This is topic (They extended the deadline!!! (grrr) )How can you change someone's life...? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.
So I know I haven't posted here in years, and maybe I have no business doing so now, but I was hoping I might be able to make a small trade with those of you who might be interested in help change my life for the better...
As some of you may know, I've been working on my music crafting for quite some time, and I've come to an interesting turning point.
My band is in an online voting contest to open for Blues Traveler. It ends at midnight tonight EST. We need at least 4th place, and right now we're only 11 votes shy of getting exactly that.
Opening for Blues Traveler could be a show that might change my life, so here's what I have to offer:
If you might be kind enough to take a moment to vote for my band, I've posted our latest album up on our website for free for the next few days. you can download it at http://www.icarusrisingdc.com
Perhaps you'll enjoy it, perhaps not. I very much hope some of you will. Either way, if you can spare a minute or two to vote, you will make me a very happy man. :-)
The link to the contest is http://www.ontaponline.com/celebrate . It's not a very intuitive voting system, so I'll help out a bit and give some instructions.
In order to vote, you scroll down to the bottom of the page and register and they'll send you a password. Login with the password, go back to the same web address, click "Icarus Rising" and press the "Vote" button at the bottom of the page and you're done.
I won't lie. The catch is they want your email address to send occasional newsletters. They're a reputable magazine in the D.C. area, so it should be easy to just click "unsubscribe" on the first one you receive, however if you're worried about it, it's also easy enough to give them a spam email account or create a new gmail/hotmail/yahoo etc. account and give that to them.
Anyways, sorry if I'm being long winded. I've worked endlessly on this for the past week and I'm sleep deprived, so I hope you'll forgive me. :-)
Wishing you all the best, and I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
-Noah
[ April 20, 2009, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: CalvinMaker ]
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
I thought this would've been a completely different thread.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Done. Less than 2 minutes total from first click to voting, including registration time (I used my throwaway yahoo account).
Excellent directions! Good luck!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
voted
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
Voted! Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
Voted. Assuming the votes are updated in realtime, you're now in 3rd place.
Are we limited to one vote per login?
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Thanks SO much for all your help guys! We've managed to sneak into third, very close behind 2nd and 1st but not far ahead of 4th and 5th. I refuse to celebrate though until midnight. :-)
I'm guessing they probably track extra votes by IP addresses. You could probably get away with an extra vote or two if the email and usernames are pretty different, since it could be roomates/siblings etc.
You guys rock!!!
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Certainly no skin off my back, man.
Is there more than one page of bands? Because the page you're on, you're the top.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Nope, just one page. Right now we're at 237. 1st is 247, 3rd is 236, and 4th is 218.
*hops around in circles as midnight draws closer*
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I voted for Gypsy Sons.
Kidding! Registered and voted. Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Voted. Man, it's tight! Good luck, dude:)
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
:-)
1 vote behind 2nd, 5 votes behind 1st.
43 min left. :-)
Part of me really wants to take 1st place, but I don't want to be greedy. I'll be happy if we just keep our current place.
Posted by Dan_Frank (Member # 8488) on :
Voted. Best of luck. Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
As far as I can tell, you got first place with 253 votes. Congrats!
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Thanks SOOOOOOOOOO much everyone! We're double checking now to make sure no more votes can be accepted, but I did call a few days ago and they told me that the contest ended tonight at midnight.
1st place by 6 votes!!!!!!!!
You guys made the difference!
Thanks again so much! Please feel free to call in a favor anytime. You guys had my back tonight. You can bet that I'll get yours. :-)
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
Congratulations. Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
It let me vote just now. Also, done.
Hmm, perhaps it didn't count. Either way, good luck and grats if the numbers are right!
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
quote: Please feel free to call in a favor anytime.
You guys make it big, I'm totally keeping that in mind:p
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Free Hatrack concert? Works for US! Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
I don't know if it still counts, but it let me get in and vote for you. Good luck, and congratulations on your victory in the contest.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
<------------is really pissed right now.
I just got this email from the webmaster saying
"We've had a few emails asking about voting deadlines and the process. The deadline for bands to enter the contest was last Friday, April 17. The actual voting deadline was not specified on the webpage which led some to conclude that the voting also ended on the 17th. We wanted to make sure that bands that submitted later during the submission period still had ample opportunity to let their fans know and had intended to cut off voting tonight at midnight, which should have been clearly indicated on the page from the get go. Because it wasn't, we are going to extend the voting to tomorrow, Tues., April 21, at 5 pm in order to give everyone one last chance to reach out to their fans for support. The deadline will be clearly posted on the voting page within the next few minutes."
