I’m making this bold promise—though let’s see how long it lasts—about not recording concerts anymore. Especially since I might just break it as soon as Lana Del Rey starts singing at Wembley in July. So there I was, going through some social media (is it even called that anymore?), and I stumble across this post by Kaytranada. He’s talking about people at his gigs who are just standing there, phones held high, like, really guys? And bam! It hits me right between the eyes. Guilty as charged.
Now, look, I’ve been that person. You know, recording bits and pieces of concerts, convincing myself it’s all part of the fun. I mean, it’s great singing your heart out with your friends and thinking, "Hey, this is one for the personal archives!" But really, maybe it’s just about trying to look cool? Like Kaytranada says, flaunting our social creds, and giving everyone else a healthy dose of FOMO. Gotta admit, it’s like telling people, "Look at me, I’ve been to the coolest party," without actually saying it. Subtle flex, right?
Social media’s turned this whole recording thing into a game, hasn’t it? TikTok, Instagram—upload the most epic clip and boom, maybe it goes viral. Kinda like being the first to catch Charli XCX’s fiancé doing some goofy dance, and suddenly everyone’s sharing your post. But then I think, was it worth it? While I was filming Beyoncé at the Renaissance tour in Stockholm, getting thousands of likes, I wasn’t really there, you know? I haven’t even bothered going through those clips.
And yeah, taking videos doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not having fun, but honestly, it’s just hassle. By the end of it, you’re battling a dying battery, with a hundred clips of varying quality. When I saw Beyoncé in London, didn’t even pull the phone out, and guess what? Best concert night ever. But hey, can’t always do repeats with the way ticket prices are climbing. It’s a one-shot deal for most of us.
Though, let’s be fair, some folks are practically doing a public service. The way people livestream entire shows for fans who’ve got, like, zero chance of attending themselves, it’s pretty neat. Sure, some aren’t keen on "concert spoilers," but, I mean, can you really spoil a concert? And where does it cross into piracy territory anyway? With tour DVDs going the way of the dodo, it kinda makes sense, right?
But you know what? Let the super fans handle the heavy lifting. They’ll get the viral snapshots covered, promise. Maybe I’ll stick to just a couple of Instagram stories—just to remember it happened, lock the phone away, and dance like nobody’s watching. At least, that’s the plan.
