Nowadays, technology has taken over the world. From iPhones to computers to advancements in medicine, technology has paved the way for the future. Unfortunately, we sometimes take the privilege of our smartphones too far. Whether it’s ringtones going off at inappropriate times, distracted driving, or spending too much time taking photos and videos, we tend to have an issue of knowing when to put our phones down.
A recent piece by NPR got me thinking about how much we use our phones on a daily basis and the lack of control we seem to have when it comes to giving them up, especially at concerts. The lead singer of The Lumineers, Wesley Schultz, said he thinks of it “like, if we had that same attitude and you went to see Hamilton, people would be totally up in arms about that… But for some reason it’s completely acceptable to do at shows.” This point struck me— we do tend to have our phones out at concerts, and for some their phone never leaves their hand the entire performance. However, were a person to attempt to record a play or a movie, they would be reprimanded and possibly removed from the venue. (Kevin Hart.)
So where is the line drawn when it comes to concerts? It is true that many concerts and live shows are now televised or otherwise broadcasted globally. But when an artist wants to play secret songs or songs off a new album yet to be released, how can they trust that it won’t be recorded? Schultz talks about this again, saying: “There was a large concern about the album being sort-of released via grainy video and leaked out online.”
Because of this possibility, The Lumineers teamed up with the company Yondr, which manufactures locking cases for concert-goers to keep their phones in. The pouch locks phones inside during the concert upon entrance, and can only be unlocked and accessed in specific “un-locking” zones.
To some, this idea would be bothersome, because they want to record video and take photos at a concert. It is fun to look back on memories, but will you actually remember being there, or taking the photo? Spending so much time of a concert taking videos and photos takes away from the experience.
Personally, I haven’t had access to a smartphone until just a few months ago, so any concert I went to was never spent taking photos. I simply was there, and if I wanted photos, I stole them from my mom’s Facebook. When you think about it, that’s what concerts are supposed to be—entertaining experiences away from your everyday life.
The advancement of social media has progressed so rapidly in just the past few years that now, these social website are a part of our daily lives. We wake up, check Facebook, post a photo to Instagram, scroll through Tumblr, post a photo to Snapchat, and watch videos on YouTube while we get ready for the day. And there’s no doubt that these social websites are useful. They help us to share art, music, books, information, and ideas globally in ways we have never been able to before.
With this surge of social media and the integration of it into our daily lives, we also need to learn when it is appropriate to use it. Be respectful at concerts. When an artist asks you to put down your phones, do it. Respect the artist that took their time to come to your city. Recognize that it took your time and money to come out and see them perform, and act like it. Being at a concert should be enjoyable and you should actually experience the concert and have fun with the people around you.
There is a time and a place to have your phone out, but places like movies, theaters, and concerts, are not necessarily the best places to have them. Experience the world and have a respect for artists, musicians, and actors when you go to see what they have created. The two are not exclusive, and they shouldn’t be. Still take photos and videos at concerts if you absolutely have to, but remember to put your phone down and be in the moment. There will always be time to look back on what you did, but the moment you are in won’t last forever, so enjoy it while you’re in it.
