Stop Filming Concerts
theverge.com
theverge.com
1. It's a distraction to the artist. Some of them don't like their shows to be filmed. Some of them feel extra performance anxiety. and if they screw up in even the smallest possible way, it will be all over social media for as long as those servers and the wires connecting them haven't turned to rust.
2. It's rude to everyone else in the audience. It's inevitably blocking someone else's view. It's not a part of the show, yet there is your phone wagging in someone's face. it's not nice and it's not fair.
3. It's unnecessary because rest assured Taytay's show that night will be immortalized somehow.
4. The article does say one true thing- your video is most likely unwatchable garbage.
That's why you should stop filming concerts.
This was so obnoxious at the headliner at a festival a month back or so. Like, rows 10 - 15 just had a wall of phones up to record, blocking most views with phone screens. And the few gaps were then blocked by people having their girlfriends on shoulders further in front. Even somewhat forward in the crowd, you could see almost nothing of the show. And this wasn't a short memorability video, they were recording 10 minutes + straight away.
And it wasn't even a funny reason. I've had concerts with a massive blow up ship or a massive plush sheep crowd surfing and at times, it was in the way, sure. Then someone got annoyed and gave it a solid shove and it was funny.
I eventually left that concert because if I can't see anything but phone screens, I can sit and listen at the tent as well and drink infinitely cheaper beer. The crowd was extremely rude as well. Like, people were trying to get to the toilet and other people were like "No, we are 5 guys in a row we're dancing here and we're blocking 10 meters of space and we can't make space, we're dancing here". Like, what the fuck. I've been in rough moshpits capable of routing around someone for a minute to let them pass.
And don't get me wrong, I do like to take shitty grainy photos of funny moments during the concert as memories. I have some really fun images which spur memories of great concerts. But those can be ninja'd very well. Zoom in first, put it up, let it focus, take a photo, phone's gone in 10 seconds tops.
It does seem like one of those things you do once, and learn your lesson. But experience would say otherwise, because my peers should be old enough to know that Roger Daltrey (look it up, youngsters) is going to be a fuzzy blur when you go to rewatch, and yet...
The only people who could change it are the musicians, probably by just asking for it before playing.
honestly though, I can imagine the musicians more likely to get the audience riled up - "I can't HEAR you!" "I can't see your PHONES!" :)
I've told this story before, but when I used to live by the ocean... you'd be absolutely shocked at the number of people who would come to the beach, set up a tripod, take 5 mins of pics or videos of themselves, then head off. No doubt for 'just absolutely enjoying my peaceful day at the beach' type social media posts...
It's entirely different when people record entire shows, and what I think TFA is getting at.
Ultimately it doesn't matter whether the footage is used to post on social media for internet points, or for personal enjoyment. It's silly to pass judgment about why people do this. But if your behavior detracts from the enjoyment of someone else, or distracts the performer, then it's wrong.