Yeah that nightlife calendar has been a sort of emotional decision for me, I just don't have the time to personally keep it updated, and over the years three separate people said they would do it but never really did. Probably removing it is the best option. I keep leaving it there flip flopping between fixing it & getting someone (again) to keep it updated or just removing it.
Red Apple doesn't count as a recruitment place, it counts as a DGN gathering but won't do what a real club night would do.
No DGN "club night" hurts its true. Even at the best of times there is an attrition rate, and that takes constant promotion and activity online and in real life by at least 1 or 2 of the "key people" on a forum like this. I got sick several years ago (again) after building DGN up to the 700 posts a day range (FB was a real thing at that point , so it doesn't really scare me that FB is the problem) , and have not been able to get my ass back in gear again. Once I disappeared , DGN went to shit. I'm better, but not as better as I need to be. Also my "life situation" makes fri/saturday near impossible in the short term due to them being the only days I make (maybe) any money. I've not given up the ghost, just stating a fact there.
I personally am a good promoter for OTHER people's FB stuff , but they *ahem* need to reciprocate. *shakes fist*
DGN does have a built in chat system, just we tried it for a few years on and off, it was never used, and when it was, it was usually used for things that would have been better posted on the board itself. Still could try again, problem is its basically even worse than the old DCC in terms of being able to be moderated. (random aside I owned DCC.com .org .net for a year after the couldn't keep their shit together, had a big hello kitty picture up for a little while lol)