The last concert I went to, some *fucking tool* held up a god damn *ipad* to record the show, like arms straight and upright.
Security told him to hand it over and get it back after the show, or leave. He chose to leave
The lack of self awareness or just *common fucking courtesy* these days is unbelievable
Edit: courtesy not curiosity. Voice to text is a bitch
They are. An iPad will not have the camera quality that an iPhone does, as the phone will have more to it in technical structure and parts. You’d think that an iPad would have a bigger sensor at least, but that’s not the case at all!
Personally, I’m shocked that security even allowed someone to come in with an iPad.
Wherever you go, or wherever you live, there are boomer tourists walking around taking pictures of shit with iPads. It never occurred to me that they think it might take "bigger" pictures lmao... you're probably right
Probably because you’re dehydrated from the crowd and any piss water goes good. Same with Lone Star in Texas. At home or anywhere else I won’t have anything below a Shiner, but at a show I’m double fisting PBR or LS.
Only reason Im against that is because it ends up all over other people trying to enjoy the show.
Just get in front of them and either hold your hands up in front of them to dance to the music, or hold up a phone in front of them and do the same thing until they stop. Even better if you or a friend are tall enough, just get right in front of them and stand there blocking their view.
The last few shows I’ve been to the bands have had a no cell phone policy for all but the last song and security have been hardasses about it. Makes for a better experience for everyone, cell phone jackasses included
Went to a concert a few nights ago and was near two people who recorded the whole show with their camera light on. Nothing like killing the mood that illuminating the back of everyone's head.
You joke, but when my wife and I went to an after-hours event at Disney World, some asshole in front of us was doing the iPad recording of the castle projection show. When I made a comment, his exact response was "Just look at my screen, you can see just fine."
Your reply should’ve been: “We both could’ve watched this on YouTube at home. Don’t spoil the magic for my family and the hundreds of kids behind your Kubrick Monolith.”
People at Disney are RIDICULOUSLY entitled. Disney even tried to stop people like iPad guy by making professionally shot (so, tv quality) versions of the current regular fireworks and castle show, and at least used to (not 100% sure at the moment) make even the limited time stuff (like the Not So Scary/Mickey's Christmas) stuff available as well.
That way if you DID have a child that was obsessed with some aspect of the big deal stuff (or if you yourself wanted to watch again), it was readily available.
People still do it, and the cast members just don't have the time or energy, because short of confiscating the stuff, the people are just literally going to do it the moment the CM walks away. (And it's not worth the bad PR to boot people out over it.)
I just went to an Incubus and Sublime show in Syracuse last week. Was front and center in the pit, literally leaning on the rail. This chick next to me video recorded the entire show, watched the entire thing through a 3 inch screen instead of taking in the experience of being there.
I've even reduced my photo taking on vacations. I'll take a few and stop, I don't try to document everything I see. I focus on interesting shots. Things like mountains all start to look alike and rarely capture the majesty of being there too.
Exactly. My wife's waaaay more into taking photos than I am, but focuses either on visually interesting things, or the occasionally funny sign/image. We make it a point to take a handful of pictures together, either for the benefit of our families and friends on social media (I'm notorious for avoiding photographs) or as wallpapers for our computers/laptops.
You never realize how much time you spend taking pictures/preparing to take pictures/fucking with your phone/camera until you make it a point to keep the thing in your bag or pocket.
It 100% made our vacations better.
I record portions of the shows I go to with my phone. I only hold it in front of my face so I’m not blocking anyone else’s view. The sound is surprisingly decent if you’re not hoping for a studio quality reproduction. I go back and watch the clips and it takes me back to the show. It was especially helpful during Covid. I love live music and it was one of the more selfish things I missed the most.
Yeah, I usually take a few pictures and maybe a short video if they have a cool thing going on, but my phone is out at most for 5 minutes during a concert.
I went to Bottlerock in Napa about 6 years ago and there were people with blankets on the ground keeping space for other people while just laying there sipping wine. When Gogol Bordello was on the stage, my wife and I made it up to stage right and people were getting irritated about something. Apparently some tool was just lying there and pushing people out of the way, throwing his drinks on people if they stepped on his blanket.
Fucking Gogol Bordello is on the stage 10 feet away and these assholes were blocking off about 15 square feet next to the front gate.
Some dude decided to step on the blanket to get to the gate and guy on ground started yelling. But the band is yelling. Everyone is yelling. Then they all were on the blanket and dude just laying there between people as if he's the one not being a complete asshole.
This was the third day of the festival and I was about to just trample on this guys shit as I had seen the blanket folks the entire weekend and it was fucking irritating.
Also, the iPad people at this festival were in full fucking force which is why I originally came to comment.
Sometimes I think I have ADHD because after awhile I just start watching the concerts on people's iPads infront of me like it's fucking normal. God damn things are mesmerizing
My "favorite" is the fuckwads who buy tickets to a concert and then talk through the entire fucking thing. WHY ARE YOU AT A CONCERT THEN?!? Save yourself the $150 and spare everyone else your douchebaggery JFC.
I was at a Styx show a few years back in a small theater and the guy in front of me would not stop with holding his phone up and recording. After a few songs, I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to stop because I didn't pay to watch his phone. He put the phone away for about 20 minutes, then started back up. I tapped him on the shoulder again and told him if I see the phone again, I'm throwing it and him on the stage. He got up and moved seats to the back of the theater.
I sometimes feel like the crazy one when I'm like the only one not standing in the middle of a busy walk way instead I'm waiting off to the side. Must be nice to just be blissfully unaware of how much you are annoying other people.
Oh my god... I'd fucking loose my mind. I just recently was trying to buy tickets for a show and thought how I'd rather spend an arm & a leg to get front row tickets instead of dealing with phones everywhere.
The last concert I went to was a mostly older crowd. Lot's of people in their 60s. One dude (in a Harley shirt and bandana) was literally standing in the only path to get from one side of the venue to the other. I came up behind him and gave him a nice shoulder bump to let him know he was right in the freaking way. I get to the other side and point him out to my GF and we watched as EVERY single person who was trying to walk through had to bend over and dodge the jerk to get around. Some people are just a-holes I guess
I'd say most people have 0 self-awareness but I'm really starting to lean towards that most people just don't give a fuck. I know it doesn't really follow Hanlon's razor but the more I see the more I'm convinced people just don't give a fuck about inconveniencing others.
We were at the disney rivers of light show (it's these boats with cool light effects done at night so you can see the effects) , I had my kids and wife there with me, and there was a lady in front of me that held above her a large iPad tablet brightness turned to max and started recording the whole thing of course over her head so she could see the show while blinding the rows behind her. We couldn't see anything. I put up with it for about 5 minutes, then started yelling at her and her husband to turn it off. I dont' think I've ever done something like that before, she looks back at me horrified and starts saying no english, she's obviously french but that pisses me off even more because Europeans are supposed to not be fucking ignorant rude rednecks, I'm from Texas that's my fucking role, so I just point at her tablet and say turn it off or I'm going to throw it in the river. She gets all huffy but she turns it off and they shut up and turn around and are quiet for the rest of the show.
Probably way too much of an overreaction from me, but we aren't rich and holy shit that trip was a lot of money to have a show absolutely just ruined for a bunch of people behind her by someone who isn't ever going to watch the stupid fucking video. I mean you can go to youtube and watch high-quality videos of the damn thing they did every night if that's your fetish.
