Last Friday (12 June 2009) I headed over to Donnington for some serious rockage at the Download Festival. As a young long-haired yob, Faith No More were my favourite band and I couldn’t pass up the chance to head over to see them. Traditionally music magazines were the sole way to get any sort of information on a band you were into. You’d pick up a mag 90% full of reviews of bands you really couldn’t care less about, only to read some tired perspective on what you were really into written by jaded journalists.

Social media changes all that. Before the gig, I could see detailed blog reviews by other fans, video clips, pictures,  and actual impressions from the band themselves. This level of unprecedented access to the music moves social media far out of attention-whoring or time wasting into something that’s incredibly meaningful.

And now, for those of you with good taste in music ;)