Went to a concert recently. This was my view 80% of the time. I literally saw the concert through other people’s phones. Seriously, try to zoom in and see how many phones are up.
PICTUREI felt so bad for my wife when we went to see rammstein. I'm 6'2", and it was annoying to me. Her view was just garbage the whole night, and anytime she got a clear line of site to the stage it didn't last long before someone would fill the gap and whip out their phone.
The band told people not to film, and they professionally recorded everything that I'm sure will be released on DVD eventually. But still. Just a sea of phones.
Last time I saw Rammstein some jackass filmed 2/3rds of the show with a full blown selfie stick
Wonder how many times Jack rewatched the footage in its entirety? Would be shocked if it got played at all.
My spouse audio records concerts and can’t recall a single time we’ve listened post concert.
I stopped recording shows when i realized i’d never watch my video. I’m like “who tf is this even for??” So i might take a pic or two or a short 5-10 seconds of a song i like, but def good to just enjoy the show.
💯 I went to go see my favorite artist over a year ago. Got there early, waited in line for a short while, then when they let us in, got right up front. Best spot in the place. You could actually lean on the barrier and NO ONE was in your way!
Only took a few photos and a short 4K video. I’ll always remember it as it was the best night of my life, so far. I went by myself too. Man what an experience.
Such a different experience going alone. More of an adventure!
Massively taking away the experience of being there, so you can have a video you will never watch again? And if you did want to watch it again, there’s a much better quality version by someone else?
I love watching my clips, or reliving them when they pop up again in my memories. However I only do portions of songs I really like.
This is the way!
Why even bother filming, crappy little phone audio systems are not going to record the sound in any way that sounds good. And nobody ever rewatches the video. At these times, you open the moshpit and start swatting phones
This is the way, I'll take clip at a point during the concert and a picture or two., fun to sometimes watch a 15s clip. That's enough when thumbing through photos to relive a memory.
I'd like to see more artists go the route RA The Rugged Man (Indie rapper) who'll slap cellphones out of people's hands.
One thing I love about tool shows is Maynards refusal to put up with that shit. Makes the price of the tickets almost worth it
I just saw him for the first time a few month back and he threw out at least 5 people himself. Right in the middle of a song he’d call someone out and get rid of them. I don’t understand the need.
The current generation just has to post everything they’ve done for all to see. It’s weird. I deleted all social medias (snap, FB, insta, twit) a long time ago. 10 years at least. Never had TikTok. This is all I have and it’s for reason. Some hobbies.
It took about 3 days to realize how much better life is without the trash. I never even think about it. I really believe the internet, in most ways, was one of the worst inventions of humans. Does way more harm than good.
Fr saw them in November 20th 2023 a couple of dudes got kicked out
How else do I gonna post to my Instagram story that no one is going to watch, but still I'm gonna check every 5 minutes and count how many people have watched?
It’s people that want to be seen at shows more than they actually want to be at the show.
LMAOOOOOOOO you just rekt so many people and I love it. Nothing like grainy ass shitty zoomed cell phone camera footage of a low light concert to really make the views stack up......
LMAOOOOOOOO you just rekt so many people and I love it. Nothing like grainy ass shitty zoomed cell phone camera footage of a low light concert to really make the views stack up......
Cmon man, how can you show off how good of a time you had at a show without a video of your favorite band sounding like FWAAABBBBBAAAASSSSHHHHH FFFFFFFFFFFHHWWWAAAAAABBBBBBBBBFFFFDASSSHHHH FWAABBBBBB WANBBBBBBBBBBB FSSSSHHHHHHH FSHHHHHHH FSSSHSHHHHH
Like I can understand pulling the phone out for maybe a song you really love or for a friend who couldn’t make it for whatever reason but recording the entire show? Like why, do people actually go back and watch these things in their entirety?
I watch full sets on YouTube occasionally. Usually the people recording full sets have a go pro mounted on a pole though.
There is a lot of music that wouldn’t exist to the public if people didn’t record it at live sets. The good recordings go onto SoundCloud which makes it easy to listen to in the car.
I recently went to a concert where they put our phones in security pouches. It was either that or take them back to your car.
