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Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”
- TomMarius 9y agoEddie Vedder does this as well (not full on with pouches, just asking people personally to put it away and waiting until they do).
- IntronExon 9y agoSounds good in theory, but is this really jut about stopping bootlegs?
- elsurudo 9y agoKnowing Jack White, not necessarily. He's all about authenticity, and being in the moment. Mobiles (for me) tend to ruin this at a live show.
- beat 9y agoI know how he feels. I'm a musician too, and it's really demoralizing when you're up on stage rocking your heart out for people, and you look out and see people's noses in their phones rather than listening to you. (It's probably more demoralizing when you're a tiny indie band playing for fun rather than professionally, and there are only 20 people there and the only reward you get is the chance to play for them.)
- pecg 9y ago> when you're a tiny indie band playing for fun rather than professionally Playing for fun is playing professionally, as long as it has passion. > there are only 20 people there and the only reward you get is the chance to play for them. I'm not going preachy here, but playing in front of people something you wrote is an invaluable reward.
- beat 9y agoI know. I mean, I do this. I go to a lot of effort and expense to play music for small audiences, solely for the pleasure that they're there to listen to my songs. Which is why it's so sad when someone is busy reading social media rather than listening.
- jonknee 9y agoThough technically the authentic experience is to be around phones as that's what is naturally happening. He just doesn't want that experience so is changing it.
- CaptainZapp 9y agoI don't think this is about bootlegs. It's about all those idiots in front of you flashing out their phones and completely spoil an immersive concert experience.
- PhrosTT 9y agoComics are doing this as well (Dave Chapelle, Joe Rogan, etc). Wholly supported. Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRf36vRAWF8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRf36vRAWF8
- RcouF1uZ4gsC 9y agoOne of the reasons a comic might do that is to avoid being the target of a Twitter outrage mob over a recording of them doing an insensitive joke.
- teetermld 9y agoIt's mostly because they want to use their jokes for a special down the road, but if someone records them during a smaller venue with the same jokes, it'll ruin the special.
- jonathanjaeger 9y agoNot to mention it could be a bit they're still working on and fleshing out, so not only will it be out there already but it will be a potentially subpar version of the bit.
- monksy 9y agoOr they do it because because they don't want to be called out on a bad set. (I've heard a venue guy from Detroit pointing out Chappel for that) Found the article on the Detroit one: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/dave-chappelle-fans-demand-refund-detroit-performance-article-1.2199045 http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/dave-chappelle-fans... I could have sworn he had issues at a PA show as well, but that was recorded. Hannibal Burress doesn't like it because he said some unverified bits about Cosby and got caught. (Unsubstiated at the time)
- ghostbrainalpha 9y ago'unverified bit'... is not a thing. Comedians tell jokes, they aren't news organizations that need to do fact checking. And even if they did hold to that standard, what a crazy bad example to pick. He was correct. So you think he got 'caught' telling a joke that had true facts that hadn't been verified yet?
- monksy 9y agoThat's great for them. But I won't be buying a ticket for any of his shows. After seeing what happened at the bataclan that makes this a stupid and dangerous idea.
- juandazapata 9y agoI guess you don't use planes either? After 9/11 it's a stupid and dangerous idea.
- monksy 9y agoYou're comparing apples and oranges there. There is nothing preventing you from filming or using your electronic devices (outside FAA regulations, and they're pretty clear when and when you cannot use the electronics, heck they don't even take your device away from you or deface it) As much as I don't like the TSA, they're a lot better than venue security. Going on your anaology, if something happened in an airport past security, the airport isn't blocking your ability to call for help. Bringing it back: What benefit is removing people's abilities to use phones and smart watches going to give you? (Yes, they remove both of those including fitbits)
- juandazapata 9y agoDude, you missed the point. OP is scared of terrorists.
- SippinLean 9y agoIs there a greater cost in utility to not flying in planes vs not attending Jack White concerts? If so this may be a false equivalence.
- nxsynonym 9y agohow exactly would having your cell phone handy prevent another bataclan?
- monksy 9y ago
- CaptainZapp 9y agoFAN! FUCKING! TASTIC! Sorry, I'm aware that yelling is not appreciated, but this is a really cool idea. There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Those small screens are a real distraction and phones also don't really serve as substitutes for lighters used, when Led Zeppelin started with Stairway to Heaven. A rant about this specific song is reserved for another comment.
- keb_ 9y agoI disagree. I often watch and enjoy crummy-quality bootlegs of bands I could never see live. Sometimes bootlegs even capture of the intensity of a live performance better than a professional multi-camera setup ever can.
- 8_hours_ago 9y agoI too enjoy crummy-quality bootlegs of bands occasionally, but there are already enough of those videos of Jack White. He’s at the point in his career where he can ban phones without noticeably affecting the amount of bootleg videos of his performances.
- zimpenfish 9y ago> There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Au contraire. The people on either side having a conversation about their weekend dinner party whilst Lisa Gerrard does a quiet solo piece are infinitely more annoying than any camera phone. Or a lady with big hair in the first 3 rows sitting on someone's shoulders and blocking out half the stage for half the crowd.
- TallGuyShort 9y agoWhich is why they also have ushers whose job it is to move those conversations out of the concert hall. I'm not sure why you disagree with someone talking about Led Zeppelin based on your experience with Lisa Gerrard...
- beat 9y agoPersonally, I'd kinda like to see venues Faraday-cage the concert areas, so people can't get online from them. That way, people could still take photos and video, but wouldn't spend the entire concert on Facebook. (Thinking of this due to a favorite venue of mine, the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, that has basically zero cell phone reception from the floor.)
