photo people crowd barrier (2 Viewers)

[u:m]

While watching wire from the balcony in whelans I really decided this whole business of a line of people in the front row taking photo's and filming bands at concerts has gone too far. more and more at gigs there's a line of these people taking up the whole front of the stage. I think it really interferes with the connection between the band and the audience. the front of the stage is where the most enthusiastic members of the audience belong, so they can dance and get things going for everyone, including the band themselves, most of whom really feed off the energy of the audience. it isn't the place for photo nerds who don't even bother clapping between songs and instead use the time to make camera adjustments...
I reckon allow photographers at the front for the first song or two, then they should fuck off down the back and let the party people up the front.
Im going to start trying to make this happen at u:mack gigs, unless the specific band playing disagree's with me.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, I know people want the best pics they can get, but they gotta get out of the way, they're wrecking the buzz

 

[the departed]

it's about time.
cheers U:M.

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

I reckon allow photographers at the front for the first song or two, then they should fuck off down the back and let the party people up the front.

i always though that this was the unwritten rule gig photographers anyway? guess everyone's a blogger and everyone's a photographer now and nobody knows shit

good thinkin timo

 

[sweetoblivion]

I thought 'three songs no flash' was the unwritten rule as well...but unless it's actually enforced, a lot of people ignore it.
Photographers should of course be able to take shots but there's a reason the three songs no flash rule was thought up - so that the rest of the people don't have a photographer in their way the whole time.
Some people are respectful of the audience but there are others who act like it's their god-given right to be up the front and will barrel their way up there.
I do think there's a way of working it out without either side being rude about it.

What do any of ye photographers on Thumped think?

 

[magicbastarder]

i've taken photos at a few gigs, and never used flash. i'd only bring a camera in at the invitation of the band now, though.

 

[Jerry Twig]

An announcement before the band starts should do it, no?

 

[therealjohnny]

grr, some people...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2007/jun/03/features.magazine17

good one U:M

 

[ronan]

I couldn't agree more.
Don't even get me started on this...

 

[jcdonaggio]

at the big concerts isn't it photo's opp for the first 3 songs then out you go. Couldn't agree more, specially at smaller venues.

 

[rettucs]

this gets my goat too. And mostly its not photographers per se. Professional photographers will head in, take their few pics, then head off. Its the people going to gigs who decide to bring their big camera with them. They're the problem.

The worst venue for this is Andrews Lane where there seems to be a large number of fat people up the front with cameras who make sweeping moves from side to side snapping away to their heart's content.

I was at a gig recently (I can't recall who) where the band asked whoever it was snapping them to please put their camera away as it was distracting the hell out of them.

 

[chutneyfarmer]

I was at a gig recently (I can't recall who) where the band asked whoever it was snapping them to please put their camera away as it was distracting the hell out of them.

Animal Collective???

Nice one Timo, bout time this stuff got stamped down

 

[rettucs]

Animal Collective???

yep, that'd be it.

 

[Unicron]

I was at a gig recently (I can't recall who) where the band asked whoever it was snapping them to please put their camera away as it was distracting the hell out of them.

Animal collective? Can't really blame the photographers in that case as the way the songs bleed into each other it's hard to know when the 3 songs are done.

Anyway, places like Tripod where AC were that have barriers up in front of the stage are grand for the punters as there's a pit for the photographers, and like was said above I don't think it's the people whose job it is that's the problem (cept for that bald dude with the chains from his belt and sunglasses perched on top of his head) but more the random punters with an SLR and a hobby.

 

[HMD]

It's these sort of people that caused the recession

 

[platters]

I totally agree Timo, nice one for taking a stand. It was a good gig though, musically speaking.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

this gets my goat too. And mostly its not photographers per se. Professional photographers will head in, take their few pics, then head off. Its the people going to gigs who decide to bring their big camera with them. They're the problem.

The worst venue for this is Andrews Lane where there seems to be a large number of fat people up the front with cameras who make sweeping moves from side to side snapping away to their heart's content.

Fat people shouldn't go to gigs anyway.

 

[rettucs]

Fat people shouldn't go to gigs anyway.

ah they should. I'm not fattest. They should have to buy 2 tickets, thats all

 

[La La]

i was at the front at RSAG a few weeks ago and it really gave me the shits when this huge douchebag barrelled through the crowd, pushing people out of the way to PERCH ON THE STAGE (whelans) taking shots like no one else was there. there was another very strange-faced guy* with a camera taking 'gig shots' the WHOLE time as well.

allergic. those fuckers need to move on after a song or two. srsly. thanks for taking a stand on it, u:m!! it needed to be said!


*he looked like the guy who tortures carey elwes down in the basement in the princess bride

 

[ratmonkey]

The clicking sound really needs to be turned off as well.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

ah they should. I'm not fattest. They should have to buy 2 tickets, thats all

And stay away from fire exits.