That show was so much fun.
There’s an electronic artist named Lane 8 who does this
It’s called “This Never Happened”, and security tapes your phone on the way in. If you pull it out, you get kicked out
I went to a rave in Berlin and they gave everyone stickers to put over their camera lens. There was a certain area where you were allowed to go on your phone and it was well away and out of sight from the stage. If you’re spotted on your phone in the main room or taking pictures anywhere they ask you to leave. It was great.
I saw Bill burr and it was the first comedy show I went to that did that and I wasn't sure how to feel about it at first. It was nice to have my full attention and enjoy my time there. Getting it unlocked is a pain though due to everyone getting out of the venue
Dave Chappelle does it, too. I love it. It's worth the extra time at the end.
I saw Weird Al last year and they just asked us nicely not to film. Worked pretty well I didn't see a single one out.
I would abide my weird als request. Seems like a cool dude
I have 3 of their DVDs.. the audience should just take in concert and enjoy the moment and leave the crap phone in their pocket. The DVD Rammstein puts out is EXCELLANT!
Surround sound plus a subwoofer really brings the concert back home for me.
I saw rammstein in the Netherlands, I’m British. I’m 6ft4 and felt like the shortest person there. I didn’t see anything. First time ive ever been to a concert and not been able to see. I feel for your wife
I can relate. I’m 6’2, usually taller than 99% of other people at a concert, but almost every time I go to a concert someone taller than me makes their way directly in front of me and my wife and I are always blown away.
tall people flexing on other tall people, gotta love it 😂
And the things I’ve had said/done to me by people behind me is also wild. Being asked if I wouldn’t mind moving(when I’ve been standing in the same spot for over an hour and when I got there no one was behind me and the place was empty), talking to people they’re with “this tall asshole…” when again, I’ve been there for hours and this person showed up 5 minutes ago and stood right behind me, flat out being excessively pushed from behind, etc.
Some people are just assholes. Like, I get it but I can’t help how tall I am, you’re choosing to stand directly behind me when there are many other places to stand, and if you wanted to get closer to the stage you should have shown up earlier than 5 minutes before the lights go out. But instead, you’ve been at the venue bar the last hour.
My wife and I saw Ringo in Las Vegas a few years ago. Bill Walton (7 foot plus US basketball player) was in the line to get in ahead of us. I thought shit I'm probably going to be right behind him, luckily nowhere near him but somebody else had a bad day.
We just had to deal with the asshole lady dancing through the whole concert.
Yeah I was at the Minnesota show and this was very much the case. Very disappointing in people.
How do people keep still enough to hold onto their phone, let alone film anything worthwhile at Rammstein? Surely everyone's just bumping into them constantly
I was amazed at how well the audience adhered to the no filming rule at Porcupine Tree last year. On their last song I spotted a few phones and suddenly realised I hadn't seen a single one all night. I hadn't been distracted by someone else's screen all night and it really enhanced the experience. Although I imagine this is probably reflective of the average age of the audience.
It’s not uncommon in Berlin, especially by concerts like Rammstein, for people to tell people to stop filming. More than once I’ve seen phones being whacked out of hands, especially close to the front.
it looks like people are worshipping their phones. or holding them up like the monkey did simba
I'm five foot stopped going out ten years ago. There's just no reason to have a back, ass or a phone in my face and pay for it.
Once coveted floor seats are now 💩
I went and took a couple of 3 sec videos to show my friends the pyrotechnics. But never held my phone high to do it. Either enjoy the music or fuck off
Im 5'2. I feel for your wife, this has been my experience with every concert. Even when there is tiered seating, I'm so short most people in front of me will still be taller than me even though theyre a level down 😭
I had the same experience. I’m 5’ & ther kid in front of me was 6’2 & well over 250#, so a refrigerator basically. Completely ruined my bucket list.
Gift her some platform shoes for next time!
Never understood this. How many times are you going to watch it? If it’s for the memories, take pics! Don’t be a dick to other people.
The worst part, is you are missing to moment, and let’s be honest, it sounds like shit when you listen to the recording.
They go to see them play live. Then spent the concert looking at it through their phone for a shitty recording they will never watch.