- elsurudo 9y agoThe problem with this is that many people have that thing out every other song, recording video, and blinding me.
- usrusr 9y agoAs a tall person, I tell myself that the small person in front of me is just trying to use the camera as an improvised periscope to get a glimpse at the stage. I always thought that was just a private joke I had with myself, but now that I think of it I can't remember ever seeing a fellow tall person doing the camera thing. There might be a grain of truth to it. (Now I hope nobody starts calling out Jack White as a sizeist for not allowing electric periscopes)
- badwolf 9y agoAs a short person. This is something I've done at almost every concert or show I've gone to. I'm there to enjoy the music. Usually will snap a couple pics so I can at least see the stage for a moment instead of heads and shoulders.
- nxsynonym 9y agoI think photos and video are way more distracting than someone not paying attention. If I pay for a concert ticket I don't want to be forced to watch it through the phone camera of the person in front of me.
- k1ns 9y agoCorrect me if I'm wrong, but would this not be a massive security concern? No calls in or out in the case of an emergency seems pretty frightening to me.
- herman5 9y agoTool has been doing this same thing for years. The show I attended this past summer couldn't have been more immersive.
- pecg 9y agoSome relatively new music enthusiasts see this as a stupid idea. Personally I think is part of the experience to "disconnect" yourself from the rutine of your daily activities.
- jgrowl 9y agoI've seen tool and apc in the past couple of years and even though it was officially no phones, there were still a lot of people with phones recording a good majority of the show. It is quite annoying standing behind someone shining a screen into your face. I can understand recording a short video, like capturing the curtain drop. I really just don't even get why you would want to pay to stand there holding your phone the entire time. The video won't be worth watching and no one wants to see your crappy video! Maybe I'm just weird, but a lot of the time at concerts I just close my eyes because I find the visual stimulation of the entire thing to be too distracting from the music. "Time to put the silicon obsession down" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u05S9cq2bLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u05S9cq2bLY
- gyrgtyn 9y agoSomeone at a ROCK SHOW blocking your view with a phone? just push them out of the way and stand in front of them.
- problems 9y agoWhat's with the incessant need to tell other people how to enjoy an experience? I'm reminded of this xkcd comic: https://xkcd.com/1314/ https://xkcd.com/1314/
- Sir_Cmpwn 9y agoThe main problem is that your way of "enjoying the experience" is detracting from the experience of those around you.
- problems 9y agoHow so? Texting someone isn't distracting to anyone around you... unless I'm missing something? Are you really that easily bothered by other people that them enjoying something in a different way than you detracts from your experience?
- Sir_Cmpwn 9y agoIn a dark venue the light could easily bother you from someone texting, but the main issue is people who hold their phones up in front of your face to record the event.
- Lewton 9y agoIf you're texting someone in a dark room you're annoying everyone around you
- frou_dh 9y agoThis isn't an abstract issue of diverse ways of living. The smartphone zombie specifically is a real thing that's observable in society all day every day.
- elboru 9y agoHaving several bright screens in front of you recording or taking pictures without letting you watch the real thing. And yes texting can be really distracting too if you are in a theater, or if they decide to turn the lights off for a second as part of the performance.
- eigenhombre 9y agoI want this for movie theaters too.
- deadmetheny 9y agoThis is one of the reasons I love places like the Alamo Drafthouse, which will outright kick you out if you use your phone during the show.
- mkoryak 9y agoHoly shit. I haven't been to the movies in about 5 years. Back then we had Facebook but I don't remember ever seeing anyone on a phone during a show
- mike741 9y agowhy not just kick out people who use their phones? that's what the AMC where I live does and it seems to work well AFAI can tell. I used my phone to text and got kicked out (I underestimated their resolve) once but now I know better and haven't done it since. If I had to wait in a second line before and after a movie, I just wouldn't bother seeing the movie.
- INTPenis 9y agoA suggestion. If entertainers ban phones at events they should at least record the event themselves and publish the video for the participants or everyone. I noticed at the Mark Twain wards for David Letterman when my hero Bill fucking Murray came out a woman was literally watching him through her phone. And I was watching the whole thing on youtube at a much better angle and quality. Of course my video was probably uploaded much later than her visual phone proxy experience but it occurred to me that these events should make the recordings available. The ticket stub could have a url that will become active after the event with the video. Or if they're feeling generous, put it on youtube for everyone.
- wlesieutre 9y agoI went to a show a couple years ago that politely asked you to put your phones away and said they would put a video up from one of the shows on the tour. Unfortunately the video never happened, as far as I can tell. It's a nice idea. Funnily enough, the only reason I went to that show was having watched their previous acoustic tour on YouTube. The quality obviously blows a phone recording out of the water, I wish more concerts did this. Above and Beyond Acoustic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNUTlKqSO-I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNUTlKqSO-I If anyone finds an Acoustic II concert video around, let me know. EDIT: well timed, just looked again and I guess it's more of a documentary with showings starting next week: http://www.aboveandbeyond.nu/acousticfilm/ http://www.aboveandbeyond.nu/acousticfilm/ Bit of a slow turnaround from a show in May 2016.
- cpcarey 9y agoI'm also hoping the A&B Acoustic II video is similar to the Acoustic I video; the first Acoustic concert video also drew me to go in person. Side note, Lane 8 experimented with phone-less concerts that went well enough that he does that for his tours now, even naming his new record label "This Never Happened". My friends and I joke that it started with a Mixmag set where a crowd member in the front kept recording video and flash photos, whereas Lane 8 is usually very much enveloped in the music he's playing (https://youtu.be/sWa7GdYiYUQ?t=15m2s https://youtu.be/sWa7GdYiYUQ?t=15m2s). I've enjoyed his phone-less concerts a lot - it's just tape over the camera, so you can send/receive a quick message if needed, and step off to the back or side if you need to use it longer.
