Mobile phones at gigs

[Lemon221]

Just got back from an amazing gig I’ve been looking forward to for so long. I haven’t been to a gig in probably 4 years now. Tonight I’ve come away feeling so annoyed at the amount of people filming the entire songs, they block the view behind them and I have to watch them through their screen! It was driving me nuts. The woman directly in front of me looked miserable, but filmed most of the first three songs, I moved closer after that. I understand getting a few pics and short videos, but I just kept thinking why can’t we just live in the moment without having to document everything!? What’s the likelihood these people will go back to these video clips again and again?

I went to be recently that specifically stated no phones to be used for photos/ videos- lots of people ignored this and weren't even trying to be discreet about it!

Nobody has an issue with a couple of photos and the odd video. It is being stuck behind someone who insists on holding their phone up so that the only view you get is through their sodding screen.

You can bet your bottom dollar i will complain about it, repeatedly if necessary, until i get to see what i paid for.

I often offer to take photos for people who are trying to do a selfie with the stage in the background, partly to get them out of my bloody way, but partly because it is a cool photo.

You know The White Stripes actively banned phones from their gigs (think it was Jack White) and it became so much more in the moment & intimate an experience. That and their surprise pop-up gigs.

Would be fantastic if it became a trend.

I went to a Kate Tempest gig once, ages ago before she changed her name. She asked people to not use their phones coz it’s distracting for the rest of the audience. It was amazing!!! It is so ducking annoying when people get their phones out to film.

Yeah its pathetic! It's not about memories it's about social media status

@Brefugee One tactic is to get really close to them and sing really loudly and badly so that's all they can hear on their film

I did this tonight after reading this the other day 😂

I did this tonight after reading this the other day

haha - love that. Did you get a reaction at all? did they even notice?

I was at a gig recently, a band who had their biggest hits in the 90s, but who have kept making music over the years, nothing as brilliant or big-selling as back then. I would say a good 65% of the audience were over 50, but there was a good smattering of younger people (possibly grown up hearing it? there were some mixed age groups that looked like parent/grown up child)

And the phones went up a few times, but mostly went back down after a photo. 2 songs were filmed by a fair few, but it didn't disturb and the whole crowd (about 2,000 people sang along to everything and everyone was very jolly. So i guess it depends on the band too?)

Just one thing on the list of annoying behaviour at gigs, including:

• The tallest person in the room elbowing through and squeezing in just in front of you, expecting everyone to make space, then glancing back at you (the shortest person in the room) and deciding that that’s a good place to stop.
• Having a conversation with their mate during the set.
• Drunken and tone deaf singing so loudly over quieter songs that no one next to them can hear the actual performance. Bonus points if they get the lyrics/timing wrong.
• Smelly people - guaranteed someone ate a curry that didn’t agree with them before the show and treats everyone in the vicinity to their gas and BO.
• Throwing drinks back into the crowd.

And yes, videoing the whole show through their phone instead of actually watching with their eyes!

I also hate it when people do this at galleries. Went to the Louvre and some people just took a quick photo of every artwork instead of actually looking at it. How sad.

at latest gig i went to it was a crowded, sweaty small venue. Packed. We were at the back (about 3 "rows" of people behind us) when 2 really tall chaps just stood in front of us. I tapped one of them who turned round, looked down (he really was tall) said sorry and promptly stood behind us. All very good natured, and as DH and i said to him later, we can't see a thing anyway (best view we got all night was a person in front with a phone who zoomed in on the singer - first glimpse we got of them )

When I went on the London eye, everyone filmed the view on the way up then sat on the bench in the middle on the way down and watched the video of the exact view that was still in front of their very eyes.

Absolutely...was trapped behind a very tall bloke (I'm very short) at a gig once and could only see his back pretty much the whole way through. I did politely ask him if he would let me go in front but he gave me a blank look and turned back around. It was one of those gigs where people queue all day, we weren't at the front but no one was giving and inch so there was nowhere else to go.

