Phones at gigs

[BlinkBeforeYouThink]

I get that this is now part of life. People want to capture their experience. I get that. And concerts where you're jumping up and down, dancing etc recording the show probably isn't that intrusive to those around you. But this week I was at a seated concert at the Royal Albert Hall and the people in front kept putting their phones up to record. It just totally distracted me and kept pulling my attention from the artist to the light from the phone. Feel quite annoyed tbh and wish people that do this could understand how much they ruin it for others around them. There was even an announcement at the beginning asking people to put their phones away for the enjoyment of everyone but some people just don't care.

Agree. Last concert I went to I was seated in front of the stage. Everyone was on their feet which was fine but I was about 20 rows back and all I could see in front of me were rows and rows of phones held aloft. The people in the couple of rows directly in front all recorded the whole fucking gig. I found I was looking at the little phone screens rather than the performer I’d paid £££ to watch. Haven’t been to one since, might as well watch a live show in YouTube.

Last night we watched back a band at Glastonbury this year. We all commented on the crowd, something was missing, an energy, a type of engagement.

We then watched footage on YouTube of the same band performing at another festival in 1996; one of us had been there. The crowd was going wild, electrified, just non stop dancing. Not a phone in sight.

*Last night we watched back a band at Glastonbury this year. We all commented on the crowd, something was missing, an energy, a type of engagement.

We then watched footage on YouTube of the same band performing at another festival in 1996; one of us had been there. The crowd was going wild, electrified, just non stop dancing. Not a phone in sight.*

A lot of people going to festivals like Glastonbury these days are not really there for the music. They're there for a piss up with their mates and to put it on Instagram. The smaller, more niche ones have a much better crowd. No dickheads, no seas of phone screens, just proper music lovers.

You make a good point speroku.
If you finally get to see somebody live you just want to give the performance your whole attention, live in the moment. If you’re fannying around with your phone, making a poor quality recording that you’ll probably never watch back, how can you possibly just lose yourself in the moment.

So, I’m going to give my reason I record.

My teenage daughter is Autistic and cannot cope with concerts. She asks me to record certain songs and do lives so I can send them to her so she can experience it too.

Everyone has a reason. Until they ban it, I’ll continue to do it for my daughter.

I am unable to attend concerts now so if I know someone who is going I do
ask if they will film a song, but only one. So I got a few Bruce Springsteens recently.

Sometimes I record as my dd asks me to if she can’t come (12 yo). Recently went to see chase and status and recorded a few seconds but then I just wanted to dance and be in the moment. It’s so annoying when watching a gig and all you see are phones. Captured my sister in law having the time of her life at a gig lately so I was recording then but I was recording her in the moment.

I'm the same, my phone is just in front of me, and my head blocks it from others around me. I will record small bits of my absolute favourite songs and I do re watch them regularly to remind myself.what an amazing gig. I can easily watch the band too as it's not in front of my eyes and I'm very much in the moment.

One of my favourite videos is from a gig where me and my daughter and right in the crowd dancing and jumping around. It's a terrible video as I'm jumping about but I love it because it takes me straight back to how amazing that time was and how I felt.

I'm not that arsed about people using their phones, I'd rather that then people talking throughout, or starting fights.

You still get those crowds even with phones. I've been going to gigs since the late 90s and I don't think there's been that much change. At Deftones recently the crowds were wild, same as NIN. All the smaller gigs I go to, there's a really.good atmosphere and people just having the best time.

You still get those crowds even with phones. I've been going to gigs since the late 90s and I don't think there's been that much change. At Deftones recently the crowds were wild, same as NIN. All the smaller gigs I go to, there's a really.good atmosphere and people just having the best time.

I went to a concert in Hyde park last year. It was a sit on picnic blankets in the grass thing. Live orchestra and singing.

There was flexibility to come and go as you please and as we arrived and settled our picnic blanket the couple behind us were furious as we were in the way of them filming the entire first tune. The stage was high, we were not obstructing their view of the stage but we were in their way to be able to film it. Ffs just watch listen and enjoy. What were they going to do with a tinny mobile recording of the star wars theme. Countless professional recordings to listen to.

Seriously though at the Albert Hall- report them to staff. They will absolutely stop them from doing it.

I am unable to attend concerts now so if I know someone who is going I do
ask if they will film a song, but only one. So I got a few Bruce Springsteens recently.

I just put Bruce Springsteen Manchester 2025 into YouTube and there are hundreds of videos on there. Concerts are extremely expensive these days and most people can't go. But the people holding their phone aloft and filming really do ruin it for the people stood behind them.

We were in Venice a few weeks ago at Doge Palace and there was a beautiful view out of one of the windows, which people were taking it in turns to have a look at.

My DH and I were just enjoying it, when this very dressed up tourist asked us if we could move out of the way so she could take a picture. My DH said yes, I certainly wouldn't have. She then got her friend to film her walking up to the window and gazing enigmatically out at the view

It took 3 takes 😂she looked ridiculous

Yes, it was Ghost at the O2.

Ds says that some people complained that the method for releasing phones delayed their exit, but he thought it was very efficiently done. He has seen bands at the O2 before, and in his opinion after Ghost it took no longer to get onto the Tube platform than after other bands. Ds, by the way, is a geek who does things like calculate journey efficiency and crowd throughput for fun 😂 Our discussion of the Ghost concert just now included both concert makeup and how TFL can manage passenger flows by varying escalator speeds.

I was adjusting my hearing aid controls on my phone unobtrusively to the side at one gig as I was picking up too much of the crew radios and people around me when a bloke decided it was time to upend an entire pint over me, my hearing aid and my phone.

I wasn't laughing. Bet there were some cunts to the side thinking he was an absolute legend, though.

Alas I'm one of the hated ones but I have my reasons

Basically....I have zero memory. (I have the no images in your head kind of mind anyway and ADHD so memory is terrible). So whilst I love being there and experiencing a gig if I want any chance of actually remembering I usually take a video...note A video, usually of my favourite song. Just one so I can I remember it.

At the end of the day I'm paying for the event so is it wrong id like to remember it and its not my fault I have no memory? 🤔

I saw the fabulous Tim Minchin this week. He’s quite known for asking / demanding that phones are turned off at his shows, and at this gig he and his band launched it with a song about turning off your mobile phones and enjoying the moment. He then turned all the lights off and set a timer for a minute for everyone to comply before returning to the stage - it was brilliant to be at a gig where I wasn’t watching it through the phone of the person in front of me. It connects you so much more to the performers.

@NeverDropYourMooncupI suspect there wasn’t if you had been unobtrusively sorting out your settings. More likely people thought he was the cunt.

At the end of the day I'm paying for the event so is it wrong id like to remember it and its not my fault I have no memory? 🤔

Other people are paying for the event too. And they're paying to actually watch the band and not someone's phone screen. If it's a really short video and you know you won't be able to find any other footage online then maybe but this is rarely the case.

To the person who loves to film the whole time at the gigs - your behaviour is selfish and you are ruining it for the people around you.