- jasonkostempski 9y agoI've heard of a few artists doing this over the past year or so. I think the banning is ultimately useless and enforcing it adds more invasiveness to the already overly invasive process of getting into a venue. A simple reminder before the concert starts that you're an asshole if hold your phone up is as far as this should go, works fine in movie theaters. Maybe phones should have a feature to take pics with the screen off, more like a disposable camera. They should have that feature anyway.
- epicide 9y ago> works fine in movie theaters. Except when it doesn't. I can't remember the last time I went to see a movie where somebody didn't light up the place with their phone at least once during the film. > phones should have a feature to take pics with the screen off This quickly gets into a creepy territory. I realize there are already ways to do this and there are hidden cameras, but we should probably maintain some barrier to entry.
- 4ad 9y ago> I can't remember the last time I went to see a movie where somebody didn't light up the place with their phone at least once during the film. This has never happened to me in Europe, ever. It's an American thing. Also, in the US I can never properly enjoy a movie at the cinema because people are always talking or laughing. The behavior of people at venues is largely dictated by the local culture.
- amatern 9y agoInterestingly, Boston Calling won't enforce this rule: http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2018/01/24/going-boston-calling-jack-white-says-cellphones-allowed/2Id9jijFqCN3DtjlhizawK/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2018/01/24/going-... and also - Pearl Jam has released information on their upcoming tour - the tickets themselves will be SmartPhone only (from their Fan Club site, Ten Club): Ten Club Mobile Tickets: No will call. No physical tickets. In order to distribute tickets more efficiently, Ten Club will be delivering all Ten Club tickets directly to your smart phone. Mobile ticket delivery requires an iPhone or Android smart phone. Instead of scanning a physical ticket at the gate, members will access tickets through their smartphone and scan directly from the screen of your mobile device. Step-by-step instructions on how to access your ticket on your phone will be sent to all Ten Club ticket holders via email when they are ready for mobile distribution. We plan to have this delivered to you by early July.
- monksy 9y agoMobile tickets; There are a few ways that they handle this. They may have a seperate line for mobile tickets, and then hand you a printed out reciept and then they deface your phone. When I used the mobile ticket with the The Killers at the UC, they gave me a paper copy of the ticket for the seat info.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- ghaff 9y agoThis is almost universal at live theater. (Some exceptions but not many.) Which is mostly a good thing. Although on Broadway, I've seen ushers get IMO overly aggressive just because someone snaps a shot at the end of a performance or whatever.
- logfromblammo 9y agoJust throw your hands in the air... ...and hold your phone up there so the person behind you can't see me with their actual eyes! People who record phone video at concerts are the worst. If you want to re-live your experience later, a lot of promoters now do a professional recording from the floor and on stage with multiple cameras, and they sell download authorization keys at the merchandise booths. Buy one of those. If you can't enjoy the thing you're at right now, please don't ruin it for the people around you.
- olivierlacan 9y agoThe Yondr demo is quite impressive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2A38Nxz8sc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2A38Nxz8sc It's simple (thick cloth pouch with a powerful magnet lock), allows you to remain in physical custody of your device (which wasn't clear from the article) and creates a forcing function for people who need to use their phone to simply exit the venue and get it unlocked at a kiosk.
- frou_dh 9y agore the video - surely the call would have ceased ringing by the time you managed to get the pouch unlocked? Seems more like they should get you to put the phone off or into silent mode before it goes in the pouch.
- 15155 9y agoSome possible circumvention: - Don't disclose your phone - Put a cheap ringer in your pocket - Cut through the package in the parking lot and re-enter
- monksy 9y agoAt shows you usually go through a metal detector, which will find the phone. The venue will "ban you from going in" if you refuse to allow them to deface the phone. Source: Me. (I'm not going to accept the whole phone defacement ordeal)
- 4ad 9y agoMetal detectors?? At shows?? Luckily I have never seen such a thing in Europe, but undoubtedly we will copy the US in a few years. I can't believe how much we've degenerated.
- ravitation 9y agoReally? I actually think it's incredibly unimpressive. A ridiculous physical pouch that requires security to manage? All to avoid something that is arguably not as bad as many other disruptive activities at an event? If phone-free events are something there is demand for, Yondr feels like the terribly inelegant solution that precedes the elegant one... But, as generations grow up in a world where mobile phones are omnipresent, I have my doubts about how badly anyone will want this...
- illegalsmile 9y agoI think his statement "If they can’t give me that energy back? Maybe I’m wasting my time." is thoughtful. Jack is old enough to have gone to and performed shows in his youth where cells phone were rare if there were any. He performs not only for the music but for the energy of the crowd. A crowd that's now placed a screen between themselves and the performer taking away that energy or removing that sense of connection. Even in a large venue! He's the artist, it's his gig, if you can't respect the reasonable wishes of the person who you paid to go see what are you doing there?
- hungerstrike 9y ago> ...if you can't respect the reasonable wishes of the person who you paid to go see what are you doing there? Why the false dichotomy? A person could easily lack all respect for an entertainer and still want to go see them... Heck, I've gone to concerts before just to make fun of the band and its fans with my friends. One could be there doing a lot of things but the blindingly obvious answer in this case is that people like to record stuff. Jack sounds like a vampire. It my energy that he's feeding off of isn't it? Seems like Jack should respect his audiences' wishes. Furthermore, if the concert venue can't go out of their way to provide a measly fucking digital video and picture download for people, then I say fuck 'em. If they don't respect my wishes why should I respect theirs??? It's kinda like how HN asks you not to treat the downvote button as a disagree button and to just post your disagreement - but just about everybody ignores that rule because thinking is hard. Hmmmmm
- grasshopperpurp 9y agoAlso tells you not to complain about downvotes, but I guess thinking is hard.
