sunday.)

Are there any sites that you use on a regular basis to keep tabs on local events? Leave a comment if you do!

Local Events: Concerts, Festivals & More Upcoming Events – Eventful.

“The host of CBC Radio’s arts and culture program Q gave his usual, upbeat introduction to Thornton and his fellow musicians in the Boxmasters, Thornton’s hillbilly-meets-British Invasion-inspired rock band. As a point of reference, Ghomeshi mentioned Thornton’s Oscar-winning screen career.

So far, so good.

But when asked about his influences, Thornton mumbled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what you mean by that.”

It went downhill from there, into left-field non-sequiturs by Thornton about reading Famous Monsters of Film Land as a kid, until the truth came out. Thornton’s handlers had told Q’s producers to talk about music, which Ghomeshi was happy to do, since the segment was all about the band and its swing through Canada.”

Highlights (courtesy of CNN):

Here’s the full interview:

Belligerent Billy Bob Thorton derails CBC Radio Interview – Globe and Mail
Billy Bob Thorton Makes Waves – CNN