Ok, I must be getting "old": concert peeve

leopattie loves PJleopattie loves PJ Posts: 14
edited October 2009 in The Porch
I went to the Seattle I and Portland shows last week, and just have to vent a bit about what has become my concert pet peeve....

The video takers.

The constant holding up of the camera, watching the entire concert thru the little viewer in the back.

I know, I know - we all want to see a picture or several from the show. Yes, I have taken some pictures at concerts!
But what happens to your actual experience of being at the show and just watching it?
Are we to the point where we can't just watch the show live and have the actual memories without video "proof" of the concert? Does everyone have to have their video for utube or facebook?

So this is the part where I offer up that it may just be a generational difference, hmm? Do I just need to get over the camera screen lights that are freakin' everywhere??
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  • its not generational. my mom tries to film everything. it gets on my nerves. just enjoy the moment. but she does anyway.

    if people want to film i dont care though. as long as they arent in my way!
  • i think the derogatory term sluggo should be used more .... especially to people filming over my head.....i get it I'm short, thanks for letting everyone around me know that too lol :D
    Ryan Crooks insists upon himself
  • wolfbearwolfbear Posts: 3,965
    I agree, but, it is a rock concert so anything goes imo. I'd like to think that PJ fans are over the spilling beer, puking, pushing, being rude, holding up their arms taking endless pics/videos, but I don't think so. It's just one of many hazards at a show. Sometimes you're lucky and aren't subjected and other times not. Still great to be there though! I look at it as just all part of the experience. :)
    "I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,509
    put down the camera and jam the hell out!

    i agree
    viewtopic.php?f=9&t=107221&hilit=+camera
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • PJ73PJ73 Posts: 68
    I agree, and I also agree that I'm getting old...

    The video taking doesn't affect my enjoyment of the show, but I do find it an interesting phenomenon. When I saw U2 in 2005, I was behind the stage, and everyone in the front row spent most of the concert staring through their cell phone cameras. I was thinking, you know, they're right there! Enjoy the moment.

    But maybe it's like that line from Clockwork Orange - "It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen. "


    PJ73
  • It really bugs me when the people in front of me or near me have their phones out the whole time, texting their friends about how that last song rocked or how hot the lead singer is, yadda yadda yadda. That big bright screen is fucking distracting. WTF are you texting for? Go out for a beer after the show and chat about it.

    My Dad was at a show last week where the guy sitting next to him was on his phone texting constantly. My Dad asked him to stop, because the screen was bright and distracting in a dark venue. The guy gave him a weird look, and a few mintues later the guy had switched seats with his woman and began texting again, like it was MY DAD that was the annoying one.

    Sometimes, with regards to the talking, I just want to tell the person to STFU and listen to the music. What are you there for?

    Luckily, the venue in my city (MTS Centre) employ their own photographers, and post pics of all shows on their website within days of the shows. And you can download them all. It's pretty wicked.
    Gimli 1993
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  • I'm definitely getting old. Earlier this year we were listening to my iPod at work and a co-worker asked me for a good list of "classic" rock bands. By classic rock he meant Poison and Motley Crue era bands. The Who and Led Zeppelin were "really really old".

    Its a technology thing and its generational. I didn't have a cell phone at my first concert. If I did it would have been huge. No texting. No camera. It would be weird and strange for the younger generation NOT to have these things.

    Get used to it. Its going to get worse before it gets better. The day will come when people will hold their cell phones in the air with a virtual lighter application running.
  • doomponydoompony Wellington, NZ Posts: 4,501
    Oh i dunno.....filming the whole thing may be distracting, but one song aint so bad is it? I remember coming home from Cat Power.. and I had managed to get all of Rambling Woman... and it was surreal to see it again. that said i wasn't holding it up (i was front row) and I wasn't watching through the viewfinder.. hence the camera drifting off in the wrong direction from time to time.