- hungerstrike 9y agoWhat complaining? I said "it's kinda like how X..." That's not a complaint, thank you very much :)
- parasubvert 9y agoPeople use their phones to have human experiences and connect to others that aren’t physically present. While I can understand certain environments should curb cell use (Where lights and flashes are distracting to performers and the audience), or the desire to maintain mystery or quality by controlling bootlegs... a rock concert has distractions-a-plenty, between flying beer cups, weed smoke, people gabbing loudly about their recent gossip, crowd surfers... a phone is really not a big deal. Curbing phone use might be nostalgic (why not also hand out cigarette lighters for the ballads?) but doesn’t make the experience any more human.
- doctorstupid 9y agoAbout these people who "use their phones to have human experiences and connect to others that aren’t physically present". How is the sender anything more than a human tripod for a webcam that happens to be in a concert? Nothing is being shared because nothing is being experienced in the first place. If anything, the camera is doing the experiencing. By bypassing our minds and instead offloading experiences directly to the digital middleman we reduce our powers of memory and lose respect for ourselves as witnesses; we begin to feel that only what is digital is real. Can you not see that we become less human by separating ourselves from the intimacy of experience? We demote ourselves to mediators evaporating reality to the cloud. What musician wants to perform to a crowd of cloud-zombies? That's equivalent to a crowd of no one. And they really don't care about the experiences of those who "aren't physically present"; that's what recorded albums are for.
- icebraining 9y agoI'm not a recorder (in general, not just in concerts), but I'm pretty sure I can hold my phone up while I pay attention to the concert. The dichotomy you're painting rings false to me.
- parasubvert 9y agoA person holding a camera is peresent at the concert and doing the experiencing. I don’t understand how holding s camera at all detracts from that experience any more than people at a ballgame watching it partially through the jumbotron. It’s a personal preference, it’s not up to you to decide for others what is preferable. A phone is also an intimate device for many, it carries our most intimate thoughts, our photos - often nude! - and possibly even sexual videos, along with our banking information and every password to every app or site we touch. Using our phones during art performances does not separate ourselves from intimacy but rather embraces it and allows us to share it with our friends and family and lovers. Just wait until augmented reality really starts taking off! I really don’t think a musician performing has any business whether I share my experiences with others - that’s my prerogative. We’ve moved past the tired arguments for copyright and bouncers yanking cameras - it doesn’t fly anymore, and people won’t accept it. They can request no phones as part of the experience, and check ahead, though I doubt it will become a trend . most tickets are moving to phones as it is, and most rock music fans will rightly look at bans as nostalgia, just like paying for recorded music once was a thing (and still is for people over 40, but will eventually fade away). Other venues like live theatre warrant less light and sound distraction and I think still deserve etiquette of keeping phones down to between acts or sets, though that may evolve.
- hellbanTHIS 9y agoGreat to tell people to put away their phones and not record because that really is obnoxious, but to actually confiscate phones is fascistic and shouldn’t be tolerated IMO. I mean who does he think he is?
- monksy 9y agoDepends on how they do it. From what I've seen, they use a company called "yondr" which basically defaces your phone for the duration of the show, or until you walk out and they unlock it for you.
- Paul-ish 9y agoThey don't confiscate the phones. They put them in a locked bag and hand the bag back to you. There are places throughout the venue that you can get the back unlocked to use your phone.
- jsgo 9y agoI was at the first day of Carolina Rebellion this past year. A band I had never heard of before, Highly Suspect, played and during it, the singer (politely) called out a female fan who was using her phone (in what manner, I'm not sure). Basically for similar reasons (experience the intimacy of the moment sort of thing). I thought it was pretty cool.
- comice 9y agoSo is clapping part of the agreement when I go to a gig? Why is it wasting time playing to people who don't clap. Is he doing it for the claps? Why do I have to pay then? Can I pay extra to get a ticket which allows me not to clap? You can't clap with just a drink in your hand either, will he be banning drinking at his gigs? Is he using amplifiers or are they banned as part of this "human experience" too? I hate phone use at gigs but Jack White isn't really expressing how I feel about them.
- unethical_ban 9y agoI think you're taking that statement a bit too far toward its logical conclusion.
- comice 9y agoI did it to mock his justification of his ban, which isn't at all clear. Wish he'd just say "I've banned phoned because I don't like them". Fine by me, I don't like them either.
- criddell 9y agoYou're trying too hard to find problems. I'm guessing White would be okay if you stayed home.
- comice 9y agoI'd just like a bit more precision and perhaps more honesty. He says it's about being a more human experience but I don't know what that means and he makes no effort to explain it clearly, instead muddying the waters. I have a similar problem with people who dress up their criticism of other's behaviour as something "moral".
- cmsimike 9y agoLane 8 has been doing this for just over a year now with his "This Never Happened" tour: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/could-you-handle-a-phone-free-concert-this-never-happened_us_5834aaebe4b0a79f7433b1a9 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/could-you-handle-a-phon...
