diff --git a/ruby/Gemfile b/ruby/Gemfile
index 4856141b3..7ba18443c 100644
--- a/ruby/Gemfile
+++ b/ruby/Gemfile
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ gem 'carrierwave'
 gem 'aasm', '3.0.16'
 gem 'devise', '>= 1.1.2'
 gem 'postgres-copy'
+gem 'geokit'
 gem 'geokit-rails'
 gem 'postgres_ext'
 gem 'resque'
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
index d7c05c345..4e840a9ee 100755
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ require "action_mailer"
 require "devise"
 require "sendgrid"
 require "postgres-copy"
+require "geokit"
 require "geokit-rails"
 require "postgres_ext"
 require 'builder'
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_recording.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_recording.js
index 9b6c7bdd9..55187e8a6 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_recording.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_recording.js
@@ -16,13 +16,12 @@
 
     function toggleDetails() {
       if(toggledOpen) {
-
         $feedItem.css('height', $feedItem.height() + 'px')
         $feedItem.animate({'height': $feedItem.data('original-max-height')}).promise().done(function() {
           $feedItem.css('height', 'auto').css('max-height', $feedItem.data('original-max-height'));
 
           $musicians.hide();
-          $description.css('height', $description.css('height'));
+          $description.css('height', $description.data('original-height'));
           $description.dotdotdot();
         });
       }
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
index 63d49750a..e8c14a3c1 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
@@ -5,47 +5,60 @@
   context.JK = context.JK || {};
   context.JK.FeedItemSession = function($parentElement, options){
 
+    var logger = context.JK.logger;
+    var rest   = new context.JK.Rest();
+
     var $feedItem       = $parentElement;
     var $description    = $('.description', $feedItem)
     var $musicians      = $('.musician-detail', $feedItem)
     var $controls       = $('.session-controls', $feedItem);
+    var $status         = $('.session-status', $feedItem);
     var playing         = false;
     var toggledOpen     = false;
+    var musicSessionId  = $feedItem.attr('data-music-session');
 
     if(!$feedItem.is('.feed-entry')) {
       throw "$parentElement must be a .feed-entry"
     }
 
+    function startPlay() {
+      var img = $('.play-icon', $feedItem);
+      img.attr('src', '/assets/content/icon_pausebutton.png');
+      $controls.trigger('play.listenBroadcast');
+      playing = true;
+    }
+
+    function stopPlay() {
+      var img = $('.play-icon', $feedItem);
+      img.attr('src', '/assets/content/icon_playbutton.png');
+      $controls.trigger('pause.listenBroadcast');
+      playing = false;
+    }
     function togglePlay() {
       if(playing) {
-        var img = $('.play-icon', $(this));
-        img.attr('src', '/assets/content/icon_playbutton.png');
-        $controls.trigger('pause.listenBroadcast');
+        $status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
+        stopPlay();
       }
       else {
-        var img = $('.play-icon', $(this));
-        img.attr('src', '/assets/content/icon_pausebutton.png');
-        $controls.trigger('play.listenBroadcast');
+        startPlay();
       }
-
-      playing = !playing;
-
       return false;
     }
 
     function toggleDetails() {
       if(toggledOpen) {
-
         $feedItem.css('height', $feedItem.height() + 'px')
         $feedItem.animate({'height': $feedItem.data('original-max-height')}).promise().done(function() {
           $feedItem.css('height', 'auto').css('max-height', $feedItem.data('original-max-height'));
 
           $musicians.hide();
+          $description.css('height', $description.data('original-height'));
           $description.dotdotdot();
         });
       }
       else {
         $description.trigger('destroy.dot');
+        $description.data('original-height', $description.css('height')).css('height', 'auto');
         $musicians.show();
         $feedItem.animate({'max-height': '1000px'});
       }
@@ -55,10 +68,84 @@
       return false;
     }
 
