Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience” • Hacker News Board

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#41

Post by Sir_Cmpwn » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:45 PM UTC

problems wrote: post #30

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem is that your way of "enjoying the experience" is detracting from the experience of those around you.

How so? Texting someone isn't distracting to anyone around you... unless I'm missing something? Are you really that easily bothered by other people that them enjoying something in a different way than you detracts from your experience?

In a dark venue the light could easily bother you from someone texting, but the main issue is people who hold their phones up in front of your face to record the event.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#42

Post by monksy » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:45 PM UTC

juandazapata wrote: post #7

monksy wrote: post #6

That's great for them. But I won't be buying a ticket for any of his shows. After seeing what happened at the bataclan that makes this a stupid and dangerous idea.

I guess you don't use planes either? After 9/11 it's a stupid and dangerous idea.

You're comparing apples and oranges there. There is nothing preventing you from filming or using your electronic devices (outside FAA regulations, and they're pretty clear when and when you cannot use the electronics, heck they don't even take your device away from you or deface it)

As much as I don't like the TSA, they're a lot better than venue security. Going on your anaology, if something happened in an airport past security, the airport isn't blocking your ability to call for help.

Bringing it back: What benefit is removing people's abilities to use phones and smart watches going to give you? (Yes, they remove both of those including fitbits)

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#43

Post by elsurudo » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:46 PM UTC

beat wrote: post #10

Personally, I'd kinda like to see venues Faraday-cage the concert areas, so people can't get online from them. That way, people could still take photos and video, but wouldn't spend the entire concert on Facebook. (Thinking of this due to a favorite venue of mine, the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, that has basically zero cell phone reception from the floor.)

The problem with this is that many people have that thing out every other song, recording video, and blinding me.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#44

Post by Lewton » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:48 PM UTC

problems wrote: post #30

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem is that your way of "enjoying the experience" is detracting from the experience of those around you.

How so? Texting someone isn't distracting to anyone around you... unless I'm missing something? Are you really that easily bothered by other people that them enjoying something in a different way than you detracts from your experience?

If you're texting someone in a dark room you're annoying everyone around you

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#45

Post by frou_dh » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:49 PM UTC

problems wrote: post #30

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem is that your way of "enjoying the experience" is detracting from the experience of those around you.

How so? Texting someone isn't distracting to anyone around you... unless I'm missing something? Are you really that easily bothered by other people that them enjoying something in a different way than you detracts from your experience?

This isn't an abstract issue of diverse ways of living. The smartphone zombie specifically is a real thing that's observable in society all day every day.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#46

Post by illegalsmile » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:49 PM UTC

I think his statement "If they can’t give me that energy back? Maybe I’m wasting my time." is thoughtful. Jack is old enough to have gone to and performed shows in his youth where cells phone were rare if there were any. He performs not only for the music but for the energy of the crowd. A crowd that's now placed a screen between themselves and the performer taking away that energy or removing that sense of connection. Even in a large venue!

He's the artist, it's his gig, if you can't respect the reasonable wishes of the person who you paid to go see what are you doing there?

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#47

Post by parasubvert » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:50 PM UTC

People use their phones to have human experiences and connect to others that aren’t physically present.

While I can understand certain environments should curb cell use (Where lights and flashes are distracting to performers and the audience), or the desire to maintain mystery or quality by controlling bootlegs... a rock concert has distractions-a-plenty, between flying beer cups, weed smoke, people gabbing loudly about their recent gossip, crowd surfers... a phone is really not a big deal.

Curbing phone use might be nostalgic (why not also hand out cigarette lighters for the ballads?) but doesn’t make the experience any more human.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#48

Post by TallGuyShort » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:51 PM UTC

zimpenfish wrote: post #32

CaptainZapp wrote: post #9

FAN! FUCKING! TASTIC! Sorry, I'm aware that yelling is not appreciated, but this is a really cool idea. There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Those small screens are a real distraction and phones also don't really serve as substitutes for lighters used, when Led Zeppelin started with Stairway to Heaven. A rant about…

> There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Au contraire. The people on either side having a conversation about their weekend dinner party whilst Lisa Gerrard does a quiet solo piece are infinitely more annoying than any camera phone. Or a lady with big hair in the first 3 rows sitting on someone's shoulders and blockin…

Which is why they also have ushers whose job it is to move those conversations out of the concert hall. I'm not sure why you disagree with someone talking about Led Zeppelin based on your experience with Lisa Gerrard...

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#49

Post by pecg » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:52 PM UTC

beat wrote: post #14

elsurudo wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knowing Jack White, not necessarily. He's all about authenticity, and being in the moment. Mobiles (for me) tend to ruin this at a live show.

I know how he feels. I'm a musician too, and it's really demoralizing when you're up on stage rocking your heart out for people, and you look out and see people's noses in their phones rather than listening to you. (It's probably more demoralizing when you're a tiny indie band playing for fun rather than professionally, and there are only 20 people there and the only reward you get is the chance to play for them.)

> when you're a tiny indie band playing for fun rather than professionally

Playing for fun is playing professionally, as long as it has passion.

> there are only 20 people there and the only reward you get is the chance to play for them.

I'm not going preachy here, but playing in front of people something you wrote is an invaluable reward.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#50

Post by SubiculumCode » Thu, Jan 25, 2018, 3:53 PM UTC

zimpenfish wrote: post #32

CaptainZapp wrote: post #9

FAN! FUCKING! TASTIC! Sorry, I'm aware that yelling is not appreciated, but this is a really cool idea. There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Those small screens are a real distraction and phones also don't really serve as substitutes for lighters used, when Led Zeppelin started with Stairway to Heaven. A rant about…

> There's hardly anything more annoying at gigs than those dunces in front of you recording some ultra-shitty video that nobody ever looks at. Au contraire. The people on either side having a conversation about their weekend dinner party whilst Lisa Gerrard does a quiet solo piece are infinitely more annoying than any camera phone. Or a lady with big hair in the first 3 rows sitting on someone's shoulders and blockin…

DCD!