- harlanji 9y agoGood. I do this at my personal parties, I have a phone bowl by the door. Few arguments are solved by Google, and creative things happen. Social Media is definitely at the point where TV was in around 2012. There were the early 'adopters' who cast out their sets and proclaimed the virtues, but they weren't shunned and understanding was attempted... what's a DVR? what's streaming? Silly questions a few years later, right. Cell phones are wonderful, apps are useful, don't get me wrong. So is self awareness and presence. It's a huge waste of effort to go to a party/concert just to use a device for non-urgent activity. I used to be on PagerDuty for 7on/7off and I forewent my normal life during those days to ensure I could respond. Sometimes I'd go to a bar with my backpack and sip with coworkers/acquaintances, but it obviously disturbed the vibe not keeping up so eventually I stopped. I wouldn't go to a concert if I had urgent stuff that could happen. Family emergency? Shit, we'll we've managed until now, life happens. The external cost to social skills and ambiance are so great, as we can all observe, that that one act of nature edge case isn't worth the external costs (we can agree to disagree).
- nradov 9y agoThat may work for you as a single individual but in general it's just not realistic. Times have changed. The world has moved on.
- pythonaut_16 9y agoA better solution would be to give out the password to the WiFi then throttle it to slow enough to be unpleasant to use, but fast enough that no one gives up and disconnects.
- mseebach 9y agoPerhaps an outright ban is a bit heavy-handed, but we do need to come to terms with what the appropriate etiquette for the usage of personal electronics is. I guess I could care less is someone wants to spend a show checking Facebook, but it's rude to other guests if their screen grabs your attention or it blocks your view. This ties into general camera usage -- wanting to take a picture (or 50) does not entitle you to squeeze in front, or otherwise monopolise the path/area in front of the painting/sculpture/view, nor does it excuse bumping into people while you scuttle around for the right angle. A particular thing I find very unnerving, is the playing of media on a phone or tablet with the audio on in a crowded public space, typically, but far from exclusively, for the benefit of a child. A close runner up is people keeping audible notifications on their phones or laptops while using it - the sound grabs everybody else's attention, too.
- watwut 9y agoThe tablet to child thing is often done for benefit of those around - so that child is not noisy, does not atempt to run around etc. Of course you can also entertain the small child by playing with it and constantly telling it how to behave, but that tends to be even noisier that tablet. (Bigger child can have headphones and is able to sit calmly longer)
- mseebach 9y agoI was thinking of headphones.
- watwut 9y agoThey don't stick on small kids heads or in ears. With bigger kids, absolutely.
- mseebach 9y agoThat has got to be a solvable problem. EDIT: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Children-Headband-Headphone-Comfortable-Limited/dp/B071F3H6W4/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Children-Headband-Headphone-Comfort...
- owenversteeg 9y agoFor those that are curious, he's going to be using Yondr pouches, which are thick cloth pouches with a lock on them that can only be removed by the venue employees. I did a bit of Googling and apparently they cost about $10 each, so fairly cheap too.
- dizzystar 9y agoMan, I can stand behind this. You have no idea how distracting it is to the musicians on stage when they look at the crowd and see a bunch of cell phones facing them. I'd rather see everyone bored and talking. At least that's a genuine response. I feel it's quite disrespectful to be looking at your cellphone and recording while a performer is on stage. The performer is there for you, and you presumably went there to see them. Sometimes we make eye contact, and sometimes we look out to measure how we are doing. No feedback results breaks the uh... feedback loop. No big deal to do it for a few seconds, but a few seconds just doesn't happen. Besides, my purpose is to give you a few minutes to escape life, leave all your concerns, and be in a moment. Snap a pic, but turn off the flash and don't film. The recording quality sucks so it isn't like anyone is going to look at it understand half the experience anyways.
- triangleman 9y agoWe need a new etiquette and I'm not sure our culture can support one right now. Video: A few seconds, once or twice, is ok. Photos: No flash photography Audio: Record the whole show if you want. Isn't that how most Phish music is distributed? I am fine with artists putting hard limits on their audience. If they believe it will improve their art, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. It might help or hurt them financially, in terms of fanbase, whatever. It's the artist who is taking the risk here, I say let him. Incidentally, I went to a local symphony concert recently and I got some serious evil-out-of-the-corner-of-the-eye from one of the patrons 3 rows in front of me, wearing a tweed coat. Apparently my hushed comment to my wife annoyed him. And then when the piece was over, right before the moment of applause, he let out a "mmm" like he had just consumed a great piece of chocolate cake or something. Now that was bad manners.
- dizzystar 9y agoI find it really depends on the venue and the audience. If you are playing to an audience of mostly musicians and music appreciation types, the cell phones are hardly seen. It's the general crowd who isn't really there for the music that are the types to record an entire show. I veer towards snobbery saying it like that, obviously, but it's like seeing two people at an art gallery. The one snapping pics of everything and running to the next piece isn't really there for the art. It's a tough balance since they are paying for whatever experience defines the experience for them.
- davb 9y agoI experienced the Yondr phone prison last night for the first time (at a Chris Rock show). While I detest people being disruptive with their phones, I don’t think this is the right solution. From a practical standpoint, it took a lot longer to get into and out of the venue when phones had to be locked up. Checking your phone when you pop out to the toilet meant waiting in a queue to have your phone unlocked, and being kept in a small penned off area. There have been a number of times when I’ve been split up from friends at large venues - not being able to text each other to meet up is inconvenient. It doesn’t work. Unless stewards are doing a thorough search (which would be offputting in itself), people will manage to bring phones in. They did last night. Mine got locked up, my fiancées didn’t. In the event of an emergency, this is a really bad idea. At the extreme end, you’ve got things like the Manchester bombing, where access to a phone would be a useful thing. But more likely it’s a fire alarm and subsequent evacuation, where you end up separated from your group. The venue last night (the SSE Hydro in Glasgow) said that in the event of an evacuation you should not attempt to have your phone unlocked but should leave immediately - sensible but if phones weren’t locked up, it wouldn’t even be a concern. I think the solution is to simply enforce a strict “no phones during the performance” policy. Treat people like adults. If they break the rules, ask them to leave. Last night we were sitting in front of a very drunken, obnoxious heckler. After several people complained, she was asked to leave. This is how many venues handle it. Interestingly, all of the venue stewards last night were wearing Yondr hi vis vests. They seem to be on a major marketing push. I really hope it doesn’t become commonplace. The venue seemed to want to distance themselves from the decision, making announcements along the lines of “At Chris Rock’s request, phones will not be allowed at tonight’s show and will be locked in Yondr cases and given back you you. Consequently, Apple Pay will not be available tonight.”
