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

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

#241

Post by potta_coffee »

staplers wrote: post #163
maxehmookau wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, the safety aspects of this are shocking and the 'be free of phones' puritanism is a bit dull. A _very_ strict code of conduct for attendees is something that can (and does) work. Jazz pianist, Keith Jarrett has been known to stop his 4-hour long improvisation sessions in some of the world's most prestigous venues mid-flow to dress down an attendee trying to film him. People don't make that mistake twice. htt…

Agreed. This should be a policy and etiquette issue not a forcible restriction of human communication. Imagine your teenage child attends a concert and needs to call you to escape a dangerous situation. There are so many situations of nuance that a blanket ban disrupts in a negative way. This is a very shallow way to deal with a complicated issue.

Maybe the market should decide. No one is forcing you to buy a ticket to the show and separate you from your phone.

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

#242

Post by uhhhhhhh »

bonesss wrote: post #156
donretag wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of us old enough remember that cameras were often banned from venues, even non professional ones. It wasn't until camera enabled phones became popular that this rule was dropped. I have no idea why someone would want to watch a performance from behind a screen.

Why do people drop buttloads of money getting to the Grand Canyon and then spend their time behind a viewfinder taking landscape pictures that are infinitely worse than you'll find online or purchased from pros, ensuring they spend less (and sometimes no), time enjoying the scenery and environment?

Completely this.

I recently went on an alaskan cruise with my family. While they all took pictures, I left my camera home and my phone locked up and just enjoyed myself.

Not once have I regretted not taking pictures. Like others have posted, you can get better quality shots from the same views, and the handful of pictures we did get of the family were shared out to everyone.

I enjoyed stepping away from technology and experiencing everything directly rather than looking for great pictures and lugging equipment around.

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

#244

Post by potta_coffee »

davb wrote: post #194
nly wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There have been a number of times when I’ve been split up from friends at large venues - not being able to text each other to meet up is inconvenient. "Hey guys, let's stick together, if we get separated meet at the bar. Cool? cool" And an interesting one you can't easily do anymore without a cell phone (because people don't wear wrist watches): "Hey, i'm going to checkout X. Meet at the bar in 30 minutes?"

When it’s a venue you don’t know too well and there are 8 bars on each floor, that completely breaks down. Sticking together doesn’t always work, especially when queues are split between men and women for pat downs (as is usually the case in the type of venue that would force you to put your phone in a locked pouch). Of course we got by OK before mobile phones, but to suggest we give up the considerable benefits beca…

Let's think of a million different hypothetical situations in which not having a phone is bad. Result: you sound helpless.

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

#245

Post by tzahola »

staplers wrote: post #163
maxehmookau wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, the safety aspects of this are shocking and the 'be free of phones' puritanism is a bit dull. A _very_ strict code of conduct for attendees is something that can (and does) work. Jazz pianist, Keith Jarrett has been known to stop his 4-hour long improvisation sessions in some of the world's most prestigous venues mid-flow to dress down an attendee trying to film him. People don't make that mistake twice. htt…

Agreed. This should be a policy and etiquette issue not a forcible restriction of human communication. Imagine your teenage child attends a concert and needs to call you to escape a dangerous situation. There are so many situations of nuance that a blanket ban disrupts in a negative way. This is a very shallow way to deal with a complicated issue.

Nobody forces you or “your teenage child” to attend such a concert.

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

#246

Post by CUViper »

foolfoolz wrote: post #210
davb wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn’t say that I must check my phone every time I go to the toilet. Only that being able to check my phone (for example, to check if I have any messages from people I care for at home) is a useful thing. And I never said that I was worried about terrorism. Only that having ready access to my phone in any emergency situation (again, I pointed out it would be more likely a fire alarm than a terrorists) is helpful. I…

i think the whole point is not being able to check your phone adds to the human experience

Part of my human experience may include checking how the babysitter is doing with the kids. I'm not going to do that in a way that disrupts the show, but I still want that access.

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

#247

Post by uhhhhhhh »

criley2 wrote: post #240
uhhhhhhh wrote: post #235

He says signing into an electric microphone while playing an electric or acoustic-electric guitar and standing on a stage in front of the crowd with the sound projected from speakers. Yes, I'm being facetious, but if he REALLY wants a 100% human experience, shrink the room, go full acoustic and play only to small crowds and encourage interaction rather than observation. I actually love sets like that with artists, es…

To be fair, Jack does tons of that too. Heck, he's got a refurbished 1940's Voice-O-Matic at his Third Man Records, an old time vinyl recording booth which lets you go in and records 2.5 minutes of audio onto one unique vinyl. He's very much about eschewing as much technology as possible and getting people as close as possible to the sound itself.

Agreed. I don't have an issue with this, I think what he's doing is great. I'm just a sarcastic twat.

If he's at the point where he can focus his career on what matters to him as an artist and not what the fans want in order to find financial success, then all the power to him. I think its great and if it increases creativity, connection and makes him and others happy, its the right thing to do.

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

#248

Post by Larrikin »

bonesss wrote: post #156
donretag wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of us old enough remember that cameras were often banned from venues, even non professional ones. It wasn't until camera enabled phones became popular that this rule was dropped. I have no idea why someone would want to watch a performance from behind a screen.

Why do people drop buttloads of money getting to the Grand Canyon and then spend their time behind a viewfinder taking landscape pictures that are infinitely worse than you'll find online or purchased from pros, ensuring they spend less (and sometimes no), time enjoying the scenery and environment?

I've found that looking back at old photos that feature me, my friends, or some interesting unique person, bring back way more powerful memories of the event.

For example seeing a random picture of Tokyo Tower that I took with no one recognizable in it, invokes about the same connection as a random Google Image search for Tokyo Tower. However the picture of me standing in front of it, seeing my clothes, my umbrella, and all the other details puts me right back into that day. I remember more vividly the details before the picture and after the picture as well. It took me quite a few trips to realize this, but its pretty apparent now when I find myself skipping over random scenery pictures in my albums. Sometimes it can't be helped that no one is included, but I make an effort to minimize these pictures.

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

#250

Post by Phrodo_00 »

bdcravens wrote: post #196
pavel_lishin wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Isn't that what we've been trying for the past 10 years? Clearly, it's not working. Have we? I've only been to one show in the past decade where a performer called someone out in the crowd for being a jerk with a camera. They wouldn't turn the flash off, so the artist asked them to stop, then they took another flashy picture, so the artist mocked them until they put the camera away for the rest of the show.

Post "no recording" or "no phone use during performance", have security remove them with no refund. After a few removals, most will keep it in their pocket.

Every show I've been to that does this has successfully kept people from using their phones. I don't think checking in your phone is a very good solution from a practical standpoint, considering the downsides.
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