And no one else wants to see second hand.
"I went to the concert let me show you the video!"
Me:
Right. That shit will make me click off someone’s page so fast lmao & they never just post a few songs, it’s always 30 snaps/posts of the entire set from a weird angle that barely anyone can even hear or see like just stop 😭
Not to mention that if I really wanted to see a video of a live concert… I can go to YouTube and find a professionally shot and edited one.
That’s the part that really gets me. These videos are useless since there is (almost) always a professionally filmed version.
I don’t understand why, but for a lot of people it seems to matter a lot to show everyone that they went to the concert on social media. But even so a few photos and/or a video should be far more than enough.
This is our generations fireworks posts
LOL this is so deadly accurate
Everytime my gf goes to one...literally 30 minutes of videos to show me. I don't get it.
They're looking for IRL "likes".
We have been reduced to lab rats frantically taking hits of cocaine laced water.
She almost gets pissed that I'm not like amazed by it.
Tell her to stop. People recording at concerts is ruining concerts.
Even live concerts posted by the band are low quality, and they can afford real cameras
Always a surefire way to get me to spam through your story to get it off my feed.
My favorite is when people basically post an entire concert to their Snapchat story
Like who tf you think is watching that whole thing lol
*tap* *tap* *tap* *tap* *tap* *tap*
Thank you! I never understood this! I might take a couple pics, MAYBE a short snippet, but it's like, maybe y'all should just enjoy the concert?
My 3.5 year old would like a word with you
Like filming fireworks
I came here to say this. I can't tell you how many videos I've taken that I've never watched again or worse when I do watch them doesn't live up to my memory of the event.
I always quick grab photos of one particularly visually appealing song, and then video the chorus of my favorite song. I find that I do enjoy looking back at those, and it’s more than enough. I don’t understand people who feel the need to film the whole thing.
I’ve completely stopped. I realized how much of my phones storage I was using up and everytime I’d watch the video I’d feel nothing.
Rather just listen to the full set recording and picture it myself
Yeah, I mean, I don't mind if people pull out their phones to take a couple of photos or grab a 30 second video of a cool moment. I think those are sharable or things you might look back on when reviewing your past photos.
But too many people basically film 75% of the concert or more. You aren't watching that. There are better versions posted on YouTube. It's more of a compulsion and it's taking away from you actually experiencing the concert.
A lot of these people don’t care about seeing the artist live. They go to these concerts to show others that they were there. They need the video proof to post to social media.
Me and the wife went and saw thievery corporation last weekend. Groups all around talking and idiots recording on their phones.
Thank you for making me feel a little better about not being able to see them live right now. :D
I go to New York Comic Con every year and this is exactly what it's become. It has become a thing to be seen at on social media. Way less fun than it used to be years ago and way more crowded.
I get wanting to share you went somewhere. You don't have to film the whole thing. Take a photo of the stage, and then you're done.
Typical zoomer behavior
Tool does it right. They allow phones on the last song only.
Came here to say this is not a problem at Tool shows.
Not a problem general a metal shows,
Tool & Puscifer
The saddest thing is that they're doing it for other people. What a waste of your youth.
I'm terrified of the new 30 and 40 somethings we're going to have in the next decade.
Lol it's not just them..... Plenty of 50/60 do it too, except they hold up their iPads
Why I don't like going to concerts anymore
They need to prove to social media that they were there. No one will believe them otherwise.
jesus christ this is so depressing
It’s to post it on social media to show how exciting their life is. It’s all about what you present. Not about actually enjoying it.
Exactly this.
Such sad people.
With zero audio quality if they do.
It’s so crazy but in the moment no one is thinking this. They just think this is an amazing moment I have to capture it… it’s ridiculous. You really have to check yourself and just enjoy and be in the moment.
I'm sorry but recording a concert whilst not looking at my phone is a skill I take seriously... Lmao
I’m a non-recorder at concerts , but this trope of “watch through phone not live” isn’t even really true unless you’re in the first 7 rows or so.
Outside of that, you’re really not seeing much of the artist and are probably watching the big screen anyway.
I saw Bob Dylan last week, and they had a strict no phone policy.