+    function refresh() {
+      return rest.getSession(musicSessionId)
+        .done(function(response) {
+            // we only refresh for sessions that are playing (no reason to bother for ended ones).
+            // so if we got a response. Then that's it.  We are still OK
+        })
+        .fail(function(jqXHR) {
+          if(jqXHR.status == 404 || jqXHR.status == 403) {
+            $controls.trigger('destroy.listenBroadcast').removeClass('inprogress').addClass('ended')
+            $status.text("SESSION ENDED");
+          }
+          else if(jqXHR.status >= 500 && jqXHR.status <= 599){
+            $status.text('SERVER ERROR')
+            stopPlay();
+          }
+          else{
+            $status.text("NO NETWORK")
+            stopPlay();
+          }
+        })
+    }
+
+    function stateChange(e, data) {
+      var state = data.state;
+
+      if(state == 'none')  {
+        //$status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
+      }
+      else if(state == 'initializing') {
+        $status.text('PREPARING AUDIO');
+      }
+      else if(state == 'buffering') {
+
+      }
+      else if(state == 'playing') {
+        $status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
+      }
+      else if(state == 'stalled') {
+        $status.text('RECONNECTING');
+      }
+      else if(state == 'ended' || state == 'session_over') {
+        $status.text('STREAM DISCONNECTED');
+        stopPlay();
+        refresh();
+      }
+      else if(state == 'retrying_play') {
+         if(data.retryCount == 2) {
+           $status.text('STILL TRYING, HANG ON');
+         }
+      }
+      else if(state == 'failed_start') {
+        $status.text('AUDIO DID NOT START');
+        stopPlay();
+      }
+      else if(state == 'failed_playing') {
+        $status.text('AUDIO FAILED');
+        stopPlay();
+        refresh();
+      }
+      else if(state == 'network_error') {
+        $status.text('NO NETWORK');
+        stopPlay();
+      }
+      else if(state == 'server_error') {
+        $status.text('SERVER ERROR');
+        stopPlay();
+      }
+      else {
+        logger.error("unknown state: " + state)
+      }
+    }
+
     function events() {
       $('.details', $feedItem).click(toggleDetails);
       $('.details-arrow', $feedItem).click(toggleDetails);
       $('.play-button', $feedItem).click(togglePlay);
+
+      $controls.bind('statechange.listenBroadcast', stateChange);
     }
 
     function initialize() {
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
index 126044286..435cb56ce 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
@@ -27,22 +27,34 @@
   // this will also interact with any REST APIs needed to
   context.JK.ListenBroadcast = function($parentElement, options){
 
-    var logger = context.JK.logger;
-    var rest = context.JK.Rest();
-    var $parent = $parentElement;
-    var $audio = null;
-    var audioDomElement = null;
-    var musicSessionId = null;
+    var WAIT_FOR_BUFFER_TIMEOUT = 5000;
+    var RETRY_ATTEMPTS = 5; // we try 4 times, so the user will wait up until RETRY_ATTEMPTS * WAIT_FOR_BUFFER_TIMEOUTS
 
-    var isPlaying = false;
 
-    var PlayStateNone = 'none';
-    var PlayStateInitializing = 'initializing'; // user clicked play--nothing has happened yet
-    var PlayStateBuffering = 'buffering'; // user clicked play--the stream is being read, buffer is being built
-    var PlayStatePlaying = 'playing'; // we are playing
-    var PlayStateStalled = 'stalled'; // we were playing, but the stream is stalled
-    var PlayStateEnded = 'ended'; // we were playing, but the stream ended
-    var PlayStateFailed = 'failed'; // we could not start the stream.
+    var logger                  = context.JK.logger;
+    var rest                    = context.JK.Rest();
+    var $parent                 = $parentElement;
+    var $audio                  = null;
+    var audioDomElement         = null;
+    var musicSessionId          = null;
+    var waitForBufferingTimeout = null;
+    var retryAttempts = 0;
+
+    var destroyed = false;
+
+    var PlayStateNone               = 'none';
+    var PlayStateInitializing       = 'initializing'; // user clicked play--nothing has happened yet
+    var PlayStateBuffering          = 'buffering'; // user clicked play--the stream is being read, buffer is being built
+    var PlayStatePlaying            = 'playing'; // we are playing
+    var PlayStateStalled            = 'stalled'; // we were playing, but the stream is stalled
+    var PlayStateEnded              = 'ended'; // we were playing, but the stream ended
+    var PlayStateRetrying           = 'retrying_play'; // we are retrying to play.
+    var PlayStateFailedStart        = 'failed_start'; // we could not start the stream.  no more events are coming
+    var PlayStateFailedPlaying      = 'failed_playing'; // failed while playing.
+    var PlayStateSessionOver        = 'session_over'; // session is done
+    var PlayStateNetworkError       = 'network_error'; // network error
+    var PlayStateServerError       = 'server_error'; // network error
+
 
     var playState = PlayStateNone; // tracks if the stream is actually playing
 
@@ -52,67 +64,189 @@
         e.stopPropagation();
       }
 
+      if(destroyed) return;
+
       if(!audioDomElement) throw "no audio element supplied; the user should not be able to attempt a play"
 
