Concerts are an increasingly expensive music experience to attend and to produce. For the most part, long gone are the days of $50 nosebleed seats for a stadium or arena show. The purchasing process can be competitive, arduous, and rampant with greedy resellers.
That stress, coupled with the lingering economic soreness from the wave of COVID tour cancellations, has put the pressure on A-list performers to up their game. With bigger shows comes the need for innovation and not just in the wardrobe and lighting departments. Is it time to reevaluate phone etiquette?
Concerts have been a cellphone free-for-all for most shows, but Adele, Madonna, and other performers have mandated phone-free shows. Now, Sabrina Carpenter, the Grammy-winning pop star whose Short n’ Sweet Tour went viral for its cheeky innuendos and bubbly choreography, has weighed in on the topic, too.
Sabrina Carpenter Is A Fan Of Silk Sonic’s Phone Ban At Their Concerts
Adapting As A Pop Star In The Age Of Smartphones And Social Media
In a conversation with Rolling Stone, Sabrina Carpenter recalled attending a phone-free Silk Sonic show. “I’ve never had a better experience at a concert,” Carpenter said. “I genuinely felt like I was back in the Seventies — wasn’t alive. Genuinely felt like I was there. Everyone’s singing, dancing, looking at each other, and laughing. It really, really just felt so beautiful.”
“I’ve never had a better experience at a concert,” Carpenter said.
The 26-year-old, whose seventh studio album Man’s Best Friend is due for release August 29, added that she “can’t blame people for wanting to have memories.” Carpenter debuted in 2014, well into the age of smartphones and obsessive fan culture, so singing to a sea of iPhones isn’t shocking for her. But she hasn’t completely ruled out the idea of a phone ban.
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“Depending on how long I want to be touring, and what age I am, girl, take those phones away,” she said. “You cannot zoom in on my face. Right now, my skin is soft and supple. It’s fine. Do not zoom in on me when I’m 80 years old up there.”
Carpenter Totally Has A Point About Today’s Phone Usage At Shows
Phones Can Be Distracting To Bystanders
From tiny bars to sold-out stadiums, I’ve attended too many concerts that were soured by someone being obnoxious with a phone. A girl at SZA’s 2018 Dallas show rested her phone on my boyfriend’s shoulder as she recorded a video. A person at Zayn’s 2025 D.C. gig raised their phone on a handheld tripod above the packed crowd, effectively blocking much of the stage.
Concert tickets come at a steep price tag. No one wants to attend a show just to watch it on someone else’s phone screen.
Phone bans can help encourage fans to be courteous, distraction-free and take in the performer’s hard work.
Artists can’t guarantee a perfect experience, but phone bans can help encourage fans to be courteous, distraction-free and take in the performer’s hard work. So much of everyday life is dependent on running up your screen time. A phone-free activity, with my favorite music at its centerpiece, is something I’d enthusiastically embrace.
It’s Time To Put The Phones Down At Concerts
You Don’t Need To Record The Entire Show – Find A Balance
With concert tickets becoming more of a luxury purchase, maybe it’s time for more performers to set boundaries. Phone-free shows aren’t a new concept. Many popular acts have required phones to be locked away. Moviegoers and theatergoers are discouraged from phone use.
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And think about it. How often do you actually go through your camera roll and rewatch concert videos? Out of the dozens of shows I’ve attended, I find myself rewatching videos from maybe a handful of shows – ones with a more sentimental attachment (Beyoncé with my big sister; Niall Horan with a longtime friend; Shawn Mendes, my first out-of-state show).
But I’m not the type to record even the majority of the show. My favorite part of attending concerts is singing along (subsequently losing my voice the next day is like a badge of honor). No one wants to hear me on video playback trying – and failing – to match Beyoncé’s energy.
Out of the dozens of shows I’ve attended, I find myself rewatching videos from maybe a handful of shows – ones with a more sentimental attachment.
Comedy clubs often implement phone bans, too. When I attended my first comedy show, Noel Miller in Oklahoma City, I was surprised to see phone ban signage. But it was one of the most immersive experiences I’ve ever had. I could feel the crowd’s energy shift and loosen up as Noel’s act went on. Would I have been as tuned in if I were waiting to record the perfect punchline?
It seems that Sabrina Carpenter is coming to the same conclusion. There’s something special about living in the moment, and I’d be glad to see her implement something like this at her shows in the future.
- Date of Birth
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May 11, 1999
- Active
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Yes
- Number of Album(s)
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6
