Telescoping: the art of filming at a gig

Are you the type of person to film a fireworks display and enjoys rehashing the memory by watching the displays back weeks later? No me neither. My twin sister on the other hand, she can’t resist capturing these ‘magical’ moments, only to never re-watch the clips and delete the videos weeks later, when they start to clog up her phone memory. Maybe you are the type of person that spends the entirety of a gig with your arm suspended in the air to film your experience. I am not one of those people either, but I do understand that live streaming gigs can help people not at the event to share the experience.

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I once witnessed a group of festival goers at a Foals headline set comparing previous Foals gigs on their phones, and telling everyone around them what to expect next. I really appreciated their enthusiasm and they were obviously true fans, but what happened to living in the moment?

The live music experience appears to be slipping away from embracing the moment, as it is being gradually replaced by a sea of illuminating mobile phones – all trying to rise the highest to capture memorable moments. Gigs, live music and festivals are special and uniting experiences that bring a collection of individuals together for the sole purpose of watching an artist or a band perform their material live on stage. The experience gives fans the opportunity to see their favourite musicians in the flesh, attend iconic music venues and connect with other music fanatics from all corners of the world.

Jack White is just one artist that has decided that gig-goers are not allowed to take pictures and videos at his live shows. Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia.

I will always remember my first gig, I went to see Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs at Bristol’s O2 Academy and it was an unforgettable, invaluable experience. I don’t have any videos or photos of the gig – mainly because I didn’t have a nifty camera phone that could capture anything worthwhile. Everyone remembers their first gig right? The question is, would I remember my first gig any better had I filmed the entire thing? Archiving the footage for a later date. I don’t think it would have helped either way, and I am not sure my Nokia 3310 had the technological capacity to film or record anything.

Current smartphones on the other hand are wonderful creations, which combines a variety of useful features to help users to complete a range of actions, from communicating on social media to paying household bills. From a gigging perspective, the smartphone can be a destructive construct that records distorted sounds, captures grainy visuals and hampers another person’s view. I am all for filming and taking photos at gigs, as long as it is not affecting someone else’s experience. I am not suggesting that smartphones are banned at gigs merely that we look and restore the live music experience in the digital age.

Kate Tempest has urged audiences to not use phones. Image by Geoff Pugh.

Spoken word artist, poet and feminist icon Kate Tempest is one artist that has proposed an impressive solution that helps to cater for all gig-goers. During her performances on her latest tour, she allowed members of the audience to take as many photos and videos as they liked. This happened before she started her fiery performance. After this, she kindly requested that everyone in the venue should refrain from taking photographs or videos, as it would difficult to build a connection with her audience if all she could see were phones instead of human faces. This is a valid point that would benefit both the performing artist/band and the audience perspectives.

Lakota, the Stokes Croft party venue, also introduced a viable solution which they introduced at their Halloween event. The event made attendees use ‘Baggies’ by Yondr – a lockable case for your phone – that keeps your phone enclosed in the case until you leave the event or the event finishes. The solution was well-received by many at the event, and gave the opportunity for people to connect with strangers should they lose their mates. We’ve all been there.

The Yondr phone case system which Lakota introduced at their New Years Eve party. Image courtesy www.overyondr.com

Both Kate Tempest’s and Lakota’s solutions are practical ways to solve the hindrance of continuous filming at a music event. Let’s find a solution that caters to all gig-goers and live music enthusiasts. You can sing along to every song, throw some questionable dance moves and connect with others without needing to capture on your phone.

Main photo by Jena Ardell via Getty Images

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