They gave us these pouches that were sealed with what I would describe as one of those clothing security tags - that would only open with the assistance of an attendant after the show.
It was really something to see the entire crowd so dialed into the show. I guess it’s entirely up to the artist if they do that - but I really think more Artists should consider it.
Edit: if anyone is curious, the pouches were YONDR brand-
Same at a jack white concert over 5 years ago
It's so sad that having to be physically restrained from using their phones is even necessary in the first place.
Lol that might be so people can’t see how fucked up Bob Dylan is during his shows and will still buy tickets. Love the guy but my god his live shows are a train wreck
I thought it was really good! It was all his new album, Rough and Rowdy’s ways. He stayed on the piano the whole time. I actually really recommend it!
Went to Ado's Düsseldorf show this weekend, and while there were no pouches, the "no phones" rule was there and it was taken extremely seriously (plenty of security and they had eyes on the crowd the the entire time).
It made the whole experience SO much better. Everyone was into it and just having fun. This should absolutely become the norm.
Ooo, I like that idea. I hate the thought of putting my shit in a locker. I like the idea better if it's a sealable bag. At least, worse case scenario, I can cut it open after the show.
As much as I appreciate this, when the show is over I don’t want to wait in another line that’s even slower than the usual leaving line.
The artist's should honestly do more to discourage this behavior. I've heard of some musical acts that do.
Went to a Tyler show like 8ish years ago and after his first song he said “everybody take your phone out and get your picture now, then put that shit away because we’re here to live life”
That’s a good way to do it. There’s nothing wrong with taking a picture or a short video at a concert to remember it or show others, but no reason that needs to last more than a few seconds
This is what I do! I try to get a clip of my favorite song or something then enjoy the rest. I absolutely love having the short clip to remember the show. I post them to Facebook and then it hits my memories every year. It's a blast to re-watch. I doubt I'd ever re-watch any of it if I filmed the whole thing.
I really like that actually 👍👏👏👏👏
I see weezer forever ago and they did this too!
I find him really annoying for some reason but that’s a very respectable move on his part, I like that.
He’s the best stage performer I’ve seen, unmatched energy and life
Went to an Odd Future show in like 2012 and Tyler fell asleep on top of a speaker because his stomach hurt lmaooo
Maynard from tool is a hero for this
We saw Tool recently and security was absolutely shutting down the people who were recording.
Yeah, Maynard doesn't fuck around about that shit. I've never seen it more heavily enforced than at Tool concerts.
Bright ass flashlights everywhere from security looking for people recording.
If you go to the Tool sub people post their videos that they snuck and it's like, man, you're part of the problem.
Yup.
Last year my buddy got kicked out of the show one song before Maynard said get your phones out. I texted him and told him he was a dumbass. I really don't get it.
Jack White as well.
Went to Tool a few months ago, if you even looked down at a text you’d have security on your ass, also I’ve seen videos of Maynard absolutely chewing people out! He knows it wrecks the experience for everyone else. I also went to a concert last week and the guy in front of me literally watched the whole concert through his phone, at one point I reached forward and stopped his recording. He was not happy, but he stopped
When I last saw Weird Al they had an announcement that said something like it was okay to take a couple of pictures but not to be inconsiderate and hold your phone up and video etc.
Not sure if that was venue specific or something Al requests. But I appreciated it. Nobody sat there with their phone in the air. I'd like to see more of that.
When I went to see Placebo they had a no phones policy.
Andre 3000 in Atlanta had people lock their phones up in some pouch.
That's super common amongst comedians. Usually because they don't want their jokes to hit mainstream until they release their special.
Saw Jack White last summer, everyone had to put their phone in a little ziplock safety bag when they went through security. They got it unlocked at the end of the show. It was awesome.
They did have a “phone room” where you could get your phone unlocked for emergencies or whatever too.
I went to a concert a few weeks ago which was a band from the 80s doing a tour. Big hits back then, not much recently. I'm in my late 30s and was easiest one of the youngest people there, most were in their 60s and 70s.
The concert was almost exactly like this except everyone was sitting down. When they played the hits from the 80s every fold phone case opened, most had the flash turned on and stared at the phone recording the songs they loved in their youth.
