That “old” feeling can creep over you, unexpectedly, in many ways.
One way is while you are enjoying a show at the historic Hollywood Bowl, and the performers call for everyone to hold up their cell phones.
Ummm…wwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhat?????
Back in my day we held up lighters. Ok, so they have probably been banned or something…but we certainly did NOT hold up our cell phones and let them glow blue and green in the Hollywood night sky. We held up FIRE-and then we used the FIRE to light up a smoke or a joint. THAT’s how it was done, dammit.
My girlfriend’s 15-year old informed me this has been happening for many years now. Which made me feel sad I was so old, but even more sad because it had been that long since we’d been to a concert. In fact, this was our first show since we moved to Los Angeles (nearly 10 years ago)-you know, where GOOD bands come to play, as opposed to say Farmville, MI where maybe, just maybe, one BIG act comes once every two years.
All of that cell phone nonsense aside, if you are ever in Los Angeles, I highly recommend the historic Hollywood Bowl. Go ahead and bash LA-but I dare you to find anything like this anywhere else in the US. And yes, we drove our Prius there and drank wine-so make fun of us all you want. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Except maybe a lighter and a joint.
WTF? A cell phone? That’s just stupid. Next they have a damn screen saver on the damn cell phone that LOOKS like fire.
Technology is really taking away from how awesome life used to be.
I never heard of that either. What if I don’t have a cell phone? Can I still hold up my zippo? Heh. Actually, I don’t have one of those either.
We been holding up cell phones in concerts for years, And i’m thirty – as long as I’ve been a poet performing – I’ve seen it done, and thats been easily since 1999. typically lighters only make the cut in outdoor concert venues, indoors where there is no smoking people typically flip the phone in the air.
that so did not help with my whole “feeling old” thing.
hahahahaha
I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hold up a cell phone. It’s got to be fire or nothing!
I’m taking a stand!
I haven’t been to a real concert in years. I had no idea about the cell phone thing. Good to know.
I was equally shocked when I went to see Garbage at the Tabernacle in Atlanta last year.
I left my cell phone at the hotel for safe-keeping. I didn’t know it was now a necessary concert prop!
I prefer to scream & clap myself. But cell phones have been the de facto, call-for-an-encore device for many, many years.
So who’d you see?
So, does it make me cool that I knew this was done? Because I had seen it done at a Wiggles show? No? Damn.
They must have made a rule against lighters for safety reasons… Safety laws are getting way out of control I think! It takes the FUN out of stuff! I mean, what is so awe-striking about a bunch of cellphones being held up in the air???
Yeah, lighters are a relic of the past my dear. It’s sad indeed.
While I agree that the Hollywood bowl is something else, I was wondering if you have ever trapsed out to, George Washington to see a show at the gorge? If not, I highly recommend it. Some of the most breath taking views I’ve ever seen while enjoying great music.
I’ve got to say, that is the first time I’ve ever heard of cell phones being used to replace lighters… God help us.
I guess I messed up the html code for that one…
you can see the gorge here
I have a picture of a lighter on my cell phone that I bring up when I want to mock those people…