Joshua van Aalst’s blog

Hi,

I have just upgraded the classifieds (buying n selling) section of Josh and Friends http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/classifieds/.

What makes this upgrade so special is that anyone can now sell multiple copies of an item.

Why is this useful you say? Because you can now sell event tickets or merchandise via the store on Josh and Friends and have the money paid directly into your Paypal account with NO FEES!

This is a major advantage for event promoters as other online Ticketing outlets such as Inthemix, Ticketek and Ticketmaster take 4% of ticket revenue as fees.

A big thanks must be sent to Chuck from Photopost who listened and acted on my feedback for the above feature. It is always something special, and often a rarity, when a software company listens to feedback and acts on it.

Well what are you waiting for? Go and check out the new version of the Classifieds section here now: http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/classifieds/.

Just a quick update….

I’ve been really busy as of late working primarily on my MBA application but also on a variety of other projects both personal and work related.

I’ve been swimming at least 4 times a week and am actively trying to push the 40 second mark for 50 meters freestyle. That’s with shorts on. I prefer swimming with drag for improved exercise and strength building. Hopefully this should assist me in becoming a stronger surfer . The Easter long weekend is also coming up and Sydney has finally had a run of good weather. I am definately looking forward to indulging in as much surfing as possible.

Other than the above, I have some exciting updates to the website (http://www.joshandfriends.com.au) coming. New Classifieds (Buying and Selling) software will enable promotors to sell tickets and merchandise via the website. I also have a new blog software coming for this blog which will allow me to add more categories and improve the skin. I’d like to commission a skin that is actually related to my life rather than something generic. Both of those upgrades should be happening this weekend. Within the next month though, their will be a major upgrade to the forum software which will provide a tone of Facebook/Myspace style functionality.

Also work at Macquarie Equity Markets has been incredibly busy with multiple projects coming my/my teams way. One is a particularly interesting project which I’m really looking forward to.

Lastly, but certainly not the least important, I have been trying to catch up with alot of my friends. During the course of last year I drifted away from alot of my friends. Partly due to commitments to Josh and Friends but also due to MBA application commitments. Now that at least the first item above has become more manageable I am enjoying seeing many of my friends again

Anyway thats all for me

It’s a very big week for me this week with the MBA application process, so please wish me luck!!!

Josh

Hi everyone,

I am about to print new Josh and Friends T-shirts and singlet tops. We haven’t done any promotional merchandise for a very long time and to improve on the effectiveness of last times efforts, I decided to go for designed shirts and singlets rather than traditional Josh and Friends merchandise i.e. logo printed on a plain shirt.

The designer Mark from the Need for Tees as created 4 fabulous designs that you can view here: T Shirt Designs.

To ensure I choose the design that people want I have created a poll where you can vote.

Please take a moment to follow this link and vote: CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Thanks!

Josh

Yay!

We did it. Josh and Friends officially hit 100,000 posts. It just goes to show that not only do we seem like a big site. We are a big site. Big thanks must go to all the fantastic regular members who have made this happen.

Now on to the next milestone of 500,000 posts which officially classifies the website as a “big board”.

See you then!

Sorry it’s been forever since I blogged last so here is an update.

I have been working ridiculously hard of late. Primarily applying for top American B*schools in particular their MBA programs. It has been an interesting time preparing the applications as they have provided an opportunity to spend time looking at what I have accomplished in my life and reflecting and focusing on my life thus far. What I have enjoyed, what I haven’t enjoyed e.t.c. e.t.c.

Anyway I am almost out of the application zone. I only have one more school to apply for and then I am done and will move into that very nervous phase of waiting to see if I get an interview/excepted.

In addition to the applications I have also been working ridiculously hard at launching the new website www.joshandfriends.com.au which I have done in conjunction with Maximillian Bartel of Indiquo. It is a fantastic new site and shifts the site from being an event managers website to being a 100% social networking dance music website. I believe the first of a kind. You can litterally do anything! Add news items to the front of the site. Add polls, competitions. Post a classified, sell tickets, list a want to buy. Host your download with us. Create photo albums and upload pics. Write a blog and of course list your events. It’s all there.

On the website note, the current site is only the 1st phase of the new site and we have a very exciting completion to the new site being implemented late January.

Other than that I have been approached by several nightclub venues and I feel it is now the right time to head back into the arena of dance music events. I will be having serious discussions with them early in 2008 and should have some news to post shortly after.

Enjoy,
Josh

This morning the news that almost every promoter and potential venue owner was waiting to hear was released. An easing of the requirements to get a liquour license, a relaxing of the liquor license laws and also a drop in the price of a liquour licenses. This will have significant impact for all NSW and will be a massive step in the right direction to allow NSW cities the liberties to become truly cosmopolitan destinations. At the moment due to the expensive and restrictive nature of the licensing laws only few venues can afford club/hotel liquour licenses which means to cover costs only main stream styles of music can pay the bills. These laws will aid underground and niche venues to be born.

Although the liquour license laws have not been the only issue with setting up a new underground venue in Sydney, the other being the recent increase in music loyalties, they will certainly aid in reducing the start up and running costs.

For the full article check out:

Hi everyone,

Just stopping by to talk about A Night Of Trance 4th Birthday which was on last Friday and also the new Combination Engine which has been launched on Josh and Friends.

A Night Of Trance last Friday was a smashing success. I couldn’t believe how many of the crew came out to support. Their were plenty of faces their that I had seen back in October 2003 on the 2nd A Night Of Trance ever!!!

