Through the looking glass: music concerts today
125
views
If you spend most of a concert looking at your phone, were you really there?
Music festival season is in full effect, with the major success of Coachella and the whopping failure (failure being an understatement) of Fyre Festival. With the help of smartphones, outsiders are able to view these two events vicariously through its participants. Gruesome photos from Fyre Festival show us music festival hell, while ample amounts of videos of Lady Gaga’s new song “The Cure” try to make us feel like we’re standing in the crowd. But as much as we wish we were at Coachella (and thankfully not at Fyre Festival), watching an amateur video doesn’t put us at the event. So are those filming the concert actually there?
Yes, physically that person is there among other music fans who spend a hefty fee to see their favorite artist sing their favorite tune. But when viewing an event through a phone or other device, there is an immediate disconnect. Those who recorded Lady Gaga’s new song at Coachella spent that time holding up their phone and focusing on the ~5-inch screen, while a fantastic spectacle happened in the space around them. That video may or may not last forever, but what about the experience?
loading...
I recently watched a performance of Pearl Jam at PinkPop in 1992 on YouTube (filmed by the event staff) and it’s full of raw energy. This is not only due to Pearl Jam’s electrifying performance, but the crowd’s full attention. With the lack of cell phones, there’s no barrier between the musicians and the audience. It is the purest incarnation of a music concert.
The reliance of social media has taken away from this purity. Yes, it’s cool to show your friends and followers the fun activities you partake in, but what’s the point if there’s no personal connection? Holding up a device at a concert is an effort in itself, and turns the active part of listening to music into the passive. Not to mention it also distracts those in close proximity. It’s a lose-lose situation.
I think taking a picture or video for about two minutes out of the sixty is fine; a small keepsake of a fun night, if you will. But the more time you spend on your phone, the less time you live in the moment. Next time you’re at a concert and you have the urge to pull out your phone, take a second and look around. You’ll see many others watching through their screens, their attention held on their devices. That could be you too. Or you could watch the musicians you love, playing their hearts out for you, yes, you! Don’t hear the music, feel the music.
Loading...