Gig Attendance and Social Media Challenges

[P. Aaron]

Any of us regularly working face this dilemma as live entertainment’s biggest hurdle. The person that cannot put down their device. This affects all forms of entertainment.

The short video says it all:

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[Samatza]

Yeah, you see that a lot these days. I ran into a friend I haven’t seen in 20 years and he started talking about a concert we went to in 1980, we both still remembered it like it was yesterday.
Today the world is vastly different: I saw a sign in a cafe that read “no, we don’t have free WiFi, talk to each other”.
People have lost the connection to each other and seem to prefer electronic interactions. I know that if I pick up the phone at work to speak to someone directly they sound a little surprised, they expect an email because they are not used to direct contact.

 

[P. Aaron]

I read an article about a study where participants were asked about an event they attended with a mobile device and recorded it (for alleged posterity), they ended up remembering less about the event than those attending who did not use a device in any way.

 

[BadSanta1281]

People should stop trying to constantly document their lives and actually experience their lives.

 

[StyleOverShow]

Yeah, I’m getting the feeling that the new generation ain’t exactly following in our footsteps with the hippity hop, living room recordings, beats, and this whole digital life thing. I play 4 strings 90% of the time and that makes me feel old given the 5-6’ers everywhere.

Dunno, I haven’t taken a pic of my food in years so there you have it.

 

[catcauphonic]

As an ex pro film photographer (& somebody with an awful memory), I can see the other side of this coin too...

I'm constantly amazed at what these compact new phone cameras can do. I have hard drives full of images chronicling my daily adventures not unlike the photo albums and boxes of prints and negatives in the closet.

I don't take pictures of my food unless it's something extraordinary.

In under 5 min of the 20min fireworks display on the 4th I took out my phone (no tripod as needed w/film) & popped off a few dozen shots to capture these, while the gal I was with squalked about it >

BOOM! Memories made and captured for the rest of my days.

When I go to see unknown bands that I like, i'll usually take 5 min for photos and even a video of one of their songs, and then get their info and send them to them to do as they wish... They're usually grateful, and I wish more people did the same for my bands. The quality of image in low light as well as the sound recording has gotten so much better in the past 5 years.

Edit to add: it's also important to be ninja cat like and not step in front of other spectators to get the shots, too... don't make it about you. I like taking pictures because photography is cool. Other than band postings, TB is the only social media I do in the past few years.

 

[jerry]

People should stop trying to constantly document their lives and actually experience their lives.

I don't know who has time to watch yesterday, today.

 

[Samatza]

I don't know who has time to watch yesterday, today.

So true. I don't think it's for them to watch I think it's just a "look at what I'm doing now" social media thing.
When we go to show with my son we take one picture under the sign at the venue, I print it and put it in a photo album.
Old fashioned I know but I can almost guarantee that the digital version will not survive the test of time like the printed photo will and it's just a memory of that moment, the event stays in your memory so there's no need to make a documentary out of it on your smart phone.
I have photos from my childhood with my grandmother, they have lasted almost 60 years with no deterioration. Very few photos were taken at the time because it was difficult and expensive, so you put them in an album and kept them safe. Now we take thousands of photos, store them on hard drives, DVD's etc. none of these media will survive as long as the photo album and there is no way you're going to look back through thousands of photos, in this regard they lose all meaning.

 

[P. Aaron]

As an ex pro film photographer (& somebody with an awful memory), I can see the other side of this coin too...

I'm constantly amazed at what these compact new phone cameras can do. I have hard drives full of images chronicling my daily adventures not unlike the photo albums and boxes of prints and negatives in the closet.

I don't take pictures of my food unless it's something extraordinary.

In under 5 min of the 20min fireworks display on the 4th I took out my phone (no tripod as needed w/film) & popped off a few dozen shots to capture these, while the gal I was with squalked about it >

BOOM! Memories made and captured for the rest of my days.

When I go to see unknown bands that I like, i'll usually take 5 min for photos and even a video of one of their songs, and then get their info and send them to them to do as they wish... They're usually grateful, and I wish more people did the same for my bands. The quality of image in low light as well as the sound recording has gotten so much better in the past 5 years.

Edit to add: it's also important to be ninja cat like and not step in front of other spectators to get the shots, too... don't make it about you. I like taking pictures because photography is cool. Other than band postings, TB is the only social media I do in the past few years.

My concern is not the capability of mobile devices. They’re incredible in what they deliver and benefit consumers. It’s really about the lack of humans personally interacting with their immediate world. With a mobile device, a human’s world is transformed from a measurable visible radius to a galaxy of viewing options. What gets lost is the spontaneous interaction with other humans within eyesight.

We’re losing chances to really interact with each other.

 

[Element Zero]

Yeah, I’m getting the feeling that the new generation ain’t exactly following in our footsteps with the hippity hop, living room recordings, beats...

For a second there it seemed like you don’t like other people making music you don’t like...

