Smartphones are ruining events for me
My husband surprised me with tickets for Valentine’s Day to see Gregory Porter, a contemporary jazz singer whose voice is so smooth I sway with entrancement.
The concert at the Warner Theatre in the District was fabulous, except for one thing — a sea of brightly lit smartphones.
What we hadn’t expected to come with the ticket price and fees was the frustration of constantly peering around people’s phones to get a view of Porter.
If this is you, please stop ruining the vibe of shows. Stop being inconsiderate to other concertgoers.
And this isn’t a generational thing where we’re supposed to accept this discourteous behavior because it’s how young adults have transformed the concert experience. People of all ages are recording memories of the occasion or capturing videos they can post on social media to show off they were at the concert.
One seat over from me, an older woman kept her phone out with her screen set bright enough to land a small plane. If that weren’t enough, she took pictures throughout the concert — from the balcony — with the flash on. All she managed to snap were blurred images of Porter because of the stage lights. Still, she kept clicking away.
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I leaned over and politely asked whether she might put her phone facedown in her lap. She obliged — but only for a few minutes.
Then it was back to tap, flash and record. I could see what she was capturing, a grainy video that couldn’t be worth viewing later.
Throughout the theater, other concertgoers held up their phones to film Porter, distracting from the jazzy mood he was setting. One woman managed to get a full-size iPad past security. It was like she was holding up a small television, visible to everyone sitting behind her.
What the heck?
So what’s this got to do with personal finance?
I’ll tell you what.
If I pay good money to see a concert, I would rather not be disturbed by people trying to memorialize the moment on their mobile devices.
What an utter waste of your money and mine. You are paying for the live performance. Don’t obsess about capturing it for later.
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Why would you spend upward of $100 for a concert ticket — or much more — and then view the show through the tiny screen on your smartphone?
And, no, I’m not a Luddite (look it up on your phone).
Beyoncé, whose concert prices run as much as a down payment for a car, told fans at a show, “Y’all gotta put the camera phones down for one second and actually enjoy this moment.”
Adele once criticized a fan for filming at her show. “I’m really here in real life,” she chided. “You can enjoy it in real life rather than through your camera.”
The same goes for the movie theater. I hate going, because multiple patrons will inevitably pull out their phones and start texting, playing games, reading emails or even taking a call — during the movie.
Because I am that person, I once asked a woman talking loudly on her phone whether she would kindly continue the conversation elsewhere.
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“I paid for this phone, so I can talk on it anytime I want,” she snapped.
I left and returned with a police officer who made her turn it off. Others are reluctant to say anything, for fear of things turning violent or missing a pivotal part of the movie they paid to see.
It’s so jarring to be in a dark auditorium and be startled by the illumination of phones.
I just don’t understand from a financial perspective. With the rising cost of tickets, it’s nonsensical to pay to see a movie and then spend time repeatedly checking your phone.
If you need to take a call, step out. If you have to check for an important email, get your butt up and go out into the lobby. If you can’t disconnect for a two-hour movie or concert, stay home and let the rest of us enjoy the entertainment.
AMC Theatres announced recently that in select markets, it has begun tier pricing based on a seat’s location, charging less for seats in the front row and more for highly sought-after center seats. The company is calling it “Sightline at AMC.”
There will be value (primarily in the front row), standard and preferred (typically in the middle) sightline sections, the company said.
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If this revenue strategy works, other chains will probably follow.
But I’m not paying more for a coveted center seat if there isn’t better policing of phone usage.
At one point, the chief executive of AMC toyed with allowing people to text during a movie. The backlash was so swift the idea was quickly aborted.
“Won’t happen,” the company tweeted at the time. “You spoke. We listened. Quickly, that idea has been sent to the cutting room floor.”
Smartphones are banned during theatrical performances. Why can’t other productions adopt the same prohibition? If folks won’t comply, there are innovative options, such as requiring people to lock their phones in pouches during a show. Guests maintain possession of their devices, which can be unlocked only by going to the lobby.
I hope Porter follows the lead of other performers who have declared their concerts “phone-free events.”
For goodness’ sake, live in the moment, people. Put down your smartphones until the show is over.
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