[FLTWS]

I never go to the cinema. I much prefer listening to music to watching movies, even at home.

'Smart' phones at concerts are a menace, especially when people insist on holding their phones up near your face to record a performance.
Why can't people just live in the moment and enjoy the spontaneity of a live performance?

At a local venue near my old house, the organisers banned the use of any phone.
A few years ago when I saw Robin Trower at this excellent all- seater venue, someone held his mobile phone up right in front of my face.

After several minutes, I asked him politely to turn his phone off ,otherwise I'd call security.

He started to get aggressive, so me and my two friends stood up from our seats and he backed down; probably thought the better of challenging three 6ft plus grumpy old men! It should not have been necessary though.

It spoiled the evening.

At a Neil Young concert in London about 10 years ago, phones were also banned.

A few 'fans' decided to ignore this polite request at Hammersmith Odeon, so Neil Young told the audience that if people didn't put their phones away he'd take the band off stage.

Brilliant!

He is one of my music heroes.

Years back at a concert at the Kimmel center somebody's (on floor level) cell phone went off a half dozen or more bars into the start of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring". The young conductor, whose name escapes me, stopped the orchestra and waited patiently while the moron with the cell phone took at least a minute to figure out how to turn it off and meanwhile the audience was murmuring among each other during that time. The conductor then began from the beginning and was able to complete the work without interruption.

I am no fan of cell phones, and the one I have is for travel and emergencies only and never give the number out to anyone or any business. I've used it to make 4 phone calls in the five years I've owned it. I don't use it to surf the net, play games, or watch TV or movie programing. And, like "Machete", I don't text! My friends use e-mail or landlines to communicate. Cells are an annoyance in public when the individuals think that they are so important that they must talk loudly annoying the people around them.

My friends grandchildren, and some younger generation adults I know, have nervous breakdowns when they can't find their phones, the battery runs out, or service is interrupted. Their cell phones are controlling them, not the other way around. Spending my life face down in a 3" x 6" glass window is not the life for me. But that's just me.

 

[RCBinTN]

Years back at a concert at the Kimmel center somebody's (on floor level) cell phone went off a half dozen or more bars into the start of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring". The young conductor, whose name escapes me, stopped the orchestra and waited patiently while the moron with the cell phone took at least a minute to figure out how to turn it off and meanwhile the audience was murmuring among each other during that time. The conductor then began from the beginning and was able to complete the work without interruption.

I am no fan of cell phones, and the one I have is for travel and emergencies only and never give the number out to anyone or any business. I've used it to make 4 phone calls in the five years I've owned it. I don't use it to surf the net, play games, or watch TV or movie programing. And, like "Machete", I don't text! My friends use e-mail or landlines to communicate. Cells are an annoyance in public when the individuals think that they are so important that they must talk loudly annoying the people around them.

My friends grandchildren, and some younger generation adults I know, have nervous breakdowns when they can't find their phones, the battery runs out, or service is interrupted. Their cell phones are controlling them, not the other way around. Spending my life face down in a 3" x 6" glass window is not the life for me. But that's just me.

It's not just you.

 

[yonson]

Years back at a concert at the Kimmel center somebody's (on floor level) cell phone went off a half dozen or more bars into the start of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring". The young conductor, whose name escapes me, stopped the orchestra and waited patiently while the moron with the cell phone took at least a minute to figure out how to turn it off and meanwhile the audience was murmuring among each other during that time. The conductor then began from the beginning and was able to complete the work without interruption.

I am no fan of cell phones, and the one I have is for travel and emergencies only and never give the number out to anyone or any business. I've used it to make 4 phone calls in the five years I've owned it. I don't use it to surf the net, play games, or watch TV or movie programing. And, like "Machete", I don't text! My friends use e-mail or landlines to communicate. Cells are an annoyance in public when the individuals think that they are so important that they must talk loudly annoying the people around them.

My friends grandchildren, and some younger generation adults I know, have nervous breakdowns when they can't find their phones, the battery runs out, or service is interrupted. Their cell phones are controlling them, not the other way around. Spending my life face down in a 3" x 6" glass window is not the life for me. But that's just me.

Mine stays on silent 24/7. Although I am likely to have my "nose" in it quite often, but that's usually because I use it as a book with the kindle app...

 

[Paladin79]

Mine stays on silent 24/7. Although I am likely to have my "nose" in it quite often, but that's usually because I use it as a book with the kindle app...

I use mine for Audible books with Airpods but since I retired I get less calls and texts so I am moving away from the cell phone. Unless someone is on my contacts list they are blocked so I never receive sales calls.

 

[JLoud]

I have call screening on my cell as well. But I have not had a landline in 22 years. Of course I can put my phone down without panicking. However it is far more than a phone. I’m typing on it now. My daughter’s generation views their phone as a universal device. She has no interest in a computer or tv. Or music player for that matter.

 

[RickB]

The smartphone can never replace a desktop computer for me in using the internet. The internet on phones doesn't feel like the full experience, and I find viewing it on a 25" monitor with a physical keyboard and separate trackpad much, much better. My iPhone is an appliance and my Mac mini is a computer.

 

[Odin412]

Why can't people just live in the moment and enjoy the spontaneity of a live performance?

Well said.

 

[dstrimbu]

She has no interest in a computer or tv. Or music player for that matter.

