diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
index 8dcdb97de..1056cdd10 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ module JamRuby
       Notification.where(:target_user_id => user_id).limit(50)
     end
 
+    def created_date
+      self.created_at.getutc.iso8601.to_s
+    end
+
     def photo_url
       unless self.source_user.nil?
         self.source_user.photo_url
@@ -224,7 +228,7 @@ module JamRuby
             user.photo_url,
             notification_msg,
             notification.id,
-            notification.created_at.to_s
+            notification.created_date
           )
 
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(friend_id, msg)
@@ -252,7 +256,7 @@ module JamRuby
             friend.photo_url,
             notification_msg,
             notification.id,
-            notification.created_at.to_s
+            notification.created_date
           )
 
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(user.id, msg)
@@ -279,7 +283,7 @@ module JamRuby
               follower.photo_url,
               notification_msg,
               notification.id,
-              notification.created_at.to_s
+              notification.created_date
             )
 
             @@mq_router.publish_to_user(user.id, msg)
@@ -313,7 +317,7 @@ module JamRuby
                 follower.photo_url,
                 notification_msg,
                 notification.id,
-                notification.created_at.to_s
+                notification.created_date
               )
 
               @@mq_router.publish_to_user(bm.user_id, msg)
@@ -342,7 +346,7 @@ module JamRuby
             session_id,
             notification_msg,
             notification.id,
-            notification.created_at.to_s
+            notification.created_date
           )
 
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(receiver.id, msg)
@@ -383,7 +387,7 @@ module JamRuby
           join_request.user.photo_url,
           notification_msg,
           notification.id,
-          notification.created_at.to_s
+          notification.created_date
         )
 
         @@mq_router.publish_to_user(music_session.creator.id, msg)
@@ -406,7 +410,7 @@ module JamRuby
           music_session.creator.photo_url,
           notification_msg,
           notification.id,
-          notification.created_at.to_s
+          notification.created_date
         )
 
         @@mq_router.publish_to_user(join_request.user.id, msg)
@@ -429,7 +433,7 @@ module JamRuby
           music_session.creator.photo_url,
           notification_msg,
           notification.id,
-          notification.created_at.to_s
+          notification.created_date
         )
 
         @@mq_router.publish_to_user(join_request.user.id, msg)
@@ -498,7 +502,6 @@ module JamRuby
             notification.save
 
             if ff.online
-              puts "******************SENDING NOTIFICATION TO #{ff.name}******************"
               msg = @@message_factory.musician_session_join(
                 ff.id,
                 music_session.id,
@@ -508,7 +511,7 @@ module JamRuby
                 music_session.approval_required,
                 notification_msg,
                 notification.id,
-                notification.created_at.to_s
+                notification.created_date
               )
 
               @@mq_router.publish_to_user(ff.id, msg)
@@ -546,7 +549,6 @@ module JamRuby
             notification.save
 
             if follower.online
-              puts "******************SENDING NOTIFICATION TO #{follower.name}******************"
               msg = @@message_factory.band_session_join(
                 follower.id,
                 music_session.id,
@@ -556,7 +558,7 @@ module JamRuby
                 music_session.approval_required,
                 notification_msg,
                 notification.id,
-                notification.created_at.to_s
+                notification.created_date
               )
 
               @@mq_router.publish_to_user(follower.id, msg)
@@ -602,7 +604,7 @@ module JamRuby
               user.photo_url,
               notification_msg,
               notification.id,
-              notification.created_at.to_s
+              notification.created_date
             )
 
             @@mq_router.publish_to_user(ff.id, notification_msg)
@@ -637,7 +639,7 @@ module JamRuby
               band.photo_url,
               notification_msg,
               notification.id,
-              notification.created_at.to_s
+              notification.created_date
             )
 
             @@mq_router.publish_to_user(of.id, notification_msg)
@@ -700,7 +702,13 @@ module JamRuby
 
           notification_msg = format_msg(notification.description, nil, recording.band)
 
-          msg = @@message_factory.recording_master_mix_complete(claimed_recording.user_id, recording.id,  notification.band_id, notification_msg, notification.id, notification.created_at.to_s)
+          msg = @@message_factory.recording_master_mix_complete(
+            claimed_recording.user_id,
+            recording.id,
+            notification.band_id,
+            notification_msg,
+            notification.id,
+            notification.created_date)
 
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(claimed_recording.user_id, msg)
         end
@@ -726,7 +734,7 @@ module JamRuby
             sender.photo_url,
             notification_msg,
             notification.id,
-            notification.created_at.to_s
+            notification.created_date
           )
 
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(receiver.id, msg)
@@ -754,7 +762,7 @@ module JamRuby
             sender.photo_url,
             notification_msg,
             notification.id,
-            notification.created_at.to_s
+            notification.created_date
           )
           @@mq_router.publish_to_user(receiver.id, msg)
 
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
index 42b7f7835..645683bc2 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
                   sessionId: val.sessionId,
                   avatar_url: context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl(val.photo_url),
                   text: val.formatted_msg,
-                  date: context.JK.formatDateTime(val.created_at)
+                  date: $.timeago(val.created_at)
               });
 
               $('#sidebar-notification-list').append(notificationHtml);
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@
               sessionId: payload.session_id,
               avatar_url: context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl(payload.photo_url),
               text: sidebarText,
-              date: context.JK.formatDateTime(payload.created_at)
+              date: $.timeago(payload.created_at)
           });
 
           $('#sidebar-notification-list').prepend(notificationHtml);
diff --git a/web/app/views/clients/_sidebar.html.erb b/web/app/views/clients/_sidebar.html.erb
index d908f1394..7354ddf60 100644
--- a/web/app/views/clients/_sidebar.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/clients/_sidebar.html.erb
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@
   <li session-id="{sessionId}" notification-id="{notificationId}">
     <div class="avatar-small"><img src="{avatar_url}" /></div>
     <div class="note-text">
-      {text}
-      <em>({date})</em>
+      {text}&nbsp;&nbsp;
+      <em>{date}</em>
       <div class="note-delete">
         <a>
           <img id="img-delete-notification" notification-id="{notificationId}" src="/assets/shared/icon_delete_sm.png" width="13" height="13" />
diff --git a/web/lib/music_session_manager.rb b/web/lib/music_session_manager.rb
index 070070724..bdd5d5213 100644
--- a/web/lib/music_session_manager.rb
+++ b/web/lib/music_session_manager.rb
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ MusicSessionManager < BaseManager
             user.update_progression_field(:first_music_session_at)
             MusicSessionUserHistory.save(music_session.id, user.id, client_id, tracks)
 
-            # only send this notification if it's a band session AND there is either fan or musician access
+            # only send this notification if it's a band session
             unless band.nil?
               Notification.send_band_session_join(music_session, band)
             end