Every day there’s someone complaining online about phones.
Oh yes, from the guy using one to access his Pornhub premium account, to Maynard James Keenan. Almost everyone seems to have an opinion on mobiles and their use at your average live concert. Let me just tell you from my personal experience – phones suck. No really, they do. Why would you want to spend all that time staring at a screen, when you can just do something as outlandish as watching the concert, using your own two eyes. Crazy concept, am I right?
However, I don’t begrudge anyone from doing it. Ultimately, these people pay for their tickets, just like everyone else. If they want to snap some potato quality pictures on their phone – that’s their prerogative. So I’m afraid I won’t be joining the “ban all phones” squad that seemingly pops up every single time one of these artists ejects a punter from the concert in which they paid actual money to attend.
Are people waving their phones around all night utterly obnoxious? Sure they are.
But so is everyone else. The fact of the matter is, concerts are filled with utterly obnoxious behaviour.
Fun Fact: The first live show I ever attended, some person decided to shoot up in the middle of the pit. I guess they took Lamb of God’s ‘Blood Junkie’ too literally. Instead of discarding their used needle, they just decided to dump it in the mosh. Thanks buddy! I’ve seen grown ass men, high five their mates after spin kicking some poor girl unfortunate enough to be stuck behind them. I’ve watched two men throw each other into innocent bystanders just because they can.
And don’t even get me started on obnoxious drink prices.
I’m sure everyone has stories about this kind of behaviour. But for some reason, these activities are socially acceptable. Because concert. Crowd-killing and fighting invisible ninjas, being so drunk you vomit on the guy next to you and let us never forget those pesky tall people. We look at this and go “that’s fine” and yet, we have to listen to the incessant bleating from people complaining about how “awful” phones are.
I’m really hoping you can see the inherent double standard of the situation here.
Ultimately, everyone just wants to have a good time. If you’re happy recording everything through your screen. I’m not going to stop you from doing so and I really don’t think anyone else should either. Because, either everything at a concert is socially acceptable or absolutely nothing is socially acceptable. I’m sorry, but compared to many of the above mentioned activities. Some random using their phone is pretty much a 1/10 on the obnoxious scale.
So really, everyone should just shut the fuck up and enjoy the show however they please. Phones aren’t harming anyone and you better believe if I dropped $150 dollars on a Foo Fighters concert. I’m going to do whatever I please. Because I’m an obnoxious person, who enjoys whipping my beautiful long hair into everyone in the general area. Don’t worry though, unlike some people. I shampoo and condition beforehand. So at least then when I’m whipping you in the face, I smell good doing it.
Anyway enough about my hair.
Just remember, people with phones suck. But I can guarantee you’ve done something everyone in the general area probably hated too. Just suck it up and enjoy the show, those people aren’t harming anyone. All of this obnoxious behaviour is what makes a live show great
PS. This doesn’t apply to those taking iPads to shows. Please stay home and rethink your life.
Written by Kaydan Howison
