slop101

Or a band could just say, up front, that if they see any cell phones out, they'll leave the stage and won't come out until the phones are put away, and if it happens 3 times, they won't come back out.

islandclaws

I don't think that would ever work, especially in bigger arenas. I don't want to see cellphones as much as the next guy, but if I'm paying ~$150 to see an artist live they better play the damn show and not keep interrupting to chastise the audience.

People ruin everything and this would be no exception.

mndtrp

I think there would also be less phones if bands would put out recordings of their tours. Either music recordings from each night like Pearl Jam and Metallica, or just one recording of a standard set. Do a live video recording as well, even if it's from a stationary spot at the soundboard.

Every band that's had a live recording of the show I went to, I purchased. If there was a live video recording of the tour, I would usually pick that up, too. While it would cost a fair amount to do a full-production video recording of a show, I'd be more than happy to have a single-camera recording that was synced up to a soundboard audio source.

islandclaws

The thing is, though, you sound like a reasonable fan who enjoys collecting that sort of thing.

Now, imagine an arena filled with thousands of drunk morons. It would never work. Even if they handed you a physical CD of the show on your way out.

orangerunner

I don't think it would cost too much money. I'm not sure if it has been done before but they could just take the video feed from the "Jumbotron" screen, which is obviously edited on-the-spot and usually seems to have three or four different camera angles. They could use that footage and either upload it to band's website or sell physical burned DVD-Rs after the show.

Ash Ketchum

The Japanese pop groups I like release DVDs of their concerts, but a few months afterward. At the concerts themselves, the staff searches your bags, but I don't remember them confiscating anything. However, no picture-taking or recording is allowed and they have black-suited ushers patrolling the aisles constantly during the concert to make sure.

Here are shots of the entrance to a concert I attended in Japan two years ago:

mndtrp

Nine Inch Nails did it several years back for a few of their shows.


This would work for places that don't have the big screens, too.