Maxys Max Media and Entertainment

Another definative Internet moment

Right now it's 1.09PM on Monday here in Sydney, at 2.30PM today or 8.30PM in Pasenda USA, Irish Band U2 will broacast live in High Definition via Youtube.

You get a sense that we're about to see and experience something remarkable - another definative moment in the world of online video and human communications.

As an experiment I'm going to try and embed and write a live blog at the same time.

1.13PM - time to post and Twitter this article.

1.19PM - web development - it doesn't look like the embed link works - will try object embed

1.21PM - test successful -  video code embedded.  Just the landing page.  I Skype chat with my business partners - we know that this event is something special - millions of people will be watching.

1.49PM - ah that was an "interesting" 1/2 hour - my guys quick to think came up with a guerilla marketing campaign.  Run a CLIVE demo over the site and Tweet it out.  Idea quickly pulled.  Below edited version of conversation.  At times is not about you or I but something more - to be part of something much bigger than ourselves.

[12:55:25 PM] Chris: http://www.youtube.com/u2?feature=ticker
[1:09:22 PM] Scott: yep - about to redefine the landscape
[1:12:28 PM] *** Chris added Brendan ***

[1:12:32 PM] Chris: U2 Live on YouTube @ 2.30pm
[1:12:46 PM] Chris: http://www.youtube.com/u2?feature=ticker#p/u
[1:13:01 PM] Scott: yea mate - going to embed and write a live blog
[1:16:00 PM] Brendan: all good.. but how do we make $$$$$ from it?
[1:16:27 PM] Chris: We don't, just rock on!

Now to fix our demo page and watch the concert.

2.38PM Streaming - Youtube U2 Live video stream http://tinyurl.com/yjub9dh - another moment in time.

2.42PM Count down is another 18 minutes - time to plug my laptop into my PA (just cause I can!) - that's Power Amp not Personal Assistant.

3.00PM - Bono chats behind stage - 1.348 million Channel Views; 77K subscribers

Cut to arena, lights dim, David Bowie, Major Tom, sets the scene.  Crowd roars.  Here we go.

3:13PM - Sensational - my laptops plugged into my studio PA and it's rockin - it's loud and it's LIVE.

3.39PM - Posting the odd Tweet, #u2webcast - there was something quiet amazing about singing "Still Haven't Found" in the comfort of the Office/ Studio with millions of people worldwide via Youtube.

3:44PM - The new song playing doesn't grab me but who cares - let's take a look at some online stats to see what going on.

3.59PM - Not much available for giving live Twitter graphs on hash tags but I just found a good background article on Mashable http://mashable.com/2009/10/19/u2-youtube-live-stream/

4.10PM - Phone (Skype line) just rang but all sound plugged into my PA - now that would have been interesting!

4.28PM- Sunday Bloody Sunday - I'm taken immediately to my first U2 concert over 20 years ago.  Surfing trips down the coast.  Old friends.  Funny how songs trigger memories.

4:47PM - We're into the encore - "Amazing Grace" - tingles.

4:50PM - "Streets Have No Name!" - Edge's Irish triplets rythme. He has more guitars then Nashville Scene (Worlds Largest Guitar Store)!

4.55PM - The Band leaves the stage - a red light of the spaceship centre stage.

4.56PM  - A little alien speaks "what time is it in the world"

5.03PM  - After two hours it's time to wind the audience down - that live band experience, that emotional roller coaster road you take your audience on, "With or Without You"

On a whole lot of levels an incredible event - the world's biggest band performing on the world's largest stage.

5.18PM - "Thanks for giving us a great life" says Bono, the band walks to all corners of the stage.

5.19PM - Elton John Rocket Man and lights on.

I, like millions of people around the world have just watched a rock convert in the US from the comfort of my office.  It reminds me a bit of the old images of people clustered around old black and televisions watching the first steps of man landing on the moon.   The technological feat accomplished here just as impressive in that what we say today was a transition from the television broadcast to the IP broadcast.  Across the country IT Managers have watched how their networks have performed or failed.

The event lays an interesting query for Australia and our NBN (National Broadband Network).  The future of the web is more video.

Time for drink - I'll come back to this later and give this more thought -keen to see the stats - how many viewers how many tweets.

I think they could have done more with the online interactivity beyond the simple Twitter and comments feed - next time.

Well done U2 and Youtube.