Phones in concerts

[kernelbogey]

According to this piece by Martha Gill

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/04/live-concerts-have-the-power-to-delight-lets-try-to-forget-about-our-phones

In tomorrow's Observer, and online now, the CBSO is encouraging the use of phones to make videos during their concerts.

Discuss.

[LMcD]

According to this piece by Martha Gill

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/04/live-concerts-have-the-power-to-delight-lets-try-to-forget-about-our-phones

In tomorrow's Observer, and online now, the CBSO is encouraging the use of phones to make videos during their concerts.

Discuss.

I believe this has already been the subject of a Proms General Discussion.

[Roslynmuse]

Stephen Hough makes his views on this matter known with characteristic charm:

https://slippedisc.com/2024/05/stephen-hough-no-phones-please-between-bars-123-176-185-199/

[oddoneout]

As it happens, I was at a lunchtime recital today where the introductory preamble included "Thank you for switching your mobile phones and other devices off for the duration of this concert".About 5 minutes in someone started filming on their phone, and after a muttered discussion at the back of the venue a person was dispatched to tap on the shoulder and ask him to desist.
What part of "switch", "phone" and "off" had not been understood I wondered.

[Roslynmuse]

I could go on and on about audience behaviour and how I am increasingly wary of live events. I was at the BBC Phil Bruckner 5 last Saturday and about 30 seconds in, the man sitting next door but one to me on my right started to open a chocolate bar - v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y - and break off a chunk every now and again. Chocolate being chocolate, a few crumbs must have landed on his jacket as there was then a brushing down. By the time this had finished we were well into the exposition but I had been so irritated and distracted that I couldn't find my focus again.

If we give the narcissists carte blanche to film their concert experiences as well then I'll be staying at home.

[Nick Armstrong]

I could go on and on about audience behaviour and how I am increasingly wary of live events….

If we give the narcissists carte blanche to film their concert experiences as well then I'll be staying at home.

Wholeheartedly agree with every syllable of the above.

[smittims]

It seems to me this is one of those problems that should have been dealt with in advance, like the accumulation of litter which followed the demise of open fires and the spread of plastic packaging. The public concert evolved in an age when this simply couldn't have been foreseen. They want audiences so they can't afford to ban phones and probably can't legally force people to leave them behind.

It will take an imaginative genius to think of a solution. In a previous century the concept of 'good manners ' and 'consideration for others' would have prevented this, but in this crazy centiury that's all gone. I don't attend concerts any more but I've had similar problems with noisy passengers on trains; not enough peoeple seem to care enough to do anything aboiut it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Stephen Hough makes his views on this matter known with characteristic charm:

https://slippedisc.com/2024/05/steph...3-176-185-199/

Excellent . I must check whether these really are the tricky passages - I bet they are . Mind you it’s all very tricky, perhaps they should give Stephen a third pedal with a red light for those passages meaning no filming please .

[oddoneout]

Excellent . I must check whether these really are the tricky passages - I bet they are . Mind you it’s all very tricky, perhaps they should give Stephen a third pedal with a red light for those passages meaning no filming please .

I think he has listed all the passages in which he is playing...

[Roger Webb]

I think he has listed all the passages in which he is playing...

Yes, I think Tom made it plain that Hough was making a joke, and that all passages are tricky to varying degrees.

The only artist so far in favour of this policy seems to be Anna Lapwood - although as an organist she would normally be at the back of the stage with her back to the audience! Still she seems ever eager to jump on a populist bandwagon......even though most of the players on the bandwagon suffer the glare of a thousand mobile phones.

[Old Grumpy]

I think this guy perhaps had the right attitude:

https://youtu.be/aB_IEJ7jCKI?si=CocU7fwqbVDnYL_b

*****Expletive alert!!*****

[Pulcinella]

We intend recording (both video and audio) our York Festival of Ideas event next month, and have had to seek permission from all choir members.
Presumably if ever a concert is televised, all those partaking have to agree (part of their contracts?)?

[french frank]

I think this guy perhaps had the right attitude:

https://youtu.be/aB_IEJ7jCKI?si=CocU7fwqbVDnYL_b

Say again? Narcissists is just the word for people who spend so much of their time taking photos of themselves that a special word has to be invented to describe it. (And a special stick to help them do it)

[kernelbogey]

According to this piece by Martha Gill

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/04/live-concerts-have-the-power-to-delight-lets-try-to-forget-about-our-phones

In tomorrow's Observer, and online now, the CBSO is encouraging the use of phones to make videos during their concerts.

Discuss.

To be clear - for those who may have chosen not to follow the link - Martha G's piece goes further than the issue of either just the CBSO, or indeed classical music concerts in general, to explore the issues of phone culture, generational differences - and, crucially, marketing folks' attempts to pander (as I would see it) to phone culture and its ramifications. She's worth a read, IMV!

[kernelbogey]

Say again? Narcissists is just the word for people who spend so much of their time taking photos of themselves that a special word has to be invented to describe it. (And a special stick to help them do it)

Narcophotophiles?