- maxehmookau 9y agoI agree, the safety aspects of this are shocking and the 'be free of phones' puritanism is a bit dull. A _very_ strict code of conduct for attendees is something that can (and does) work. Jazz pianist, Keith Jarrett has been known to stop his 4-hour long improvisation sessions in some of the world's most prestigous venues mid-flow to dress down an attendee trying to film him. People don't make that mistake twice. https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/aug/09/keithjarrettsoutburstshouldbeapplauded https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/aug/09/keit... Unrelated, but I'd be way more on board with this if the DVD of the show wasn't £30 afterwards.
- jdlyga 9y agoThis is a pretty good idea. Dave Chappelle does it before all of his comedy shows. But I'm not going to be part of some sort of rally against phones. The guy on his phone not talking to the person sitting next to him is just the new guy with his head in a newspaper.
- Transformers 9y agoWow, no droids allowed! I guess Star Wars was right.
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- king_wilson 9y agoWhile this solution is extreme, I do think we need a cultural shift that discourages filming/photos at shows. I think of the College Football Championship halftime show. 75% of the attendees were more focused on adding Kendrick Lamar to their snap story rather than actually watching him. Personally, I'm also sick of trying to watch concerts through someone's screen in front of me.
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- hockeybias 9y agoThere were concerts before mobile phones and the wide majority of people survived them.
- otempomores 9y agoTo be honest i can understand that someone wishes back to a time when people could let go without the world watching. When you could say 'Fuck humanity!' with a few friends in a closed circle without humanity facebombing you back. When excess was possible and it didnt mattered how it would look on Instagram because it was a muddy tangled mess.
- davehtaylor 9y agoI despise the fact that people think they need to have their phones in front of them the entire time, taking shitty pics and videos that they'll never look at again. However, I would never support an artist/performer who tries to prevent me from using my own things. It's not their right to tell me that I can't pull out my phone if I choose to do so. It belongs to me. So while I would never actually have my phone out during a show like it, I would never actually go to a show that would prevent me from doing so.
- icebraining 9y agoWhy the phone specifically? What if they prohibit air horns? Mine belongs to me as well!
- TomMarius 9y agoThe venue is not yours. The owner (and thus the performer) sets the rules. If they want you to come in pink clothes, they have every right to not let you in if you're not entirely clothed in pink. On the other hand, you have every right to not go to the event. I also don't like these phone pouches for many reasons. As I said earlier under this post, Eddie Vedder also forbids phones. He'll just stop doing whatever is he doing and wait until everyone puts it away. And that's his right, your statement that he can't do it because the phone is yours is wrong.
- aplc0r 9y agoI recently went to see A Perfect Circle who have instituted a no phones policy. It seemed to work pretty well, even without these phone lockers. I saw a handful of people escorted out by security. It was really great to have only the concert's lighting without the distraction of a sea of screens. Many people even pulled out their lighters for one song, when at other shows I've often seen them defaulting to waving their phones instead.
- jasonthevillain 9y agoI was about to buy Jack White tickets today and... I think I'll pass. Don't get me wrong. I've seen several shows, including Jack White, that politely ask the audience to keep their phones away for part or all of the show. That's fine with me and it basically works. But as much as I'd like to see Jack White again, I really don't enjoy being treated like a child.
- nugi 9y agoGlad people who cant put down their phones, won't be there. Sounds like a win when people insistent on being selfish excluse themselves. Yes, very childish.
- acdanger 9y agoI don't get your response; would you not go to a state park because there's a rule against operating motorized vehicles on the hiking trails?
- sushisource 9y agoThat's a totally wrong analogy. A more accurate one would be when you go to the park, they boot your car and any motorized vehicles you brought on it, and you have to find someone to un-boot them when you're done. In your analogy, the park is doing what the commentor says. Politely asking you not to do that.
- jasonthevillain 9y agoNot at all. I also go to all sorts of concerts that don't allow cameras. It's the "how" that rubs me the wrong way. Your state park would indicate "no vehicles beyond this point" and I assume if anyone starting driving on the hiking trail they'd be asked to follow the rules or leave. That's different than insisting you hand over your keys in order to enter the park. That wouldn't feel quite right, would it?
- excalibur 9y agoAs much as I enjoy being treated like a child, I really don't want to see Jack White.
- brandonmenc 9y agoI went to a Prince concert where phones were banned, and it was the greatest experience ever. I think it's fine for people to snap a photo or two and be able to check their messages during the show, but when half the crowd is holding up phones to film, it's super annoying.
- tw1010 9y agoTechnology were created by humans. Language was created by humans. Both are abstractions that keep us from experiencing each other and reality in its true form. Let's not trick ourselves into thinking that we're somehow getting a true unambiguous connection with each other by removing technology. To quote Simone Weil: "The world is the closed door. It is a barrier. And at the same time it is the way through. Two prisoners whose cells adjoin communicate with each other by knocking on the wall. The wall is the thing which separates them but it is also their means of communication."