Obviously one of life's phone obsessives.
Why would you buy extortionate tickets to not get the full experience.

They wanted to make a memory (for any number of possible reasons) of the event that wasn't just in their head, you could hear just fine, do you really need constant sight of the stage? Any gig i've been to has big screens to show close ups of the stage anyway.

ah there speaks a non gig-goer.

as for the rest of your post? utter tosh.

Something that good like a once in a lifetime gig is amazing. But brain wise you know it's great but can forget things, which is life. But then I get photo memories and videos and it's amazing all over again. That's why we take videos, we aren't missing the experience, it's a chance to relive a great experience for the rest of your life

meanwhile at the same gig as a huge fan of the band my experience of it is having to watch the stage through your phone? too right I'll be telling you to pack in, and if necessary singing badly dancing a wee bit enthusiastically (maybe not, I'm not a complete arse) and getting security to have a word (that i would do)

@Brefugee She was directly to my right and I can only imagine how disappointing it will be to hear my dulcet tones. I genuinely don’t get it, the person that you have paid to see is there, in front of you performing in the flesh and there’s a group of people effectively watching it on a tiny tv. It will never replicate the moment. I’ve met a few famous people either at stage door or spotted them going about their day to day life and I’ve just had a chat, I don’t want a selfie to remember that moment I’m happy that it happened.

I met two really lovely v tall guys last week who asked if I wanted to go in front of them.
My new plan at a standing gig is now to head for v tall people, and if they don't offer, then politely ask to go in front.
I'm 5 foot so they can see right over me anyway.
I'm at one on Wednesday so we'll see if it works.
If not, then entirely my own fault for going to all standing at my height really.
I don't usually for this reason but I want to see the guy, plus he'll probably tour next year and I can get seated then.

We used to go to gigs all the time but people's behaviour and the rules of what's "OK" at these things has really changed over the last 5-10 years and it's really starting to put us off going.

It's not just the phone use - it's the constant chatting during shows that really destroys the experience for me. And then there are the people at the front of seated areas who think it's fine to stand up in front of everyone else.

I don't think venues do enough about it either. I think there should be a general rule/etiquette during a concert that you get whatever photos and videos you want during the first song, and then you put your phone away.

On a slightly happier note we went to a stand-up show on Monday night and the comedian absolutely destroyed a guy in the audience for getting his phone out and trying to film part of the show. I'd hope that guy might think twice about doing it again ... but probably not.

And don't even get me started on the flags... it used to be the twats-in-hats but they're nothing compared to the fucking flags.

I go to a lot of gigs and behaviour has been getting worse over the last few years. When I tell people to stop talking others around me thank me for dealing with it but I rarely see anyone else telling people to STFU. I love the menus at the Jazz Cafe that has STFU in large letters on the back; they have been deployed on a couple of occasions. I am seriously tempted to get a t-shirt with the message on the back like a PP mentioned.

I was at Einsturzende Neubauten last night and it was bliss. Only one or two people briefly filming and NO mindless chatter. I wish it wasn't such a rare experience.

I was at a gig recently and a person in front had his IPAD! Not only did he FaceTime a couple of mates, then he videoed.

I am too old for that shit and very firmly told him to put it away, and to use his eyes. He did.

Pissed me off no end though.

I took my rainbow flag to a gig recently!
It was encouraged and I just wrapped myself and my friend in it, no annoying others, there were loads of them anyway.

I have to say though, reading this thread, it seems that you just have to stand still silently or you'll bother someone.

I have to say though, reading this thread, it seems that you just have to stand still silently or you'll bother someone

I have to say that you can't have read the thread properly then? Especially my posts.

I said the same when we went to Lapland last year. The adults were so busy ‘documenting ’ the experience they forgot to actually be there for it.

The impression we were left with is it was worth nothing unless you were seen to be doing it.

IKR? And for the 'likes'.