Etiquette in Crowds

[Hugh Jass]

 

I guess this would be the thread to ask this question:

 

Should camera phones be banned at gigs?

My views are 'Of course not, you can't police that!'  But when you go to a gig and you see fans filiming gigs on their phones and tablets (I mean, why bring an iPad with you??). 

 

On Frank Turner's last tour - he asked if people wouldn't film or record any of his new songs and said he was happy for people to record, take pictures etc of everything else but wanted to keep the new songs a surprise for people. I didn't see anyone with their phones out during those songs it was very refreshing to see people just enjoying the music without worrying what to post on their social media accounts - you know, to document how much of a fantastic time they are having! Some artist say that the performance is a moment you will never get back - you should step back, watch with your own eyes and enjoy the moment. 

I know that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's have also posted notices of "Please do not watch the show through a screen on your smart device/camera. Put that shit away as a courtesy to the person behind you and to Nick, Karen and Brian"

 

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's are right - it pisses off the people behind you!

 

So - what's people's views on it? 

 

 

 

I have a level of contempt for people filming gigs on phones that is usually reserved for paedophiles, rapists and Villa fans.

[sheffieldlady]

Sheffieldlady: Nothing more annoying than someone spending a whole gig in front of you with their camera phone waving about to try and get a good video. And 9 times out of 10 it's a sh*t quality recording anyway and you can barely see the band!

 

Now, I'm all for taking photos and cherishing memories and reminiscing over photographs but actually paying to see a gig with the artist right in front of you, and watching it through a tiny screen is propesterous! If you're gonna look at it through a screen then stay at home. Cause if you're not in the moment then you're not really there baby!

 

I've been in two-minds about getting disposables and getting them developed after the festival. It means for a quick snap and no screens waving about for the people behind. Yes the quality may not be great, and it may be out-dated but I'm a tangible man and like having a hard copy photo 

Love disposable cameras, very underrated.. even better when you get one teats over exposured. I'm planning on taking one this year just for the excitement of waiting for them to develop though there is nothing more disappointing than a finger over the lens on development day! 

[blackred]

I'm pretty chill about crowd movements and people wanting to move as long as it's genuine. I don't really care for an apology so long as they are actually moving.

 

I'm a pretty small guy, about 5'6/5'7 as covered before I generally accept I'm not going to get a fantastic full view, and it doesn't really bother me as mostly I'm content just to listen to the music. However there have been a few occasions of 'movers' making me lose my rag. It's not necessary about being a 'THIS IS MY SPACE!!!' but the ones who claim they are moving, so you either lean back or take a step back to let them through easier and then they just stand there in your place whilst you're huddled in a cram right behind them. It's so rude and obnoxious.

 

I had some prick do that to me last gig I went to (Hot Chip) who was about 6'5 and then proceeded to throw everybody sharp looks and get angry when our group were constantly bumping into him as we enjoyed the gig.

 

Had the exact same thing happen at Foo Fighters a while back where someone with his Gf pretended to move through the crowd only to decide to take the one spot a 5'7 person had for him AND his girlfriend to stand in, and then get aggressive and start confronting us and others when they kept on bumping into him or his girlfriend.

 

I know when tell people this story (mostly people who rarely go to gigs or festivals mind) they're pretty much always indifferent like 'oh why don't you just move then' but I'm stubborn and i think it's the principle that I'm not letting some selfish prick make ME move when it was him who caused the problem. Literally I've had people do this when there is hardly enough room to throw your arms up in the first place! It really can't be enjoyable for them surely?

 

Agreed, no problems with people moving through crowds - but you should have scouted out the bit of space you are aiming for before you start. It's nearly always possible to get right near the front using this approach so there is no need to stand in my already occupied spot!

[fightoffyour]

I have a level of contempt for people filming gigs on phones that is usually reserved for paedophiles, rapists and Villa fans.

[Hugh Jass]

 

Just kidding...

[pentura]

Love disposable cameras, very underrated.. even better when you get one teats over exposured. I'm planning on taking one this year just for the excitement of waiting for them to develop though there is nothing more disappointing than a finger over the lens on development day! 