- bluntfang 9y agothe dude uses an electric guitar, an electronic communication device.
- Animats 9y agoWell, OK, but the performance had better start on time. And no crappy warm-up bands.
- yohann305 9y agook, people are going to carry 2 phones on them going to shows: the actual phone and a decoy one
- tlb 9y agoI recently saw a preview of a Pixar movie before the public release, and their solution was to make us put our phones in an extremely crinkly bag that would make noise if we tried to open it to surreptitiously video the screen. But we could still access them in an emergency. It wouldn't work at a loud concert, of course.
- jmkni 9y agoIs it just me, or is the NME site completely broken?
- aembleton 9y agoWorks fine for me with Firefox and Privacy Badger
- noobiemcfoob 9y agoWhy don't people enjoy the thing the way I want them to enjoy the thing!? What is it with people having their own preferences that don't align with mine!?
- fenwick67 9y agoAre asking why rules exist in general or
- uhhhhhhh 9y agoHe says signing into an electric microphone while playing an electric or acoustic-electric guitar and standing on a stage in front of the crowd with the sound projected from speakers. Yes, I'm being facetious, but if he REALLY wants a 100% human experience, shrink the room, go full acoustic and play only to small crowds and encourage interaction rather than observation. I actually love sets like that with artists, especially when you see spontaneous collaborations between artistic minds and talents. I'll go to one of those intimate, acoustic sets and pay 5x what I'd pay to go to any large concert.
- criley2 9y agoTo be fair, Jack does tons of that too. Heck, he's got a refurbished 1940's Voice-O-Matic at his Third Man Records, an old time vinyl recording booth which lets you go in and records 2.5 minutes of audio onto one unique vinyl. He's very much about eschewing as much technology as possible and getting people as close as possible to the sound itself.
- uhhhhhhh 9y agoAgreed. I don't have an issue with this, I think what he's doing is great. I'm just a sarcastic twat. If he's at the point where he can focus his career on what matters to him as an artist and not what the fans want in order to find financial success, then all the power to him. I think its great and if it increases creativity, connection and makes him and others happy, its the right thing to do.
- frogpelt 9y agoIf you think people wouldn't have their phones out in that intimate, acoustic setting you're fooling yourself.
- hateful 9y agoFor me, as an introvert, having my phone to play a game on has changed everything for me. Instead of not going to a social event at all, or leaving early when I'm feeling drained, I can take out my phone for a few minutes here and there to zone out and recharge my batteries. If I found out a venue was going to take my phone as I came in, that would be a HARD no for me ever going to that venue. And if I didn't know about it beforehand, I would be extremely irate.
- potta_coffee 9y agoDon't like giving up your phone? Don't go to the show. I am one of the people who are more likely to attend a show if devices are banned. Also people acting like this is a safety issue are being ridiculous. Does anyone really think that no stage manager or security guard has a phone they can access in the event of an emergency?
- mruniverse 9y agoLooks like a “100% human experience” weeds out parents with young children.
- asmosoinio 9y agoWhy? Is it really that impossible to spend a few hours without being able to communicate with whoever is taking care of ones kids? I don't think so.
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- alangibson 9y agoWhile I'm definitely on Jack's side spiritually, Yondr is not an efficient solution. We need to consciously and intentionally establish a norm of 'no phones' in certain group situations, just like how many areas have established a norm of 'no smoking'. And, yes, it's true that 'no smoking' often has local law to help drive the idea home, but it's not like there's a cop monitoring the smoking situation in every public venue. Shame, ridicule, side-eye and public opinion are really what keep behavior in line. It's not hard to do. I remember long ago that the famous Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, which serves beer and booze, had problems with people talking. They started playing a stock reel of people getting their asses kicked overlaid with "if you talk we'll kick your ass out" before the movie started. Now it's just accepted fact that you keep quiet no matter how many Lone Star tallboys you've had.
- reubenswartz 9y agoYeah, I think a similar video played before the start of the show, about how you paid all this money to be here, why see it through a small screen as if you were on YouTube, combined with a few people actually getting kicked out, would work wonders. They can have a moment in the show for everyone who "needs" a picture or a brief video can take one. And just let everyone know that the whole show will be on YouTube in good quality later-- no need to take your own.
- lostgame 9y ago>> And just let everyone know that the whole show will be on YouTube in good quality later-- no need to take your own. Um, it increases costs a lot to film a show, you realize this, right? And if the show was available on YouTube for free, don't you think it would potentially impact sales?
- nofilter 9y agoWell, I think YouTube for stage acts is just like Streaming is to musicians. Most of them make the majority of their income by live performances, but the streaming is where its at otherwise.
- golergka 9y agoA lot of techno clubs have been doing it for years – makes the whole scene feel much more human.
- UntitledNo4 9y agoI don't know, how about we embrace mobile phones in gigs instead? Arcade Fire, for instance, asked the audience to turn their flash light on during their last song (don't remember which one it was) last time I saw them. It was beautiful from where I was standing at that moment. And there's also a video of Win Butler taking a mobile phone from someone in the audience and recording himself for a few seconds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpgyv6naF3M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpgyv6naF3M). I'm sure that someone with more creativity than I have could come up with an idea how to use mobile phones to enhance the experience to the audience and the performer, rather than just viewing them as an annoyance.
