The Long-Awaited DVD

By JoCo February 10, 2009

Not quite ready yet, but very soon I think. I’ve just now resolved a licensing issue that was holding things up, and am currently pushing to finish this sucker up. To answer some of the questions that have been coming in through various channels:

1) This will be a DVD/Audio CD combo for $20. The audio is from the same show that’s on the DVD, but with most of the blah blah blah edited out. It will be available for purchase at shows as soon as I have the finished copies, by ordering online in a few places, and hopefully in some actual retail stores. I’m guessing we’re looking at a month or so at this point.

2) The DVD will be region free.

3) The Audio CD will come with highly restrictive DRM software that secretly installs a rootkit, which creates a security risk and may crash your computer (just kidding!).

4) The audio will be available for sale digitally, most likely on iTunes and other such outlets. The video, maybe, I’m not quite sure how that’s going to work yet, but I hope so.

5) The DVD will have the full San Francisco show from February of last year (ack!), with only a few bits here and there edited out for pacing and maximum awesomeness. There’s plenty of fan cam footage in there from cameras that were in the audience. There’s a bit of documentary/interview type stuff with me, backstage business, etc. There’s also an audio commentary track featuring me, Paul and Storm, and Kristen Shirts, which was recorded poorly in my living room over pizza. Plus extra extras.

All in all I’m very happy with the way this turned out, though it has taken a lot of time and money and effort to make. It’s been a very different experience from the method I am used to – make it cheaply and quickly, publish it immediately – but in the end it’s a thing I am very glad to have in the world. The live show has come a long way since that first concert at the Jewelbox Theater in Seattle, and the songs have evolved as I’ve learned how to play them, and then learned how to play them well, and then learned how to deal with it when I don’t play them well. And of course it’s just fun to watch an audience at a live show. Zombies! Rock Band! Kristen Shirts!

Thanks for your continued patience, I will of course overwhelm you with SPAM the moment this thing is buyable.

Comments

Paul R. Potts says

I hope you will have them for sale by the Ann Arbor show -- I'll buy one, or more, and if I can, get it/them autographed! #nerdfanboy

Psycho says

Glad to see it's almost finished! Can't wait.

Also, I've got a question... where do you get your t-shirts (yours, not the ones you sell at shows)?

Roman V. says

Awesome!

So free of rootkits and region is great! Will it also be free of CSS and other forms of Digital Restrictions Management?

Further, will it also be licensed under the same Creative Commons license you normally use or will some of it, or what's the situation like with that?

Cliff says

From the moment you announced the idea, I was excited for this. Now, I think it would look great next to my DVD of Dr. Horrible. Indie geekiness rules!

Roman V. says

(Adding to my previous comment, which is awaiting validation for some reason) What's the deal with cover songs? Are you allowed to sell those? Was that the licensing issue?

Justin says

So you're actually going to do a director's commentary version of a show, instead of just saying you're doing the director's commentary version of the show while in the middle of said show? Wow, that's going to throw me off completely.

Derek says

I am seriously hyped!

2 words made all the differnce: Region Free

I can play the DVD here in France and I can buy and download the songs as well.

Really looking forward to it!

Thanks JoCo

Ryan says

What are the plans/are there any plans for distribution outside of the US?

I know a lot of fans in the UK want to get a copy.

Blair says

Woo! SOLD!

Chad says

I want it!

(Of course, would I be posting if I didn't?)

Katie C. says

If someone would have told me that one day I would be looking forward to the arrival of spam in my inbox, I would never have believed them. But alas, that day has come!

Can't wait for the new DVD! Maybe that will tide me over until PAX this year. :)

Scarface says

@Roman V.

You can sell covers, as evidenced in the digital downloads store where JC...does that.

You just have to buy a license for specific songs from a sort of umbrella agency and pay the royalties in advance for however many downloads or productions or what have you that you need covered. Sometimes a certain song is not listed, and you have to contact the publisher directly, etc. That's where it can get complicated, I suppose.

Brie says

Hooray! I can't wait until the DVD comes out.

Sam Potts says

Paul Potts and I are not related!

