Bob Dylan demands a phone and smartwatch-free show

[belboid]

In fairness, very few people attending a Dylan gig will be there for the music. They'll just want to say they were there.

Not at all. It will be packed with people who know what Bob Dylan does and what he sounds like. He's been fucking around with his songs for twice along as he played them straight. They're there because, weirdly enough, they like him.

 

[Plumdaff]

There needs to be some music industry shaming campaign. If it was considered pathetic and antisocial most people wouldn't do it.

I also wonder - do any of these people actually ever watch back the shaky tinny videos they've taken? Or is everyone livestreaming everything to an audience of no-one?

 

[hash tag]

IMO there's nothing wrong with grabbing a few seconds of video or some photos of a gig when you've shelled out loads of money for it. Not to mention the inconvenience of not being able to communicate with anyone not sat next to you for the entirety of the show. What if you want to whatsapp from the bar. Or check your train is on time? It's bollocks. I bet the gig will be terrible too.

Nah. One person a minute or two here another person a minute or two somewhere else. You could end up behind lots of people taking pics at various times. Ban them. Enjoy the gig.

In fairness, very few people attending a Dylan gig will be there for the music. They'll just want to say they were there.

See earlier post re manilow.

 

[MickiQ]

These pouches don't actually block the signal so you're supposed to set your phone to vibrate so you'll know you've got a call and can leave the 'performance space' (another one for the list of phrases I hate). You can guarantee that plenty won't put them on vibrate and you will end up with idiots with ringing phones they can't mute.
In principle though I agree with a phone ban (however enforced) in certain places like theatres, cinemas and concerts.
Eldest Q and her husband went to a christening a few years back and the priest told everyone to turn off their phones which she did but they had bought one of those musical mobiles as a christening present. When they stood up to sing the hymns, she accidentally kicked the bag with it in and it started playing away. She couldn't shut the bloody thing off and everyone was giving her the evil eye.

 

[skyscraper101]

Nah. One person a minute or two here another person a minute or two somewhere else. You could end up behind lots of people taking pics at various times. Ban them. Enjoy the gig.

See earlier post re manilow.

In my experience, some people just want a photo or two here and there, or a few seconds of video. And that's fine. It's not a shakespeare play ffs.

Occasionally you'll get a big track everyone gets their phones out for. Sure it can be mildly annoying for a moment but not enough that any artist should treat the entire audience like children who can't be trusted and lock away their phones. As for smartwatches, this is the most twatty thing I've ever heard of. What person, in the history of live music, has ever been irritated by a smartwatch? He can GTF.

 

[editor]

The numbers actually relying on them for health purposes will be tiny.

Not at a Bob Dylan concert, I'd wager.

 

[hash tag]

You missed the point, it's not one person one picture. It's lots n lots of people and all at different times.

 

[editor]

When I saw Kate Bush about ten years ago she asked that people didn't use their phones and it made a real difference not being constantly distracted by illuminated phones as people took their own personal shit videos.

 

[8ball]

Not heard of smart watches being used for essential health reasons. What sort of issues is that for?

Though stopping the sea of phones at gigs is something we can agree on. Shit for the performers as much as anyone else.

 

[belboid]

Not at a Bob Dylan concert, I'd wager.

Yes even at a Bob Dylan concert. Relying being the operative word. Useful, sure, but not absolutely necessary except in very rare circumstances. Things like heart monitors have their own separate that wouldn't be affected.

 

[bcuster]

And give me Bob Vylan over Bob Dylan anyday.

Bob Vylan lol

 

[PTK]

My phone won't fit in a Yonder pouch...

View attachment 444415

They speacial pouches for those kinds of phones. As long as you can find a long enough extension lead, you can take your phone to the concert.

 

[ska invita]

never heard of this

How It Works — Yondr

Yondr uses a patented system to create phone-free spaces for artists, educators, organizations and individuals :: Lockable Phone Pouch | Cell Phone Lock Bags For Schools | Cell Phone Lock Bag | Phone Pouch Lock

www.overyondr.com

 

[8ball]

Yes even at a Bob Dylan concert. Relying being the operative word. Useful, sure, but not absolutely necessary except in very rare circumstances. Things like heart monitors have their own separate that wouldn't be affected.

Don’t the smart watches need a connection to a phone anyway (ie. would be phone that is connecting with health device).

Might be wrong here, don’t know much about the things.

 

[PTK]

What you need is a 'watch'. It's like a smart watch, but for people who aren't cunts.

Also, you could do like some of us do, and not rush off at the end like a bomb is about to explode.

 

[8ball]

View attachment 444429

never heard of this

How It Works — Yondr

Yondr uses a patented system to create phone-free spaces for artists, educators, organizations and individuals :: Lockable Phone Pouch | Cell Phone Lock Bags For Schools | Cell Phone Lock Bag | Phone Pouch Lock

www.overyondr.com

Me neither - just been looking it up myself,

 

[skyscraper101]

When I saw Kate Bush about ten years ago she asked that people didn't use their phones and it made a real difference not being constantly distracted by illuminated phones as people took their own personal shit videos.

