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

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

#411

Post by phaus » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:15 AM UTC

ken wrote: post #189

davb wrote: post #87

I experienced the Yondr phone prison last night for the first time (at a Chris Rock show). While I detest people being disruptive with their phones, I don’t think this is the right solution. From a practical standpoint, it took a lot longer to get into and out of the venue when phones had to be locked up. Checking your phone when you pop out to the toilet meant waiting in a queue to have your phone unlocked, and bein…

I think the viscerality of this response is fascinating. Putting your phone in a case is a "prison", and you must check it every time you go to the toilet, and you're concerned about a terrorist attack -- enough to want your phone, but not enough to stay home, as if your apps could somehow save you. > Treat people like adults. If they break the rules, ask them to leave. Isn't that what we've been trying for the past…

>you're concerned about a terrorist attack -- enough to want your phone, but not enough to stay home, as if your apps could somehow save you.

It should be pretty obvious that a terrorist attack is simply one example of many possible emergencies. There are plenty of things that could happen where having instant access to a phone could save someone's life.

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

#412

Post by kalleboo » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:19 AM UTC

jonnycomputer wrote: post #155

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…

My goodness, all those people who went to concerts before cell phones must have been so hardcore, taking risks like that. My guess is that if you put your phone away you're less likely to hurt from, you know, other people doing the stupid stuff they do at concerts. I understand that people want video, so they can post it, and get their dopa-soc on Facebook, or wherever, but seriously, musical artists (especially the…

Here in Japan, most concerts have a strict no-photos policy. In smaller venues, I've seen this enforced by guards shining bright focused flashlights at you if you try to take a photo/video. Seems to work well. Some artists stop to do a "ok let's all take a photo together now" bit near the end for those who want a memory.

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

#413

Post by masonic » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:20 AM UTC

reubenswartz wrote: post #306

alangibson wrote: post #287

While I'm definitely on Jack's side spiritually, Yondr is not an efficient solution. We need to consciously and intentionally establish a norm of 'no phones' in certain group situations, just like how many areas have established a norm of 'no smoking'. And, yes, it's true that 'no smoking' often has local law to help drive the idea home, but it's not like there's a cop monitoring the smoking situation in every public…

Yeah, I think a similar video played before the start of the show, about how you paid all this money to be here, why see it through a small screen as if you were on YouTube, combined with a few people actually getting kicked out, would work wonders. They can have a moment in the show for everyone who "needs" a picture or a brief video can take one. And just let everyone know that the whole show will be on YouTube in…

  about how you paid all this money to be here

This is a reaction I've heard from self-important attendees who insist on recording despite posted rules: "I paid good money to be here, so I get to do what I want."

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

#414

Post by masonic » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:21 AM UTC

JanecekPetr wrote: post #379

Mister White follows up on his ideas, but this seems to be unnecessary, at least from what I saw at his concert in Prague, Czech Republic, last year. Before the show one of his crewmen said to all the people to keep their phones in the pockets, that the show will be profesionally photographed and the photos will be on the official Jack White site for everyone to download. This helped immensely, and I'd guess 95 % of…

  worked very well

... except for those who were behind the recorders.

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

#415

Post by vageli » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:23 AM UTC

davb wrote: post #282

ManuelKiessling wrote: post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did people do that before there were cell phones?

My folks used the payphones at most venues to call our landline and speak to the babysitter.

Did they not have to wait in a queue of other parents who were similarly concerned? Sounds par for the course in that case.

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

#416

Post by DrScump » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:28 AM UTC

monksy wrote: post #342

zimpenfish wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Which is why they also have ushers whose job it is to move those conversations out of the concert hall. I've been to triple-digit number of gigs and that has never happened. Not once. Perhaps it's peculiar to the UK but still.

I've seen tons of people kicked out of venues. Most of the time the ushers are good enough to not disturb the event further when they do it.

It depends on policy of the venue and artist and can vary.

For example, a lot of concerts at SAP Arena are literally called "Zero Enforcement" where ushers are disallowed to intervene in any inter-patron situation outside of medical emergency.

It ends up being a Lord of the Flies situation where the fittest do (or stop) what they want.

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

#417

Post by kbenson » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:40 AM UTC

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

I think the counterpoint is that for some people, the more human experience is not a selling point, and actually a fairly large negative. Beyond the points laid out before, I have multiple children and multiple pets, and I'm the some person responsible for the technology stack at my small company which (means I'm on call for somewhat infrequent but not unheard of issues). Not being allowed my phone might just mean "eh, it's irresponsible of me to go" depending on the situation, and that's with my phone safely ensconced in my pocket except for an emergency.

Also, let's not let this "human" experience stuff slide, what it really means is "a late 1990's to early 2000's experience". It's not like pyrotechnics, large screens and giant electronic speakers are anything you would experience prior to 100 years ago.

If you don't want people doing certain things with their phones, then make it clear what is and isn't acceptable and combat it directly. For example, give everyone a wristband, and explain exactly what it's for. It's your one warning/get out of etiquette jail free card. If they have to come and tell you to stop doing something you were already warned about, they take the wristband. If they have to tell you again, you're out.

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

#418

Post by ahdroit » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:47 AM UTC

"2014, Jack White criticised people at gigs who spend more time on their mobile phones than watching the artist perform.

White suggested that he is “wasting time” performing for people who “can’t even clap” because they have a phone in one hand and a drink in the other."

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

#419

Post by larkeith » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 2:47 AM UTC

opportune wrote: post #375

monksy wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Manchester and Bataclan incidents are perfect examples. That's the whole point of terrorism. The groups are not effective enough to influence who they want without fear tacits. They're going to target large groups of people, and events tend to do that. The situation of the Bataclan, the emergency services does need to know whats going on inside, and at multiple points of the building. For Manchester, they needed…

I'm more likely to get killed by a fall in the tub than by a terrorist, yet I don't fear going into the shower without my phone. Fearing terrorism is a consequence of innumeracy. Do you carry your cellphone in case you or a nearby person get struck by lightning too? More US citizens get struck (and killed) by lightning every year than die in terrorist attacks since 2001.

The fact that the risk is comparatively low is no excuse to disregard it. Furthermore, any number of emergencies can be exacerbated by a lack of phone access - medical emergencies, fires, or any other major problem might have significantly higher fatality rates in the absence of telecommunications.

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

#420

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Fri, Jan 26, 2018, 3:24 AM UTC

narrator wrote: post #387

davb wrote: post #87

I experienced the Yondr phone prison last night for the first time (at a Chris Rock show). While I detest people being disruptive with their phones, I don’t think this is the right solution. From a practical standpoint, it took a lot longer to get into and out of the venue when phones had to be locked up. Checking your phone when you pop out to the toilet meant waiting in a queue to have your phone unlocked, and bein…

How did the world even work before cell phones? Meeting your friends: You made plans to meet at a certain time and place and you showed up when you were supposed to or you carpooled. In an Emergency: you'll find out what happened to your friends eventually when you meet at school or call each other then next day. You aren't emergency service personnel. You just need to evacuate. Going to the bathroom: you go to the b…

Turns out life also worked before electricity, but for some reason, if you were to advocate for people to live without it, most people would consider you a lunatic and luddite.