Apparently Peter Frampton is one of the few who doesn’t allow people to use cell phones to take photos during his shows. Maybe this should be a primer for other performers on how to deal with this issue (from the Chicagoist):
Fans of Peter Frampton were aware before Sunday’s show in Carmel, Indiana of a strict rule banning flash photography or video during the entire concert. Of course, there is always “that asshole,” and two people right in the front of the stage threw caution to the wind and snapped away. Frampton was not ok with them “Breaking All the Rules,” and when he wasn’t able to alert security to the issue, decided to fix the situation himself. Melissa Schickel of Onstage Magazine was at the show and reported what happened next:
“At his breaking point, and the guy in the front row unrelenting – apparently with no self control considering he’s already flipped Peter off and turned around and called the rest of the audience a bunch of deadbeats – Peter ends the song, walks over and with a huge smile on his face bends down and says, ‘Hey can I see that? Can I see the photos you’ve been taking?’ The guy hands him his phone and Peter stands up, spins, and flings for the rafters! Yes! The phone went flying to the back of the stage and we all erupted in cheers! With years of experience playing guitar, we just knew he had a great arm!”
One day I would love to do a survey asking people if they ever looked at their overexposed cell phone photos once the concert is over. Now with more people bring iPads to concerts, the view is even worse from behind these people. Even in the photo pit, it is depressing to see a pink iPhone in the corner of my shot when there is no place I can go to get the perfect angle.
That brings me to:
http://assholesinthephotopit.tumblr.com/
I was talking to a publicist the other day who is finally fed up with all the amateur photographers in the photo pit. She is going to kick them out as of now!!
Maybe she and Peter Frampton should get together and make a better world for all of us!!