Three-Fourths of Young Music Fans Don’t Want Phones Banned from Gigs
Nearly three-fourths of live music fans aged between 16 and 30 believe that the use of smartphones at concerts shouldn’t be banned, a new survey has suggested. According to U.K. ticket agency Skiddle, only 27 percent of 1,200 people asked believed that a ban should be put in place.
The subject has become increasingly controversial in recent times, with more and more artists objecting to audience members recording their performances. Earlier this month A Perfect Circle ordered more than 60 people to be kicked out of a concert in Reading, Penn., for using their phones during the show. While some performers are attempting to protect the rights associated with their art, other are unhappy about low-quality clips being circulated among fans who won’t receive the full benefit of the intended show.
"First of all, it's just rude," said A Perfect Circle guitarist Billy Howerdel after the ejections. "Putting up a phone in front of someone's face so they get to watch the show through it? Getting a memento of the show — sure, I've done it myself. But then you ask, 'What am I gonna do with this?' But the other point is, people talking about the show is so much more powerful. We're inundated with videos and images, and getting back to a campfire conversation, letting people express how they felt in the experience. It says something more. And it speaks to, what does the music mean to you, and how do you want to tether it to your experiences in your life?"
The survey also revealed that 37 percent of those asked agreed that the use of phones was distracting, while 34 percent said it was likely to “take something away from the experience” of the show. A fifth said they resented having their view of the stage blocked by someone holding up a phone. But only 8 percent felt that taking pictures or shooting video was “disrespectful” to the artists on stage.
Among those against a ban, more than half said they made recordings so that they could relive the experience afterwards, and nearly a quarter said sharing their clips on social media was part of their concert-going routine. On the question of rights, 13 percent believed that, having bought a concert ticket, they should be allowed to do what they like with their phone while they’re at the show.