To ask why people videoing, filming, photographing and texting with their phones on during performances in concerts and theatres is now acceptable?

[YourAmplePlumPoster]

Last night at the Proms there was a performance by Joe Hisaishi, composer of the film music to the Boy and The Heron who performed his piece. The second half was a more complex performance of American Miminalist Steve Reich. During the first half, in spite of the Royal Albert Halls announcement to switch phones off, as soon as he appeared on the podium, numerous people around us were videoing his performance and even texting on their phones. Eventually, I snapped and asked the guy sitting next to me to please turn his phone off. He refused. At the end of the first half, a woman in front of me said: you didn't have to be so mean to him and I might go home now because of you as you've upset me. I'm expecting a pile on saying it's his human rights to have his phone on and the substandard behaviour. Why pay a substantial sum for a ticket and sit on your phone the whole time? I don't get it.

The recordings are never good quality anyway. Does anyone really sit at home and watch the whole lot again?

After a gig I'll usually find some videos online and show dp or my kids a few so they can see how good the artist was.

I can't say I would sit and watch large bits of a gig a year later or whatever though.

I've seen loads of people just record the whole thing from beginning to end, that seems pointless to me, what's the point in being there if you're not really there.

Maybe the cast/performers search for them online to watch their own performance

i know I would!

where I work phones are forbidden. Sackable offence to have it with you!

Totally unacceptable - even the light of someone's mobile switched on disturbs the others tremendously. I once asked a guy constantly on his phone in a row in front of me to switch if off, he started having a go at me instead 🙄
I also totally don't understand recording and making videos, or even photos, they never come out well and who the f* is going to rewatch all that even an hour later?!

I was scrolling throught my photos the other day and stopped to watch fondly some concert videos
Having the pictures come up in my memories is nice too

I agree with you OP. Just the light from phones can distract me enough during a play that I can’t engage with it properly.

But unlike some PP, I I also think people shouldn’t be allowed to film at gigs. The number of gigs that have been ruined for me by people holding their phones up to film so I can’t even see the band is infuriating. I do not want to watch a gig through their shitty screens. And it ruins the atmosphere too because people aren’t getting into the music or getting immersed in the performance.

A couple of photos, fine. Filming - absolutely not.

I went to see Lynryd Skynryd a few weeks ago at Wembley Arena and they told us to film on our phones and put it on social media. Theatres like ENO say take photos of the curtain call and put it on social media. I don't believe the more formal places let you film or photograph during a performance. There seem to be a lot of entitled people who think they can do as they please.

I remember going to see a classical concert at Cadogan Hall where an audience member sitting across from me had her phone sitting in her hand and was texting. It was very distracting. I asked the usher to tell her to switch her phone off which to her credit she did. I'm unable to understand people who keep their phone in their hands anyway. It's like a comfort blanket 😌 ☺

Wow that’s a bit of a sneery comment

I am someone who constantly has my phone in my hand on the rare occasions I go out, I have a disabled dd and need to be contactable at all times in case her carers need me or she does. I have to keep it on silent at various things so need to be able to see it.

It's not always to be sitting having a gossip with your mates, and it doesn't make you superior because you don't have the life circumstances where you need to be available 24/7. Thank your lucky stars you don't understand it.

I saw the band Placebo who enforced a strict no phones request where the venue staff issued a warning to individuals and then firmly escorted second time offenders out of the venue altogether. It only took people about 5 minutes to actually 'get' that the request was genuine with Brian stopping the music and shouting at them before everyone complied! It was blissful to just be able to sit, sing and listen without having to constantly move myself to see past peoples phones - I love Brian and he can shout really loud!
I find the same thing at art galleries - people so busy shoving you out of the way to record what they 'see' rather than actually appreciating what they're looking at and really 'seeing' it. I'm with you OP - I hate it with a passion

I knew someone would come along to pick a fight and play the victim. This thread is about people who can't do without their phones at a concert or film.

In fact,what on earth does that post have to do with this thread? I'm sure the people who had the phones in their hand and couldn't stop recording or texting are probably feeling victimised and consulting their yuman rites lawyers right now.

Sounds difficult for you but How would you have survived in this situation before mobile phones

Yeah, quite. Doesn't have anything to do with people who cant control themselves in a concert without clutching onto their mobiles, texting and filming the Orchestra.

I feel for the performer as well, it must be weirdly unsettling seeing the crowd just standing there stock still with their arms in the air filming you. Or constant interruptions from phone lights or noises. It’s ruined firework displays for me too. I wish more places would ban phone use as a matter of courtesy for everyone