I never lift the phone above my head to record. I'm a concert clip recorder, but I'm not a dick.

As for watching it later, I think the video I take from my seat is different to my brain than anyone else's video. If I see a clip of a band I saw from someone else or a different venue, it wouldn't have the flashback effect. But when I see and hear my own, and yes the iPhone XR audio is almost as good as professional recordings from the 90s, it causes a crazy memory flashback. It's like experiencing the show twice.

I've got video from an Adele show where she sang to me from about one foot away. I've shown that clip many times and so happy I have it.

I do agree on holding over heads, long clips, etc.

Was at a Jack White concert and be bans phones. Has metal detectors. Puts any phones that are found in lockbox bags.

Created a great atmosphere. Wish more would do this.

Have a couple of clips from the only time I have seen soundgarden that I will forever cherish.

It's not just the youth. My FIL does it all the time. He made me watch a 6 min video he took at an Adele concert.
That was one of 15 videos he had shot during the concert.

Btron said:

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It's not just the youth. My FIL does it all the time. He made me watch a 6 min video he took at an Adele concert.
That was one of 15 videos he had shot during the concert.

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It was like being there, yourself, right?

Riiiiiiiight

Man, I love scrolling through my Instagram stories and coming to someone who was at a concert the night before and took approximately 50 videos.

I guess I am more annoyed by talking at concerts so if taking a video shuts somebody up I'm all for it.

Personally the only videos of shows I have are covers that I know would be hard to find to listen to. Even then I can't take more than 10-15 seconds.

FtBendTxAg said:

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What did everyone do in every decade before 2010 without smart phones? That's right they lived their lives just fine, or better than now.

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I don't care if it's yelling at clouds, I 100% believe that the vast majority of us lived a better life before smart phones.

That being said, the only time I've been annoyed by it was if someone's use of their device obstructed my view. Mostly I just feel sorry for them because if you're caught up trying to get video of a good pic, you're definitely missing out on the full experience of a live event.

CastleRock said:

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A. Solzhenitsyn said:

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What a strange thing to be so angry about

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It's really not if you stop and think about it. Before phones, everyone was focused on the event in question. Now, if you are still trying to watch the show/listen to concert, there are seventy thousand glowing screens in your way. It's not easy to focus on the concert when every idiot around you is jockeying for better screen placement.

It's not something that's easy to ignore if you're not one of the mindless sheep.

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I've been to a lot of shows before smartphones and there was never a time when "everyone was focused on the event in question". There have always been people who are not paying attention and talking to each other the entire show or way too drunk and obnoxious that were distracting and sometimes even ruined shows.

In my experience its been getting better at shows. It's still a sea of phones when whatever big hit comes on but more often people get their clip and get out and by the second chorus the majority of the phones are out of sight.

The band will have better quality live videos on Youtube before even attending the concert. Not only that but someone at the concert itself will record it and post it to Youtube within 24 hours. Snap a quick, low quality picture or take a 15 second video for posterity if necessary, otherwise trying to record this stuff is a waste of time.

Phone is annoying, but I get over it pretty quickly.

My pet peeve is how much people talk amongst each other during a show. We all paid a lot of money to be here, and yet people can't shut up for 45 minutes. It's especially bad here in Houston, noticably worse than other cities I've seen concerts in.

I think phones have only made it worse because it's gives the annoying people something to do and chat about. They get bored for five seconds and decide now's the time to organize a 14 person photograph during the acoustic solo portion.

THANK YOU! The random conversations in the middle of a show piss me off to no end. At least the phone people are trying to preserve a piece of the show as a memory. The talkers aren't watching in the moment and are distracting to those around them.

I think some people are now psychologically unable to enjoy some live event without watching (some of) it through their phone. They have a compulsive need to share crap even though nobody wants to really view it. (Like the Louis CK video above)

We were just at Disney and they have their closing firework/light/water shows, and people felt the need to record all or significant amounts of it. Why? If you want a recording or a memory, there are plenty on youtube of the same event. I honestly think though that a good number of people now no longer have the ability to sit and enjoy something without having their phone up by their face.

