BandFan is a cool app. It's something I've always wanted to do for a web service, but got too bogged down in details to start properly.

Being a first version, by definition there are rough edges. The no tickets thing is unavoidable, as it pulls the gig lists from last.fm which doesn't have that info. The update ping sound is very blunt, and gets mangled half the time for some reason. Another irritant is the maps integration; the Google Maps overlay is okay, but the lack of scrolling isn't. In a perfect world, you could punch up Ovi Maps and get a route between your current pos. and the gig. (Of course most music fans know the cool bars and don't need any pansy map assistance, but it's the thought that counts)

There was a good reason the original Maemo 5 promo vid talked up how it was great for concerts. As a music fan who likes recording gigs, to me the N900 represents the current pinnacle of pocket recording. DVD quality footage (for phonecam lenses, everyone knows 720p is actually short for "wastes more disk space") along with crystal clear audio (for just about any input volume), it puts the majority of bootleg gig videos to shame. Especially iPhone ones.

Kudos to Earthcomber for giving the platform a chance. Apps like this ensure the N900 will remain one of the best gigging phones around.

(Though as far as Ovi Store updates go, once a fortnight is dismal. It would be quicker to just stand perfectly still and wait for continental drift to move the whole of Finland towards your phone. Not cool, Nokia. Not cool.)