Bob Dylan demands a phone and smartwatch-free show

[Saul Goodman]

“Guests maintain possession of their phones at all times“

You don’t. No one wants to steal your phone.

I'm not suggesting that anybody wants to steal it. I'm saying I'm not queueing up to get it removed from a bag at the end of the concert, because that would be more irritating than having to listen to Dylan sing for the length of the concert.

 

[belboid]

I'm not suggesting that anybody wants to steal it. I'm saying I'm not queueing up to get it removed from a bag at the end of the concert, because that would be more irritating than having to listen to Dylan sing for the length of the concert.

That’s not what happens. But don’t let facts put you off whining.

 

[hash tag]

There's a simple solution. A few signs and an announcement that anybody caught using a camera will be ejected from the venue, and enforce it.
But fucking about giving someone my phone and queueing to retrieve it? Nah.

Its not just the camera. Alerts and ringtones going off, calls be taken or made. Who wants to share in those at a concert. In a heavy gig no one would notice but Dylan's a totally different thing.

 

[Saul Goodman]

That’s not what happens. But don’t let facts put you off whining.

What happens is the phone stays in my pocket. But don't let my choices stand in the way of your acceptance of unjustifiable demands. I wasn't attempting to persuade anyone else to not respect Bob's authority.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Its not just the camera. Alerts and ringtones going off, calls be taken or made. Who wants to share in those at a concert. In a heavy gig no one would notice but Dylan's a totally different thing.

It'll be funny when phones start ringing and they can't be silenced because they're locked in a bag.

 

[belboid]

It'll be funny when phones start ringing and they can't be silenced because they're locked in a bag.

you really have no idea how any of this works, do you?

 

[stockwelljonny]

I've been a Dylan fan for 50 odd years, seen him a number of times but wouldn't go now.

I'm absolutely convinced that he is trying to find the point of awfulness where people stop buying tickets. He must be nearly there.

That said, I listen to his music probably at least monthly.

Fair enough but when I saw him at the Royal Albert Hall 7 or 8 years ago it was absolutely magical. He played a mix of old and new and it was brilliant. I happened to be sat in the first row right behind the band so could watch him. He was immaculately, turned out in Sharpe suit cowboy boots and hat, like an old gunslinger. He had a brilliantly tight band and it felt like a generous and intimate evening. I remember being very touched by him playing Autumn Leaves.

It was autumn about this time of year and I remember that I had cycled up across Hyde Park through the autumn leaves and then sat to hear Bob Dylan singing that song. Quite something.
I am going this evening to see him again and am hugely excited. If he says people have to shove their phones up their arse in order to see him, then as far as I’m concerned he can do what he wants.

He’s 84 and he made Blood on the Tracks so deal with it.

 

[Saul Goodman]

you really have no idea how any of this works, do you?

I know exactly how it works. The phone stays in my pocket. Not in a pouch in my pocket. What part of that are you struggling with?

 

[belboid]

My bro's went a couple if nights ago and said it was his best show in ages (& one had seen him in the US recently, so even better than that). Should be a good night.

 

[belboid]

I know exactly how it works. The phone stays in my pocket. Not in a pouch in my pocket. What part of that are you struggling with?

what the point of you is.

 

[Saul Goodman]

If being a yes man is your thing, crack on, but don't expect everyone else to fall into line because you choose to.

 

[stockwelljonny]

My bro's went a couple if nights ago and said it was his best show in ages (& one had seen him in the US recently, so even better than that). Should be a good night.

Good to hear, the whole tour finishes on Thursday too I think

 

[Sasaferrato]

Fair enough but when I saw him at the Royal Albert Hall 7 or 8 years ago it was absolutely magical. He played a mix of old and new and it was brilliant. I happened to be sat in the first row right behind the band so could watch him. He was immaculately, turned out in Sharpe suit cowboy boots and hat, like an old gunslinger. He had a brilliantly tight band and it felt like a generous and intimate evening. I remember being very touched by him playing Autumn Leaves.

It was autumn about this time of year and I remember that I had cycled up across Hyde Park through the autumn leaves and then sat to hear Bob Dylan singing that song. Quite something.
I am going this evening to see him again and am hugely excited. If he says people have to shove their phones up their arse in order to see him, then as far as I’m concerned he can do what he wants. He’s 84 and he made Blood on the Tracks so deal with it.

I hope he is good. The comments on his Usher Hall appearance the other week were good.

 

[hash tag]

He was immaculately, turned out in Sharpe suit cowboy boots and hat, like an old gunslinger.

Hes gone all C & W

 

[stockwelljonny]

Hes gone all C & W

He’s just cool!

 

[hash tag]

He’s just cool!

I have just seen times. Doors open at 18.30 for a 20.00 start. I'm wondering if they won't even let us in to the bars until smart thing is locked away.

 

[PTK]

I wonder if Bob will be singing "Neighbourhood Bully", his unabashed defence of the actions of the State of Israel.

 

[krtek a houby]

Hes gone all C & W

Again!

 

[DJWrongspeed]

I went to see Mudhoney on Wednesday and got a few snaps of my mate in the moshpit and a ten second clip of my favourite song. Don't think I ruined anyone's night.

The point is if the whole audience did this it would ruin the collective occasion. Id rather live life over miniaturising it.

 

[story]

If I knew a gig was going to be phone and superwatch free, I would totally try to go. Even if I didn't like the music that much. Just to remember what life was like, when it was proper, and people weren't continuously seeing through a view-finder what's right in front of their eyes.

One reason I like classical concerts is that people are, on the whole, more cerebrally refined than other music genres. (Yeah, bite me) They want to be there in the moment, absorbing the acoustics, and the finesse of the musicianship in finite detail. You can actually close your eyes, and not only still be there, but you can be MORE there...trying to compress a full live symphony orchestra and choir onto a mobile phone is bound for disappointment.

We're usually older at these classical music gigs, and recall life before the mobile revolution. We just lived it. But there's also a sense for the younger people of getting your money's worth, and if you CAN record your life's most expensive memories, then why wouldn't you? If I'd paid thirty squillion quid for a Taylor Swift ticket, you know I would want to film at least some of it. And steal the seat. And nick some commemorative toilet paper. And a bar mat.

This is why I'm not allowed in nice places any more.

I go to a lot of gigs. Big and small.

Most of the shows I go to, no one is waving a phone around.

At the bigger more commercial shows there’s a lot of phone filming while jumping up and down.

Your second paragraph could be exactly applied to some of the gigs I go to. Craven Faults for instance, the entire room was silent and mesmerised and several had their eyes closed, for both the main act and the support act. They took out their mobile phones after the show to take snaps of the analogue synth. I didn’t see one phone held up during the show

At USA Nails on Saturday the audience was similarly silent and attentive. No phones. Very different music so less of the mesmerised but paying very close attention.

Those were older audiences, but it’s not just the oldies. Rabbitfoot and Charlemagne are barely out of their teens themselves and both bands have a young audience. Absolute silence in the room for these bands. No mobile phones.



There seems to be as assumption that all youngsters have an inability to focus, attend, appreciate things in the moment. It may be the case for some, but definitely not for all.

 

[hash tag]

Back in the day before mobile phones people were occasionally caught trying to record the gigs. If so, they had the recording gear smashed.
Returning to tonight, the pouch thing worked very well. The gig was short n sweet, the band very good.