Roberto says

Will you ship overseas? I know of at least one geek in Brazil who wants this DVD... (that would be me)

three08 says

pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease have this at your new york show! *begbegbeg*

also, pleaseplease blah blah etc actually HAVE the new york show!
*pleadblahblah*

JoCo says

@Psycho: lately I've been rocking the American Apparel.

JoCo says

@Roman: Scarface is right. Though there are additional rights when you have video along with music - it's called a sync license. Audio covers involve a compulsory license, which means you don't require someone's permission to do it, you just have to inform and pay them. Sync licenses are not compulsory, so you need to get permission AND pay.

TheFifthSister says

Region free! Oh, you are good to us JoCo!! I'm totally stoked and will be asking for this for my birthday :D
Added bonus, it was filmed in San Fran, my favourite place in the world (even though I've never been :P)

ironymaiden says

i'm having a moment here, because i didn't realize that "hey can someone find me a venue since i'm in Seattle" night at the Rendezvous was the very first show. i loved the way you turned your head away and smiled every time we clapped.

Colleenky says

Yay! I am so happy to have been a part of that audience. Possibly the most fun I've had in my life, especially taking into account hanging out with other JoCo fans before and after. And the cake, of course.

P.S. I yelled something a little bit obnoxious during the show, about which I'm now suitably embarrassed, and I'm hoping that it can't be heard in the final cut.

Paul R. Potts says

Sam Potts: did you intend that to be rude? I'm sure if you got to know me, you'd _love_ to be able to call me one of your relatives!

I suspect that all the Potts-es in the U.S. are at least distantly related. Although I know a lot more about my mother's side of the family than my father's. There are also black Pottses, apparently, and my father tells me that in the Air Force he met one who was related to him by -- well, no pleasant way to put it -- slavery. Awkward!

mace says

Ah, another reason to send you money. I can't wait!

sevinPackage says

I had no idea Seattle was first. I feel honored.
I figured your first performance was in Brookline of something.

I can't wait to see the DVD!

Percephene says

Now I want it even more Colleen :P

Paul R. Potts says

Sam Potts: it is only going to get worse, I'm afraid -- my 2-year-old son is named Sam Potts. So when he is famous, watch out!

Paul R. Potts says

You can see the cute little Sam Potts here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz67L5Kb10s

Tony Fabris says

Very glad to hear it's region-free. Thinking back on your open approach to self-publishing, this makes complete sense, but it's still good to hear.

The price tag is great. Hope it sells a bunch of copies. I'm certainly getting my copy as soon as it's available.

One question you didn't answer in the blog post: The show in question, did it have a Paul & Storm opening act, and did that opening act get included on the DVD?

Colleenky says

@Percephene: Oh, dear. ;-)

Roman V. says

@Scarface, and @Coulton Word? Interesting. Now what if you cover the song and were to give it away for free? What if it's a video with it? If you're not making money, does the record company legally have to? It's interesting to consider...

Also, just to make sure, there's no CSS encryption or other kinds of Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), right? I guess if you distribute through iTunes you have no choice. True, the music is DRM-free but they put a user ID into the file, so they can always trace and track. Lame-os.

TomR says

W00T! Glad to hear that a DVD is coming soon for those of us in the boonies that have no possible chance of seeing JoCo live unless we're in NY, SF or Europe. Yesss!!

Andrew T. Coleman says

I want it even more than Covenant and Potts combined... oh wait, that isn't even possible.

The rootkit is cool. I will probably only play it on my trashy laptop anyways.

Zach says

Like Paul R. Potts, I REALLY hope to be able to buy one at the Ann Arbor show!!!

Russ says

WHAT!? You cut down on the "blah blah"?!

I LOVE the "blah blah"!!

Tim says

YES! I've been waiting for the DVD of your show for what feels like forever now... can't wait to see it released!

Bryce says

I will be picking this up for sure, since you'll probably never play a real show in Maine. Thanks for making this available for all of your fans who live in BFE-ish areas!

Lindsay says

Yay!!! Is the Code Monkey dance one of the extras? My friends and I sent in video for that, and I would be excited if we actually got our 2 seconds of fame.

I will probably buy one anyway, though. :D

Mr.Nobody says

Oh, this is awesome. I can't wait!

kerrin says

Whoo! DVD!
Now I just need you to make a last minute tour of the UK at the time of release, so I don't have to wait a month to get a copy.

M_pony says

'Bout dang time ;)

Roman V. says

@Bryce That's what I used to think about Cleveland, but we started demanding... like crazy, on the Eventful.com. Now Coulton and Paul and Storm have been here TWO, count 'em, TWO times. w00t.

CupcakeAndTea says

ok full of awesome can't wait

Blair says

@Bryce -- if you can get him to Maine, I'll travel from VT/NH to watch.

My wife and I signed up on Eventful to get JoCo to play the Dartmouth College area (Hanover, NH), and I've been really let down by a school which seems like they'd be down with JoCo -- after signing up, my wife and I were the only two people in the area that demanded him. :(

Come anyway? I'll buy you an alcoholic (or bubbly) beverage of your choice!

...nuts.

Joran says

Sounds awesome. Now, I get to choose whenever or not I buy it online or in person to get it signed...

Ann says

So Alexandria, VA doesn't get first crack buying the DVD now, eh? Fine. Be that way. I think you now owe us another concert just to make up for the trail of broken hearts you leave in your wake...

However, when it IS available: by all means, spam way my good man.

Gina says

Maybe some of those t-shirts that came out since last year's Birchmere show will be available at this year's show? So Ann and I can spend our money?

Jason says

I'm not sure if I was indeed the first to suggest this (Jan 8 2008) on the forums,, but I am absolutely thrilled that it is finally coming to pass! Great Job JoCo!

Jason C. Brand says

I will be buying two copies... one for me and one for my ex who went with me to this show. I can't wait to get my copy!

Mark B says

BTW, Jonathan, your friend Hodgman is going to be on Battlestar Galactica tonight, so give it a look if you're not playing a show tonight at 10, and your hotel room has the scifi channel.

Zach says

Just curious: what's the setlist for the DVD, and the (presumably shortened) tracklist for the CD?

jmonkee says

Here's a link to the wiki page, with the setlist & other stuff..

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/wiki/index.php/San_Francisco%2C_CA:_2008-02-22

Zach says

That setlist is fucking amazing! I wish it had also included covers of "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Sweet Caroline" but *shrugs* it's still pretty much a "Greatest Hits" list.

Doug says

Can't wait!

Mindy says

not relevant to post but:

are you going to update "the presidents" to include obama?

Zach says

Mindy: he already has, see the "Epic Fail" blog post.

Speaking of, I really want to see him record the updated version for The Aftermath.

jmonkee says

Another link, this one for Mindy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6GKka9fB3o

That's the updated version, from last month in Portland.

Roman V. says

@Mindy I guess we have to wait and see something that he did - the point of the song is you take one random thing from the Presidency and put it in. Similarly, Obama can't get added to Washy Ad Jeffy until we know how many terms he served.

Derek D. says

Great write-up in the Feb. 2009 issue of Wired in the "Play" section - congrats!

Super Friends With Benefits says

How much are we looking at for preorders? Also, I voted for you and not Whedon. Maybe I sould have voted Whedon, thoguh, because all of my votes have been a failure this time around. If it makes you feel better, I actually bought your CDs.

Jason C. Brand says

Just wanted to point out that exactly one year ago today I was enjoying the hell out of the concert that I am looking forward to owning on DVD and CD soon.

Thanks again, JoCo, for a most excellent evening.

Jason C. Brand says

Bah! It says tomorrow's date in the proceeding post. Whatever.

Chad Eduy says

I can't wait for this! I've yet to see JoCo in concert and this will hold me over until I get a chance to see him closer to North Carolina!

Chad Eudy says

It's Eudy god damn it... I hate typos. -_-

Now if you'd excuse me, it's time to go fuck'n outside.

Jenn Hahn says

Squee! More of JoCo is always a good thing.