Filming A Gig With A Phone Or Camera. Agree Or Disagree?
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
April 14, 2010 10:51am CST
I couldn't think of the right category for this but, I suppose, if you go to a gig you are listening to it as well as it being a spectacle.
The last gig I went to was Elton John and he played locally, which is rare because Carlisle isn't like London, believe me. It was extremely good and everyone had a great time...and he only wore one costume, fancy that!
BUT!!
Why do fools have to get their mobile phones/cameras out to film it..or film bits of it until the memory fills up? I grew up watching most of my gigs in the 1980s and 1990s and it was way before anything digital was around.
I tend to remember gigs I have been to in 3 ways. The first is in my head, the second is in my heart and the third is a written record of them in my diaries. The second one - in particular, is very important as far as I am concerned. There is absolutely no way I will ever agree with people filming a gig. The sight of all those arms aloft is so irritating!
They should be dancing..or headbanging..instead. It's all about having fun..and most of the time (if it's someone well-known) they will bring out a DVD of it anyway!
Let me know your views on this issue. Personally, I think all digital equipment should be banned from big arenas so it will force people to concentrate on the s*dding band!
BUT!!
Why do fools have to get their mobile phones/cameras out to film it..or film bits of it until the memory fills up? I grew up watching most of my gigs in the 1980s and 1990s and it was way before anything digital was around.
I tend to remember gigs I have been to in 3 ways. The first is in my head, the second is in my heart and the third is a written record of them in my diaries. The second one - in particular, is very important as far as I am concerned. There is absolutely no way I will ever agree with people filming a gig. The sight of all those arms aloft is so irritating!
They should be dancing..or headbanging..instead. It's all about having fun..and most of the time (if it's someone well-known) they will bring out a DVD of it anyway!
Let me know your views on this issue. Personally, I think all digital equipment should be banned from big arenas so it will force people to concentrate on the s*dding band!1 person likes this
12 responses
@thezone (9394)
• Ireland
14 Apr 10
I can't really understand why people would want to video a gig on a phone to be honest, have you ever seen or heard the results
When I go to a gig I want to enjoy it and holding a phone up all night is not my idea of fun. Why would you want to look through a little screen at the band on stage
Someone using a video camera on the other hand does make much more sense but then the one doing the recording is not interested in the gig and it is usually just for commercial gain. I know I have bought a few bootlegs over the years.
Been a few years now since I was at a big gig but I know when I go to the next one the phone will be staying at home.
When I go to a gig I want to enjoy it and holding a phone up all night is not my idea of fun. Why would you want to look through a little screen at the band on stage
Someone using a video camera on the other hand does make much more sense but then the one doing the recording is not interested in the gig and it is usually just for commercial gain. I know I have bought a few bootlegs over the years.
Been a few years now since I was at a big gig but I know when I go to the next one the phone will be staying at home.
@thezone (9394)
• Ireland
14 Apr 10
I suppose they could ban the bigger digital equipment such as camcorders and such but it would be very hard to stop people bringing phones with them. I would not mind if they did ban the use of phones at gigs as I am no real fan of mobile phones in the first place. When you think of about it, phones going off in the cinema is just as annoying and people frown upon it so why should they not be prohibited from music venues also.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
Exactly! Most people go to gigs in their cars or on public transport so they are unlikely to need their phone to ring up for a taxi..so phones should be banned. Bring back those little public phones on walls if they're so desperate to ring someone up!
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Apr 10
I'm with you, Janey. I hate it when people are flashing their cameras, recording on their telephones...it's distracting and the results are usually worthless. At the last concert I was at, they didn't allow cameras, cell phones with cameras, etc. They were actually confiscating them. I loved it...
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
Oh my, where was that? I love that radical idea, GET RID OF 'EM, I LIKE IT! Haha!
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
17 Apr 10
well..it's like they used to ban cameras.so many things now have vid cams,i think for the most part they've given up trying to enforce it.i was watching some concert on tv not too long ago,and you could see like the first 5 rows all had their cells out,right on film!
is it right?no.they really shouldn't do that.i feel it's disrespecting to the artist.
i've been to some shows where it said on the ticket they didn't care,but if it's someone i respect and it says not to,i wouldn't.
not to mention some people will crash into you to get that shot.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
15 Apr 10
Funny it was at an Elton John/Billy Joel concert that I saw this too (and smelled somebody smoking something funny lol). And yeah, it's annoying and distracting and what possible good quality are they getting on a cell phone anyway?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
I remember years ago bootleg tapes would come out (I never had any, the sound was awful) and I often wonder how on earth the bigger equipment then could possibly be smuggled in! As for the phones and cameras, they should be left at home as I'm sure people would enjoy the gigs even more if they had to concentrate on what they went in to see...the ACT!