What's crazy is the justification that you really want to pull out these videos of your kids playing sports or music or a concert you attend or parade, etc to watch later. No, you won't because you have 6000 other recordings of all the things you were at and had to record that you won't dig through and find anything. (You in this case is not referring to anyone in particular)

HerschelwoodHardhead said:

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Phone is annoying, but I get over it pretty quickly.

My pet peeve is how much people talk amongst each other during a show. We all paid a lot of money to be here, and yet people can't shut up for 45 minutes. It's especially bad here in Houston, noticably worse than other cities I've seen concerts in.

I think phones have only made it worse because it's gives the annoying people something to do and chat about. They get bored for five seconds and decide now's the time to organize a 14 person photograph during the acoustic solo portion.

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It is worse here, and I don't understand why.

I think I've noticed phone obstruction a little less in the last year or two at concerts and sporting events. Maybe the novelty wears off a little when people realize no one actually watches their videos. I'm sure it depends on what kind of acts you're going to see.

But let's not act like people didn't bring cameras and talk to each other during shows before smart phones.

Yeah, I'm not very confrontational, but even I've resorted to telling people to shut up during concerts. And then they act like I'm the jerk and talk crap about me when I turn back around.

I've also noticed certain venues are worse than others (looking at you House of Blues), maybe it's just they attract certain people who don't really care about the show. But if all you want to do is have a conversation, go to the back by the bar and chat your head off.

A large portion of people went to concerts to be able to say that they went to the concert. Now these people have to curate the experience for social media.

HerschelwoodHardhead said:

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Yeah, I'm not very confrontational, but even I've resorted to telling people to shut up during concerts. And then they act like I'm the jerk and talk crap about me when I turn back around.

I've also noticed certain venues are worse than others (looking at you House of Blues), maybe it's just they attract certain people who don't really care about the show. But if all you want to do is have a conversation, go to the back by the bar and chat your head off.

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Seriously though. I was at a concert recently where these two women talked through the entire thing. For the most part it was annoying but inconsequential because it was so loud that they were mostly drowned out (though they tried there hardest to yell/talk their conversation) over the music. Eventually it got to a couple of ballads where the loudness of the music was no longer drowning out their yell/talk conversation so I said "hey can y'all keep it down" and you would have thought I killed their puppy. They were livid and spent the rest of the show passive aggressively complaining about me (though thankfully in a quieter voice). I just don't understand why you would pay so much money to go to a concert just to ignore it and talk to each other the whole time.

Two things come to my mind:

I've watched videos I took from snake pit at a metallica show probably a few dozen times. I get the same adrenaline rush I did when I was actually there. I love rewatching those.

I love coming across live songs of a band 'before' they got big, or live songs of a band who rarely/doesn't put out live stuff (example, Tool). So while maybe that person who took the video might not ever watch it, if they upload it to YouTube, I get to watch it which is awesome.

Same thing goes for finding videos of concerts I went to in the 90s. it's great to come across those on youtube and get to rewatch that stuff.

AgHawkeye said:

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I guess I am more annoyed by talking at concerts so if taking a video shuts somebody up I'm all for it.

Personally the only videos of shows I have are covers that I know would be hard to find to listen to. Even then I can't take more than 10-15 seconds.

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Amen. Talking at concerts is way more infuriating. Except for the idiots that have their led flashlight on for video and see no reason why all the illuminated people in front of them would be annoyed.

HerschelwoodHardhead said:

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I've also noticed certain venues are worse than others (looking at you House of Blues), maybe it's just they attract certain people who don't really care about the show. But if all you want to do is have a conversation, go to the back by the bar and chat your head off.

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Venue and artist definitely matter. The experience of seeing randy rogers vs morgan wallen at the grizzly rose here in denver is night and day (ignoring completely your thoughts on eithers music) just based on the crowd and how they respond.

A perfect show is definitely a smaller venue, thats not completely sold out so you have space. Plus then you know pretty much everyone there is there for the show, not just to be there.

I get annoyed when people move around too much. I get going to get a beer, etc. But you really dont need to be behind your gf, swaying/grinding to every song while bumping into me with each sway. This will lead to confrontation every time. I get it if theres space, dance do what ever idk, but when its jam packed ga area, nah.