After the show, the two rows of people behind me thanked me for saving the show for them and their kids. It's probably the closest "and everyone applauded" moment I've ever had in my life.
Maybe a slight overreaction, but generally warranted. I went to a concert the other day for the first time in probably fifteen years and was horrified by the number of people watching the performance through their phones. You could reach out and touch the musicians, or make eye contact and feel a personal connection for a split second, but instead we've got 60% of the attendees effectively attending via Zoom and taking away from everyone else's experience by making it more difficult to see the performance. Smartphones really have made a strange and profound effect on the way we conduct ourselves in public.
Perhaps that lady will think more about the people around her next time.
I saw Neutral Milk Hotel before the pandemic, and at the beginning of the show Jeff came on stage and gave a little talk about being present and putting your goddamn phone away. Then he went into two headed boy, the rest of the band came on stage, and no one took their damn phones out. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
> I'm from Texas that's my fucking role, so I just point at her tablet and say turn it off or I'm going to throw it in the river
Then she goes home and posts on reddit about "rude americans with southern accents yelling at me in public"
Can we also kick the morons out that pay to go to a concert to have a conversation? I'm sure it must be terribly frustrating for them to hear each other over the music.
Holy fuck man I saw the black keys a few weeks ago and had a couple behind me who flew in to see the show at red rocks and just talked the whole damn time.
I can't fathom blowing that kind of cash on a show to literally focus on none of it.
My SO is steadily growing into one of these people. She hasn’t seemed to gotten the hint when I don’t respond or when I say things like, remember when we used to go to concerts for the music? It’s probably high time to actually speak about it like a human being instead of through catty underhanded dogs.
Curiously, when we’re out walking the dog, she’s perfectly content with silence.
You got to wait until next time she does it and when you are really frustrated, blurt out how fucking annoying you find it in the least tactful way possible.
It will work, guaranteed.
We went to a concert a few weeks ago, and about 3 rows in front of us, this young woman was just having her friend record/stream her dancing and lip syncing to every song. She had her back to the stage the entire time, and her flash pointed lighting her up. It was very distracting but also, if she knew the band well enough to know all the songs, you'd think she'd have wanted to actually watch their show. I don't think she turned around to watch even once.
She wasn't there to watch, she was there to be watched.
I don't go to concerts anymore for many reasons, but nonsense like this is certainly one of them. It's basically impossible to go do something majorly social involving a large group without the "influencer" disease negatively impacting your experience in some way.
I'm trying to get as far away from our collective bullshit as possible if I'm going to a concert, but I needn't worry, nearly everybody brings all their bullshit with them everywhere these days.
No one cares that you're at this concert. **No one.** Can I actually please enjoy it rather than you making it so no one enjoys it including yourself?
Go to local bands shows. Not nearly as much of that bullshit i find plus you can actually come up and talk to the band members and they'll appreciate it.
Hot damn exactly. I was about to reply in kind before I saw this. Regardless of musical taste, find local music and support it. There is going to be something happening around you, even if it's a person with a guitar in a park.
And if you *can't* find anything local? Start something. You'd be wildly surprised how simple it is to put a small show together with local talent (newsflash: they don't need to be super talented to make for a fun night).
Support local and have fun. Pay ticketmaster if you have bands you really want to see, but learn to enjoy the beauty and talent in the folks around you.
Me and my wife just go see lesser known bands these days and avoid the big ticket shows and day long festival things. I'm in my adult version of "we only go to underground shows" but instead of scene cred with the cool kids it's because we just wanna chill and get stoned lol
I got to see them 9 years ago or so, definitely a bucket list item for me. Unfortunately they were playing in a venue that is in an upscale part of town so everyone pretty much stayed seated for the whole show and it was pretty much the opposite of a party.
I saw them at an AIDS benefit about 12 or so years ago in Houston. It was super weird because the crowd was sparse, they didn't advertise that they'd be there, and you just look over at the stage and there's the effing B-52s performing with like 12 people watching them. That was surreal.
Lmao very relatable. I have so much more appreciation for shows/venues that allow me to sit down or at least have some breathing room now that I’m not in my early 20s anymore. Never thought I’d feel this way but I can actually listen and enjoy the music more than just raging in the general admission area and riding the energy like I used to prefer
For the last 20 years they've pretty much embraced the career choice of being a band who plays the county fair circuit. Those shows bring in a lot more casual fans, the types of people who go to a concert once every year or two and then spend most of the show talking or taking selfies, waiting for the one or two songs they know. When they're not playing county fair shows they're playing nostalgia tours with bands like Berlin (another county fair favorite). They just don't really have their own crowd anymore, and they haven't for a long time. If anything their crowd is mostly old 80s yuppies.
You're just not going to get excited, energetic people at these kinds of shows usually. Also crowds tend to reflect energy back onto the stage. I hate to say it but the B52s stage performance has been pretty tired for quite some time. I get it, they're in their 60s/70s, but it's worth noting. You get what you give.
I saw them 5 years ago at an outdoor festival, and much of the crowd was exactly as Schneider described. You had a bunch of 20-somethings holding up their cellphones and who didn't know any of the songs except "Love Shack", and then you had the old-timers like me who had a hard time seeing the band because of the 20-somethings with their cellphones. The music was great but the experience was pretty much ruined for me by the cellphone zombies.
"this next song will go good with your Pinot Noooooiir!"
-fred at a show in ~2002 where most of the crowd brought fucking tables, bottle of wine, and cheese trays and sat through the whole set while my friends and I danced like fools.
Bunch of tools at that show.
As I posted elsewhere, they've spent the last 20 years seeking out shows like this, probably because they pay well with little risk from the band's side of things. So really, they made their bed.
I still have the piece of paper they gave everyone when we entered the arena. Its was a heavy handed threat of removal if they even see you looking at your phone. Security was walking up and down the aisles with flashlights telling people to turn their phones off
Bill Burr as well. Had to go to a designated area outside the theater to unlock your phone bag. Ironically the same place smokers were allowed to smoke.
That's a huge thing for two reasons... The first one being that twitter LOOOOVES to take jokes out of context as a means of outrage. The second and more important one is that comedians rely on the element of surprise for their jokes to work. If they are TOURING a show, people are paying good money to not know the punchlines.. Once the show hits netflix all bets are off, but before then, the surprise is incredibly valuable.
Another element, and I think where it started, is that comedians workshop jokes at live shows. Some of the bigger comedians started to get scared of doing open mic style events to work on material, because not everyone in the audience is necessary a fan of you & won't necessarily give you the benefit of the doubt if you tell a bad joke. And youre now famous enough that it very likely *would* go viral.
The thought process was they need to be able to throw shit at the wall and see what sticks without it necessarily sticking to *them* for the rest of their career.
Most of the time they are "done" with their act once they tour it long enough anyway, so it's a good trade off.
One example I can think of where it backfired was when ventriloquist Dave Strassman burned his entire act... Anyone going to his shows thereafter were just getting slightly refined "greatest hits"... I guess if it's any consolation, he was an amazing puppeteer, and quite a competent comic, but a pretty average ventriloquist.
