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Wednesday, June 03, 2026
Chrissie Hynde Rails Against Phones at Gigs: 'It's a Weird Compulsion'
www.rollingstone.com: “It’s like a weird compulsion that people can’t control,” she writes. “It reminds me of monkeys wanking in full view of the people standing around their enclosure … and frankly, in that case, people deserved to be wanked at because monkeys should not be in an enclosure in the first place … However, an artist on a stage?”
Live events are meant to be experienced live. There is an energy that live shows have when the audience's enthusiasm for the show creates a feedback loop with the performer's enthusiasm. Live shows still exist because this energy cannot be replaced or replicated. While I'm not immune to the temptation to snap a picture or quick video of a show to share with friends I know would love it I always feel like doing so cheapens the experience. For one I'm spending time fiddling with my phone to get it in camera mode and line up and shot when I could be focusing on the show. But more importantly when I watch those clips back later they don't evoke nearly as much emotion as standing there witnessing it live. In a world where we can take snapshots of important moments and share them with as many people as we want there are still some things where you had to be there. Just like how many people would if given the option rather watch sports games from the stands rather than watching the broadcast despite the broadcast showing the same thing looking at pictures or videos of a concert will never be the same as actually being there.
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