Dave Matthews Band fansite starts using BitTorrent to share songs

Switching over from an apparent direct connect setup, the site realizes it’s 2007 and starts using BitTorrent to swap and share files with fellow fans.

Antsmarching.org, one of several fansites devoted to all things Dave Matthews Band, or “DMB” as they call them, offering a concert setlist and trading database, a forum, concert audio downloads, tour dates, artwork, cover art, stomps, lyrics, guitar tabs, and more.

If it’s by “DMB” then Antsmarching’s apparently got it.

Yet, after 5 years in existence it’s decided to take the sharing of DMB content and material to the next level, announcing a few days ago that “BitTorrent Goes Live.”

Their site reads:

The DMB Community has been built around the concept of freely sharing and spreading the music. BitTorrent embraces this concept, and top AntsMarching.org Seeders will find themselves on the receiving end of random prizes and other perks yet to be revealed. So what are you waiting for? Jump on the torrents and enjoy the music! And thanks for five great years of the best DMB community around.

So what does DMB think about all of this? The sharing of their music freely amongst band devotees not to to mention that it’s being speeded up by BitTorrent can’t be a good thing right?

Wrong, sort of.

DMB actually does SUPPORTS and ENCOURAGE fans to share and trade the “listening experience” amongst themselves, saying that it “…foster(s) greater interaction within the fan community.”

DMB notes:

Dave Matthews Band allows audiotaping at almost every live performance. We feel that each show is unique and want to offer our fans the opportunity to recreate the live experience through the audio reproduction of our shows. At all taping authorized performances, tapers can tape from any ticketed seating location in the venue.

But, in an odd twist, their disclaimer also says that “Any method of trading that does not involve personal fan interaction defeats the spirit of this goal of the taping policy and is not authorized. In particular, posting audio or video files on web sites for streaming to or downloading by the public, is not authorized.”

Hmm, so there’s a bit of a gray area here. It seems to be okay to “personally” trade DMB audio recordings but, not offer them for streaming or downloading.

So much for “free love” I guess.

Either way, it wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve reported on an “illegal” torrent tracker site.

Yet, considering the sites been up for 5 years now and seems to be going strong, I don’t think DMB will sic the RIAA attack dogs on them anytime soon.

For all you DMB fans out there, be sure to check out the TORRENTS portion of the forums to see all the tunes they have available.

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