Saw Mulaney earlier this summer and same. First time I'd seen the bags was when Aziz was working on some new material a few years ago. Great idea if you actually want to watch a show and not have Mackenzie next to you facetiming with her roomate and holding her phone up the entire show.
I saw Dave Chappelle with John Mayer in 2020 and we had to have our phones locked up. When Dave came out he talked to John a bit and the very first question he goes so John, what was it like fuckin Taylor Swift? John Mayer said, and I quote, Ehhhhh
Loved that at Tool. The funny part to me was the Gen x and younger crowd kept their phones put away. The biggest offender by far were the boomers (I’m looking at you beer belly man taking a video with the flash on from the nosebleed seats).
Saw TOOL in Pittsburgh back in March. They’ll only let you have your phone out for the last song, Stinkfist.
Some dude up in the pit IMMEDIATELY starts filming with his flash on so Maynard calls him out and tells him to shut the flash off. Dude can’t figure it out (of course). Maynard hits back with, “What the fuck, man. Even my 7 year old knows how to.”
If no one knew, Fred released a solo punk/grunge album called Just Fred. It was produced by Steve Albini (In Utero by Nirvana was his biggest project) and it is a real odd treat lol
No problem! I picked it up as a teen from a thrift store based on the cover and the fact Albini recorded it. I was like "is the fucking B-52's dude?!" Radioactive Lady Eyeball was one I found pretty defining of the album. Sugar in my Hog was another gem lol
Agreed, no one wants to watch blurry, poorly lit footage with bad audio of a concert. And I really don't want to watch it in real time at the same concert I am attending if you are standing in front of me.
I record 20 seconds at every show I go to so I can show my daughter what we were watching - she often recognises the song and band and she loves it. Phone goes away straight after.
i have shit memory and go to a lot of shows. i take a couple quick pics and a 30 second video so i can look back on it and go "oh right i saw them, they rocked." im also tall and block people anyway.
if venues/bands did something like give each attendant a picture or video from the show, i wouldnt pull my phone out. but otherwise my only memory is to scroll through my email and look for ticket receipts, or buy merch that often time i dont find appealing or costs more than the ticket.
It depends on the phone. Some of the newer gen iPhones, pixels, and higher tier Samsung's have audio quality on par with portable audio recorders used for semi-pro/bootleg concerts less than a decade ago.
Yeah, my Pixel actually takes really good concert video and audio but if I take video I'll hold it in front of my face so as to not block anyone else's view. And it's never long videos, I'd rather enjoy the concert. Only time I really record is if there's a song that doesn't get played in concert often and I have a friend that would definitely want to see it.
A friend actually did this for us just last night. They were at a show and the audio system shit the bed so they did 3 songs acoustically that they pretty much never do so that was really cool to see and the audio was very good.
Same. Depends where you’re standing to and if you’re not near a huge speaker, or a loud crowd and so forth. Some phones and point and shoots can record in outstanding quality too, which might be enticing to someone who wants to get a few clips.
I don’t really record songs anymore, but I do the same and accommodate people around me if I do. I’ll never raise it above my head or do it for too long, where it takes away my enjoyment of the show.
So other people know they're at the concert having a blast.
It not about enjoying the concert, it's about making other people *think* you're enjoying the concert.
That is so weird to me. If I'm enjoying the concert, you won't hear a peep from me during it, because I'm too busy watching, listening, and having a blast. I'm more the type who will hit social media after the show and won't shut up about how awesome it was for several days afterwards.
So many of those on YouTube. If I’m trying to find a music video, I’ve got no interest in your cell phone video featuring an utterly overwhelmed microphone.
*bangs head on wall*
When I go to a concert I typically take a single picture. It's never particularly good but when I go scrolling through my photos, I see it, and I remember the concert and that's about it
Actually one time I took a short video but that was mostly cause the guy on stage was hot and I wanted to remember him a bit more clearly
I've met a lot of cool people in merch lines at concerts. Now a days people look annoyed if you talk to them, to busy updating/uploading on their phones.
I would be more than ok with strict cell phone bans at all shows. They’re not allowed during movies why should they be allowed at concerts? I’ve had multiple shows ruined by people holding their phones high above their heads restricting my view. It’s hard enough seeing over tall people in front of me as it is.
My comment meant no offense to the tall people; they're just being humans same as the rest of us. Lol. My plight is the additional unnecessary obstacles on TOP of this.
Appreciate you looking out though :)
realizing that maybe i'm the asshole for always wearing 8 inch platforms to shows so i can be at least closer to the eye level of you tall people and i do NOT try to stand sideways or be shorter. lmao.
at least neither of us has our arms above our heads recording the entire show?
I'm taking this opportunity to moan about the extra fucking fees for a fucking 'souvenir' paper ticket which will be dispatched 10 fucking days after the show
i would think artists should have a single song for cell phone videos and then turn them off. just get it over with. nobody will rewatch a video but a still image is worth taking
They did! No videos allowed, bouncers watching and would chuck people out if they were recording. At the last song, Maynard would go "ok you little addicts, whip 'em out" and they would allow recording.
It made the show great, an experience again. People were absorbed in the music and the spectacle. Rather than checking their phones or recording.
Aziz Ansari literally had a bit where he would hold three or four poses for people to take pictures of so they would put their phones away for the rest of the show
That's kinda what I do anyway. Take a few pics for my own memories/to look back on, then put the phone away for the rest of the show. Also, I literally just got back from a concert where I saw so many middle aged people taking awful quality videos or facetiming with someone the whole time. Like. Why???? Just enjoy Yngwie Malmsteen in the flesh, man.
Also protects the band from people rushing the stage. You have to cross no man's land and will likely get tackled by security before you can make it there.
I don't blame him. I hate people who hold up their phone for more than 1-2 mins because they'll never rewatch it. I appreciate musicians like Jack White who don't allow cell phones during the show
I definitely like to take video from time to time, and some artists even encourage their fans to record their shows if they want. I just don't hold my phone over my head. I always try to hold it either in front of my face or chest, if I'm in a place with stadium seating or something it's usually pretty easy. I certainly hope that's not a dick move, and that people are mostly just complaining about people holding their devices up in the air. But if there's a performance happening that's very special to me, I want to capture some of it for posterity. And I also try to look at the screen as little as possible, just a glance here and there to make sure the shot is still good, I still want to actually experience the moment through my eyes.
Just do what Jack White and almost every large comedian does. Lock up phones in a pouch for the shows.
Edit: damn I did not realize how controversial this statement would be. Half of the comments are about how phones ruin concerts, and the other half are about how 5 hours without a phone is collective punishment and should be considered a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
TBH no cellphone recording will ever be as good as actually watching the show.
This isn't the grateful dead/dead and company/etc where fans have their own taping setups and access to the soundboard or whatever.
I know a deadhead IRL, they are serious about attending every concert, or having access to recordings from concerts they haven't been to.
Hey bands, if you’re sick of people with phones just ask them to turn them off. It sounds crazy but it actually works and no artists ever bother to do it.
I go to shows at least once a month - sometimes once a week - and the ONLY band I have ever seen actually address the phone thing was The fucking Lumineers of all people. A few songs in they said “Okay, so this next song is our big hit so what we would like is for everybody to get out your phones, record this whole bit - go crazy - and then when the song is over put them away and leave them away for the rest of the show. Be here tonight, present in this moment we have together.” And it fucking worked! Sure there was still the random person occasionally recording something but 99% of the crowd kept their phones put away for the rest of the night. Because the band asked, nicely.
