iphones are killing live shows!!

[Drella]

Hello everyone, I'm a new user here, so please be gentle with me! I've been an absolute diehard of Alice cooper for over 30 years now and have seen him over 17 times and have been reading on these boards the frustrations with the set lists that diehards have. What I wouldn't give to see: "Scarlet and Sheba", "My Stars", "Sideshow", "Cleansed by fire" "Prettiest cop on the block", "I'm Flash"or my absolute favorite "Model Citizen" performed live but hey I'm not Johnny Delusional, I know what works and what Doesn't BUT I just wanted to share my frustration with "fans" at the recent 02 gig in London. I had the misfortune to get stuck behind the "OMG brigade" (You know who they are!!!). So during "Poison" these girls go absolutely mental! During "Long way to go" three of these "Fans" check their Facebook status with their backs to the stage showing no interest what so ever!!! This really annoyed me and I said to my friends who I was with afterwards, this is why we get "Greatest hits" sets all the time!!

[Toronto Bob]

Well welcome to the board Drella,, but expect to have your opinions challenged.

I'm pretty sure iphones are not the reason we get Greatest Hits shows. I'm not sure if I follow the logic. Is it that people's attention span is not what it used to be so they have to hear hit after hit or else they would be too bored? From your post it would appear they are already bored.

More likely rehearsing new material would cost time and money and since a new AC album gets released with virtually no infrastructure to promote it, no one is hyped to hear new music. End result, an ambivalent audience checking their facebook and reporting to uncaring friends that they saw "the legendary Alice Cooper".

[wind_up_toy]

I wouldn't just single out iPhones, any smartphone can be just as guilty ;-)

The thing that surprises me more than anything is the amount of people watching the shows through their smartphone screens rather than their own eyes. They then post the substandard results on You Tube, duly watering down the quality of what's on there.

[mr.barlow]

this is the main reason I no longer go to shows. Not just Alice, any show. I can't stand the phones or the fans holding them. I went to a Joe Bonnamassa concert about a year ago, thinking that his crowd might be a little more "classy" for lack of a better word. Well...I was wrong. It seems like every fourth person was watching the show through their phone. That did it for me.

It's sad. The younger generations have no idea what the live rock concert experience used to be like. It wasn't about being seen at the show but rather seeing the show. The fans nowadays are more concerned with posting selfies on Facebook than watching the concert.

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised Alice hasn't yet taken up the whole ridiculous selfie fascination in lyrics and song. There is so much there to satirize and ridicule.

Toronto Bob is right in everything he said. It's a new generation who's interest goes no further than their mirror and their phone.

[pitkin88]

this is the main reason I no longer go to shows. Not just Alice, any show. I can't stand the phones or the fans holding them. I went to a Joe Bonnamassa concert about a year ago, thinking that his crowd might be a little more "classy" for lack of a better word. Well...I was wrong. It seems like every fourth person was watching the show through their phone. That did it for me.

It's sad. The younger generations have no idea what the live rock concert experience used to be like. It wasn't about being seen at the show but rather seeing the show. The fans nowadays are more concerned with posting selfies on Facebook than watching the concert.

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised Alice hasn't yet taken up the whole ridiculous selfie fascination in lyrics and song. There is so much there to satirize and ridicule.

Toronto Bob is right in everything he said. It's a new generation who's interest goes no further than their mirror and their phone.

Talking bout my generation. Teacher leave those kids alone. Back in my day.....yawn. Old men yelling at clouds.

[mr.barlow]

Hey--the clouds listen to me---and even talk back!

[Maaki]

I wouldn't just single out iPhones, any smartphone can be just as guilty ;-)

The thing that surprises me more than anything is the amount of people watching the shows through their smartphone screens rather than their own eyes. They then post the substandard results on You Tube, duly watering down the quality of what's on there.

Indeed. I think the phones are distracting as such, but the thing I do not understand is why ruin the moment for yourself?

On the other hand there is a crowd in front of Mona Lisa right now most likely, taking pictures of the piece with their iphones and galaxies. So I guess the concerts are not the peak of this idiocy :facepalm:

[suziginajackson]

It reminds me of this:

http://wanna-joke.com/rock-concert-crowd-evolution/

[TeresofBlood]

I saw the Hollywood Vampires over the weekend. Of course, the audience was keen on taking as many pictures of Johnny Depp as possible, which he was not happy about. At one point he looked out and shouted with a devilish smirk "You're on your phones!"

Kyler snapped a fantastic photo of Johnny with my girlfriend and me in the background, grinning like idiots at each other. Perfect!

[killer wolf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sM73kw ... sM73kwAHsg

language alert.

[Daggers & Contracts]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sM73kw ... sM73kwAHsg

language alert.

Great Catch!!
There has not been the time to create or observe any sort of etiquette with the speed of advance with these handheld electronic devices. Used to be people would be upset if they were being eavesdropped on while having a phone conversation. No more! Speaking loudly (Can You Hear Me Now?) into the phone or w/Bluetooth device has become the norm. If they have the unit with them it leads to the "So what if I'm caught? Everybody else is doing it" rational. It's rude & disrespectful & annoying to boot! They have laws about it while driving. Yet, the fools continue to ignore such a dangerous action. If they feel safe in a area not much is gonna stop them except confiscation of said electronic device. They should have a Phone Check service at venues sort of like a coat check that are provided. With that option the threat of confiscation can be made real!!

[killer wolf]

there was a thing on the news site saying Apple have patented an infrared device that beams a shut-down signal to prevent people doing this at concerts - typically, alreay the entitled brats are up in arms. When i saw Rammstein at download they had a sign come up saying "please just enjoy the show and don't be too obsessed about taping it". if you saw the Sky Arts show, there was one band that got a load of people out the crowd up on stage - me, i'd be grinning like a loon and drinking it in, but virtually all these undeserving idiots spent the first minute or two fiddling w/ their phones in a desperate attempt to take a selfie ot text their mates.

[Daggers & Contracts]

virtually all these undeserving idiots spent the first minute or two fiddling w/ their phones in a desperate attempt to take a selfie ot text their mates.

Iggy has the tendency to do this at his shows also, but with Iggy I wouldn't be surprised if he slapped it out of their hands & said Enjoy The Moment!!!

[Shoesalesman]

Respect to all, but if you're focusing on someone on their cell phone, both as a performer or attendee, you're at the show for the wrong reasons. The attendee pays for the ticket and can do what they want in their seat, minus anything illegal or outside of venue policy. It's not disrespectful or rude. It's a transaction, payment for services. I pay you money, you play songs. Whether I pay attention or not is irrelevant. The band gets my money at the end of the day, and they can do what they want with it.

Look, I've been to shows where the whole section I was in had their phones out and I got a tan. Didn't give a fine mist of piss about it, though. I thought, enjoy the show your way, guys. You paid for it.

[killer wolf]

that seat could have gone to a fan who would have appreciated it instead of some no-interest skank who was probably only there cos she thought it might give her status on facebook or such.