- KhanMahGretsch 9y agoI don't see any harm in artists running this experiment, for many younger audience members, it could be the first time they experience a show without phones. As long as such restrictions are transparent to the ticket-buyer, I'll allow them to vote with their cash. This initiative seems to be an attempt by Mr. White to sculpt the environment and experience at his shows, which is his prerogative. Other bands routinely impose restrictions (Metallica won't allow alcohol to be served while they're on-stage; Morrissey won't allow any meat to be served at his shows).
- cabaalis 9y agoSimple economics. People will weigh the value of being able to use their phones and/or record the performance versus their want to attend.
- j_s 9y agoIs there any phone app that purposely records video in the background without turning on the screen? I wouldn't care as much if people holding up their phones weren't shining back at me. I assume this is possible with audio, though concert audio is usually way too loud to record on a phone without additional equipment. I believe this may not even be possible due to privacy issues, hidden cameras / recording without consent is enough of a problem already!
- werber 9y agoThe last time I saw him play, I got so bored during his solos I was beyond grateful to have had my phone with me.
- mike741 9y agoWhy not just kick people out that raise their phones? Seems like a waste of time and resources to me. I'd much rather have to deal with the occasional camera blocking my view than having to wait in yet ANOTHER line before and after the show.
- JanecekPetr 9y agoMister White follows up on his ideas, but this seems to be unnecessary, at least from what I saw at his concert in Prague, Czech Republic, last year. Before the show one of his crewmen said to all the people to keep their phones in the pockets, that the show will be profesionally photographed and the photos will be on the official Jack White site for everyone to download. This helped immensely, and I'd guess 95 % of the people kept heir phones hidden and enjoyed the show. Yes, there still were some who recorded alllllll the songs, but that's their apparently their thing afterall, isn't it? I think this approach was nice, human, and worked very well.
- masonic 9y agoworked very well ... except for those who were behind the recorders.
- arkades 9y ago> Mister White follows up on his ideas, but this seems to be unnecessary, at least from what I saw at his concert in Prague, Czech Republic, last year. Mister White attended a few more Jack White concerts than you did, and appears to disagree.
- stillsut 9y agoHow about we let flip phones with the speaker visibly ripped out still be carried? It has terrible video and audio recording capabilities, people know how to use them already, and there's nothing on that tiny screen worth distracting yourself/alienating yourself. Other than an SMS, and that's cool. That's all the pro's of no-phones, without any of the cons of having to drop off the grid for a few hours.
- 773js 9y agoOK maybe Thom Yorke and Jack White should do shows together and charge $1000000 and call it real art.
- Apocryphon 9y agoGreat opportunity for Snapchat Spectacles to become relevant again.
- habosa 9y agoI honestly hope every single concert goes this way. I go to a lot of concerts (~15 concerts and a big festival in a normal year). I have noticed that there is so little real connection between the musician and the audience anymore. Everyone is just talking to their friends (over the music) and waiting for the one big hit to come on so they can fill their Snapchat story. A concert is a really special thing. Music is the only popular art form where we can really be there and connect to the artist. When you're at a show where the band and the crowd connect you can tell it's something special. Read any interview with a popular musician and they'll tell you the same. So let's put our phones down and listen. A side note: this is made much better when artists offer video/audio recordings of their shows after the fact. I honestly don't get why every single artist doesn't offer to sell soundboard recordings. Jam bands (notably Phish) have been making tons of money this way. You can give everyone who came to the show a free download and let those who couldn't be there oay for it. That removes one major need people have for their phones.
- banhfun 9y agoPeople enjoy concerts for different reasons and in different ways. I don’t see why we should deny them the freedom just because you appreciate events different.
- antris 9y agoThe thing is, when you create a sea of people looking at the concert through their phones, you have already ruined the concert for the people who want to live in the moment and just experience the concert as is. The phone ban is created exactly for that reason: so that people can enjoy the concert without having other people decide for you that the concert is much better enjoyed when 20 phones are blocking your view.
- ahdroit 9y ago"2014, Jack White criticised people at gigs who spend more time on their mobile phones than watching the artist perform. White suggested that he is “wasting time” performing for people who “can’t even clap” because they have a phone in one hand and a drink in the other."
- Transformers 9y agoWow, no droids allowed! I guess Star Wars was right. Jack White is a luddite.
- DaniFong 9y agohells yeah, jack white; }={ell$fucking yeah...
- pvaldes 9y agoAs alternative, somebody in the crew could record the concert for then with a crappy phone and let them download it for the next 24 hours using as password some number or barcode printed in the ticket. The "see what you missed last night" experience.
- dvcrn 9y agoIn Asia (Japan) it is very normal that phones are forbidden at concerts. You are being warned first and if you take it out again to snap a picture for example, they'll boot you out. But here it's AFAIK more for the reason of selling a exclusive concert DVD after the event is over.
- WillReplyfFood 9y agoCyborgs please cry your eyes out, you will get them back, afterwards good as new- no spam i promise.
- cup-of-tea 9y agoI think this is fine but maybe attendees should be given a complementary recording of the concert as a substitute. These concerts are not every weekend down the pub type events, they are once in a lifetime for many people.
- lwhi 9y agoThe most human experience involves free will. This is doublespeak designed to enhance the social media properties of the band and protect what they view as their intellectual property. I'd opt to avoid a band that enforced or suggested this.
- squarefoot 9y agoI also don't like people playing with their phones during a concert, especially those blocking my sight because they need to share a shitty vertical video with friends just to climb the social ladder, but banning phones tout court doesn't seem the right way to go. So, what about writing a song about it in which the artist ridicules them? Or in extreme cases stopping the performance until enough people put the phones away?
- deboboy 9y agoIn Seattle Jack asked us to put our phones away; to connect with his media team later for free hi def. photos if we wanted them. Everyone was cool; made the show better.