There is a wonderful collection of photographs from
the concert by Brita Brookes Photography available at The Ark’s official webpage
http://www.theark.org
The third leg of Alan Doyle's So Let’s Go tour is well under
way. Social media reports by fans on Twitter and Facebook seem to agree the
music and shows are excellent and they are having the time of their lives. Alan
Doyle has been as generous as ever giving his time to the fans after the
concert and on other occasions. At the Online Kitchen Party Facebook page a fan
wrote a post describing how at the first concert, the venue The Ark had
requested that patrons turn off their phones and no flash photography. The Ark
(like a lot of venues) also has a policy of no videos, yet on this night they
deferred the decision of videos to Alan Doyle. He also requested there be no
videos.
Firstly, I love these types of discussions in which fans
talk respectfully to each other on issues that concern not only them as patrons
of concerts, but the musicians and artists as well. I have seen these types of
discussions before and they have not ended well. For example, at the Australian
Indoor Garden parties patrons were allegedly requested not to take photographs
and videos. Then there was a debate about doing the right thing by musicians
and artists and getting permission to distribute bootlegged videos after the
fact.
As a fan observer and occasional concert goer I often get
the impression anything goes as far as patrons taking photographs and videos at
concert venues. After this discussion on the Online Kitchen Party Facebook page
I am not sure this is the case. Some fans read the conditions of their tickets
and take their responsibilities and the rights of others seriously, doing the
right thing and put their phones and cameras away. They should be commended. Most
fans were happy to oblige and put their phones and cameras away, enjoying the
performance and being in the moment. The concert was in a small intimate venue and
phones and cameras could have been annoying, not only for the musicians and
artists but fans as well.
However, the idea for some fans of fulfilling their rights
and responsibilities is clearly one great big joke. The bigger the fans they allege
they are, the greater sense of their own entitlement they have, and the less
respect they have for the rights of others who pay to attend the same concerts and the musicians and artists.
These fans who take photographs and bootleg everything at every concert don’t
really want to understand or just plain outright ignore the rights of others,
whether they be musicians and artists, the venues, the patrons or law and do
what they like.
As much as some fans like to pretend to do the right thing
by asking some security guard or whoever anytime there seems to be debate,
other times they just ignore the conditions on the ticket and the rights of the
musicians and artists which states no cameras or videos. The request doesn’t
seem to apply to them. I am always interested in how these people are more
concerned about the people who are not there, than the patrons who actually pay
for a ticket. The fact is the musicians or artists don’t really need a reason
why they don’t want patrons to take photographs or videos. Those fans who want
to take bootleg videos and photographs beyond those for personal use should ask
permission by applying for a license. That way there is no second guessing and
no jeopardising projects like movies or albums where recording for future
projects is taking place. Taking photographs and videos at concerts is a
privilege not a right.
From The Detroit Metro Times by Brita Brookes (no copyright infringement intended). I have shared these legally on my Google + site for those interested.
From The Detroit Metro Times by Brita Brookes (no copyright infringement intended). I have shared these legally on my Google + site for those interested.