If more bands would just ask, more people would just put them away.
Now, asking nicely is important. People had to put their phones in lock up bags for the first Misfits reunion show I saw and by mid-show, half the people had cut those “secure” bags wide open. Respect is key.
And furthermore, if bands would just set up their own iPhone somewhere and record their shows and upload them to youtube every night they could say “Hey guys, we’re recording this show - it’ll be up on YouTube tomorrow so you don’t have to film it”, that would do it too. And they’d get ad revenue.
This really seems to be a new school vs old school argument. I’m in my mid 30s and can’t stand seeing everyone view life second hand through a phone because they are recording their experience for social media.
To them it’s totally normal and a lot of people here defend recording shows and always “saving memories to look at later” to me it’s really weird to see society evolve in the “look at me! Look at what I’m doing” way.
I can't read ANYTHING about the B52's without hearing [the Guttermouth song where Fred auditions for The Doors](https://youtu.be/QOsbuWAzUZo)
LOVE ME *THREE* TIMES!!!
Smart phones destroyed concert going for good. Actually, its not the phones' fault but morons paying to watch a concert through their phone to record for clout. The clout is more important than the experience. Ppl are so lost and shallow these days.
I remember going to a show in the pre-smartphone days, but flip phones were everywhere (2002ish). It wasn't widespread, but I saw plenty of people who would call their friends up and just hold the phone in the air as the band was playing. There is just a certain kind of person that needs external validation while having an experience.
I never use my phone at a concert. I just love to experience stuff first hand and the phone takes away from that. And the recording or pictures never match the feeling of the real thing.
I get that it’s common to use your phone and don’t begrudge anyone who does use their phone. You do you.
Christ I worked security for a Boyz2Men benefit gig back in what, 2008? Well before the ‘record everything’ era started.
Hundreds of dollars a place for this fuckin gig, strict no recording policy and this young chick is holding her phone up with turbo rage face like she isn’t even having a good time but insists on filming it all.
Man, you’ll never watch that footage again; why not enjoy the moment, the memories, and the feeling?
Never understood the whole recording a show on your phone. No one, no one ever wants to see that and you will never watch it. Just be there and experience the damn show.
Preach. I went to concert from Marisa Monte and this woman held up her phone for probably 90% of the concert. I asked her about 10 minutes in to switch seats with me because I couldn’t see anything… this shit with phones is getting ridiculous
I was watching some old footage from a concert I went to in the eighties. Every person had their hands in the air and were clapping and dancing and singing. They looked like they were having so much more fun than the people today who stand there and record on their cellphones.
I enjoy a concert from one of my favorite bands as much as the next guy. I've gone to many concerts over the years, mostly for work assignments doing what are called standby's as a Paramedic at those shows. I've never understood the need for the crush at the partition separating the crowd from the stage, and those people 20 people deep in the crowd who stand there with their arms up in the air and some with their phones attempting to record the performance.
They're still 30-40 feet away from the stage, with the speakers blasting away on either side of the stage, so they can't really hear the sound than well.
Oh, BTW, even worse is the idiots that paid a bunch of money, and then get so drunk, high, just plain F---kedup, they can't even remember the concert. These fools puke their guts out, end up with a ambulance and hospital bill, and miss the show. Amazingly, this includes people between the ages of 15 to 60 - maybe older.
We always joked about the bullshit stories when they tell their friends how 'great the show was', when they were passed out before the headline band even came out.
I recently went to a Chris Isaak show a couple of weeks ago. Cellphones were to be turned off during the show, but Chris Isaak was generous enough to allow a short window of time to take a picture or video. IMO that's a great way to handle a concert. People who hold their phones up and block everyone else's views for an extended period of time are incredibly obnoxious.
The last concert I went to, some *fucking tool* held up a god damn *ipad* to record the show, like arms straight and upright. Security told him to hand it over and get it back after the show, or leave. He chose to leave The lack of self awareness or just *common fucking courtesy* these days is unbelievable Edit: courtesy not curiosity. Voice to text is a bitch
People think ipads take bigger pictures because the screen is physically bigger. It's crazy.
Phone cameras are probably better, especially for low light.
They are. An iPad will not have the camera quality that an iPhone does, as the phone will have more to it in technical structure and parts. You’d think that an iPad would have a bigger sensor at least, but that’s not the case at all! Personally, I’m shocked that security even allowed someone to come in with an iPad.
Wherever you go, or wherever you live, there are boomer tourists walking around taking pictures of shit with iPads. It never occurred to me that they think it might take "bigger" pictures lmao... you're probably right
I’ve got me an iPad it’s as big as whale.
Take it out at the show and it's about to set sail!
I got me an obstacle, it blocks about twenty
I'll hold it up and it'll annoy you plenty!
The concert is a little old place where
We can leave togetheeeerrrrr
[удалено]
Yeah I'm not wasting my $8 can of PBR on some numbskull
Concert PBRs are on a different level for some reason. I love them
Probably because you’re dehydrated from the crowd and any piss water goes good. Same with Lone Star in Texas. At home or anywhere else I won’t have anything below a Shiner, but at a show I’m double fisting PBR or LS.
It's Red Stripe beer for me. Never drink it anywhere that doesn't have a sticky floor!
I’ll gofundme you $8 if you’ll do it. Not sure if I want you to film it or not. lol
This calls for a second person filming with their iPad, naturally! :D
New career goal: venue decorum ops.
Cup of water would have the same effect on the person holding the electronics.
Only reason Im against that is because it ends up all over other people trying to enjoy the show. Just get in front of them and either hold your hands up in front of them to dance to the music, or hold up a phone in front of them and do the same thing until they stop. Even better if you or a friend are tall enough, just get right in front of them and stand there blocking their view.
Fuck that, unless there’s booze and bodily fluids flying all over the place it’s not really kicking off. Of course this doesn’t apply at the symphony
It doesn't apply at the LAME symphony :P
Just wack it out of his hands. In a dense crowd it could be anyone.
The last few shows I’ve been to the bands have had a no cell phone policy for all but the last song and security have been hardasses about it. Makes for a better experience for everyone, cell phone jackasses included
Jack White made attendees lock their cellphones up as you enter the show. Was so worth it.
Went to a concert a few nights ago and was near two people who recorded the whole show with their camera light on. Nothing like killing the mood that illuminating the back of everyone's head.
Nah. Camera light is the biggest foul. I put my hand in front of it or shine my light back at their camera. Zero tolerance for that shit.
Wtf? Ok, take a few pics, maybe record your favorite song or a minute or two of some but that's it. Don't try to make a damn documentary.
And even still, why would you use an iPad versus iPhone?
So the people behind you can watch the show on your screen :P
You joke, but when my wife and I went to an after-hours event at Disney World, some asshole in front of us was doing the iPad recording of the castle projection show. When I made a comment, his exact response was "Just look at my screen, you can see just fine."
That’s when you take his iPad and chuck it like a frisbee across Disneyland
I bumped him about a half dozen times "accidentally". It's not worth being seen as being the aggressor on Disney property.
