Very simply...great point.

I seen Tom Petty at MSG two nights ago and MSG always rocks...and it just felt different...now I know why.

This is going to be a big problem for bands energy wise at concerts going forward.

PECMAN

The thing I do not get about this smart phone thing, is the majority of time I have noticed with the image on the phone, they are too far away, the image quality is mediocre, performers too small and the sound terrible. Thus the person doesn't even have a good quality document of the experience.

The only time I made an exception on my side was Led Zeppelin at the O2 in 2007. I did some videos on my compact digital camera; I knew the sound would be crap, but as it was a one off gig (I knew that as a fact before the public did), so I wanted something. I do normally take pics using a camera if the lighting allows it, but at least use good quality non-pro camera equipment.

Cheers,
SonicD

How can you truly enjoy it and film it at the same time?

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stonehearted
I don't think it's the technology that makes audiences annoying these days. Twenty years ago there were many write-ups noting how concert-goers, particularly in smaller venues like clubs, were taking to talking nonstop through performances--and this was well before the cell phone craze took hold. If you listen to Mick Taylor's 2003 live release Shadowman, you hear the crowd being chatty and also extra annoying with another unpleasant hallmark of audience behavior from that time--all the hooting and hollering, as if they were at a rodeo.

So perhaps the cell phones are a good thing, in that it has helped keep an already distracted audience even more distracted, so that at least they are not as annoying vocally.

They used to hold lighters up, but no more. Now it's a sea of fireflies, what with all the backlighting.

A few years ago my wife and I went to see The Cult at the House Of Blah in New Orleans. HOB sucks. The volume was so low we could hear the conversation a gaggle of idiot chicks were having - with their backs facing the stage.

The lack of volume was offensive. The Cult had no idea and obviously no control over it. I complained to a friend of mine about it, he went and saw Hank 3 or someone a couple nights later and said the same thing.

That's annoying. But WHAT IS THE POINT of paying X amount of dollars to go run your mouth??????? A friend of mine used to say to me 'You gotta hear so and so' and so and so would come to town or had a gig (it wasn't always a touring band) and we'd go to the show and all I could hear was him talking to me about them playing. After a couple of times of that happening I stopped going to shows with him. How a look can't say STFU is beyond me.

Some people clearly don't get it.

Went and saw The Cult last summer in Mississippi. I think my wife and I were of possibly a dozen people that did not have their phones up in the air and were actually experiencing the live setting.

Wow is it out of control. And it doesn't sound worth a shit anyway. I don't get it. It's one thing to take a pic...

It was noticeable at the McCartney show I went to on July 5th.....EVERYONE had phones in the air...and I agree with the person who said it will affect the energy level of the performers who usually feed off the crowd response....or lack of it.
I hate cell phones and have a cheap one because I need it for work but I refuse to buy a Smart phone...no interest at all. In 10 years people won't know how to CONVERSE! It's all text messages....# ??? WTF? We are doomed as a civilization...and I agree with Roger Waters! Why pay a lot for a concert ticket and then view the show through a small screen instead of WATCHING THE STAGE and looking at the huge screens!?

yeah someone should like write a clap app.

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Natlanta
yeah someone should like write a clap app.

Now that is an outrageously mischievous suggestion, but not as much as a smart phone scrambling device imagine how much fun one could have with that at gigs.

Cheers,
SonicD

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Natlanta
yeah someone should like write a clap app.

Brilliant.

The smartphone's speakers play the clapping sound at the press of a button. It would have to run concurrently with the camera.

Option to trigger various cheering, booing (?), etc.
Another option: display the old flickering flame on the sscreen while cheering for an encore...

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schillid

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Natlanta
yeah someone should like write a clap app.

Brilliant.

The smartphone's speakers play the clapping sound at the press of a button. It would have to run concurrently with the camera.

Option to trigger various cheering, booing (?), etc.
Another option: display the old flickering flame on the sscreen while cheering for an encore...

I think they already have that one

how can you clap when you are talking to someone on your I-phone? how can you clap when you are recording the show with your I-phone? you can not . there it is in a nutshell !

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mickschix
It was noticeable at the McCartney show I went to on July 5th.....EVERYONE had phones in the air...and I agree with the person who said it will affect the energy level of the performers who usually feed off the crowd response....or lack of it.
I hate cell phones and have a cheap one because I need it for work but I refuse to buy a Smart phone...no interest at all. In 10 years people won't know how to CONVERSE! It's all text messages....# ??? WTF? We are doomed as a civilization...and I agree with Roger Waters! Why pay a lot for a concert ticket and then view the show through a small screen instead of WATCHING THE STAGE and looking at the huge screens!?

i know this is gonna sound corny , i think we are soulmates .i could not agree more !!!

Whats worst is when someone has a cell phone up it sometimes blocks the view of the stage if you are behind that person.

Met up with my extended family this weekend and we got to talking about why kids don't seem to be in as big a hurry to get their drivers license anymore. I contended that it has to do with cell phones and the internet. We couldn't wait, it meant real freedom...to talk to friends, to go to concerts, to buy albums, everything that you can do now with the click of the mouse or at the touch of a cell phone screen. Technology has replaced and changed a lot of human interaction and experiences, including concerts. But it's not all bad, just different. If you look at the crowds at concerts and you ask people afterwards, they all seem to still be having a great time. I honestly don't notice the people around me with phones, but I know I couldn't do it myself and still enjoy the music. They say they can, but I don't think it's the same experience I'm having.

I agree with you Latebloomer. its not the same experience. I just want to take in as much of the show as i can without distractions. If I'm holding a cell phone up for two hours I'm not taking in the concert. i want to remember everything and enjoy myself. I don't even drink at shows.

You may be right GREEK!!!

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More Hot Rocks
Whats worst is when someone has a cell phone up it sometimes blocks the view of the stage if you are behind that person.

Must be an absolutely massive cell phone. Is that one from the early 90s?

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treaclefingers

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More Hot Rocks
Whats worst is when someone has a cell phone up it sometimes blocks the view of the stage if you are behind that person.

Must be an absolutely massive cell phone. Is that one from the early 90s?

The recent trend, alas, is for people to film the show on tablets - great seven inch or even heaven help us ten inch screens held up in everybody's sight line.

BUT it's so great for those of us who can't be there to follow the show ...

so true

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EJM
BUT it's so great for those of us who can't be there to follow the show ...

this is true, but it doesn't really make sense that those who haven't paid money to see the show get to see it and those who have can't...

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Green Lady

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treaclefingers

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More Hot Rocks
Whats worst is when someone has a cell phone up it sometimes blocks the view of the stage if you are behind that person.

Must be an absolutely massive cell phone. Is that one from the early 90s?

The recent trend, alas, is for people to film the show on tablets - great seven inch or even heaven help us ten inch screens held up in everybody's sight line.

Nothing that a good swift kick couldn't resolve.

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schillid

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Natlanta
yeah someone should like write a clap app.

Brilliant.

The smartphone's speakers play the clapping sound at the press of a button. It would have to run concurrently with the camera.

Option to trigger various cheering, booing (?), etc.
Another option: display the old flickering flame on the sscreen while cheering for an encore...

or: