Lots of good comments already. Like others have said, if it's not something that's really distracting, the artist should just ignore it. Texting is NOT distracting. Talking on your cell would be. Getting drunk and shouting or talking loudly with your friends during a quiet moment in the show is distracting. Usually the audience or security can take care of that, though, and I don't really see why the artist needs to get involved. I also have to agree with Cori that I find long, rambling monologues during concerts to be incredibly tedious and self-serving. I might even agree with someone's politics, but I don't go to a show to listen to someone talk about politics. A little inter-music banter is great. 10 minutes of screed is not.
Not to be totally off subject, but I also never can understand certain artists who record a live album and put a section on it that has them telling some very long anecdote. A couple of artists whom I really like come to mind as being guilty of this: Ani Difranco and Bruce Springsteen. The anecdote might be interesting the first time around, but who wants to listen to that every time they listen to the album? I understand they might be trying to capture a moment (another one that comes to mind are the prison albums that Johnny Cash recorded), but it just means I'm hitting the fast forward button whenever those sections come on.
Suzi
Do artists have a right to be precious?
Any artist who dresses down audience members for bad behavior is a hero to me. I hesitate to go to concerts because of these people - not sure why they're there. Talking, making phone calls, texting, yelling "WOO!" at inappropriate moments, yelling stuff out. Just watch the damned show. YOU are not why we're here. We have no interest in you, and we're not going to develop one based on you acting like a jackass. (This is a weird phenomenon I've seen repeated several times: Drunk guy on a date with a woman he seems not to know all that well, loudly going on and on and on to her about how great the band was the LAST time he saw them. Meanwhile, missing the show that's going on right in front of him, and making the rest of us miss it, too.)
As for "customers" -- I'm a customer, and I'm there to watch the show, not the audience, so I figure these performers ARE watching out for their "customers" -- the real ones.
And texting is distracting, at least to many of us. If it isn't to you, great, but it is to many of us. And for the performer. How would you like to be putting on a show and see people in the audience ignoring you with their noses in a smartphone? It's rude and insulting, and it potentially can distract the artists from their work. So even if it's not distracting to you directly, it still can wreck a show.
I've come to believe in a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of thing -- I've had too many shows ruined by these self-involved, obnoxious cretins.
As for "customers" -- I'm a customer, and I'm there to watch the show, not the audience, so I figure these performers ARE watching out for their "customers" -- the real ones.
And texting is distracting, at least to many of us. If it isn't to you, great, but it is to many of us. And for the performer. How would you like to be putting on a show and see people in the audience ignoring you with their noses in a smartphone? It's rude and insulting, and it potentially can distract the artists from their work. So even if it's not distracting to you directly, it still can wreck a show.
I've come to believe in a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of thing -- I've had too many shows ruined by these self-involved, obnoxious cretins.
1. Just because you pay a sometimes huge sum of money to attend a concert doesn't give you the right to distract the artist or disturb other audience members. You think anything goes just because you bought a ticket?
2. The fact that an artist may have blown up at a member of the audience doesn't necessarily define that artist in my mind. Maybe he or she was having a bad day. Maybe he was screwing up the lyrics to a song and got frustrated. Maybe she blew a guitar riff that she can normally play in her sleep. Maybe the artist got in an argument with a spouse or partner or bandmate. If we judge people by one act of stupidity or silliness, who among us could pass the test? Even the best among us here at TG have said things we regret.
2. The fact that an artist may have blown up at a member of the audience doesn't necessarily define that artist in my mind. Maybe he or she was having a bad day. Maybe he was screwing up the lyrics to a song and got frustrated. Maybe she blew a guitar riff that she can normally play in her sleep. Maybe the artist got in an argument with a spouse or partner or bandmate. If we judge people by one act of stupidity or silliness, who among us could pass the test? Even the best among us here at TG have said things we regret.
Again thanks for comments and I'm glad to have a couple of posters take a look at it from the artist viewpoint. Whist I think artists can at times be a bit precious, I don't take the view that they must sit and play no matter what. The guy who wrote about Eddie Vedder actually made the comment that Eddie had said what everyone in the audience wanted to say. Obviously he can't speak for everyone, but at least 1 person wasn't happy with someone texting.
Suzi I'm curious, are your referring to Springsteen's long introduction to 'I'm on Fire'?
Anyway, I do think there are, like most situations, 2 sides to the story.
Suzi I'm curious, are your referring to Springsteen's long introduction to 'I'm on Fire'?
Anyway, I do think there are, like most situations, 2 sides to the story.
I can understand why some people might find texting during a concert annoying, and I do understand from the artist's perspective why it could feel insulting. I personally am not much of a texter and I doubt highly I'd do it during a show. But people do annoying things all the time, and of all the annoying things that people can do while in a large group, texting is very low on my list. It ranks right around seeing a person wearing an annoying shirt (like one I saw recently that said, "I'm right. You're wrong. End of discussion.") To me, it's an annoyance that is not at all intrusive. You can easily ignore it. I'm far more annoyed by people doing things that are visually or audibly distracting and intrusive (yelling at inappropriate moments, chatting during songs, singing lyrics really loudly, sitting on people's shoulders, etc). To people like that, I'd have probably just ask them to stop (I've done this and have had varying results). I retract my statement that the artist shouldn't get involved. If no one else is going to intervene, then sure. Still, I don't reallly see the point in getting worked up about texting. Just my opinion.
Tony- I'm not sure if it's that part of the live album or not, without going back and listening to it. All I know is there's one part where he talks for what seems like 10 minutes about being an angst-ridden teen and wanting to get out of his town, etc. I used to have it on cassette and I felt like I'd hit that fast-forward button forever.
