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Sabrina Carpenter concerts could look a little different in the future, with the star revealing she’s open to the idea of banning phones at her shows.
Carpenter’s comments appeared in a recent article from Rolling Stone, who shared quotes that didn’t make it into their recent cover story with the singer. One of the previously-unpublished revelations was that Carpenter indeed open to asking fans to pocket their devices at her gigs.
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“This will honestly p–s off my fans, but absolutely,” she explained, noting she was inspired by a Las Vegas show from Silk Sonic which required her to lock her phone up.”
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“I’ve never had a better experience at a concert,” Carpenter explained. “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.”
Notably, Silk Sonic’s 2022 Las Vegas residency even featured Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak crafting a song to underline the lack of devices. “We took your phones away,” they sang. “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
“I’ve grown up in the age of people having iPhones at shows,” Carpenter continued. “It unfortunately feels super normal to me. I can’t blame people for wanting to have memories. But depending on how long I want to be touring, and what age I am, girl, take those phones away. 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.”
The topic of banning phones at gigs has been a contentious one over the years, with artists wishing for fans to live in the moment, and fans desiring a chance to memorialize their concert experiences.
In 2015, Jack White shared a verbal plea for no phones during his Lazaretto tour, and by the time The Raconteurs toured in 2019, attendees were told to put their devices in locked Yondr pouches.
“We think you’ll enjoy looking up from your gadgets for a little while and experience music and our shared love of it in person,” a note from the band read at the time.
Other acts, such as Tool and A Perfect Circle have been noted for asking fans to observe such a practice, with the latter having made headlines for reportedly ejecting concert attendees who violated the request.
“You ever go to a play or a movie?” A Perfect Circle guitarist Billy Howerdel asked in 2018. “If you’ve ever been to a play or a movie, it’s kind of similar: you don’t take out your phone and start filming, and let the people behind you stare into your screen.”
More recently, Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood put out a request to fans to put down their phones during the band’s Run for Your Lives World Tour. “We really want fans to enjoy the shows first hand, rather than on their small screens,” Smallwood explained.
“The amount of phone use nowadays diminishes enjoyment, particularly for the band who are on stage looking out at rows of phones, but also for other concertgoers,” he added. “We feel that the passion and involvement of our fans at shows really makes them special, but the phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting especially to the band.”
Just two months on from the departure of longtime drummer Tim ‘Herb’ Alexander, Primus are back in the saddle ahead of impending auditions for a new percussionist.
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The band’s first show since Alexander’s final appearance in August, the performance took place as part of the band’s New Year’s Eve celebration shows at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA, on Monday (Dec. 30). Opening with sets from bassist and vocalist Les Claypool‘s other bands Holy Mackerel and Frog Brigade, the main event was a six-song performance from Primus with Bryan ‘Brain’ Mantia on drums.
Mantia had previously served as the drummer of Primus in 1989, before being replaced by Alexander, who would play with the band until 1996. Following Alexander’s initial departure, Mantia returned to the kit until Primus’ split in 2000. Alexander would remain the band’s drummer for the majority of their career following a 2003 reunion, save for another absence between 2010 and 2013.
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Primus announced on Oct. 29 that Alexander had resigned suddenly on Oct. 17 via email “effective immediately”, citing a “loss of passion for playing”—a reason that Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde admitted “came as a complete shock.”
“On the heels of a wonderful spring & summer of touring and some fabulous plans ahead, it has been a bit bewildering for us that Herb would so abruptly opt out,” Claypool and LaLonde said.
“After several attempts to communicate with Herb, his only response was another email stating that he has ‘lost his passion for playing.’ As disappointing as that is, we respect his choice and it’s forced us to make some tough decisions.”
In the wake of Alexander’s passing, Primus announced they would be “taking submissions from all points in the universe for the position of Primus drummer/percussionist”. They added: “Flashy chops are wonderful, but groove, pocket, and the ability to listen, react, and contribute to the musical conversation is a must.”
The band took to social media again in late December to warn applicants of scammers who had begun contacting hopeful applicants ahead of in-person auditions taking place.
“It is our duty here in the Primus camp to at least give a ‘heads up’ as it were, to those who may be duped by these sad individuals who are obviously struggling with their own insecurities and shriveled genitalia,” the band wrote.
Currently, Primus are scheduled to be joined by Tool‘s Danny Carey for festival dates in the Dominican Republic in March, with a joint tour alongside Puscifer and A Perfect Circle set to launch in April.
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