Jack White Banning Cellphones From Tour • Page 5

I usually am not moving around and usually do feel it

 

How would you use a touchscreen while it’s in the pouch? Would he material be see through? Would it still react to touch like some gloves allow? Seems like a few things would have to be worked out....

 

If you're that afraid of getting shot at a concert, maybe just become a recluse and don't go to concerts, or anywhere for that matter.

 

Don't be dense. It's a worst case scenario, obviously, but it does happen and in that scenario I'd like to have the option to communicate with the outside world. The "live music experience" is not important enough to take that option away from your fans.

 

Also, if you don't want people to use their phones at shows, maybe create an experience where turning your phone off and putting it away for a few hours is appealing. When there's an hour-plus break between the opener and the headliner, you aren't creating that experience.

 

I'm not being dense. If I'm a concert and someone starts shooting, I'm not gonna worry about contacting my loved ones, I'm worrying about getting the fuck out of there and finding a safe place. Then I'll worry about finding a phone.

Movie theaters get shot up too, but I think people should be able to leave their phones off for 2 hours. Society existed for a loooooong time before cell phones. It's just crazy to me that people just can't imagine not having their phone for even the shortest period of time.

Like what are the actual chances you'll "need" your phone during a concert? I've been to 300+ shows and aside from trying to find my friends at the show, I've never "needed" my phone.

 

This is a decent point, but you can go to the lobby and use your phone during the hour wait.

 

I carry my phone in my hand (mainly due to it being a large phone). That gives me easy access to see if a phone call or important text comes up. I have the brightness all the way down of course.

 

@Craig Manning I wasn't trying to call you out specifically. You just posted something that I had a more direct opinion on.

I do like the idea of incentivizing not using your phone during a show though.

Cinemark does a thing with their app where if you turn your phone off during the movie, you get reward points.

I think it'd be cool if Live Nation did something like that. Maybe you could earn credits towards free shows or something.

 

My general opinion on the matter - I'm a big proponent of the sentiment that Jack is espousing here. Shows are meant to be experienced and focused on rather than experienced through the lens of a cell phone. I'm not 100% sure about Yondr or locking phones because of some of the potential liability reasons that have been discussed in this thread (i.e., concert shootings, violence, etc)., but if the venue and promoter are upfront about it you're free to make your decisions with your wallet. Maynard Keenan and Danzig-affiliated performances have been doing this shit for years (mainly for filming, they don't care about locking cell phones away. There was a bunch of controversy behind it recently, but they were up front about it:

A PERFECT CIRCLE Guitarist Defends Band's 'No-Cell-Phone' Policy At Concerts

Again, as long as everything is communicated properly before hand, I'll all for it. Though most of the time, I don't go to these level of shows so it's not an issue for me...

When they're standing right in front of me at a packed metal show watching a band I've waited 5+ years to see through their cell phone and it's obstructing my view, you're damn right I'm going to be "obnoxious" and tell them to put their phone down or relocate. I'm more than guilty of taking a few photos for 10 seconds out of a set for social media, but I never obstruct for more than that. If you watch an entire set through your damn cell phone, why bother going to the show? You can watch sets on Youtube later if you're just going to do that...

Imagine if Smash Mouth did this. They wouldn't be the critically lauded darlings that they are on this site. How else would you record your All Star group sing-a-longs?

 

I'm not sure how wanting to play in front of people's faces and not their phone screens is being obnoxious.

Also, what's "enjoying a show with [my] phone"?

 

One time I saw the All American Rejects and a girl had an ipad out, recording. Tyson smashed it on the ground and later gave her a couple hundred bucks. Shit was crazy. That's what Jack White should start doing. It sure got everyone to stop.

 

Kinda fucked up though because what if they didn’t have their data backed up?

Although no one should have an ipad out at a concert

 

Yeah. It was pretty awful. He apologized the next time they came to Cleveland. I wonder if that girl was there?

 

I had a girl hold an iPad right in front of my face a couple years ago at an Arcade Fire concert. When I told her to stop (I'm really short and it doesn't take much to block my entire view), she told me she'd only "recorded one song". I almost smashed her iPad right in front of her, but luckily for her, she realized how stupid she sounded and put it away.

 

I was at a Manchester Orchestra show once. Very front row. Like 4 feet away from Andy Hull.

During Colly Strings, the girl next to me (and directly in front of the lead singer of the band) was sending a novel of a text. Brightness all the way up. Distracting me and the people around us. You could see Andy looking right at her, to the point where he started riffing lyrics about her. She was completely oblivious to all of it.

Not only was it distracting to those around her, but plain rude to the people performing.

I hate the culture that smart phones have created in many ways.

That said, she still had the right to her phone. I just wish people weren’t so shitty at shows.

 

I just wanna say I'd be 100% on board with iPads not being allowed in concerts, but I'm not even sure if they had pouches large enough for one to begin with. They also tend to just go through the line and ask for your phone - not if you have an ipad. That's a whole new level of unnecessary.

 

iPads at concerts? I’ve never seen that. I’ve seen them at sporting events. I don’t know why someone would bring a tablet to a show haha.

 

I agree that phones are mostly unnecessary at shows, but I'm not on board with total lockdown. It creates a target on the event for dangerous people. Yes, we lived for many years without phones on us at all times, but in this day and age there's no reason someone shouldn't be able to contact authorities immediately if a venue becomes unsafe.

 

as in most situations concert related, phone usage should be a thing where people need to be considerate to those around them. it's not a clear and cut situation, just don't do things to get in the way of the people around you

 

This is how it should be, but unfortunately people can't just be considerate of others so rules have to be made. Same thing with smoking indoors/on planes or using your phone at a movie theater.

 

It's not like there are NO phones anywhere. Everyone still has their phone and can go to the lobby to use it. The security guards/people working at the venue have phones. Besides there's like a .000000001% chance that any given person will be at a show where something crazy happens and you need a phone immediately.

 

how is comparing smoking indoors around other people close to this? haha.

 

It's maybe not a 1:1 but it's just that people don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. You'd think people would know that it's inconsiderate to smoke around non-smokers, but they just don't care. Same thing with people holding a phone up blocking your view at a concert. They should know that it's rude, but they don't care how it affects others.

 

Mod note: While not against any rules, I would err on the side of caution when it comes to hyperbolic made-up statistics in discussions where people are discussing a credible safety threat.