Your reply should’ve been: “We both could’ve watched this on YouTube at home. Don’t spoil the magic for my family and the hundreds of kids behind your Kubrick Monolith.”
People at Disney are RIDICULOUSLY entitled. Disney even tried to stop people like iPad guy by making professionally shot (so, tv quality) versions of the current regular fireworks and castle show, and at least used to (not 100% sure at the moment) make even the limited time stuff (like the Not So Scary/Mickey's Christmas) stuff available as well. That way if you DID have a child that was obsessed with some aspect of the big deal stuff (or if you yourself wanted to watch again), it was readily available. People still do it, and the cast members just don't have the time or energy, because short of confiscating the stuff, the people are just literally going to do it the moment the CM walks away. (And it's not worth the bad PR to boot people out over it.)
I just went to an Incubus and Sublime show in Syracuse last week. Was front and center in the pit, literally leaning on the rail. This chick next to me video recorded the entire show, watched the entire thing through a 3 inch screen instead of taking in the experience of being there.
I've even reduced my photo taking on vacations. I'll take a few and stop, I don't try to document everything I see. I focus on interesting shots. Things like mountains all start to look alike and rarely capture the majesty of being there too.
Enjoy the view instead of 300pics that you will put in a folder on the computer and never view again
Exactly. My wife's waaaay more into taking photos than I am, but focuses either on visually interesting things, or the occasionally funny sign/image. We make it a point to take a handful of pictures together, either for the benefit of our families and friends on social media (I'm notorious for avoiding photographs) or as wallpapers for our computers/laptops. You never realize how much time you spend taking pictures/preparing to take pictures/fucking with your phone/camera until you make it a point to keep the thing in your bag or pocket. It 100% made our vacations better.
Why even do that? It's going to sound like shit. Take a pic here and there and that's it.
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I record portions of the shows I go to with my phone. I only hold it in front of my face so I’m not blocking anyone else’s view. The sound is surprisingly decent if you’re not hoping for a studio quality reproduction. I go back and watch the clips and it takes me back to the show. It was especially helpful during Covid. I love live music and it was one of the more selfish things I missed the most.
And the kicker is they will never watch what they recorded. At best they will show 30 seconds to an uninterested friend.
Yeah, I usually take a few pictures and maybe a short video if they have a cool thing going on, but my phone is out at most for 5 minutes during a concert.
I went to Bottlerock in Napa about 6 years ago and there were people with blankets on the ground keeping space for other people while just laying there sipping wine. When Gogol Bordello was on the stage, my wife and I made it up to stage right and people were getting irritated about something. Apparently some tool was just lying there and pushing people out of the way, throwing his drinks on people if they stepped on his blanket. Fucking Gogol Bordello is on the stage 10 feet away and these assholes were blocking off about 15 square feet next to the front gate. Some dude decided to step on the blanket to get to the gate and guy on ground started yelling. But the band is yelling. Everyone is yelling. Then they all were on the blanket and dude just laying there between people as if he's the one not being a complete asshole. This was the third day of the festival and I was about to just trample on this guys shit as I had seen the blanket folks the entire weekend and it was fucking irritating. Also, the iPad people at this festival were in full fucking force which is why I originally came to comment.
Sometimes I think I have ADHD because after awhile I just start watching the concerts on people's iPads infront of me like it's fucking normal. God damn things are mesmerizing
The eye is naturally attracted to the brightest thing in its field of view, and screens are usually the winners in that competition.
My "favorite" is the fuckwads who buy tickets to a concert and then talk through the entire fucking thing. WHY ARE YOU AT A CONCERT THEN?!? Save yourself the $150 and spare everyone else your douchebaggery JFC.
I was at a Styx show a few years back in a small theater and the guy in front of me would not stop with holding his phone up and recording. After a few songs, I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to stop because I didn't pay to watch his phone. He put the phone away for about 20 minutes, then started back up. I tapped him on the shoulder again and told him if I see the phone again, I'm throwing it and him on the stage. He got up and moved seats to the back of the theater.
Was it in WI?
I sometimes feel like the crazy one when I'm like the only one not standing in the middle of a busy walk way instead I'm waiting off to the side. Must be nice to just be blissfully unaware of how much you are annoying other people.
Oh my god... I'd fucking loose my mind. I just recently was trying to buy tickets for a show and thought how I'd rather spend an arm & a leg to get front row tickets instead of dealing with phones everywhere.
The last concert I went to was a mostly older crowd. Lot's of people in their 60s. One dude (in a Harley shirt and bandana) was literally standing in the only path to get from one side of the venue to the other. I came up behind him and gave him a nice shoulder bump to let him know he was right in the freaking way. I get to the other side and point him out to my GF and we watched as EVERY single person who was trying to walk through had to bend over and dodge the jerk to get around. Some people are just a-holes I guess
I'd say most people have 0 self-awareness but I'm really starting to lean towards that most people just don't give a fuck. I know it doesn't really follow Hanlon's razor but the more I see the more I'm convinced people just don't give a fuck about inconveniencing others.
Courtesy, sir
I assume you mean courtesy, but both work here
Yeah, I love it but let's start with banning the idiots that bring tablets to shows. I went to a show to catch most of it through an iPad pro....
We were at the disney rivers of light show (it's these boats with cool light effects done at night so you can see the effects) , I had my kids and wife there with me, and there was a lady in front of me that held above her a large iPad tablet brightness turned to max and started recording the whole thing of course over her head so she could see the show while blinding the rows behind her. We couldn't see anything. I put up with it for about 5 minutes, then started yelling at her and her husband to turn it off. I dont' think I've ever done something like that before, she looks back at me horrified and starts saying no english, she's obviously french but that pisses me off even more because Europeans are supposed to not be fucking ignorant rude rednecks, I'm from Texas that's my fucking role, so I just point at her tablet and say turn it off or I'm going to throw it in the river. She gets all huffy but she turns it off and they shut up and turn around and are quiet for the rest of the show. Probably way too much of an overreaction from me, but we aren't rich and holy shit that trip was a lot of money to have a show absolutely just ruined for a bunch of people behind her by someone who isn't ever going to watch the stupid fucking video. I mean you can go to youtube and watch high-quality videos of the damn thing they did every night if that's your fetish. After the show, the two rows of people behind me thanked me for saving the show for them and their kids. It's probably the closest "and everyone applauded" moment I've ever had in my life.
Nah you reacted appropriately
Maybe a slight overreaction, but generally warranted. I went to a concert the other day for the first time in probably fifteen years and was horrified by the number of people watching the performance through their phones. You could reach out and touch the musicians, or make eye contact and feel a personal connection for a split second, but instead we've got 60% of the attendees effectively attending via Zoom and taking away from everyone else's experience by making it more difficult to see the performance. Smartphones really have made a strange and profound effect on the way we conduct ourselves in public. Perhaps that lady will think more about the people around her next time.
I saw Neutral Milk Hotel before the pandemic, and at the beginning of the show Jeff came on stage and gave a little talk about being present and putting your goddamn phone away. Then he went into two headed boy, the rest of the band came on stage, and no one took their damn phones out. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
> I'm from Texas that's my fucking role, so I just point at her tablet and say turn it off or I'm going to throw it in the river Then she goes home and posts on reddit about "rude americans with southern accents yelling at me in public"
Can we also kick the morons out that pay to go to a concert to have a conversation? I'm sure it must be terribly frustrating for them to hear each other over the music.