Grrrrrr...
Anyway, I'll make a fuss if we wind up getting kicked back into fifth when the contest ends, but in the meantime, all I can do is try and get more votes to keep us in 4th or better.
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
Voted for you! Good luck, looks like it is going to be a close race!
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Gah. She tried to go to bat for us but couldn't help us out (though she said she voted for us just now). Back to the drawing board. Gotta somehow get more votes through Tuesday at 5pm.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Change the title, CalvinMaker. People may figure you're just saying thanks or talking about the band -- they need to know there is still time to vote.
I'll try to spread the word some more.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
willdo. thanks for the advice and the help!
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
I voted.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
Right now you're still in first by about 10 votes.
Posted by Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged (Member # 7476) on :
I voted as well
Posted by adenam (Member # 11902) on :
I voted
Good Luck!
Posted by BelladonnaOrchid (Member # 188) on :
I just voted for you. You're at 276 now, ahead of The Gypsy Sons by 11 votes.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
Voted.
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
VOTED!
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
<----Is exhausted and is heading to bed. Thanks SO much to everyone who voted, everyone who's spreading the word, and everyone yet to vote.
Goodnight everyone. With any luck we'll keep our place until 5pm tomorrow!
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
I voted! You were at 301 before I voted --- good luck!
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
303 votes. The next highest band has 275. So far, so good.
Posted by Mr. Y (Member # 11590) on :
I voted just now. Your total is now at 306 votes.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
Voted. Good luck man.
Posted by just_me (Member # 3302) on :
Voted for you. You're up to 308.
Edited to add: I listened to your track first, I like it... gonna download your album and give a listen.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Good morning all!
It's the final stretch. We've slid into second (not to worry too much. As you know, 4th is as good as 1st).
5 1/2 hours left!!
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Good morning all!
It's the final stretch. We've slid into second (not to worry too much. As you know, 4th is as good as 1st).
5 1/2 hours left!!
Glad you like the music just_me. :-) If you really enjoy the album, let me know and I'd be happy to send some even newer tracks your way. (That goes for anyone else who'd like some more tracks as well).
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
Voted!
I missed this thread before!
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Voted. It's a tie for first at 312.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Yup. We're back into first -- it's neck and neck though. 5th place is only 40 votes behind us.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Voted.
Posted by Liz B (Member # 8238) on :
Voted! Ahead now at 320...
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Sliding down...only ahead of fifth place by 23 votes..:-(
2 1/2 hours left to go
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
Last I checked, you were in second by 3 votes (and only 1 behind first).
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Yeah, thing is, 4th through 1st are the same. Once you hit 5th place though, you lose, and the current 5th place band is only 20 votes behind us... :-(
Posted by Godric 2.0 (Member # 11443) on :
Voted. Looks like you're currently in 2nd place.
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
voted using my work account and work IP.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
I tried to vote, I really did! It says I voted for no one, because I'm a dork and clicked the button before I'd clicked you guys. *is ashamed*.
I'll try voting from my home ISP after work.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
sarcasticmuppet, you could set up a different account (with a different email) and use that to vote.
[ April 21, 2009, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: ClaudiaTherese ]
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Ack! 15 minutes and we're only 17 votes ahead of losing....
*jumps around frantically*
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Looks like you ended up at #2 with 365, two bands tied at 361, and the #1 at 379. Final votes not in yet, but I doubt that will change (unless they check IP addresses and invalidate some from any of the bands, or something).
---
Added:
quote:The top four vote getters are invited to perform Saturday, May 9th at Continental in Rosslyn. That night’s winner opens for Blues Traveler on Friday, June 5th at the festival!
Is the Rosslyn winner amongst the four (i.e., the band who does get to open for Blues Traveler) determined by formal judges, or is it an audience vote thing? If the latter, make sure those near enough to attend can get the details here.
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
Thanks so much for all your help guys. It really did make the difference, as you can see how close everyone was.
Not sure about the details on the May 9th concert, but as soon as I find out I'll be sure to post it here. :-)
Once again, you guys rock!
Posted by CalvinMaker (Member # 2032) on :
I *finally* got the details on the show. For those interested who might live nearby, it will be at The Continental this Saturday at 8:30pm. It's a block away from the Rosslyn Metro stop, at the corner of N. Moore St. and Lee Highway.
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