Microsoft taking Windows Phone on a roadtrip to promote Mango

To promote the Windows Phone mobile line, and its recent update, the Mango release, Microsoft is taking its smartphone platform around the United States, throwing parties in its name, dishing out the booze, and hiring local talent to put on a show.

In other words, the sort of thing that Microsoft does for each store that it opens, the company is doing in a coordinated style in five cities for its handsets. This will transpire over a month-long period. Four different acts have been picked up to perform. How well people looking to see a concert will transform into technology hype is hard to gauge, but Microsoft can certainly afford the experiment.

Somewhere in Redmond there must be a team whose solution to everything is cocktails and amplifiers. Not that your humble servant is complaining, but you have to wonder about the ROI. Microsoft has warned that tickets are quite limited for the event, and is encouraging people to sign up in a hurry. TNW Microsoft will likely visit the Chicago event, and will report on its doings once the hangover wears off.

Right, to the dates, in case you are into such things:

New York City

• November 7 & 8 Featuring: Matt and Kim

Chicago

• November 11 & 12 Featuring: The Drums

Dallas

• November 16 & 17 Featuring: Young The Giant

Los Angeles

• November 30 & December 1 Featuring: MuteMath

San Francisco

• December 6 & 7

If you would like to attend (or even recognize any of those bands; we can’t), there are details that can be found here. Microsoft does know how to throw a party. At least the drinks are more than functional.

But that brings us to a question. Zune used to do events like this, and it didn’t help. How does this sort of thing boost a smartphone line? I can appreciate the need for ‘buzz,’ but is this the way to go about getting it? Perhaps if there was a music service tie-in, but as it stands, I can’t quite equate watching MuteMath and wanting to buy a Windows Phone handset. What is the conduit?

If you can figure it out, let us know in the comments.