Phones

[rock_on]

Noticed this year on telly that far fewer people were filming sets on their phones than in previous. Has the message finally got through that artists hate it?

[gooner1990]

I did think that overall but during Prodigy there were a lot of phones in the air obscuring my view!

[HyperTechnoHorse]

Never found it a problem tbh at Glastonbury and always disliked it when people moaned about it. I'll record half a song for every set I go to then put my phone away. Helps anchor the memory for me and serves as a tangible log of what I saw during the week.  Looking around that's what other people seemed to be doing as well - don't think I saw anyone record a full set or anything like that. 

[chambot]

20 minutes ago, HyperTechnoHorse said:

problem tbh at Glastonbury and always disliked it when people moaned about it. I'll record half a song for every set I go to then put my phone away. Helps anchor the memory for me and serves as a tangible log of what I saw during the week.  Looking around that's what other people seemed to be doing as well - don't think I saw anyone record a full set or anything

Yeah, that was noticeable at almost every set I went to for the weekend. If you're seeing 20-25 sets/acts for the duration of a weekend (including in the small hours) - a short clip and a few photos to remember what it was like where you were standing is all good imo.

Definitely a significant drop off in long clip or full song filming at Glastonbury in comparison to concerts at home in Dublin in recent times.
 

[SPW]

I was shamed taking a video (when normally avoid that) at the start of a FBS set to share with some mates not there that ends with him putting a big PUT YOUR PHONES AWAY message on the screen!😀

 

As with others, I don't mind the odd pic or short clip but it's the persistent holding up and filming entire songs, sets etc. If gonna do it for long spells at least hold it no higher than your own face so as not to f**k over others. 

 

 

[Maccajag]

I'm very anti phone at gigs usually, but at Glasto I had a habit of getting the phone out up in the air for a 10 second 360 shot whilst fully in the groove. Not to film the act but just to try and capture a snapshot of some of the memories/moments

[bob323]

1 hour ago, HyperTechnoHorse said:

Never found it a problem tbh at Glastonbury and always disliked it when people moaned about it. I'll record half a song for every set I go to then put my phone away. Helps anchor the memory for me and serves as a tangible log of what I saw during the week.  Looking around that's what other people seemed to be doing as well - don't think I saw anyone record a full set or anything like that. 

 

I do the same and noticed that every single person I saw filming also did the same

 

It makes sense

 

[Someoni]

A friend of ours live streamed the entire kneecap gig

[CR77]

2 hours ago, HyperTechnoHorse said:

Never found it a problem tbh at Glastonbury and always disliked it when people moaned about it. I'll record half a song for every set I go to then put my phone away. Helps anchor the memory for me and serves as a tangible log of what I saw during the week.  Looking around that's what other people seemed to be doing as well - don't think I saw anyone record a full set or anything like that. 

 

I'm absolutely the same.  I personally wouldn't record an entire song, let alone a full set!  But I try to get a verse and chorus of one song from each set I go to.  I usually end up filming the crowd as much as the bands, as I'm more into capturing the overall atmosphere.

Each year I always edit my Glastonbury videos together - love watching it all back.

 

[JoBalls]

I’m the same as some above, I do a couple of 10/20 second clips of my fave songs by that artist, for my own memories. I always make a video recap of Glastonbury, but it includes clips of everything not just the acts. 
 

Other than that, I put my phone away!

[uscore]

I take a single selfie of myself with the stage behind me,  as a memory of being there, for every act I see.  The idea of videoing any of it, given that it's being broadcast on the bbc, seems absolutely bananas.

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, uscore said:

I take a single selfie of myself with the stage behind me,  as a memory of being there, for every act I see.  The idea of videoing any of it, given that it's being broadcast on the bbc, seems absolutely bananas.

I’d say a personal short video gives something a bit different to the bbc … but like most I take something very short … bit disappointed I took what I thought was a short clip during prodigy with a flare above me , that I must have never hit record on 🙂 didn’t dare take the phone out more and it was firmly secured in pocket 

[fraybentos1]

i watched a man tik tok live streaming the entire 1975 gig. Perplexed me. 

[CR77]

21 minutes ago, uscore said:

I take a single selfie of myself with the stage behind me,  as a memory of being there, for every act I see.  The idea of videoing any of it, given that it's being broadcast on the bbc, seems absolutely bananas.

 

Lots of stages don't get any TV coverage though!  As for filming a TV stage... for me personally, I like to capture the atmosphere around me, so usually film the stage for 10 seconds, then film whatever's happening in the crowd for another 10 seconds or so - so it definitely feels like I'm capturing a more personal memory, which the TV coverage simply can't.

 

Having said that... was amazed at the person repeatedly filming a boring wide shot of John Fogerty down by the barrier (to be clear... boring shot, not John Fogerty being boring!) and wondered what value that really offered the person filming it - but nevermind!

[Pipine]

I wish I’d recorded the crowd around me for common people.. everyone (including Chris Martin) were dancing, singing and jumping around, just the best atmosphere and exactly what I hoped it would be after seeing their 95 set at home and desperately wanting to start going to Glastonbury to feel some of that atmosphere.  It was a classic Glastonbury moment. 
 

But as other have said, I saw a lot less phones out this year. Which was nice to see. 

[Pinhead]

I take one pic during the first song at every gig - only to remind me later of what I actually went to see!

Edited July 3, 2025 by Pinhead

[Spindles]

2 hours ago, Someoni said:

A friend of ours live streamed the entire kneecap gig

Helen?

[Neville Street]

I do the one pic, one 30 sec crowd video. Very selfishly, I always hope someone is videoing all of each song and posting on YouTube. V annoying when I try to search later and nobody has!! Is there a good one of FJM at Woodses please!?

 

[Someoni]

6 hours ago, Spindles said:

Helen?

Yes! Do you know her? My other half was at her place yesterday having a chat about it 

[SPW]

8 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I’d say a personal short video gives something a bit different to the bbc … but like most I take something very short … bit disappointed I took what I thought was a short clip during prodigy with a flare above me , that I must have never hit record on 🙂 didn’t dare take the phone out more and it was firmly secured in pocket 

I was in the front bit just to the left of the stage and mostly had my phone securely tucked away in a zipped pocket for fear of it going flying, and my shoulder bag chucked over the railings with the stewards. Watching back on iplayer I was v.impressed to see your hat bobbing away centre stage at the front, fair play for braving it in there with the hat on😀

[Henrik]

The singer from James ripped a phone right out of someone's hand at IOW. Then went on a rant about phones at gigs. 

 

Was quite funny actually. 

[Spindles]

2 hours ago, Someoni said:

Yes! Do you know her? My other half was at her place yesterday having a chat about it 

No, but the stream made her internet famous on the day, even getting mentioned on BBC news.

[dondo]

3 hours ago, Someoni said:

Yes! Do you know her? My other half was at her place yesterday having a chat about it 

I know her as well. Didn't realise it was her until I saw the article about getting free Kneecap gig tickets for life

[dondo]

1 hour ago, Henrik said:

The singer from James ripped a phone right out of someone's hand at IOW. Then went on a rant about phones at gigs. 

 

Was quite funny actually. 

When I went to see Jesus and Mary Chain at Brudenell Jim Reid had a go at someone filming at the front as they had the torch/light on whilst filming and was shining right in his eyes. 

[cb4747]

I took my daughter to watch Wolf Alice and didn't have my phone on me. Kind of gutted as I wish I had a photo of us together there but was nice having freedom from my phone. I found overall I used my phone less than what I normally do and I loved that.