@olisaur (1922)
• United States
15 Apr 10
I personally wouldn't film a concert, but I might take some photos on my phone. There are just some things I want to remember like that.
I guess it's ok for someone to film a song or part of a song for personal purposes- I don't like it when people post concert videos online.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
How do you do this? Do you raise the phone up in the air? Please think of others when you take photos as they might not be able to see if you phone is in the way...unless they are doing the same of course, which is highly likely!
@oxio10 (135)
• Philippines
16 Apr 10
Going to concert means you should enjoy every minute of it, but I don't understand that all I can see on the front row are hands raising their cameras, and its so annoying. then after the concert you will see them uploaded on youtube even the video really sucks. Hmmpf.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Apr 10
I totally agree with you, I really do! It certainly puts me off going to gigs seeing all the phones in the air, so annoying! I can't stand the screaming either...and that's just the men lol.
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
15 Apr 10
A lot of people are guilty of this. A gig just simple turn into a photo shoot for newbies because most just want to take photos or videos will is either too bad or too far away to even recognize the celebrity. You're right...why can't they just enjoy the show and watch a video taken by a professional later
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
That's exactly what I think. Why people can't just enjoy themselves without getting their phones and cameras out is beyond me. How on earth do they remember any of it if they are so busy filming it? And what about people behind them who have chosen to keep their electronic equipment at home (God forbid) and can't see anything other than phones being waved in the air. So selfish aren't they?
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
15 Apr 10
Some people want a really fresh and clear memory forever, so that's why they record concerts in their cameras or phones. In my case, I always take some pictures in the beginning of the concert as a memory, and I enjoy the rest
My opinion towards recording is pretty neutral. I guess everyone has their own methods of remembering things.
My opinion towards recording is pretty neutral. I guess everyone has their own methods of remembering things.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
In my day we didn't have digital equipment so what would you do in that instance? Use a Kodak Instamatic perhaps? I'm glad you only take pics at the start though; that's fair enough!
@Bhemzky (423)
• Philippines
15 Apr 10
I think the reason why people film a gig is for them to remember the gig and have a souvenir of it. Sometimes they want to show it to their friends who wasn't able to be there. Others may have different reasons. I'm not quite sure. Just enjoy and have lots of fun!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
Well, I can enjoy and have lots of fun MORE if people would stop waving their phones around, thanks. 
Why pay for an expensive concert ticket if you can't see what's going on? It doesn't make any sense. Surely the souvenir would be in your heart; believe me I can remember gigs I went to years ago without any trouble at all. It takes the mystery out of a gig if it's filmed, in my opinion. Fair enough, if a gig is filmed professionally and brought out on DVD, I have nothing against that as some of the money from the sales goes to the artists but for individuals to film en masse...well, I don't agree with that at all. The artists don't get money for that do they? This is why the concert tickets are now sky-high, the artists have to recoup money they have lost.
Why pay for an expensive concert ticket if you can't see what's going on? It doesn't make any sense. Surely the souvenir would be in your heart; believe me I can remember gigs I went to years ago without any trouble at all. It takes the mystery out of a gig if it's filmed, in my opinion. Fair enough, if a gig is filmed professionally and brought out on DVD, I have nothing against that as some of the money from the sales goes to the artists but for individuals to film en masse...well, I don't agree with that at all. The artists don't get money for that do they? This is why the concert tickets are now sky-high, the artists have to recoup money they have lost.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
Why do that though? Why can't you just listen and remember another time the way you reacted when your favourite song was performed? I just don't get it; filming instead of boogying, sorry if I disagree with you but I'm from a different generation who was more interested in the moment as opposed to recording it. Don't DVDs come out so you can re-live it all that way? Not blurry either!
@petersum (4522)
• United States
14 Apr 10
I'm surprised that people were allowed to take phones or cameras into the gig at all. Where were all the bouncers? Or do you have particularly dumb ones up there? A phone camera is particularly disturbing because by definition the phone must be switched on to use the camera. Therefore it could ring! Elton John ring tone anybody? No way that would happen if I was in charge.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Apr 10
To be honest, the phone use wasn't that high at the Elton John gig because everyone was bopping about (it was outdoors) enjoying themselves. It's the indoor venues that seem to have those idiots waving their phones about, spoiling it for everyone else. Fortunately, I haven't been to an indoor gig for quite some time and I won't until all this silliness stops.
@anndiamond (6)
•
15 Apr 10
watch and listen to live koncerts to feel the atmosphere that reigns there on stage!!!
