Phone usage at concerts needs to change.
Your shitty video isn't worth ruining the experience.
At a recent show in New York, BeBe Rexha was finishing what she called the best show of her tour. During the final song, a man in the audience threw his phone at the stage, striking Bebe directly in the face. She fell to the ground and was assisted by her crew. She’s in stable condition and the man was arrested. I’m posting the video below but fair warning, it’s disturbing.
Bebe is pressing charges against the man, who said his motivation for throwing the phone was because he “thought it would be funny.”
I wrote this draft earlier in the week and since then, another incident of a fan assaulting an artist happened. During her LA tour stop, Ava Max was struck in the face by somebody who rushed the stage. The fan later said he was trying to give her his number (???). Security promptly removed him but the fact that somebody wanted so desperately to get this kind of attention that they’d risk arrest speaks to how much attention culture has taken over audiences both digitally, and in person.
Fans throwing things on stage at the artist during shows isn’t a new phenomenon but usually we’re talking stuffed animals, flowers, or bras. A heavy metal phone that could have done much more damage than it did is not those things. Yet phones are just part of the basket of things you put forward in security. While someone throwing a phone at an artist isn’t a common occurrence, it’s a harsh reminder that it could be, and that phones at shows are more trouble than they’re worth.
I’ve been going to concerts since I was 13. The first show I ever saw was Tori Amos at The Chicago Theatre in 2002. I didn’t own a cell phone yet. The only thing I brought was my uncontainable excitement to see my favorite artist in concert for the first time. There wasn’t a single phone in the air that night. Everyone was seated to enjoy two hours of Tori playing beloved songs alongside her band. I still remember that performance, and I don’t have any photos or videos from that night.
In the mid 2000s, phones started entering the live show fray. Suddenly flip phones had grainy quality cameras. It was fun to snap a few pics and maybe take a 30 second video, but nothing was worth revisiting and there was nowhere to share them.
Smartphones changed everything. Each new iteration has a better camera than the last, to the point where you can make entire music videos and movies from high quality phone footage. Unfortunately, live shows did not adapt. Now instead of a sea of people moving their bodies to the music, it’s a sea of bright phone screens trying to capture the moment.
And for what? How many times have you gone back to rewatch videos you’ve taken at shows? I’m asking myself this, too. I’ve been fortunate enough to take some incredible pictures at shows I’ve attended. Yes, it can be fun to revisit those but would the experience and memory be less if I wasn’t able to? No. There are usually professional photographs available from a show from dedicated photographers who have access to the artist and stage for a few songs, and then they depart.
At a recent show in Michigan, Natalie Merchant was distracted by a mother and daughter who were taking pictures and videos of every song in her set. She kindly asked them to stop, but they refused. They claimed they had the right to do whatever they wanted because they paid for a seat. Eventually security intervened but can you imagine being scolded by one of your favorite artists? Not to mention the sheer lack of respect for someone you paid to see perform.
Some artists have taken matters into their own hands. When I saw Kate Bush in 2014, they confiscated cell phones. It resulted in one of the most engaging, electric shows I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t distracted by the need to capture the experience. I was in the moment alongside an audience of people who were there for a once-in-a-lifetime concert from an artist who hadn’t toured since the 70s. For Madonna’s Madame X tour, she partnered with Yondr to lock up the audience’s phones. Once again, the experience was more visceral and intimate. I think many forget what it’s like to not have a phone at a show, or have to see the show through someone else’s.
That last part is key. While you could decide to be a good concert citizen, those around you may not. How many times have you been at a show where the person in front of you had their arms raised, filming entire songs, to the point where you’re watching the show through their screen? You don’t really have a choice when devices continue getting bigger and the capabilities rival professional recording equipment.
Part of the blame lies with social media. I’m willing to bet most people are not taking pictures and videos to watch later when they get home. They want to share it. They want the engagement. Sure, sharing with your friend who wasn’t able to go is one thing. Of course the true motivator is social media bragging rights and attention. I enjoy sharing my love of live music by way of photos and videos I’ve taken. However, I would be ok if I didn’t! The world wouldn’t end. Sometimes it feels like a habit, and I’ve caught myself overdoing it and trying to keep my phone in my pocket when I do so I can live in the moment.
Whether we like it or not, smartphones are ingrained in our society and our shows. Clearly based on someone throwing their phone at BeBe Rexha or ignoring the wishes of artists like Natalie Merchant, something needs to change. I like the Yondr pouch approach because you hold on to your device and can see an attendant at anytime to retrieve access to their device. Otherwise, it’s just you, the audience, and the artist.
Artists and their social media teams could take photos and videos from each show and post them. They’re bound to be higher quality and centralizes the content with the artist. Natalie Merchant’s solution was to encourage phone usage during the encore. This is usually when an artist will do “the hits” and it’s also the end of the show where people are standing, dancing, and less distracted by someone raising their phone above their line of sight.
If all else fails, at the end of the day - don’t be an asshole and ruin the show for everyone around you, and yourself. And don’t throw your fucking phone at someone?