14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has placed its Windows operating system firmly at the core of a new initiative, described by the company as a crowdsourced digital concert experience. CrowdFire, presented by Windows, is a project designed to orbit around music fans and their content at the intersection of music, culture and technology.
"CrowdFire is a new way to establish community, connect people and share experiences," said Bill Capodanno, director of digital marcom planning and effectiveness at Microsoft. And Microsoft has of course taken care of the technology aspect for the online and onsite hotspots, namely CrowdFire and respectively Sfoutsidelands, with not only Windows (running on next generation computers and mobile devices), but also Xbox 360, Zune and Virtual Earth.
"Windows provides a common language and a seamless experience for concertgoers to engage in the CrowdFire community, whether they are interacting online, on kiosk PCs or using their mobile phones. Microsoft can provide a full array of software and services to make CrowdFire a powerful expression of community," Capodanno added.
CrowdFire is positioned as the destination for an online community looking to upload, produce, mic, mash, and share a variety of content, from video to images, audio files and even to text through blog posts. According to Microsoft, on top of the website, fans will also have available CrowdFire pavilions where they will be able to integrate their content both online on CrowdFire and into a mashup of all the materials presented on location at each pavilion kiosk.
"CrowdFire is a first-of-its-kind fusion of digital media, fan participation, social networking and digital technology. Our fans and concertgoers are incredibly digitally savvy, but they're also incredibly socially active. They want a place to bring the two together. This is the perfect synthesis of music, online networking and face-to-face fun," explained Rick Farman, co-founder of Superfly Productions, creators of Outside Lands and co-creators of the Bonnaroo Music Festival.