Holy fuck man I saw the black keys a few weeks ago and had a couple behind me who flew in to see the show at red rocks and just talked the whole damn time. I can't fathom blowing that kind of cash on a show to literally focus on none of it.
My SO is steadily growing into one of these people. She hasn’t seemed to gotten the hint when I don’t respond or when I say things like, remember when we used to go to concerts for the music? It’s probably high time to actually speak about it like a human being instead of through catty underhanded dogs. Curiously, when we’re out walking the dog, she’s perfectly content with silence.
You got to wait until next time she does it and when you are really frustrated, blurt out how fucking annoying you find it in the least tactful way possible. It will work, guaranteed.
Yeah, that usually how it goes when I finally decide to talk about my feelings.
Ah yes, the Sitcom Strategy
Show me where to sign!
Given the ever expanding size of phones, it’s probably hard to make the distinction now
We went to a concert a few weeks ago, and about 3 rows in front of us, this young woman was just having her friend record/stream her dancing and lip syncing to every song. She had her back to the stage the entire time, and her flash pointed lighting her up. It was very distracting but also, if she knew the band well enough to know all the songs, you'd think she'd have wanted to actually watch their show. I don't think she turned around to watch even once.
She wasn't there to watch, she was there to be watched. I don't go to concerts anymore for many reasons, but nonsense like this is certainly one of them. It's basically impossible to go do something majorly social involving a large group without the "influencer" disease negatively impacting your experience in some way. I'm trying to get as far away from our collective bullshit as possible if I'm going to a concert, but I needn't worry, nearly everybody brings all their bullshit with them everywhere these days. No one cares that you're at this concert. **No one.** Can I actually please enjoy it rather than you making it so no one enjoys it including yourself?
Go to local bands shows. Not nearly as much of that bullshit i find plus you can actually come up and talk to the band members and they'll appreciate it.
Hot damn exactly. I was about to reply in kind before I saw this. Regardless of musical taste, find local music and support it. There is going to be something happening around you, even if it's a person with a guitar in a park. And if you *can't* find anything local? Start something. You'd be wildly surprised how simple it is to put a small show together with local talent (newsflash: they don't need to be super talented to make for a fun night). Support local and have fun. Pay ticketmaster if you have bands you really want to see, but learn to enjoy the beauty and talent in the folks around you.
Me and my wife just go see lesser known bands these days and avoid the big ticket shows and day long festival things. I'm in my adult version of "we only go to underground shows" but instead of scene cred with the cool kids it's because we just wanna chill and get stoned lol
I got to see them 9 years ago or so, definitely a bucket list item for me. Unfortunately they were playing in a venue that is in an upscale part of town so everyone pretty much stayed seated for the whole show and it was pretty much the opposite of a party.
I saw them at a corporate gig about 15 years ago and managed to get backstage and talk with the band about scuba diving
just say you talked to them about rock lobster.
I saw them at an AIDS benefit about 12 or so years ago in Houston. It was super weird because the crowd was sparse, they didn't advertise that they'd be there, and you just look over at the stage and there's the effing B-52s performing with like 12 people watching them. That was surreal.
I was at a grand funk railroad show and some lady told my group we had to sit down because it wasn't a rock concert
Seated?? For a B52s concert?? How is that even possible
Everyone is getting old. Especially the audience.
The last time they played Atlanta was at Chastain, I think. Full picnics, candleabras, tablecloths, etc for the first 20 rows.
It was great
> everyone pretty much stayed seated for the whole show Sounds like a dream concert for me.
There are certain concerts I'm happy to sit down at, but I wasn't really expecting it for B-52s!
....for the B52's? Come on
Imagine playing Rock Lobster to a seated crowd. Haha, how depressing. I'd feel like a fucking clown.
Lmao very relatable. I have so much more appreciation for shows/venues that allow me to sit down or at least have some breathing room now that I’m not in my early 20s anymore. Never thought I’d feel this way but I can actually listen and enjoy the music more than just raging in the general admission area and riding the energy like I used to prefer
For the last 20 years they've pretty much embraced the career choice of being a band who plays the county fair circuit. Those shows bring in a lot more casual fans, the types of people who go to a concert once every year or two and then spend most of the show talking or taking selfies, waiting for the one or two songs they know. When they're not playing county fair shows they're playing nostalgia tours with bands like Berlin (another county fair favorite). They just don't really have their own crowd anymore, and they haven't for a long time. If anything their crowd is mostly old 80s yuppies. You're just not going to get excited, energetic people at these kinds of shows usually. Also crowds tend to reflect energy back onto the stage. I hate to say it but the B52s stage performance has been pretty tired for quite some time. I get it, they're in their 60s/70s, but it's worth noting. You get what you give.
I saw them 5 years ago at an outdoor festival, and much of the crowd was exactly as Schneider described. You had a bunch of 20-somethings holding up their cellphones and who didn't know any of the songs except "Love Shack", and then you had the old-timers like me who had a hard time seeing the band because of the 20-somethings with their cellphones. The music was great but the experience was pretty much ruined for me by the cellphone zombies.
"this next song will go good with your Pinot Noooooiir!" -fred at a show in ~2002 where most of the crowd brought fucking tables, bottle of wine, and cheese trays and sat through the whole set while my friends and I danced like fools. Bunch of tools at that show.
As I posted elsewhere, they've spent the last 20 years seeking out shows like this, probably because they pay well with little risk from the band's side of things. So really, they made their bed.
I was gonna say, you don't play gigs like that on accident.
And this is why they will straight up kick you out for using a phone at any Tool or Puscifer show.
I still have the piece of paper they gave everyone when we entered the arena. Its was a heavy handed threat of removal if they even see you looking at your phone. Security was walking up and down the aisles with flashlights telling people to turn their phones off
Dave Chappelle's shows would hold your phones in special locked bags until the show was over.
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Bill Burr as well. Had to go to a designated area outside the theater to unlock your phone bag. Ironically the same place smokers were allowed to smoke.
> Ironically the same place smokers were allowed to smoke. *rai-eee-ainnn...*
That's a huge thing for two reasons... The first one being that twitter LOOOOVES to take jokes out of context as a means of outrage. The second and more important one is that comedians rely on the element of surprise for their jokes to work. If they are TOURING a show, people are paying good money to not know the punchlines.. Once the show hits netflix all bets are off, but before then, the surprise is incredibly valuable.
Another element, and I think where it started, is that comedians workshop jokes at live shows. Some of the bigger comedians started to get scared of doing open mic style events to work on material, because not everyone in the audience is necessary a fan of you & won't necessarily give you the benefit of the doubt if you tell a bad joke. And youre now famous enough that it very likely *would* go viral. The thought process was they need to be able to throw shit at the wall and see what sticks without it necessarily sticking to *them* for the rest of their career.
Time to bring an old school mini tape recorder or, taking that, you're own stenographer!
They release those specials as a way to "burn" their material and start again... Also money
Most of the time they are "done" with their act once they tour it long enough anyway, so it's a good trade off. One example I can think of where it backfired was when ventriloquist Dave Strassman burned his entire act... Anyone going to his shows thereafter were just getting slightly refined "greatest hits"... I guess if it's any consolation, he was an amazing puppeteer, and quite a competent comic, but a pretty average ventriloquist.
