diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
index 65249dbf9..329f154f2 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/feed_item_session.js
@@ -69,80 +69,13 @@
       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(data.displayText) $status.text(data.displayText);
 
-      if(state == 'none')  {
-        //$status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
-      }
-      else if(state == 'initializing') {
-        $status.text('PREPARING AUDIO');
-      }
-      else if(state == 'buffering') {
+      if(data.isEnd) stopPlay();
 
-      }
-      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 if(state == 'concurrent_stop') {
-        console.log("CONCURRENT STOP")
-        $status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
-        stopPlay();
-      }
-      else {
-        logger.error("unknown state: " + state)
+      if(data.isSessionOver) {
+        $controls.removeClass('inprogress').addClass('ended')
       }
     }
 
@@ -158,6 +91,7 @@
       $('.timeago', $feedItem).timeago();
       $('.dotdotdot', $feedItem).dotdotdot();
       $controls.listenBroadcast();
+
       context.JK.prettyPrintElements($('time.duration', $feedItem));
       context.JK.setInstrumentAssetPath($('.instrument-icon', $feedItem));
 
@@ -166,14 +100,16 @@
       events();
 
 
-      // this is a bit lame, because this is a singleton.  the idea is, if there are any session widgets on the page, then we start ticking time
+      // this is a bit lame, because this is a singleton.
+      // the idea is, if there are any session widgets on the page, then we start ticking time
       if(!context.JK.FeedItemSessionTimer) {
         context.JK.FeedItemSessionTimer = setInterval(function() {
           $.each($('.feed-entry.music-session-history-entry .inprogress .session-duration'), function(index, item) {
             var $duration = $(item);
 
-            var createdAt = new Date($duration.attr('data-created-at'))
+            var createdAt = new Date(Number($duration.attr('data-created-at')) * 1000)
             var millisElapsed = (new Date()).getTime() - createdAt.getTime();
+            console.log("createdAt, millis", createdAt, millisElapsed);
             $duration.text(context.JK.prettyPrintSeconds( parseInt(millisElapsed / 1000)));
           });
         }, 333);
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
index 4dbd2af5b..420b56c71 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jquery.listenbroadcast.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 
       context.JK.ListenBroadcastCurrentlyPlaying = self;
 
-      rest.getSession(musicSessionId)
+      checkServer()
         .done(function(response) {
           audioDomElement.play();
 
@@ -86,17 +86,6 @@
           // 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 forcedPause() {
@@ -119,7 +108,7 @@
       recreateAudioElement();
     }
 
-    function destroy(e) {
+    function destroy() {
       if(!destroyed) {
         $audio.remove();
         $audio = null;
@@ -150,6 +139,7 @@
         waitForBufferingTimeout = null;
       }
     }
+
     function transition(newState) {
       logger.debug("transitioning from " + playState + " to " + newState);
 
@@ -167,7 +157,7 @@
         context.JK.ListenBroadcastCurrentlyPlaying = null;
       }
 
-      $parent.triggerHandler('statechange.listenBroadcast', {state: playState, retryCount: retryAttempts});
+      triggerStateChange();
     }
 
     function noBuffer() {
@@ -190,8 +180,6 @@
 
         waitForBufferingTimeout = setTimeout(noBuffer, WAIT_FOR_BUFFER_TIMEOUT);
       }
-
-
     }
 