 

I know the feeling! Took some on a trip to Victoria falls in Zambia in '08 and was super excited to get them back, only to find about half of the photos were destroyed due to moisture getting into the camera somehow

 

I have a good feeling Glastonbury won't be as wet as there mind 

[___S_o_m_a__]

even better when you get one teats over exposured.

 

 

[fightoffyour]

Just kidding...

Ha no worries! I tend to keep away from football discussion on here and concentrate on the festival anyway

[Rose-Colored Boy]

I guess this would be the thread to ask this question:

Should camera phones be banned at gigs?

My views are 'Of course not, you can't police that!' But when you go to a gig and you see fans filiming gigs on their phones and tablets (I mean, why bring an iPad with you??).

On Frank Turner's last tour - he asked if people wouldn't film or record any of his new songs and said he was happy for people to record, take pictures etc of everything else but wanted to keep the new songs a surprise for people. I didn't see anyone with their phones out during those songs it was very refreshing to see people just enjoying the music without worrying what to post on their social media accounts - you know, to document how much of a fantastic time they are having! Some artist say that the performance is a moment you will never get back - you should step back, watch with your own eyes and enjoy the moment.

I know that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's have also posted notices of "Please do not watch the show through a screen on your smart device/camera. Put that shit away as a courtesy to the person behind you and to Nick, Karen and Brian"

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's are right - it pisses off the people behind you!

So - what's people's views on it?

I agree with the principle of asking people, but not sure *enforcing* it is the way to go. At his arena tour last year Prince was so desperate to enforce a camera ban that he had a team of burly blokes stood either side of the stage shining bright torches at anyone with a camera. This didn't just highlight the offenders for the benefits of stewards given the task of relaying to said criminals that they could either delete the photos or be forcibly removed, but also constantly temporarily-blinded those of us who'd done nothing wrong. It all made for quite the uncomfortable atmosphere, and would have ruined a lesser gig.

[Hugh Jass]

Ha no worries! I tend to keep away from football discussion on here and concentrate on the festival anyway

 

Likewise.

[SimplyFred]

That girl, fresh from her glamping site, with perfect flowers in her hair up on the shoulders of her tank-topped boyfriend texting away to her mates at home 'Haaayyy, can u c mi on the TV?????!!!'

But seriously, I was actually really impressed by how relaxed the crowds were at Glastonbury overall, there was very little of the dickish behaviour I've experienced at other gigs and thankfully precious few phones out, though I'm sure that will get worse in time.

[Untz]

Should camera phones be banned at gigs?

 

 

People taking the odd photo, short video: whatever.

Everyone spending the whole gig staring through a screen: bad.

People taking photos of themselves the whole way through: worse than [insert your favourite genocidal maniac here].

 

Unless it's a gig where the acts don't want people to take photos or videos in which case people should respect that.

[brightyoungthing]

I never saw any piss throwing at Glastonbury until I stood at the front for Blur, piss everywhere.

 

 

Neil Young, would you believe?! 

[sheffieldlady]

Untz - I'm pretty much the same opinion really. I think the issue comes from when you can only remember certain things because of photos / videos on your phone but have no real memory of ever actually being there because you was to busy looking for that perfect picture (which makes sense if your a photographer!) but when you're using your smart phone as your camera, enjoy the moment. Who knows if it will ever happen again and who cares if it doesn't feature on your Instagram timeline / Facebook wall. 

 

_S_o_m_a_ - I am glad you supported my deliberate error nothing to do with me being stupid and hitting all the wrong keys at all!

[Matt - Ed Banger Records]

I was recently in Italy doing a bit of a tour and having spent ages trying to get a decent picture on my camera I ended up turning to my mate and saying 'shall we just ditch the cameras for now and have a moment to look about' realised I had spent far too much of my holiday viewing things through a bloody camera so it's something that I am loathe to do these days.

 

having said that, if someone wants to waste their own experience by doing that I couldn't give a monkeys to be honest.

[The Nal]

Neil Young, would you believe?! 

 

Neil Young was throwing pints of piss around at Blur?

