iCan’t

Photo by Analyn Cuarto
Photo by Analyn Cuarto

People who film everything at concerts are the worst

By Jessica Berget, Opinions Editor

Every time I go to a show and see an entire crowd of people holding up their phones and watching the events on stage unfold through their low-quality phone camera, it annoys the piss out of me.

Look, I get it. You want to film the show for your Snapchat or Instagram or whatever platform of social media you use, or so you can look back on it and remember how incredible of an experience it was, and that’s great.

But did you know you could also remember the experience by actually physically experiencing it?

There is nothing worse than being at a show and not even being able to see the performers because the people in front of you all have their phones in front of the faces. If I wanted to watch the show from a mobile device, I wouldn’t have wasted my time or money to be here. However, I did pay money for the experience and to see my favourite performers live, and I don’t want to experience it through your phone.

I went to a drag show a couple months ago and I paid $50 for the ticket. Anyone living in this economy or who is a student knows that $50 is nothing to sneeze at, so imagine my dismay when my elbowing to the front of the stage only ended up with me watching most of the performers through the phones of the people standing in front of me.

Going to live performances is all about living in the moment. Jumping and dancing around, feeling the music in your soul, watching the performers, and screaming your goddamn guts out. By standing idle and watching everything through the painfully stale LED light of your phone, you are not only ruining the experience for yourself, but for the people behind you who are just trying to get a better view of the performers. You can stare at your phone all you want when you’re at home, just don’t do it at a live performance.

I don’t want to sound like a bitter old person yelling at the younger generations to get off their phones, but seriously, get off your phone. I understand wanting to take pictures, but filming every second of the show is not helping anyone. Live in the now, stop and smell the roses, carpe diem—seize the day.