-      audioDomElement.play();
+      rest.getSession(musicSessionId)
+        .done(function(response) {
+          audioDomElement.play();
+
+          retryAttempts = 0;
+
+          transition(PlayStateInitializing);
+
+          // keep this after transition, because any transition clears this timer
+          waitForBufferingTimeout = setTimeout(noBuffer, WAIT_FOR_BUFFER_TIMEOUT);
+        })
+        .fail(function(jqXHR) {
+            if(jqXHR.status == 404 || jqXHR.status == 403) {
+              transition(PlayStateSessionOver);
+            }
+            else if(jqXHR.status >= 500 && jqXHR.status <= 599){
+              transition(PlayStateServerError);
+            }
+            else {
+              transition(PlayStateNetworkError);
+            }
+        })
     }
 
+
     function pause(e) {
       if(e) {
         e.preventDefault();
         e.stopPropagation();
       }
 
-      if (!audioDomElement) throw "no audio element supplied; the user should not be able to attempt a pause"
+      if(destroyed) return;
 
+      if(!audioDomElement) throw "no audio element supplied; the user should not be able to attempt a pause"
+
+      transition(PlayStateNone);
+
+      recreateAudioElement();
+    }
+
+    function destroy(e) {
+      if(!destroyed) {
+        $audio.remove();
+        $audio = null;
+        audioDomElement = null;
+        destroyed = true;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // this is the only way to make audio stop buffering after the user hits pause
+    function recreateAudioElement() {
+      // jeez: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4071872/html5-video-force-abort-of-buffering/13302599#13302599
+      var originalSource = $audio.html()
       audioDomElement.pause();
+      audioDomElement.src = '';
+      audioDomElement.load();
+      var $parent = $audio.parent();
+      $audio.remove();
+      $parent.append('<audio preload="none"></audio>');
+      $audio = $('audio', $parent);
+      $audio.append(originalSource);
+      audioDomElement = $audio.get(0);
+      audioBind();
+    }
+
+    function clearBufferTimeout() {
+      if(waitForBufferingTimeout) {
+        clearTimeout (waitForBufferingTimeout);
+        waitForBufferingTimeout = null;
+      }
+    }
+    function transition(newState) {
+      logger.debug("transitioning from " + playState + " to " + newState);
+
+      playState = newState;
+
+      clearBufferTimeout();
+
+      $parent.triggerHandler('statechange.listenBroadcast', {state: playState, retryCount: retryAttempts});
+    }
+
+    function noBuffer() {
+
+      if(retryAttempts >= RETRY_ATTEMPTS) {
+        logger.debug("never received indication of buffering or playing");
+        transition(PlayStateFailedStart);
+      }
+      else {
+        retryAttempts++;
+
+        clearBufferTimeout();
+
+        // tell audio to stop/start, in attempt to retry
+        //audioDomElement.stop();
+        audioDomElement.load();
+        audioDomElement.play();
+
+        transition(PlayStateRetrying);
+
+        waitForBufferingTimeout = setTimeout(noBuffer, WAIT_FOR_BUFFER_TIMEOUT);
+      }
+
+
+    }
+
+    function isNoisyEvent(eventName) {
+      if(playState == PlayStateNone) {
+        console.log("ignoring: " + eventName)
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      return false;
     }
 
     function onPlay() {
-      logger.debug("onplay", arguments);
-
-      isPlaying = true;
+      // this just confirms that the user tried to play
     }
 
     function onPlaying() {
-      logger.debug("onplaying", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('playing')) return;
+      logger.debug("playing", arguments);
 
-
-      isPlaying = true;
+      transition(PlayStatePlaying);
     }
 
     function onPause() {
-      logger.debug("onpause", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('pause')) return;
+      logger.debug("pause", arguments);
 
