I have only one regret from attending the Science Online 2010 conference and that was missing the first Florida concert of Jonathan Coulton. He is a musician who gained fame on the Internet with his Thing-A-Week song series. His self-made success was a testament to the fundamental shifts occurring in the recording industry circa 2006. He was able to bypass the traditional labels and appeal directly to his (ever-growing) audience. Many of his songs contain references to Internet and geek culture, which helped establish his initial fan base on the Net. Giving his music away for free also helped.
I was one of those original fans, so missing him was a real disappointment. I’d rather not face that dilemma again. So while filling out my Scio10 conference evaluation, it occurred to me that what this nerd fest needs is more geek. And that’s where you come in.
If you demand it, he will play
Jonathan Coulton (or JoCo) allows his fans to determine where he plays next. If enough people demand it, he will play in their location. If you enjoy his style of brainy, zany, sometimes sciencey songs, then follow that link and enter the zip code for the Sigma Xi, 27709.
Note: I have not yet consulted with the Science Online organizers on this idea. I also have no connection with JoCo. I just think it would be a good idea to put these two things together and see what happens. Once we know if there’s enough interest, we can start figuring out the details. If you agree, let me know and together we can make this monkey dance. 
- Selected JoCo Discography. Be sure to check out Bacteria, That Spells DNA and Mandelbrot Set.
- Seahorse
- Furry Old Lobster
- Octopus
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Dude, he’s playing here in San Diego TONIGHT. (2/19)
http://www.anthologysd.com/index.html
That is SUCH A GOOD IDEA! I was stuck on the west coast and missed both. Squee!
I wholeheartedly endorse this idea. There are few things that would have made the conference better, and one of those few thins is a JoCo show.