This isn't a young person thing. This is the world has changed for everyone.
I remember the first time I started to notice it, my family was crowded around a very talented cousin playing piano, my aunt had her new iPad out and was holding it up recording everything and remember being frustrated because I am tall so the performance was being blocked by the iPad.
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2mo
Just look around you in traffic to see who is texting and driving. It's definitely not just teenagers.
Welcome to the zombie apocalypse.
On 4/20 I won't tickets to see Jack White and he had a security screening that included putting your phone into a bag thing until you leave and it was amazing, not a phone in site and everyone was way more into the music, was amazing! Wish more artist did that.
I hate when shows are just people staring through phones, and I’ve never been to one with a security bag for your phone, but I don’t know if I’d like it personally. What about people that need to be reachable in an emergency? If I’m at a show it means my kid is with a sitter and I might need to be able to answer a text.
I know someone who was on FB Live for an entire Imagine Dragons concert. Why? No thank you!
Imagine Dragons concert….lol.
lol lame
its imagine dragons, what else are you supposed to do at an imagine dragons concert?
Are they all recording, or is the phone being used more of a periscope for short people?
My girlfriend is 5’1 and often can’t see anything. The periscope technique is real
That’s exactly what we’re doing. I’m 5’2” and have a wonderful photo series of Jumbo In Front Of Me at concerts 😆. I’m always stuck behind them.
Jokes on you for paying to see James Arthur
If anything the people with their phones out have done OP a favour, if only someone could have screamed in their ear through every song too
And their phone is out, too
The twist is that everyone else is taking a pic to post exactly the same thing as OP.
Took the words right out me mouth 😂
The irony of using your phone to take a picture of… people using their phones
And complaining that people had their phones out
Someone who was standing directly behind OP at the concert is probably posting their photo right of idiots with phones at this very moment…
pictures of phones all the way down
its the sniper in the church meme
I had to scroll too far for this comment.
I go to a LOT of concerts and it's just standard behavior. Let them do them and just focus on your own enjoyment of the concert. It's them who are missing out.
And as someone who is pregnant and not able to go to my usual concerts ATM, I'm really appreciating my friends who seem to post the whole thing online 😅
But... having 200 glowing phone screens between you and the stage does detract from one's own enjoyment of the show.
Taking a photo for 5 seconds is not the same as filiming a 90 minute gig...
Shit I just saw a clip earlier of some dudes live streaming themselves rapping the songs at a concert.
I saw that too. Lmao how narcissistic can you be to record YOURSELF at a concert and not the artist?!
it was cringe but it was also just a few kids trying to record themselves at a concert having fun together. that's a memory with your friends you may not want to forget, even if it's cringe to the dude recording you
Isn't your phone up aswell?
“BuT iT’s sO I rEmEmBeR iT fOrEvEr”
Live in the moment, then you really will.
I still remember my first metal concert that my dad took me to a few years ago, neither of us filmed it, but we still talk about it to this day.
I have memory issues and videos and photos help me to cement the memory and recall it years later.
That said, I don't film at shows. I don't need to remember the show, I can just have a good time while I'm there and then that's that.
I have a shocking memory too and take a lot of photos and put them on IG as a form of photo diary for myself. But at a gig I will take a handful and put my phone away, I certainly don't take videos. There's nothing worse than viewing the show through someone's shitty phone screen all night
I remember - mostly, haha - every concert I’ve ever been to, starting back in 1978, and except for a few photos taken with a 35mm camera, I have nothing tangible that I took away. Just memories.
Probably 150 shows - had a blast, no regrets, just joy and energy !
I wonder now what people take away other than sore arms and a need for likes and validation.
Tell that to your mom who took pictures of you as a child. It's not about "remembering the moment" it's about documenting your existence, looking back at your old photos for that sweet nostalgia rush, and then maybe talking about your life to your spawn.
The worst at this is they are all filming in portrait format.
Nah fam TikTok uses portrait mode don’t ya know
I don’t think anyone has watched none-portrait mode content since like 2017.
And you’re also on your phone taking photos of people taking photos
That’s just the era we’re in…you ‘experience’ thing so you can post about it on social media, not for yourself.
