There has been (and always will be) times in the live music scene where differences of opinions clash and alcohol-shrouded judgement becomes the first point of reference, naturally disrupting a night of heart pumping frivolity.
World-renowned bands such as the infamous Guns N’ Roses and the disobedient Sex Pistols, are two examples of bands who made a controversial habit of barrowing into heated, fist throwing disagreements with audiences and security alike. With Axl Rose constantly testing security and Johnny Rotten traditionally and viciously taunting the crowds, it’s evident how a few ripples may have been sent through their audience, regardless of the group’s motives or marketing.
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Over time however, these same situations still remain a problem but the most recent irritating issue in the music world has been heavily related tothe addiction and advancement of modern technology, becoming a global nuisance in music venues.
Like a fly they just can’t catch, one small digital action seems to persistently pester big names of late, and when there are thousands of hungry eyes giving them their full attention, it becomes questionable as to why this one individual should be targeted for a personal scolding, disrupting the event for everyone over something quite day-to-day and trivial. The big question of whether it is right under certain circumstances for the artist to intervene remains, as well as the question of whether it is right for a person to be a victim of public shaming over using a mobile phone.
The alternative music scene has been a victim of these disruptions numerous times over the last year, with rock-induced front men such as Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Disturbed’s David Draiman forming the front line of a coalition against mobile phone use at live performances.
It’s no big secret that Mr Taylor loathes the digital presence, as he has quoted in a number of interviews, and his most recent action of knocking a fan’s phone out of his hand was ambivalent at best. Corey has admitted however, to other questionable activity during his years as a singer such as emptying bottles of water over people and likely damaging their property.
It is understandable that musicians who have gradually climbed the barbed publicity ladder to eventually reach a well-recognised title can become disheartened or insulted if they believe someone is uninterested in their efforts to entertain. But does it really excuse such juvenile action towards someone who supports their art?
Another event that instantaneously sparked up controversy was in early April 2016, when The Story So Far’s Parker Cannon fly kicked an intoxicated fan offstage at a Toronto performance for clambering onto the platform to take a photograph. The elements to consider in this particular case however, put everyone in the limelight into question.
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Where were the security when this fan passed the barrier? Was it right for Parker Cannon to make such a drastic move simply for public attention? Should the fan have openly thrown herself into circumstances that could have left her injured? It’s difficult to find the real culprit, but there’s no questioning that eyebrows were raised when Mr Cannon took it, quite literally, one step too far.
Later releasing a statement, Becca Llic admitted to her faults, apologising to everyone involved for choosing to board the stage for a photograph, but was she a little too courteous when forgiving Mr Cannon for taking matters into his own hands in a blatantly drastic manner?
Crowd incitement is a prominent feature when it comes to a popular artist speaking out about a topic of choice face to face with his/her admirers but when Mr Draiman called out a fan situated in the balcony of a show and attempted to “empower her” by belittling her in front of a large crowd of Disturbed’s followers this year, he later came to regret his decision.
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Later discovering that Shannon Pardue had been messaging her sixteen year old, the singer issued an apology, pleading his case that he was attempting to engage with her and that “she got rubbed up the wrong way”. There is ‘engaging’ with someone, and then there is openly humiliating in front of a mass of die hard supporters who are not going to tell the front man he is wrong because the audience members side of the story cannot be properly interpreted.
The simple fact is that once a fan has paid the price of an admission ticket, they can choose to do what they want with their time at that show. This does not mean condoning inebriated brawls or actually insulting the artist’s efforts, but it does mean that the individual is free to openly use their mobile phone to their hearts content, regardless of how much attention it robs from the musician.
If the ticket holder wished to bring head phones to a Metallica gig and listen to Blink 182 all night, that is left to the fans discretion, not the artist’s ego. The debate of recording an entire performance IS a problem, but public shaming and mass incitement is NOT the answer.
The video option on most mobile phones has also grown to be a taboo subject, with Apple even recently winning approval for a patent that could disable their mobile video options during a live event. The almighty Adele, who used a space in between her songs productively, addressed a predicament where someone used an extended tripod to record the British singer’s concert. She quickly tackled the problem, did not drag out her statement and the attendee obliged with no other disturbances (which was the correct way to handle the predicament).
The point being is that these brash reactions need to be nipped in the bud before gig-goers decide to make it their personal duty to call out people casually checking their phone and adopt a form of intrusion that will inevitably ruin one of more people’s experiences.
Don’t think this could happen? A fan in a recent Beyoncé concert recorded himself attempting to point out to a large crowd that a girl in front of him at a Beyoncé show was playing Pokémon Go, shouting “This b***h is finding Pokémon” for all in the vicinity to hear. Luckily the video doesn’t have time to make anything more of this, as Beyoncé’s natural charm and presence quickly diffuses the fan’s exaggerated distress almost immediately.
words NATHAN ROACH