That last part breaks my heart... although really good sound is possible from today's phones with the right setup.
Lossless Tidal streaming through my iPhone 13 Pro via the Apple AAC Bluetooth codec to the Burmester system in my car impresses even stodgy old me...
(and I've discovered that the GLC has "FrontBass" - with inverted-drive woofers in the front firewall structure)

Yeah, it's been around for a while now (started in the SL Class in 2013). The difference is palpable.
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/ar...ystem-and-exclusive-signature-sound-demo-disc

But I digress... was talking about kids today, and how they listen to crap audio on their phones.

 

[tin-ear]

Years back at a concert at the Kimmel center somebody's (on floor level) cell phone went off a half dozen or more bars into the start of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring". The young conductor, whose name escapes me, stopped the orchestra and waited patiently while the moron with the cell phone took at least a minute to figure out how to turn it off and meanwhile the audience was murmuring among each other during that time. The conductor then began from the beginning and was able to complete the work without interruption.

I am no fan of cell phones, and the one I have is for travel and emergencies only and never give the number out to anyone or any business. I've used it to make 4 phone calls in the five years I've owned it. I don't use it to surf the net, play games, or watch TV or movie programing. And, like "Machete", I don't text! My friends use e-mail or landlines to communicate. Cells are an annoyance in public when the individuals think that they are so important that they must talk loudly annoying the people around them.

My friends grandchildren, and some younger generation adults I know, have nervous breakdowns when they can't find their phones, the battery runs out, or service is interrupted. Their cell phones are controlling them, not the other way around. Spending my life face down in a 3" x 6" glass window is not the life for me. But that's just me.

Cell phones, The Early Days (circa 2000) [you'ii get the idea in 45 seconds...]

 

[tin-ear]

Cell phones, The Early Days (circa 2000) [you'ii get the idea in 45 seconds...]

Same TV Show, Trigger Happy TV. Smoking surprise

 

[ashirin]

I prefer watching movies at home nowadays:

1. No one talking in the background
2. Better overall (Schiit) sound and picture
3. Better quality and better priced food and beverages
4. Start, end, pause when you like
5. No parking

I love watching movies in the theater. When people are on their phones or talking, that’s annoying. But when most of the theater is into the film it adds an energy that makes the experience that much better. It makes the movie I’m watching feel more epic, funnier, more intense. The sense of connection we feel through movies is a big part of why I love them.

But this brings up an interesting point because there’s equivalent levels of quality involved in the experience whether you’re at home or at a theater. If you have a small cheap TV and no dedicated sound system, not gonna be the best experience. But not all theaters are created equal either. I try to get in the Dolby Theater where the seats are recliners and the picture/sound quality are both excellent. IMAX theaters are pretty great too. For movies that don’t make it into those special theaters, there’s lots of good options that offer some of the benefits. But I live in LA where there are no shortage of quality theaters.

These theaters also effect the experience beyond just picture/sound. The tickets are expensive and you usually need to make reservations ahead of time. So when I’m going to see a movie on or near opening weekend, it’s pretty much guaranteed that almost everyone there is very hyped for the movie, so I tend to get a lot more of the excited energy experience and less of the, ‘why are these people even here’ experience.

 

[artur9]

My friends grandchildren, and some younger generation adults I know, have nervous breakdowns when they can't find their phones, the battery runs out, or service is interrupted. Their cell phones are controlling them, not the other way around. Spending my life face down in a 3" x 6" glass window is not the life for me. But that's just me.

While waiting for my daughter's high school graduation ceremony to commence, I spent the entire time (1/2h) just people watching.
It was unusually boring because almost all the people were just sitting in their seats, looking at their phones.
I don't think I saw anyone else just people watching.

 

[Plautus001]

I love watching movies in the theater. When people are on their phones or talking, that’s annoying. But when most of the theater is into the film it adds an energy that makes the experience that much better. It makes the movie I’m watching feel more epic, funnier, more intense. The sense of connection we feel through movies is a big part of why I love them.

But this brings up an interesting point because there’s equivalent levels of quality involved in the experience whether you’re at home or at a theater. If you have a small cheap TV and no dedicated sound system, not gonna be the best experience. But not all theaters are created equal either. I try to get in the Dolby Theater where the seats are recliners and the picture/sound quality are both excellent. IMAX theaters are pretty great too. For movies that don’t make it into those special theaters, there’s lots of good options that offer some of the benefits. But I live in LA where there are no shortage of quality theaters.

These theaters also effect the experience beyond just picture/sound. The tickets are expensive and you usually need to make reservations ahead of time. So when I’m going to see a movie on or near opening weekend, it’s pretty much guaranteed that almost everyone there is very hyped for the movie, so I tend to get a lot more of the excited energy experience and less of the, ‘why are these people even here’ experience.

Interesting point, I have to admit our nieces still like the theater , but they are "pre-phone" aged

 

[FLTWS]

While waiting for my daughter's high school graduation ceremony to commence, I spent the entire time (1/2h) just people watching.
It was unusually boring because almost all the people were just sitting in their seats, looking at their phones.
I don't think I saw anyone else just people watching.

For close to 20 years my wife and I and a long time couple we were close with would go down to Cape May starting Labor Day weekend. From 11AM to 4PM daily the wives would be on the beach and my buddy and I would sit in the shade on the front porch of the Prince Edward, sipping family sized mugs of Rum and Pepsi, listening to tunes on our Walkman CD players and watch the world go by. (For a change of pace we would bench it on the Mall a few days).

We often commented on how as the years went by, more and more people were constantly on their cell phones as if they were on life support. Saw many a prat fall as the slate plate sidewalks were anything but level. Good times!

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Nancy's favorite ride.

(Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA. Can recommend.)