 

[SgtHulka]

Yeah, you see that a lot these days. I ran into a friend I haven’t seen in 20 years and he started talking about a concert we went to in 1980, we both still remembered it like it was yesterday.
Today the world is vastly different: I saw a sign in a cafe that read “no, we don’t have free WiFi, talk to each other”.
People have lost the connection to each other and seem to prefer electronic interactions. I know that if I pick up the phone at work to speak to someone directly they sound a little surprised, they expect an email because they are not used to direct contact.

I'm glad that people think a lot of our band to film us on their phones. How many of them go back and look at them? 5%?

The reason you and your buddy remember the concert from 40 years ago like it was yesterday is because the memory went into your head and not your phone.

 

[thewildest]

There are a few items or situations (portable phones are one of them) that are often entitled with being accountable for this apparent social, academic and intellectual decline. I think mediocrity, boredom, ignorance and pointless existence was already present there, for generations. Now there are these devices around that help us identify people in these situations, much of them rotting their days away comfortably in their virtual reality, much quicker.

Look at the bright side, what was once hidden, now is visible.

 

[zubrycky]

I don't really care about such questions. I never pay attention to the audience when I'm playing, anyway. I just enjoy myself and play.

In the other hand, this thread reminded me about this sad story...

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[Samatza]

I don't really care about such questions. I never pay attention to the audience when I'm playing, anyway. I just enjoy myself and play.

In the other hand, this thread reminded me about this sad story...

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Ah, reality bites!

 

[Spectrum]

When I first got a smartphone with a decent camera on it I shot lots of photos. Which I never bother to look at. It's easy to shoot so many photos that I don't have the patience to sort through and decide which ones I want to keep. And even the ones I really like I rarely actually print out, so they just hide on my computer where I never see them. If they're lucky, they'll get backed up before I get my next computer, but if not, I'll never miss most of them.

When I go to a live show, I might snap about 3-5 still photos, and I never bother with video. Most of my time my phone is in my pocket because I want to watch the show and enjoy the moment.

But I didn't grow up with the things, so what do I know?

 

[Wicked G]

As an ex pro film photographer (& somebody with an awful memory), I can see the other side of this coin too...

I'm constantly amazed at what these compact new phone cameras can do. I have hard drives full of images chronicling my daily adventures not unlike the photo albums and boxes of prints and negatives in the closet.

I don't take pictures of my food unless it's something extraordinary.

In under 5 min of the 20min fireworks display on the 4th I took out my phone (no tripod as needed w/film) & popped off a few dozen shots to capture these, while the gal I was with squalked about it >

View attachment 3486622 View attachment 3486624 View attachment 3486626

BOOM! Memories made and captured for the rest of my days.

When I go to see unknown bands that I like, i'll usually take 5 min for photos and even a video of one of their songs, and then get their info and send them to them to do as they wish... They're usually grateful, and I wish more people did the same for my bands. The quality of image in low light as well as the sound recording has gotten so much better in the past 5 years.

Edit to add: it's also important to be ninja cat like and not step in front of other spectators to get the shots, too... don't make it about you. I like taking pictures because photography is cool. Other than band postings, TB is the only social media I do in the past few years.

Very nice!! I can see details that my mind wouldn't remember if I was there in person. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of phone did you use?

 

[catcauphonic]

Sure, I can see some negative results in a society where everybody has their own personal library/entertainment system/social connections/etc in their pocket (including the addiction a small percentage will get to such devices or social media itself), however if there's too many people doing anything besides recording or taking pictures on their devices during our sets, I'd take it as a sign that we need to step it up in the songwriting and/or performance aspect.

As for me, photography has always been at least a hobby.

 

[catcauphonic]

Very nice!! I can see details that my mind wouldn't remember if I was there in person. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of phone did you use?

What did I used to use as a pro?
Hasselblad, Mamiya, Nikon, & Cannon.

If you mean for shooting live bands... the Samsung Note line has given the most attention to the cameras. I have a 9 which i'll be sticking with for now.

The 10 just came out but I can't justify the increased cost with the limited improvements, though the camera on it is even slightly better! (That also means now is the time to buy a 9 if you're looking for a really good one )

 

[Bander]

The OP is correct. Folks don't know why they do what they do anymore. They go to a show or game, and compulsively park on their phones. Just stay home with your phone. Prepare a nice meal, a little wine, and what ever happens after that...

 

[dBChad]

I appreciate this dilemma, and get where you're coming from, although, these challenges can be spun into opportunities fairly easily.

Start competitions on your band's own social media page: who can get the best live shot/video clip from your shows. Now, the phones/cameras are focused on you and your band, you have a photography team you don't have to pay (maybe award a grand prize and a few runners up some free band merch or a demo), and the people taking photos and videos are sorting through what they took the night before; because if it's a contest, they want to submit their best work. You could even end up with enough footage and stills to put a video together just from gigs you've already played!

Technology moves forward for everyone (look at how many bassist abandon lead sleds and fridges now that you can get a class D head that fits in the front pocket of a gig bag and a neo cab that can be carried in one hand), resenting the way people use it will leave you doing the same old thing getting the same results (low attendance, a distracted audience, etc.). Finding a way to interact with both the people and their mobile connection devices simultaneously could result in a larger following.

You could even go as far as making QR codes that allow patrons to tip the band or request songs.