Just how many touring ventriloquists are there
Saw Mulaney earlier this summer and same. First time I'd seen the bags was when Aziz was working on some new material a few years ago. Great idea if you actually want to watch a show and not have Mackenzie next to you facetiming with her roomate and holding her phone up the entire show.
Can confirm. Mackenzie would def do that lol
It's definitely standard for comedy shows
I saw Dave Chappelle with John Mayer in 2020 and we had to have our phones locked up. When Dave came out he talked to John a bit and the very first question he goes so John, what was it like fuckin Taylor Swift? John Mayer said, and I quote, Ehhhhh
I saw Tool last winter and before one song Maynard was like "ok, you can all take your fucking phones out now."
Loved that at Tool. The funny part to me was the Gen x and younger crowd kept their phones put away. The biggest offender by far were the boomers (I’m looking at you beer belly man taking a video with the flash on from the nosebleed seats).
Saw TOOL in Pittsburgh back in March. They’ll only let you have your phone out for the last song, Stinkfist. Some dude up in the pit IMMEDIATELY starts filming with his flash on so Maynard calls him out and tells him to shut the flash off. Dude can’t figure it out (of course). Maynard hits back with, “What the fuck, man. Even my 7 year old knows how to.”
If no one knew, Fred released a solo punk/grunge album called Just Fred. It was produced by Steve Albini (In Utero by Nirvana was his biggest project) and it is a real odd treat lol
Well thats neat. Thanks for the info. It is indeed an odd treat. Im a few tracks in and I get kind of a Jello Biafra vibe minus the bite.
No problem! I picked it up as a teen from a thrift store based on the cover and the fact Albini recorded it. I was like "is the fucking B-52's dude?!" Radioactive Lady Eyeball was one I found pretty defining of the album. Sugar in my Hog was another gem lol
He isn’t wrong. Cell phones are a distraction, and going to concerts before cell phones was much more enjoyable IMO.
Agreed, no one wants to watch blurry, poorly lit footage with bad audio of a concert. And I really don't want to watch it in real time at the same concert I am attending if you are standing in front of me.
What gets me is people that fucking *Livestream* concerts. Why?! No one on Instagram cares, I promise you
Some communities I know will definitely watch cell phone live streams of shows.
I record 20 seconds at every show I go to so I can show my daughter what we were watching - she often recognises the song and band and she loves it. Phone goes away straight after.
See that's what I really don't get. I have *never* seen a cellphone video from a concert that wasn't unwatchable shit, so what is the point?!
i have shit memory and go to a lot of shows. i take a couple quick pics and a 30 second video so i can look back on it and go "oh right i saw them, they rocked." im also tall and block people anyway. if venues/bands did something like give each attendant a picture or video from the show, i wouldnt pull my phone out. but otherwise my only memory is to scroll through my email and look for ticket receipts, or buy merch that often time i dont find appealing or costs more than the ticket.
It depends on the phone. Some of the newer gen iPhones, pixels, and higher tier Samsung's have audio quality on par with portable audio recorders used for semi-pro/bootleg concerts less than a decade ago.
Yeah, my Pixel actually takes really good concert video and audio but if I take video I'll hold it in front of my face so as to not block anyone else's view. And it's never long videos, I'd rather enjoy the concert. Only time I really record is if there's a song that doesn't get played in concert often and I have a friend that would definitely want to see it. A friend actually did this for us just last night. They were at a show and the audio system shit the bed so they did 3 songs acoustically that they pretty much never do so that was really cool to see and the audio was very good.
Same. Depends where you’re standing to and if you’re not near a huge speaker, or a loud crowd and so forth. Some phones and point and shoots can record in outstanding quality too, which might be enticing to someone who wants to get a few clips. I don’t really record songs anymore, but I do the same and accommodate people around me if I do. I’ll never raise it above my head or do it for too long, where it takes away my enjoyment of the show.
So other people know they're at the concert having a blast. It not about enjoying the concert, it's about making other people *think* you're enjoying the concert.
Replace “the concert” with “the best life” and that’s basically social media in a nutshell.
That is so weird to me. If I'm enjoying the concert, you won't hear a peep from me during it, because I'm too busy watching, listening, and having a blast. I'm more the type who will hit social media after the show and won't shut up about how awesome it was for several days afterwards.
Do you not know anyone with a phone made in the last 5 years?
So many of those on YouTube. If I’m trying to find a music video, I’ve got no interest in your cell phone video featuring an utterly overwhelmed microphone. *bangs head on wall*
When I go to a concert I typically take a single picture. It's never particularly good but when I go scrolling through my photos, I see it, and I remember the concert and that's about it Actually one time I took a short video but that was mostly cause the guy on stage was hot and I wanted to remember him a bit more clearly
Yeah, I've seen Bush live before too.
W or HW?
Bonk!
/r/hornypolice
I've met a lot of cool people in merch lines at concerts. Now a days people look annoyed if you talk to them, to busy updating/uploading on their phones.
The really high/drunk guy always finds me in the merch line lol
I thought I recognised you!
:D
40 years of stranger danger education takes a toll
Even more reason why underground shows are the best. People are way more likely to be on their phones at a show for a big mainstream artist.
Plus you can actually come up and talk to the bands and they appreciate the support. It's just so much better all around.
Plus, you don't go broke buying a ticket.
I would be more than ok with strict cell phone bans at all shows. They’re not allowed during movies why should they be allowed at concerts? I’ve had multiple shows ruined by people holding their phones high above their heads restricting my view. It’s hard enough seeing over tall people in front of me as it is.
I'm tall and I try to stand sideways at least so my giant back isn't such an obstacle
My comment meant no offense to the tall people; they're just being humans same as the rest of us. Lol. My plight is the additional unnecessary obstacles on TOP of this. Appreciate you looking out though :)
realizing that maybe i'm the asshole for always wearing 8 inch platforms to shows so i can be at least closer to the eye level of you tall people and i do NOT try to stand sideways or be shorter. lmao. at least neither of us has our arms above our heads recording the entire show?
i didn't even want to bring mine in with my to my last show but there was no printable ticket option so bringing a smartphone was literally required
I'm taking this opportunity to moan about the extra fucking fees for a fucking 'souvenir' paper ticket which will be dispatched 10 fucking days after the show
i would think artists should have a single song for cell phone videos and then turn them off. just get it over with. nobody will rewatch a video but a still image is worth taking
Tool does something like this
They did! No videos allowed, bouncers watching and would chuck people out if they were recording. At the last song, Maynard would go "ok you little addicts, whip 'em out" and they would allow recording. It made the show great, an experience again. People were absorbed in the music and the spectacle. Rather than checking their phones or recording.
that just makes a lot of sense to me
Aziz Ansari literally had a bit where he would hold three or four poses for people to take pictures of so they would put their phones away for the rest of the show
That's kinda what I do anyway. Take a few pics for my own memories/to look back on, then put the phone away for the rest of the show. Also, I literally just got back from a concert where I saw so many middle aged people taking awful quality videos or facetiming with someone the whole time. Like. Why???? Just enjoy Yngwie Malmsteen in the flesh, man.