[budvar]

Generally don't encounter too many problems with crowds at Glasto but there are a few pinch points that can be bad that are worth highlighting:

 

• The entrance to the Pyramid front section between sets - generally an issue if people rush in while others are trying to leave. You get some people complaining that have no business being down the front of a gig if they're not comfortable with a crowd, but you also get people barging through who also have no business not getting a kick in the nuts. My advice - take your time, be patient and move into space as it opens up (which it will)
• The crossing between the John Peel area into Silver Hayes. This can be a ruddy nightmare if something big is on in either of those areas. Close proximity of tents, the fact it floods badly whenever there's any rain and that it's where the main road into the backstage area make this something of a perfect storm. Sometimes they try to make the bridges one way, but lots of people ignore that making it worse. This area is best avoided when it's like that, but at least there's been a pretty set of banners to look at in recent years
• Entrances to Sacred Space / Stone Circle on the Wednesday and Thursday night - not sure if this is still a problem any more with more areas for people to head to but one of the worst crushes I was in was up there when security were limiting access to the field.

During sets, just try not to unduly piss off the people around you. If someone around you is unduly pissing you off do your best to move.

[DeadAmos]

Talking during gigs. 

 

 

Were you watching Car Power in the Park a couple of years ago?

Sorry not me

[CaledonianGonzo]

At a big noisy crowd at one of the larger stages you've got to be trying really, really hard to cheese me off. I couldn't give too hoots about people filming the gig and if you're far eniough forward the music will be loud enough that folk won't be able to have conversations. For the rest of it I'm usually too busy dancing to bother.

[The Nal]

At a big noisy crowd at one of the larger stages you've got to be trying really, really hard to cheese me off. 

 

So I thought too but at The Stones, sort of close to the front, a gang of 15 odd people piled in and then stood in a huge circle - with a lot of them facing away from the stage obviously - and proceeded to basically have their own little party. A few girls sitting in the middle of the circle, others making phone calls, shouting across at each other over the music which was obviously loud so they had to repeat themselves. 

 

"Hey did you tell Dave we were here?"

 

"WHAT?"

 

"DID YOU TELL DAVE WE WERE HERE"

 

"CANT HEAR YOU MATE"

 

"DID YOU TELL DAVE WE WERE HERE"

 

etc etc

 

About 100 people had to move away.

 

If it happens again I'll be calling a mate.....

 

[Kendo's Grill]

I think Glasto crowds do tend to be a bit more respectful to one another than some of the other festivals I've been to. That said, I was really annoyed by the crowd for Blondie at the Other Stage last year - people were just yakking away to one another with seemingly no interest in the music whatsoever. And when the set was finished, people appeared to have no idea of which way to move - they just milled around getting in the way of people who were trying to exit.

 

I think part of the problem with people who relentlessly post stuff to Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or whatever is that it seems to be all about them just 'being there' - the experience itself rather than the quality of it.

[brightyoungthing]

Neil Young was throwing pints of piss around at Blur?

 

     That image!!

[boggers]

Someone I know was at a gig, instead of battling through the crowd to go to the toilet, he pissed in a plastic pint pot, he went to launch it in front of him but forgot to let go and literally threw it over the guy in front, you can imagine what happened next. Piss funny to witness though but this kind of behaviour is disgusting and I don't condone it.  

There's been a many a time when piss has landed on my face while stood in a crowd, urgh that warm feeling! You've just got to get on with it though, I've never let it ruin my gig!

[LaxtonsSuperb]

Someone I know was at a gig, instead of battling through the crowd to go to the toilet, he pissed in a plastic pint pot, he went to launch it in front of him but forgot to let go and literally threw it over the guy in front, you can imagine what happened next. Piss funny to witness though but this kind of behaviour is disgusting and I don't condone it.  

There's been a many a time when piss has landed on my face while stood in a crowd, urgh that warm feeling! You've just got to get on with it though, I've never let it ruin my gig!

 

A mate of a mate is a bit of a lunatic and apparently, according to sources, at the Leeds Festival once, he saw someone piss in a pint pot and launch it forward into the crowd, said lunatic then grabbed a pint pot urinated in it and just chucked it all over the original thrower saying - "that's what you just did to someone else".

 

In some way justice was served but it's a ballsy move.

Edited June 16, 2015 by LaxtonsSuperb

[boggers]

If you want to stand at the front at a gig, that's your choice, just don't start been a dick when you get pushed into by people trying to dance, if you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

These people who stand beside the moshers at the front, then get nasty when they get pushed! If you don't like it stand at the back!