OP literally took their phone out and recorded the concert then posted it on social media for karma. How are they any different than what they are complaining about?
Also, I go to a lot of concerts. In my experience, this always happens for the first song. Everyone loses their minds for a hot minute and records/takes pictures for a bit, and then they mostly go away. Sure there are always a couple people that record wayyy too much, but I’ve never been to a show where it’s like this for the entire 90-120min. If it is, then you like the wrong band with the wrong fans.
This is what everyone is missing.
I go to a lot of concerts as well.
I have no fucking clue how many people have phones out. Mostly because I’m enjoying the show and having fun and could give a rats ass what anyone else is doing since I mind my own business rather than looking for ways to reeeeee about what other people are doing when it doesn’t affect me.
None of these people affected you.
He went landscape like a boss
Did you, by any chance, also use your phone to take this picture?
Lol, this is like asking someone next to you to please stop talking at the movie theater and they reply “well, you’re talking too.”
Taking one or two pictures is fine, f you want to immortalize the moment. It takes a few seconds and won’t ruin anyone’s experience.
Taking a picture is fine. Its the people who film every goddamn song that are annoying af.
I don’t like it either, but isn’t it the same as people have their hands up during the show?
Whoosh… And here you are with your phone out.
You also have your phone up
It’s like that in all concerts. People want to share their experience and also remember what they lived. Try to get earlier or just let go cause that ain’t going nowhere. I particularly don’t record most of the time but I certainly have three four videos of each concert I do
How did you take this picture?
It's even more odd at a football match that you know will be all over the TV and social media anyway. Imagine standing at a game filming instead of jumping everywhere when your team score?
Such a weird society.
Says the person with their phone out taking a picture
Life is on record.
100% on board with phone free shows.
When I was a kid I was so stoked for the future, but the future kinda sucks
Aren’t you doing the same thing?
Stop being surprised this is occurring. This is how they’ve been programmed to behave. Taking video footage of the concert to post on social media is a rewarded behavior from perceived validation from others using social media.
This is not a newly occurring phenomenon and it’s only gotten worse over the years. Plus this picture is some meta shit. To take this picture and then post it, you presumably had to have your phone out just like them. In the end, you aren’t different, just seeking validation, albeit in a different form
your phone is up too. shutup
It’s pretty sad. I was guilty of this, for a while until I realized that I was missing the experience and never watched it again. I now take a pic to remember it by, and that’s it
I have heard that many musicians complain about people don't applause anymore.
If you don’t post it to social media it didn’t happen, duh!!
Way more fun to look at the concert through a 6 inch screen. Very exciting.
Grandpa: "Hey Grandkids, Do you want to watch my smartphone video of a concert I went to 50 years ago?"
Grandkids: "No Griz, Daz dup'd Down, realreal, mizzeled for drips."
This is why I stopped going to concerts, you may as well be standing in the mosh pit cause even when you’re in the stadium seating everyone is standing up holding up their phones. Totally sucks!
Should be like Berlin clubs. Get stickers to cover your cameras
My experience has been people do it at parts and stuff but not the whole time.
I really hope you only added to this for the moment it took to snap this pic…
It’s just a few idiots in the front trying to film the band. Everybody else was taking a picture to show how many phones there were.
with the cost of concerts these days idgaf if people record. even in your picture I can see a clear shot of the stage and if you are in a position where you can't see the stage you're probably watching on the screen anyways 🤷🏽♀️ welcome to 2024 get used to it, people aren't going to stop
Tbh I do this at events but I’m the type of person to go back and watch the footage regularly, just my way of enjoying it, plus I don’t record the whole thing.
They dont go there to have fun, they go there to take videos and show social media how much fun they had.
If you can’t take a minute to enjoy the thing in real life while it’s happening, what’s the point of recording it to watch later? This is an absolute example of people losing touch with reality.
Man I hate this. I remember going to Rolling Loud one year and one of my favorite artist came out to a new song and I couldn’t see because everyone LITERALLY Everyone in the rows in front of me had their phone out recording. So sadly I had to pull mine out too so I could even see what was going on
These days it’s not so much about going to a concert as much as it is letting people know you’re at the concert.
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