     function isNoisyEvent(eventName) {
@@ -282,6 +270,98 @@
       }
     }
 
+    function checkServer() {
+      return rest.getSession(musicSessionId)
+        .fail(function(jqXHR) {
+          if(jqXHR.status == 404 || jqXHR.status == 403) {
+            transition(PlayStateSessionOver);
+            destroy();
+          }
+          else if(jqXHR.status >= 500 && jqXHR.status <= 599){
+            transition(PlayStateServerError);
+          }
+          else {
+            transition(PlayStateNetworkError);
+          }
+        })
+    }
+
+    function triggerStateChange() {
+
+      var isEnd = false;
+      var isSessionOver = false;
+      var displayText = null;
+      var refresh = false;
+
+      if(playState == 'none')  {
+        //$status.text('SESSION IN PROGRESS');
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'initializing') {
+        displayText = 'PREPARING AUDIO';
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'buffering') {
+
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'playing') {
+        displayText = 'SESSION IN PROGRESS';
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'stalled') {
+        displayText = 'RECONNECTING';
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'ended') {
+        displayText = 'STREAM DISCONNECTED';
+        isEnd = true;
+        refresh = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'session_over') {
+        displayText = 'SESSION ENDED';
+        isEnd = true;
+        isSessionOver = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'retrying_play') {
+        if(retryAttempts == 2) {
+          displayText = 'STILL TRYING, HANG ON';
+        }
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'failed_start') {
+        displayText = 'AUDIO DID NOT START';
+        isEnd = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'failed_playing') {
+        displayText = 'AUDIO FAILED';
+        isEnd = true;
+        refresh = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'network_error') {
+        displayText = 'STREAM DISCONNECTED';
+        isEnd = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'server_error') {
+        displayText = 'SERVER ERROR';
+        isEnd = true;
+      }
+      else if(playState == 'concurrent_stop') {
+        displayText = 'SESSION IN PROGRESS';
+        isEnd = true;
+      }
+      else {
+        logger.error("unknown state: " + playState)
+      }
+
+      $parent.triggerHandler('statechange.listenBroadcast',
+      {
+        state: playState,
+        displayText: displayText,
+        isEnd: isEnd,
+        isSessionOver: isSessionOver
+      })
+
+      // we have cause to believe the session is done; check against the server
+      if(refresh) {
+        checkServer();
+      }
+    }
+
     function audioBind() {
       $audio.bind('play', onPlay);
       $audio.bind('playing', onPlaying);
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/web/sessions.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/web/sessions.js
index 7a95a05e8..1a142c568 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/web/sessions.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/web/sessions.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     var rest = new JK.Rest();
     var sessionId = null;
 
+
     function like() {
       rest.addSessionLike(sessionId, JK.currentUserId)
           .done(function(response) {
diff --git a/web/app/views/music_sessions/show.html.erb b/web/app/views/music_sessions/show.html.erb
index 8b5e09c7b..dd3af33cf 100644
--- a/web/app/views/music_sessions/show.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/music_sessions/show.html.erb
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
           <% end %>
         </audio>
         <% if @music_session.music_session.nil? || @music_session.music_session.mount.blank? %>
-          <div>No audio available</div>
+          <div>NO AUDIO AVAILABLE</div>
         <% end %>
       <% else %>
         <div class="session-status-ended">LIVE SESSION ENDED</div>
@@ -113,33 +113,5 @@
         $(function () {
           var showMusicSession = new JK.ShowMusicSession(JK.app);
           showMusicSession.initialize("<%= @music_session.id %>");
-
-          // remainder of this code is related to playing/pausing the session
-          var htmlAudio = $(".recording-controls").find('audio').get(0);
-          var $imgPlayPauseSelector = $("#imgPlayPause");
-          var playButtonPath = '/assets/content/icon_playbutton.png';
-          var pauseButtonPath = '/assets/content/icon_pausebutton.png';
-
-          // this updates the current play time
-          $(htmlAudio).on('timeupdate', function() {
-            $(".recording-current").html(context.JK.prettyPrintSeconds (htmlAudio.currentTime));
-
-            // reset icon to play when done
-            if (percentComplete === 100) {
-              $imgPlayPauseSelector.attr('src', playButtonPath);
-            }
-          });
-
-          $("#btnPlayPause").click(function() {
-            if (htmlAudio.paused) {
-              htmlAudio.play();
-              $imgPlayPauseSelector.attr('src', pauseButtonPath);
-            }
-            else {
-              htmlAudio.pause();
-              $imgPlayPauseSelector.attr('src', playButtonPath);
-            }
-          });
-        });
     </script>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml b/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
index e2b6ff56a..bfc571636 100644
--- a/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
+++ b/web/app/views/users/_feed_music_session.html.haml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       .session-status
         = feed_item.is_over? ? 'SESSION ENDED' : 'SESSION IN PROGRESS'
       / current playback time
-      = session_duration(feed_item, class: 'session-duration recording-current', 'data-created-at' => feed_item.created_at)
+      = session_duration(feed_item, class: 'session-duration recording-current', 'data-created-at' => feed_item.created_at.to_i)
     / end recording play controls
     / genre and social
     .left.small