It was a fantastic event with standout sets from all main floor DJs. Scott Richardson stole the show with an unbelievable set. The set was precise, powerfully uplifting, jam packed with classics from throughout the A Night Of Trance era and plenty of new material. Great to have him back on board. Their was also plenty of giveaways throughout the night to make it that special party atmosphere. Free CDs, Iceblocks, Lollies, Balloons. You name it! Unfortunately I didn’t make it downstairs for very long so i can’t comment on the sets there but when I did pop my head down there the crowd was always strong and partying hard. On that note the turnout for the night was very strong.

Thanks to Tennille for doing most of the work, the DJs, Gordon and Shan. You guys all rock!

Secondy the Combination Engine. I am pleased to announce a stunning new technology for Josh and Friends.

We now have pages generated specifically for all combinations of our content tags (also known as classifications).

So their is a page specifically for Hard Trance events in Sydney. A page specifically for Electro Downloads. Alternative DJs in Brisbane e.t.c. e.t.c.

You can even change what your seeings, simply and easily.

Check out this:

http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/dancemusic/Events

Hi!

On the eave of A Night Of Trance’s birthday it’s become customary for me to write a couple of personal words on the event, the dance music scene and all things Josh and Friends.

As you are aware A Night Of Trance 4th Birthday is on Friday September 21 at ARQ and will be the 1st A Night Of Trance event in 7 months!

2007 has been an extremely difficult and dark year for Trance clubbers in Sydney. Following on from 2006’s closure of Gas Nightclub, the clubbers have now witnessed Sublime attempt to switch from Trance to Electro ‘n’ RnB, almost no Josh and Friends Trance events and many other Trance club closures.

I have received many phone calls and read many letters, addressed to me, 3d world or other promoters and DJs, stating how upset people are with the decline of regular Trance clubs in Sydney.

On Friday September 21 A Night Of Trance is returning. This is YOUR chance to vote with your feet and demonstrate to the club owners and promoters of Sydney that YOU want to hear TRANCE in Sydney clubs.

The ball is in your court.

To ensure we hold these events regularly and send an overwhelming message to the dance music scene, please take a moment out to invite EVERYONE you know to this great event. Work friends, school friends, uni friends, randoms on Facebook and Myspace, you name it! Tell them all!

I’ve copied a couple of my favourite image galleries of previous events below, to remind you why A Night Of Trance is such a special and important event to the Sydney scene.

A Night Of Trance featuring the Thrillseekers @ Space
http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/photos/showgallery.php/cat/549

A Night Of Trance Neon Nation @ ARQ
http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/photos/showgallery.php/cat/552

A Night Of Trance Laser Nation @ ARQ
http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/photos/showgallery.php/cat/609

Enjoy,
Josh

p.s. See you on Friday night!

In my never ending quest to provide the best possible dance music community website….

I have now installed blogging software that any website member can use.

Check it out here:
http://www.joshandfriends.com.au/forums/blog.php

This is the 2nd part of a 4 part process to upgrade the community part of the site. Over the next months you’ll also see a massive upgrade to the buying and selling part of the site.

I’m trying to find as many ways as possible to keep people entertained

Hope you like it, enjoy,

Josh

Alright everyone…..

Here is a quick catch up of what’s been happening with me.

Gayscene to be merged into Josh and Friends

Thats right very shortly the content of Gayscene will be merged into Josh and Friends. That means I’ll be adding a new Category group. I still need a name for this group so if you have a good idea for one please email me at josh@joshandfriends.com.au . Basically the category will have a couple of options to describe at what demographic the DJ, Event, News e.t.c. aims at. The options at the moment are Gay scene, Lesbian scene, 18+, Under 18.

Their will be a new forum added for Gay and Lesbian events.

Personal Development

I am working extremely hard at personal development at the moment. Normally when I hear someone say they have been doing personal development I imagine that to be someone trying to find themselves. Believe me when I say i’ve found myself, and i’m only describing what i am doing as such because I can not announce it just yet. It’s all very exciting though!

Facebook

Yes, I have joined the revolution with both my own personal Joshua van Aalst page and also a Josh and Friends group. I must admit so far i’m absolutely loving it. I have managed to contact almost all of the friends i wish i would have kept in contact with but didn’t. It’s great seeing what they are all doing on a day to day basis.

If you haven’t used Facebook it is alot like Myspace except with an exceptional tracking system that provides you with an overview of what all your friends are doing. E.g. “Joshua van Aalst is now friends with Ella Parker”.

New version of Josh and Friends website

I have also been working ‘reasonably’ hard on a new version of the website. Unfortunately I did something rather silly. The site is written in Netbeans 5.5.1 (the current production version). I upgraded to the milestone version of Netbeans 6 which is full of show stopper bugs. I have not been able to migrate back to version 5.5.1. I am left with a choice; persist and wait till mid September when Netbeans 6 goes beta or work off a backup and migrate at a later date. As I am doing the ‘Personal Development’ above I have decided to go with the former. This may mean that an upgrade to the site won’t happen till end of September. What’s in this upgrade i’m speaking of? I’ll blog about it in a separate post.

A Night Of Trance

Tennille has squeezed my arm and we are going to run an A Night Of Trance event on September 21 at ARQ. Their hasn’t been one for 6 months and we are very excited about the return of uplifting Trance to Sydney. It has been a rather depressing time for Trance in Sydney and I hope that everyone will get out in force to support the event and show that we still LOVE our Trance! - Make sure you bring a friend to the event.

Swimming

I’m also back at the pool 3 days a week again. As the months are getting warmer it’s time to trim down and get in shape.