Well, actually I was smiling for a while
because it was another concert night at the Mountain Winery and we were going to see Melissa Etheridge and Pat Benatar.
Melissa Etheridge was first out and she put on a great show. She is very talented and there are many of her songs that I like but don’t listen to very often.
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I love when I get a shot like this where it’s like she’s looking straight at me. We weren’t sitting that close but I have a pretty good camera.
There was an intermission between the two bands while the stage was rearranged and then the lights went down. A voice came over the loudspeaker and said it was a “Smartphone free concert. No cell phones, tablets, picture taking or video recording during the performance.” WHAT THE HECK?
Now you know if you’ve been following my blog at all that we go to a lot of concerts and I’m definitely a picture taker. Not to sell or profit off of by any means, just to add to my concert scrapbook album for our own enjoyment and memory keeping.
We have been lucky to have seen some pretty great performers and since a few of them have passed away (Prince, Tom Petty)
or said they are not touring anymore (Bob Seger, Adele, Elton John), having the pictures from the shows we’ve seen is even more special.
All of the previous shows have been good ones until last night. It wasn’t even just the fact that we couldn’t take pictures. There were a few songs they did that I was not familiar with and at one point they sent the rest of the band away and sang a couple sitting down in chairs which is not a bad thing necessarily but they used some pre-recorded music for a bit of that. Really? That’s almost as bad as lip synching I think. They even tried to do a slow version of “Treat Me Right” and it just didn’t get me.
You know of course there were people who were taking pictures anyway and I admit I tried to get a few myself.
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Janet's Smiles 
Unusual about the no smartphones. This is the 21st century. Good luck on enforcing this. The energy and music would have been amazing!
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I’ve heard of a few performers requesting this now. I hope it doesn’t get to be a thing.
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Bummer!! I can’t believe they think they can realistically restrict the use of cameras on phones. Jeez… I can see why you weren’t pleased. I do like Ally’s thoughts about the retro vibe, too. Glad you had fun though.
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Yes, always a good time there.
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I personally hate it when people around me are taking pictures. I find it very distracting. Especially lighted cell phones. One or two quick pictures throughout the whole evening is not bad, but unfortunately some people don’t stop at that. When the cell phone is held up like a lighter used to be at least it is being pointed at the stage. Maybe move to the aisle to take a picture and I’m sure you save your stubs to remember what concert you went to. JMO
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Hey sister, guess we shouldn’t go to any concerts together, huh? Moving to the aisle is not always possible and most of the tickets nowadays are on your cellphone, not in paper form. There’s a way to get the pictures without being a nuisance and truthfully, if they restrict the pictures to the first three songs or the encore I’d be okay with that but to say no pictures at all is a bit unfair for the amount of money they charge for tickets. Thanks for stopping by the blog 🙂
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When we go to the symphony there are to be no recorded images at all, and I like that, because I do not wish to be disturbed or distracted. But that’s the symphony. I view the symphony almost like church. Don’t even cough near me, I’m having a religious experience. LOL
Rock concerts are full of moving, yelling, singing, shouting people. Not like the symphony.
The school concerts always want to sell videos, but they still let everyone record…
I feel like rock stars have more money than schools, don’t you?
And let’s just say you’re some kind of bootleg wizard. How much money can you possibly be taking out of the artists’ pockets? I’ve never once thought, “Instead of buying a ticket to see ____, I’ll just buy Janet’s scrapbook.” Lame. I’m with you.
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Thanks Joey! I had to laugh at you buying my scrapbook. I wouldn’t think about trying to capture anything at a symphony either and there have been plays we have gone to where I didn’t take pictures. Somehow rock concerts seem different than those performances.
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I’m sorry they didn’t let you take more pictures. It’s disappointing to pay that much for a concert and not be able to have a pictorial memory. They should at least do an encore where pictures are allowed. It would be in their best interest to see images to hype up attendance to future concerts. There are several places we’ve been (plantation homes, museums, presidential childhood homes) that I would love to do blogs on, but they won’t allow photography inside. Without pictures, what good is to to describe a museum or a presidential home, concert, etc.? Maybe the trick is to get the backstage VIP tickets, but for many that is totally cost prohibitive. Sorry, Janet. 😦
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Peter Frampton once allowed pictures only during the first three songs. I griped a bit about that but that was better than none at all. Your thought about the encore is a good idea too. That’s kind of why I waited until the end to take my pictures. If they are going to throw me out, show’s over anyway!
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I think it’s just expected now that people take pictures. I do agree with the no flash thing though! And as long you aren’t recording the whole show I think it should be ok? Like be respectful of those around you and be a decent human being and everyone should be fine lol sucks when one person ruins it for the rest and that’s probably what happened lol
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Yes. There is really no way to ban it unless you tell people that they can’t bring their phones in and you know how well that would go over. Some of the best effects I’ve seen is when everyone turns their phone lights on like they used to do with cigarette lighters.
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Yeah things like that are awesome! So much less of a chance of getting set of fire 😂😂
But I do love the idea of being unplugged, we spend so much time plugged in that I think we sometimes forget to enjoy the moment. My cousin had an unplugged wedding and I loved it! No people standing in the isle trying to get pictures or videoing it. The professionals did their job and everyone was attentive during the ceremony. It was lovely and I’ve been saying for years it’s how I want my wedding lol
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Yes. I see the point. Some people do get carried away.
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But still sucks when you want just a few pictures to remember the event
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I don’t take pictures at concerts and get annoyed when others are using flash or standing in front of me (which doesn’t sound like stuff you do). Perhaps she had a bad experience and decided to have her concerts camera free or she wants people to be in the moment rather than focusing on picture taking. It wouldn’t affect me so I’m not a good person to ask.
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I try to be as conscious of the people around me as I can and sometimes there are people in front of me with their hands up blocking my view and they don’t even have cameras. I can understand wanting us to be focusing on the music but then maybe say as Peter Frampton did, “Take your pictures during the first three songs.”
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That’s a great idea!
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Ridiculous. They probably have photographers too. I’m done with Pat Benetar. Maybe she should just go retire.
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I’m pretty sure we won’t see them again. I know my husband was particularly upset.
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Well… I’m not a picture taker so the no cell phone camera moratorium wouldn’t affect me. I can understand why you were upset, but didn’t you decades ago go to concerts where no one snapped a pic? Think of it as a retro concert. It was a flashback…
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LOL, funny thing is, Ally, I only went to one concert before the age of picture taking! I have heard of a few performers (Cyndi Lauper is one) who don’t want pictures taken either so you can be “present” at the show. I hope it is not going to become standard though.
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