Tony- I'm not sure if it's that part of the live album or not, without going back and listening to it. All I know is there's one part where he talks for what seems like 10 minutes about being an angst-ridden teen and wanting to get out of his town, etc. I used to have it on cassette and I felt like I'd hit that fast-forward button forever.
Since Alaska is so far away from anywhere, sometimes the promoters of the Alaska State Fair have a hard time bringing big time acts up here. Ted Nugent has in the past, been ready to jump at the chance to play our fair, cause the date is about the start of the hunting season. He always has his bow ready.
Otherwise, the folks here can wait up to a year to see a big name band or artist. Last year, just such a band showed up. They took the ticket buyers here so serious, that they spent the afternoon drinking in a tavern on the Fairgrounds, then happily took everyones money while they could barely walk, let alone play the songs that everyone paid to hear. Those that went to listen, said it was, by far the worst example of a show they had ever seen.
I was at a show in KC, Royals stadium in fact, when the PrimaDona (in Fleetwood Mac) herself, refused to share a stage with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Consequently, those of us that paid to see a night full of stars got screwed.
When I lived in KC, I saw dozens of shows. If someone in the crowd, got out of line, the security would take care of the issue. But I've seen a lot more bad behaviour from band members than I have from a bunch of folks there to have a good time.
Otherwise, the folks here can wait up to a year to see a big name band or artist. Last year, just such a band showed up. They took the ticket buyers here so serious, that they spent the afternoon drinking in a tavern on the Fairgrounds, then happily took everyones money while they could barely walk, let alone play the songs that everyone paid to hear. Those that went to listen, said it was, by far the worst example of a show they had ever seen.
I was at a show in KC, Royals stadium in fact, when the PrimaDona (in Fleetwood Mac) herself, refused to share a stage with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Consequently, those of us that paid to see a night full of stars got screwed.
When I lived in KC, I saw dozens of shows. If someone in the crowd, got out of line, the security would take care of the issue. But I've seen a lot more bad behaviour from band members than I have from a bunch of folks there to have a good time.
Okay, we've probably beat this dead horse pretty good by now;
but I 've got some more kindling to throw on the fire.
Tony u are most definitely correct that there are two sides to every story. And, many times the hard facts of
what really happened in a given situation have become distorted; by the time we hear of it. That may well be
the case with Vedder or the Church. We'll never know I suppose.
But with that said, Tony you made the comment about the author (who was apparently in the audience) saying
that Vedder merely said what everyone secretly wanted to say themselves. Well, that may very well be. I
wasn't there and don't know exactly how it went down. But have you ever been to a Pearl Jam show? He could
light a fart and the crowd would cheer with approval. He could lie and his die -hard fans would swear to it. LOL!
Dennis, to your #1, Certainly Not! I don't believe anyone to post so far, has implied that the ticket holder has
carte blanche to do whatever they want. As to your number #2: I hear what you are saying. It is bad form to rush
to judgment about an artist.That is good advice. I think though in this case, there is definitely a pattern of
over-the top arrogance with Eddie. I don't think he has gone Charlie Sheen (Duh, Winning!) on us just yet, though.
Walt, to your question: "How would I like it if someone was texting while I was performing?" Well, I might be inclined to accept the fact that it is impossible & probably a little narcissistic to think everyone's undivided attention at EVERY possible second belongs to me. But mostly I would just be thankful I didn't have to work a real job...I would simply put up with this VERY, VERY, VERY mild annoyance.
but I 've got some more kindling to throw on the fire.
Tony u are most definitely correct that there are two sides to every story. And, many times the hard facts of
what really happened in a given situation have become distorted; by the time we hear of it. That may well be
the case with Vedder or the Church. We'll never know I suppose.
But with that said, Tony you made the comment about the author (who was apparently in the audience) saying
that Vedder merely said what everyone secretly wanted to say themselves. Well, that may very well be. I
wasn't there and don't know exactly how it went down. But have you ever been to a Pearl Jam show? He could
light a fart and the crowd would cheer with approval. He could lie and his die -hard fans would swear to it. LOL!
Dennis, to your #1, Certainly Not! I don't believe anyone to post so far, has implied that the ticket holder has
carte blanche to do whatever they want. As to your number #2: I hear what you are saying. It is bad form to rush
to judgment about an artist.That is good advice. I think though in this case, there is definitely a pattern of
over-the top arrogance with Eddie. I don't think he has gone Charlie Sheen (Duh, Winning!) on us just yet, though.
Walt, to your question: "How would I like it if someone was texting while I was performing?" Well, I might be inclined to accept the fact that it is impossible & probably a little narcissistic to think everyone's undivided attention at EVERY possible second belongs to me. But mostly I would just be thankful I didn't have to work a real job...I would simply put up with this VERY, VERY, VERY mild annoyance.
I have to say that I have a lot of sympathy for the artists in these situations. I have often found it difficult to concentrate on an artist due to the behaviour of some of my fellow audience members..........and I'm just trying to listen. It may not be narcissism that makes them stop and pull up a member of the audience, it may be consideration for the other members of the audience whose evening may be getting spoiled. As a "performer", trying to record a video for TG, I can be distracted by a bird flying past the window or next door's dog barking.
I found this video a few months ago. As well as letting us hear a pretty good (in my opinion) version of You've Got To Hide Your Love Away by Eddie Vedder - it shows us that maybe he finds it more difficult than others to ignore things that are going on around him while he performs. I certainly wouldn't hold that against him. And, on this occasion, it certainly goes down well with the audience.
I found this video a few months ago. As well as letting us hear a pretty good (in my opinion) version of You've Got To Hide Your Love Away by Eddie Vedder - it shows us that maybe he finds it more difficult than others to ignore things that are going on around him while he performs. I certainly wouldn't hold that against him. And, on this occasion, it certainly goes down well with the audience.