    I do fucking detest talkers. I told a douchebag at Liam Finn the other week to shut the fuck up. never done that before.
  • Hmm maybe I'll stop pulling my phone out to write down the setlist. I don't want to be a blight to others.... :P
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,768
    I hate this too, but only because people hold the camera over their heads with both arms, thereby obstructing your view of the stage, and you can only watch it through their viewfinder on their camera.

    its much more annoying when you're on the floor, because its harder to look around the obstruction, if your in the wings you can look over it.

    analog camera's never used to have displays on them, so people had to look through the viewfinder, which prevent this from happening.

    I'm a pretty tall guy.. and at the first seattle show, a guy 5 rows ahead of me who I couldn't see through in the first place, would hold his camera up for a whole song while videoing it. I wouldn't be able to see the whole middle of the stage.. its was annoying as hell.

    They should go back to banning cameras :)
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Its going to get worse before it gets better. The day will come when people will hold their cell phones in the air with a virtual lighter application running.
    :lol:
    My husband predicted they'd start making cell phones with that someday!
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • I'm definitely getting old. Earlier this year we were listening to my iPod at work and a co-worker asked me for a good list of "classic" rock bands. By classic rock he meant Poison and Motley Crue era bands. The Who and Led Zeppelin were "really really old".

    Its a technology thing and its generational. I didn't have a cell phone at my first concert. If I did it would have been huge. No texting. No camera. It would be weird and strange for the younger generation NOT to have these things.

    Get used to it. Its going to get worse before it gets better. The day will come when people will hold their cell phones in the air with a virtual lighter application running.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH8QxlkfcOw
    :D
    All the rusted signs, we ignore throughout our lives, choosing the shiny ones instead...

    And he who forgets, will be destined to remember...
  • dustinparduedustinpardue Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,829
    I don't care what other people do. I don't mind the video people because those usually go up on youtube to enjoy again
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  • It bugs me when they are right in front of me and all I can see is their darn camera.

    I always take my camera to shows but usually always forget to use it, I just get into the moment and forget about taking pictures.
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  • SpagsSpags Leigh-on-Sea, UK Posts: 3,052
    Unless you are in the front row don't bother.
    Nature drunk and High
  • Sprunkn7Sprunkn7 Posts: 5,286
    Yeah, hate it. I'm 5'3 and when the person in front of me holds up the camera or the phone all night I'm pretty much screwed.
    Thank you fellow 10 clubber for saving my ass....again!!!
  • I don't pay attention to anyone but the band on stage, besides from my vantage point i really don't get any one in front of me that can block my view :mrgreen: ..
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • ZiggyStarZiggyStar Posts: 14,328
    I don't pay attention to anyone but the band on stage, besides from my vantage point i really don't get any one in front of me that can block my view :mrgreen: ..

    Yeah yeah brag brag ;)
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  • Should this perhaps be the real reason for "cameras and recording equipment prohibited?"
  • I'm definitely getting old. Earlier this year we were listening to my iPod at work and a co-worker asked me for a good list of "classic" rock bands. By classic rock he meant Poison and Motley Crue era bands. The Who and Led Zeppelin were "really really old".

    Its a technology thing and its generational. I didn't have a cell phone at my first concert. If I did it would have been huge. No texting. No camera. It would be weird and strange for the younger generation NOT to have these things.

    Get used to it. Its going to get worse before it gets better. The day will come when people will hold their cell phones in the air with a virtual lighter application running.

    several years ago at a U2 show (I think it was them) they told everybody to take out their phones instead of a lighter
  • JaneNYJaneNY Posts: 4,438
    It doesn't bother me that much (I don't do it myself - no talent in that regard), but PJ fans are nothing in this respect, compared to NIN fans. NIN fans tape excellent footage, collaborate and provide fellow fans with wonderful recordings (there's a large team creating a DVD called This One is On Us....) with no obstacle from the band.

