Shavasku
Ancient Mariner
Regarding the issue of excessive cell phone use during concerts, I have a provocation that I’ll share later in this post.
First of all, it’s now clear that the band has been bothered by this (and it’s been especially obvious with Bruce in recent years, as he’s complained about it on stage several times). So, it’s fair to conclude that the band, generally speaking, is not happy with the crowd's enthusiasm or rather, the lack thereof. Maybe South America is an exception, but as a brazilian, I have to admit that even here the audience has quieted down compared to one or two decades ago.
And that’s where my provocation or reflection comes in. Is the Maiden crowd less energetic because of the phones? Or is it simply because we’re getting too old? I know some will argue that Maiden has been attracting younger fans. That’s true, but maybe not on the scale that would make a real difference. At least here in Brazil, the average Maiden fan is probably 45+. Sure, you’ll still find teenagers and young adults at the shows, but they’re certainly not the majority.
I bring up the age factor because I went to the System of a Down concert in São Paulo last week. I’m 35, and while I wouldn’t say I felt old, I can confidently say the average age in the crowd was around 30. Maybe less. Very few people were over 40. And I believe that makes more of a difference than whether or not people are using their phones. I say this because there were no restrictions on phone use at that concert, and guess what? The crowd went absolutely wild (in a good way). You’ve probably seen videos and images online. It had been a long time since I’d witnessed that kind of energy from a crowd, and that clearly fired up the band, who, to be honest, had been playing pretty lackluster shows for over a decade.
Of course, other factors might have contributed to the crowd’s enthusiasm. For instance, System of a Down rarely tours South America. If I’m not mistaken, their last show here was in 2015 or so, and even throughout their career, they haven’t made a habit of coming here. Maiden, on the other hand, is here like every two years.
So, with all that in mind, here’s the provocation: maybe the real issue isn’t cell phones. Maybe we are just fucking old. Maybe Steve needs to start writing short rockers again to attract young people, who will jump into moshpits, light up flares during shows and then be heavily insulted by Bruce, who is now complaining about lack of enthusiasm.
Anyway, what do you guys think?
First of all, it’s now clear that the band has been bothered by this (and it’s been especially obvious with Bruce in recent years, as he’s complained about it on stage several times). So, it’s fair to conclude that the band, generally speaking, is not happy with the crowd's enthusiasm or rather, the lack thereof. Maybe South America is an exception, but as a brazilian, I have to admit that even here the audience has quieted down compared to one or two decades ago.
And that’s where my provocation or reflection comes in. Is the Maiden crowd less energetic because of the phones? Or is it simply because we’re getting too old? I know some will argue that Maiden has been attracting younger fans. That’s true, but maybe not on the scale that would make a real difference. At least here in Brazil, the average Maiden fan is probably 45+. Sure, you’ll still find teenagers and young adults at the shows, but they’re certainly not the majority.
I bring up the age factor because I went to the System of a Down concert in São Paulo last week. I’m 35, and while I wouldn’t say I felt old, I can confidently say the average age in the crowd was around 30. Maybe less. Very few people were over 40. And I believe that makes more of a difference than whether or not people are using their phones. I say this because there were no restrictions on phone use at that concert, and guess what? The crowd went absolutely wild (in a good way). You’ve probably seen videos and images online. It had been a long time since I’d witnessed that kind of energy from a crowd, and that clearly fired up the band, who, to be honest, had been playing pretty lackluster shows for over a decade.
Of course, other factors might have contributed to the crowd’s enthusiasm. For instance, System of a Down rarely tours South America. If I’m not mistaken, their last show here was in 2015 or so, and even throughout their career, they haven’t made a habit of coming here. Maiden, on the other hand, is here like every two years.
So, with all that in mind, here’s the provocation: maybe the real issue isn’t cell phones. Maybe we are just fucking old. Maybe Steve needs to start writing short rockers again to attract young people, who will jump into moshpits, light up flares during shows and then be heavily insulted by Bruce, who is now complaining about lack of enthusiasm.
Anyway, what do you guys think?
Just because people are not going crazy it does not mean they are enjoying the show any less and, at the end of the day, they have bought a ticket to be there and deserve the same respect.