That was a request though wasn't it. And it was specifically just not to photo or film the gig. In the circumstances I think that was fine. Ask politely and most people will comply. Dylan's just being a twat with these pouches though.

 

[PTK]

I saw home thirty years ago and he was shite. I remember laughing out loud at just how bad it was.

I saw Bob Dylan at Wembley Stadium in 1984, and that was when I saw cognitive dissonance in action. He was not at all good, but most of the people in the crowd seemed to think he was.

 

[MickiQ]

Not heard of smart watches being used for essential health reasons. What sort of issues is that for?

Though stopping the sea of phones at gigs is something we can agree on. Shit for the performers as much as anyone else.

I have a Fitbit that monitors pulse and heartbeat and can be programmed to send alerts if yours varies from a pre-determined pattern. Mine doesn't since I don't have heart problems but I can see how it might be helpful to people who do.
Mostly I use mine for counting steps, counting calories when I go the gym and incredibly enough I use it to tell the time as well.
It does give me alerts when I get phone messages and texts but given it has to be within a few feet of the phone to be able to do that, I can hear the phone anyway.

 

[kebabking]

My phone won't fit in a Yonder pouch...

View attachment 444415

This is the colour of telephone that should be used in cases of Bob Dylan.

 

[pbsmooth]

good idea. lots of clubs do this nowadays - well, sticker over camera lens and told you'll be asked to leave if you take pictures/video/wave it around on the dancefloor.

can imagine Dylan is also a fan as it stops his terrible performance going viral and harming future sales.

 

[PTK]

I'm not down with it. Banning smartphones is a dick move. Banning smartwatches is just ridiculous. Who does he think he is?

OK sure SOME people are annoying with phones at gigs but he's not exactly Taylor Swift or Coldplay. I can't imagine the vast majority of his - let's be honest - mostly ageing audience even want to be holding up their phones for any length of time. They're not exactly the tik tok generation.

IMO there's nothing wrong with grabbing a few seconds of video or some photos of a gig when you've shelled out loads of money for it. Not to mention the inconvenience of not being able to communicate with anyone not sat next to you for the entirety of the show. What if you want to whatsapp from the bar. Or check your train is on time? It's bollocks. I bet the gig will be terrible too.

Do you often check the times of trains when attending a gig? Why?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Surely the answer for those who want actual evidence of how shit Dylan's gig will be is yonder your main phone and plug your burner.

 

[skyscraper101]

Do you often check the times of trains when attending a gig? Why?

Well, sure if the gig is running over or there's a chance the train is delayed or numerous other reasons. Taxis, pickups. etc. I dunno. I had to rearrange a taxi the other night when GLC finished earlier than expected. Guess what I used.

 

[MickiQ]

Don’t the smart watches need a connection to a phone anyway (ie. would be phone that is connecting with health device).

Might be wrong here, don’t know much about the things.

They connect to the phone via Bluetooth, they can perform most of their functions not connected to the phone but for a few functions that need internet connectivity then they need to be within bluetooth range of the phone.

 

[PTK]

Well, sure if the gig is running over or there's a chance the train is delayed or numerous other reasons. Taxis, pickups. etc. I dunno. I had to rearrange a taxi the other night when GLC finished earlier than expected. Guess what I used.

If the gig is running over, why would you want to check if the train is delayed?

 

[8ball]

They connect to the phone via Bluetooth, they can perform most of their functions not connected to the phone but for a few functions that need internet connectivity then they need to be within bluetooth range of the phone.

Ta. I thought without the phone connection they were basically a watch/pedometer/hr tracker.

 

[ska invita]

lots of clubs do this nowadays - well, sticker over camera lens and told you'll be asked to leave if you take pictures/video/wave it around on the dancefloor.

I dont go out much, where have you come across it? Im impressed that its common!

 

[skyscraper101]

If the gig is running over, why would you want to check if the train is delayed?

if the gig is running over or there's a chance the train is delayed

If I'm going somewhere by train, I usually check train times an hour or so before just to confirm there's no delays. If the gig is running over, I might just want to scout other options. Even if it's not, it's just useful to be able to do so. Obvs that would bother nobody, anywhere. Except apparently Bob Dylan. Good job you wouldn't know anyway if you have a smartwatch because the twat would've made you lock it in a pouch.

 

[pbsmooth]

I dont go out much, where have you come across it? Im impressed that its common!

me neither but have had it in London and Berlin. was listening to a dance music podcast recently where the DJ said underground parties in California/US were increasingly no phones. he said the majority, from memory. taken from the Berghain model I guess.