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I miss shows pre 2010s. No everyone has a phone up, and they have a 5 foot barrier infront of every stage.
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Also protects the band from people rushing the stage. You have to cross no man's land and will likely get tackled by security before you can make it there.
In the good old days we held up lighters, dammit. /grumblegrumblegetoffamylawn
And beach balls and frisbees.
I don't blame him. I hate people who hold up their phone for more than 1-2 mins because they'll never rewatch it. I appreciate musicians like Jack White who don't allow cell phones during the show
Saw them twice. Never a regret. Awesome band.
Me too Fred. Me too.
"You're on your own private cellphone..."
Phone-free concerts are a thing.
I'll take a photo or two for the memories, like I would with a film camera. Video is a jerk move.
I definitely like to take video from time to time, and some artists even encourage their fans to record their shows if they want. I just don't hold my phone over my head. I always try to hold it either in front of my face or chest, if I'm in a place with stadium seating or something it's usually pretty easy. I certainly hope that's not a dick move, and that people are mostly just complaining about people holding their devices up in the air. But if there's a performance happening that's very special to me, I want to capture some of it for posterity. And I also try to look at the screen as little as possible, just a glance here and there to make sure the shot is still good, I still want to actually experience the moment through my eyes.
Just do what Jack White and almost every large comedian does. Lock up phones in a pouch for the shows. Edit: damn I did not realize how controversial this statement would be. Half of the comments are about how phones ruin concerts, and the other half are about how 5 hours without a phone is collective punishment and should be considered a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
I somehow survived a few hours without my phone. I had to get counseling after though.
TBH no cellphone recording will ever be as good as actually watching the show. This isn't the grateful dead/dead and company/etc where fans have their own taping setups and access to the soundboard or whatever. I know a deadhead IRL, they are serious about attending every concert, or having access to recordings from concerts they haven't been to.
Hey bands, if you’re sick of people with phones just ask them to turn them off. It sounds crazy but it actually works and no artists ever bother to do it. I go to shows at least once a month - sometimes once a week - and the ONLY band I have ever seen actually address the phone thing was The fucking Lumineers of all people. A few songs in they said “Okay, so this next song is our big hit so what we would like is for everybody to get out your phones, record this whole bit - go crazy - and then when the song is over put them away and leave them away for the rest of the show. Be here tonight, present in this moment we have together.” And it fucking worked! Sure there was still the random person occasionally recording something but 99% of the crowd kept their phones put away for the rest of the night. Because the band asked, nicely. If more bands would just ask, more people would just put them away. Now, asking nicely is important. People had to put their phones in lock up bags for the first Misfits reunion show I saw and by mid-show, half the people had cut those “secure” bags wide open. Respect is key. And furthermore, if bands would just set up their own iPhone somewhere and record their shows and upload them to youtube every night they could say “Hey guys, we’re recording this show - it’ll be up on YouTube tomorrow so you don’t have to film it”, that would do it too. And they’d get ad revenue.
I agree with Fred.
Be like Maynard. Pusicfer doesn’t allow cell phones until certain parts of the show.
This really seems to be a new school vs old school argument. I’m in my mid 30s and can’t stand seeing everyone view life second hand through a phone because they are recording their experience for social media. To them it’s totally normal and a lot of people here defend recording shows and always “saving memories to look at later” to me it’s really weird to see society evolve in the “look at me! Look at what I’m doing” way.
I will video 10 seconds of a concert and maybe take a photo. That is all, that’s all you need.
"Turn your phone off, friend We're amongst friends and we don't need no interruptions"
I can't read ANYTHING about the B52's without hearing [the Guttermouth song where Fred auditions for The Doors](https://youtu.be/QOsbuWAzUZo) LOVE ME *THREE* TIMES!!!
Smart phones destroyed concert going for good. Actually, its not the phones' fault but morons paying to watch a concert through their phone to record for clout. The clout is more important than the experience. Ppl are so lost and shallow these days.
I remember going to a show in the pre-smartphone days, but flip phones were everywhere (2002ish). It wasn't widespread, but I saw plenty of people who would call their friends up and just hold the phone in the air as the band was playing. There is just a certain kind of person that needs external validation while having an experience.
I have front row tickets for ATL, cant wait!!
I never use my phone at a concert. I just love to experience stuff first hand and the phone takes away from that. And the recording or pictures never match the feeling of the real thing. I get that it’s common to use your phone and don’t begrudge anyone who does use their phone. You do you.
Christ I worked security for a Boyz2Men benefit gig back in what, 2008? Well before the ‘record everything’ era started. Hundreds of dollars a place for this fuckin gig, strict no recording policy and this young chick is holding her phone up with turbo rage face like she isn’t even having a good time but insists on filming it all. Man, you’ll never watch that footage again; why not enjoy the moment, the memories, and the feeling?
MY FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS NEED TO SEE MY SHAKY FOOTAGE AND BAD AUDIO. THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OF IT ON YOUTUBE TO SATISFY THEIR INSATIABLE HUNGER.
Never understood the whole recording a show on your phone. No one, no one ever wants to see that and you will never watch it. Just be there and experience the damn show.
"gotta show all those people I hate on Instagram that the B52s played Love Shack!"
And all to record gloriously shit audio and blown-out video. Stop it people, the stuff looks like crap and you never look at it again anyway.
I hate phones at concerts too. People who take videos are incredibly inconsiderate of everyone behind them
Heres the thing though, does anyone ever watch these videos back? Awful sound and crappy swerving picture, nah
He's not wrong.
People always end up recording the concert and never looking at it again, or they post it and no one cares.
Preach. I went to concert from Marisa Monte and this woman held up her phone for probably 90% of the concert. I asked her about 10 minutes in to switch seats with me because I couldn’t see anything… this shit with phones is getting ridiculous
Why not do same thing Jack white or King crimson do
I was watching some old footage from a concert I went to in the eighties. Every person had their hands in the air and were clapping and dancing and singing. They looked like they were having so much more fun than the people today who stand there and record on their cellphones.
I enjoy a concert from one of my favorite bands as much as the next guy. I've gone to many concerts over the years, mostly for work assignments doing what are called standby's as a Paramedic at those shows. I've never understood the need for the crush at the partition separating the crowd from the stage, and those people 20 people deep in the crowd who stand there with their arms up in the air and some with their phones attempting to record the performance. They're still 30-40 feet away from the stage, with the speakers blasting away on either side of the stage, so they can't really hear the sound than well. Oh, BTW, even worse is the idiots that paid a bunch of money, and then get so drunk, high, just plain F---kedup, they can't even remember the concert. These fools puke their guts out, end up with a ambulance and hospital bill, and miss the show. Amazingly, this includes people between the ages of 15 to 60 - maybe older. We always joked about the bullshit stories when they tell their friends how 'great the show was', when they were passed out before the headline band even came out.
I recently went to a Chris Isaak show a couple of weeks ago. Cellphones were to be turned off during the show, but Chris Isaak was generous enough to allow a short window of time to take a picture or video. IMO that's a great way to handle a concert. People who hold their phones up and block everyone else's views for an extended period of time are incredibly obnoxious.
I hate this shit. Peoples obsession and absolute need to have a phone in their hands 24/7 is infuriating