    Its a grey area - I'm pretty tolerant as long as I can see around the camera and not get my face bashed by someone holding the camera up, but people using crappy cell phone cameras is kind of pointless. At least use decent equipment that comes up with something of decent visual and sound quality that others could enjoy later.
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  • grizahamgrizaham Nashville, TN Posts: 340
    The camera thing is a little crazy. I personally don't do it but i am VERY glad others do because i enjoy watching live shows from 2 days ago from someone who was on the 2nd row with their HD camera! Its like i get to be there! :shock:

    Now what i think is absolutely hilarious and super embarassing is when people call there friends and hold the phone up so they can hear. There is NO way the person on the other line can understand what is going on! Hilarious! :lol:

    Anywho, less than a month til PA. :D
    Seen PJ 21 times live from 1994-2019

  • When I did the setlist relay from Toronto....the people around me kept looking at me when I was texting...
  • I don't care what other people do. I don't mind the video people because those usually go up on youtube to enjoy again

    this.
  • It doesnt bother me for the fact I can youtube shows I didnt go to and check out some songs live.

    At Green Day in Hartford, Billy Joe Armstrong said something like "this is a rock concert, not a fucking tv show".
    When I took my daughter to see the cheetah girls, it was like Elvis was in the building I think EVERYONE had a camera....however I will have a camera when I take her to see Miley Cyrus:)
    If a man speaks in a forest and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
  • megatronmegatron Posts: 3,420
    Its going to get worse before it gets better. The day will come when people will hold their cell phones in the air with a virtual lighter application running.
    :lol:
    My husband predicted they'd start making cell phones with that someday!

    they have this. a lady at an eagles concert made me download it. virtual zippo
  • The constant holding up of the camera, watching the entire concert thru the little viewer in the back.

    Here, Here!!

    Ain't it funny when things change so much, it's all state of mind?
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    I went to the Seattle I and Portland shows last week, and just have to vent a bit about what has become my concert pet peeve....

    The video takers.

    The constant holding up of the camera, watching the entire concert thru the little viewer in the back.

    I know, I know - we all want to see a picture or several from the show. Yes, I have taken some pictures at concerts!
    But what happens to your actual experience of being at the show and just watching it?
    Are we to the point where we can't just watch the show live and have the actual memories without video "proof" of the concert? Does everyone have to have their video for utube or facebook?

    So this is the part where I offer up that it may just be a generational difference, hmm? Do I just need to get over the camera screen lights that are freakin' everywhere??

    This doesn't make you old, it makes you sane. I went to a Brand New show and ended up stuck behind a guy videotaping the whole thing... I guess he needed to capture the "memory" of a show he didn't actually see because he spent the whole damn thing standing stock still and looking through a viewfinder. I see that around here too... people with 500 pictures from one show... like it's more important to accumulate STUFF like more photos, videos, and bootlegs, to show off to your friends than it is to accumulate memories of being at a great show.
  • megatronmegatron Posts: 3,420
    catch 22

    hate the tapers..love the youtube.

    bootlegs are my pictures but i still like looking the songs up on youtube.
  • I went to the Seattle I and Portland shows last week, and just have to vent a bit about what has become my concert pet peeve....

    The video takers.

    The constant holding up of the camera, watching the entire concert thru the little viewer in the back.

    I know, I know - we all want to see a picture or several from the show. Yes, I have taken some pictures at concerts!
    But what happens to your actual experience of being at the show and just watching it?
    Are we to the point where we can't just watch the show live and have the actual memories without video "proof" of the concert? Does everyone have to have their video for utube or facebook?

    So this is the part where I offer up that it may just be a generational difference, hmm? Do I just need to get over the camera screen lights that are freakin' everywhere??


    hahahaha...i hear that!
    video and photos.....and texting, etc. i am amazed at how 'disconnected' from a show so many concert-goers appear to be. i never ever even thought of bringing a camera to a show until pj. then again, most of my concert-going life they were never allowed. now with cell phones with built-in cameras there will ALWAYS be picture-takers. and hey, i admit, i do snap a few shots, but i never shoot video. but you bet.....annoying.


    i too miss the days of looking out at a crowd before an encore, with lighters all held high and lit up, and i don't even smoke anymore..... :| :? :mrgreen:
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


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