Please Enjoy The Show
Four far better ways to support your favorite band than with just another poorly filmed video.
The Problem
Once upon a time, the only thing you had to worry about at a general admission show was the 7-foot tall boyfriend of the overly-excited short girl who absolutely had be right in front of the stage. I always felt bad for that guy. Some of my tall guy friends have a ‘tall guy code’ to stay as far back in the audience as possible. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, short girlfriends negate that code. But, let’s face it, it’s fairly easy to move an inch or two if Tall Guy is somewhere in front of you. What’s not easy to see around is a sea of heads, shoulders, raised arms and phones. Or tablets.
Mobile devices have become the modern day cigarette lighter at a concert. When the band of the hour play either your favorite song, or hit single, you feel compelled to hoist your camera-enabled phone in the air and snap a photo. Everyone else is doing it—why shouldn’t you? It’s a gesture that will both validate your experience to your social networks and create a keepsake for the memory. I get it. But shooting a video for the length of said song is going too far. Do you see the dozen or so other people around you doing exactly the same thing?
Here’s the thing: bands spend more time than you could possibly imagine preparing for this moment. They’ve found the inspiration, captured their art, released and promoted the recording, booked the tour and travelled for thousands of miles to be here, on this night, for you. And me. And everyone else you viscously elbowed your way past to claim your spot on the floor. I know you don’t feel that anyone else in this room could possibly feel the same way about this music as you do, but believe me—for the most part—we do.
By this point in the proceedings, I’ve paid money, made the time and am now stuck experiencing what should be living, breathing, art through just another screen. Which is apparently how you plan to re-watch it later. Did I mention your video quality sucks in this dark room? Oh, you’ve got a video light on that thing too? Great. Now all I see is the back of everyone’s head. I guess I should just ask for your user name, go home and eagerly await your masterpiece on YouTube.
The biggest issue is, in all likelihood, that the band in question already has an ‘OFFICIAL’ video for the hit single you love. But now, thanks to you and your bored link-spamming network, you’re cluttering the medium with amateur footage that not only degrades user experience for the rest of us, but actually harms the band’s existing marketing channels that have cost them a lot of time and money to initiate and execute.
The Solution
If you’re truly passionate about your favorite band’s success, there are four far better ways to support your favorite band than with just another poorly filmed YouTube video:
#4—When you go to a show, stop by the merchandise table/tent and buy another copy of the recording you love. Band members may even be there to sign it for you. Give it to a friend as a gift they wouldn’t think to buy for themselves or wouldn’t receive from anyone else.
#3—Buy a different format of said recording just for fun. You can be fairly secure in the knowledge that the money is going straight to the band’s bottom-line, and not being divided between any number of middle-parties. (My vinyl collection began by accident because I enjoy the act of purchasing something directly from bands I like. I owned over fifty albums before I even bought a turntable because the artwork on its own is awesome to look at.)
#2—Buy a t-shirt and become a walking billboard for your favorite group during the summer months. There’s still no truer testament to brand loyalty than clothing. (I’m not counting tattoos—that takes a special breed of fan.)
#1—Connect in meaningful dialogue with band members through your social channels. And don’t act like a fan boy or a groupie; ask them real questions and talk to them as you would a friend or acquaintance. You never know, if you really connect and provide meaningful engagement, but remain passionate about filming them, one day they may ask you to be their official videographer. Crazier things have happened. And one thing’s for sure—you’ll get a far better vantage point of their show that doesn’t obstruct my view.
