During a recent interview with the Phoenix New Times, Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) further discussed his no phone policy. He says when fans use phones at live shows they are “missing the opportunity of actually absorbing in real time what’s happening.”
Keenan said the following:
“You’re annoying the person behind you. They shouldn’t have to watch the show through your phone. It’s not going to look good. You’re just wasting your time.”
He continued:
“It’s rude. Not to us, I mean, I just did a whole photoshoot. I’m not afraid of cameras and I’m not afraid of phones. I’ve got mine right here. It’s a very useful tool.
There’s no way you can actually capture what’s happening in that live moment on a phone. You’re missing the opportunity of actually absorbing in real time what’s happening. The art of storytelling. Being able to actually recount what you saw without having to record it.
Training your brain to live in the moment and see the thing, but more importantly, stop annoying the person behind you. It’s annoying, it’s distracting and it’s distracting for us, too. So put it the fuck away, grow the fuck up. It’s only two hours. And at the end of the show, we usually let you film a song, so you get your souvenir.”
He also added the following when asked if he has ever considered not letting a crowd film at all:
“Absolutely, if we have to throw out a dozen people because they’re being arrogant assholes, selfish pricks. You’re annoying the people around you. I know there’s all kinds of arguments, like, ‘Well, the removing all those people is annoying.’ Uh-huh. It’s called consequences. This is what happens here. You do it in a theater, you do it at a play, you do it at an orchestral performance, you get removed. You don’t get to do it. Do it at an opera, you’re leaving. It’s rude. You’re here to experience a thing. You paid all that money to be here to witness what we do, not what you do.”
Metal Anarchy 
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