-      isPlaying = false;
+      transition(PlayStateStalled);
     }
 
     function onError() {
-      logger.debug("onerror", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('error')) return;
+      logger.debug("error", arguments);
+
+      if(playState == PlayStatePlaying || playState == PlayStateStalled) {
+          transition(PlayStateFailedPlaying);
+      }
+      else {
+          transition(PlayStateFailedStart);
+      }
     }
 
     function onEnded() {
-      logger.debug("onended", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('ended')) return;
+      logger.debug("ended", arguments);
+
+      transition(PlayStateEnded);
     }
 
     function onEmptied() {
-      logger.debug("onemptied", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('emptied')) return;
+      logger.debug("emptied", arguments);
     }
 
     function onAbort() {
-      logger.debug("onabort", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('abort')) return;
+      logger.debug("abort", arguments);
     }
 
     function onStalled() {
-      logger.debug("onstalled", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('stalled')) return;
+      logger.debug("stalled", arguments);
 
       // fires in Chrome on page load
+
+      if(playState == PlayStateBuffering || playState == PlayStatePlaying) {
+        transition(PlayStateStalled);
+      }
     }
 
     function onSuspend() {
+      if(isNoisyEvent('suspend')) return;
       logger.debug("onsuspend", arguments);
 
       // fires in FF on page load
+
+      transition(PlayStateStalled);
     }
 
     function onTimeUpdate() {
@@ -120,9 +254,27 @@
     }
 
     function onProgress() {
-      //logger.debug("onprogress", arguments);
+      if(isNoisyEvent('progress')) return;
+
+      if(playState == PlayStateInitializing)  {
+        transition(PlayStateBuffering);
+      }
     }
 
+    function audioBind() {
+      $audio.bind('play', onPlay);
+      $audio.bind('playing', onPlaying);
+      $audio.bind('error', onError);
+      $audio.bind('emptied', onEmptied);
+      $audio.bind('abort', onAbort);
+      $audio.bind('ended', onEnded);
+      $audio.bind('pause', onPause);
+      $audio.bind('suspend', onSuspend);
+      $audio.bind('stalled', onStalled);
+      $audio.bind('timeupdate', onTimeUpdate);
+      $audio.bind('progress', onProgress);
+
+    }
     function initialize() {
 
       musicSessionId = $parent.attr('data-music-session');
@@ -138,38 +290,12 @@
         throw "more than one <audio> element found";
       }
 
-
       audioDomElement = $audio.get(0);
-
-      function getAllEvents(element) {
-        var result = [];
-        for (var key in element) {
-          if (key.indexOf('on') === 0) {
-            result.push(key);
-          }
-        }
-        return result.join(' ');
-      }
-
-      console.log("ALL events names: " + getAllEvents(audioDomElement))
-      $audio.bind(getAllEvents(audioDomElement), function(e) { console.log("ALL EVENT:", arguments) });
-
-      $audio.bind('*', function() {alert('works')});
-      $audio.bind('play', onPlay);
-      $audio.bind('playing', onPlaying);
-      $audio.bind('error', onError);
-      $audio.bind('emptied', onEmptied);
-      $audio.bind('abort', onAbort);
-      $audio.bind('ended', onEnded);
-      $audio.bind('pause', onPause);
-      $audio.bind('suspend', onSuspend);
-      $audio.bind('stalled', onStalled);
-      $audio.bind('timeupdate', onTimeUpdate);
-      $audio.bind('progress', onProgress);
-      $audio.bind('load', function() { console.log("load", arguments)})
+      audioBind();
 
       $parent.bind('play.listenBroadcast', play);
       $parent.bind('pause.listenBroadcast', pause);
+      $parent.bind('destroy.listenBroadcast', destroy);
     }
 
     initialize();
diff --git a/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml b/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
index d320f7673..4595703a9 100644
--- a/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
+++ b/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.feed-entry.music-session-history-entry
+.feed-entry.music-session-history-entry{'data-music-session' => feed_item.id}
   / avatar
   .avatar-small.ib
     = session_avatar(feed_item)
diff --git a/websocket-gateway/Gemfile b/websocket-gateway/Gemfile
index 7aa627446..5f8f740c6 100644
--- a/websocket-gateway/Gemfile
+++ b/websocket-gateway/Gemfile
@@ -37,12 +37,14 @@ gem 'devise'
 gem 'postgres-copy'
 gem 'aws-sdk', '1.29.1'
 gem 'bugsnag'
-gem 'geokit-rails'
 gem 'postgres_ext'
 gem 'resque'
 gem 'resque-retry'
 gem 'resque-failed-job-mailer'
 gem 'resque-lonely_job', '~> 1.0.0'
+gem 'geokit'
+gem 'geokit-rails', '2.0.1'
+gem 'mime-types', '1.25.1'
 
 group :development do
 	gem 'pry'