Pictures at Massey Hall

No pictures here...but a comment.

I attended three of the four shows at Massey Hall last week end anjoyed them immensely.

There was one thing that did bother me unfortunately. I guess because digital cameras (and phones) are so small more and more people sneak them into the performance (even though a sign at the entrance says they are prohibitted) I can understand wanting to take a couple of pictures, some with the six string, some with the twelve string, maybe at the beginning of each set. Unfortunately I sat in front of someone who took pictures during the entire performance, sometimes several during a single song. Leaving aside the distraction of the flash the camera beeped after each shot, as most digital cameras do. The worst was during Sit Down Young Stranger on Saturday evening. As has been mentioned recently the volume at shows is not high. Gord was basically playing solo in the first half of the song and doing a wonderful job. And yet this person thought that would be a good time to share a beep with all around and take picture thirty or fourty something of the evening. I don't understand how or why people who apparently like the man and his music enough to be there would spoil the mood like that.

[ November 21, 2006, 12:35: Message edited by: banjobench12 ]

[banjobench12]

No pictures here...but a comment.

I attended three of the four shows at Massey Hall last week end anjoyed them immensely.

There was one thing that did bother me unfortunately. I guess because digital cameras (and phones) are so small more and more people sneak them into the performance (even though a sign at the entrance says they are prohibitted) I can understand wanting to take a couple of pictures, some with the six string, some with the twelve string, maybe at the beginning of each set. Unfortunately I sat in front of someone who took pictures during the entire performance, sometimes several during a single song. Leaving aside the distraction of the flash the camera beeped after each shot, as most digital cameras do. The worst was during Sit Down Young Stranger on Saturday evening. As has been mentioned recently the volume at shows is not high. Gord was basically playing solo in the first half of the song and doing a wonderful job. And yet this person thought that would be a good time to share a beep with all around and take picture thirty or fourty something of the evening. I don't understand how or why people who apparently like the man and his music enough to be there would spoil the mood like that.

[ November 21, 2006, 12:35: Message edited by: banjobench12 ]

[Peter Bro10]

While I agree that taking that many pictures at a concert is ridiculous, most folks aren't that inconsiderate. The issue really is a matter of courtesy not cameras. Most venues, I suspect, prohibit cameras because of incidents like you mentioned. (sounds like gun control laws... cameras don't kill people, people kill.... or something like that)
At my last concert I brought my wife's camera, which I knew full well I should practice with in low light conditions, etc. Well, when I went to snap shots at the concert, even though I shut the flash off (flash is utterly useless beyond 20 feet), I discovered that it was emitting a weird green light. I can only guess it was some sort of auto focus thing. In any event I never took a second shot! I would never diminish my fellow fan's evening by such distraction. "Cheap" digital cameras still have a long way to go, also.
By and far the vast majority of Lightfoot fans are exceedingly polite and well mannered, so much so that when someone acts anything less, they really stand out!
As for sound, I do wish Gord's sound people would crank the amps a bit!!! I know a good deal of "my problem" hearing is my problem hearing!! but it wouldn't hurt to turn it up a notch. Ok, so I'm half deaf, big whoof!! ( a wee bit 'o humor there...)
oh listen to me... rambling on again! so.... what what were we discussing???

[charlene]

It couldn't have been much of an evening for the photographer either - constantly holding up a camera and loking thru a little viewfinder instead of looking at the real deal up there on stage!
lol
All the beeps etc. are a pain but there's no way to stop them. At least I haven't figured out a way short of stomping on it....LOL
Mine makes a sound when first turned on and then agin when turned off but nothing after that. I try to put both hands over the damned thing on my lap at those times.! Or I turn it on/off when there is applause.
hmmm...maybe Jenney and I can work out a 'camera muffler' to sell at concerts....

[charlene]

It couldn't have been much of an evening for the photographer either - constantly holding up a camera and loking thru a little viewfinder instead of looking at the real deal up there on stage!
lol
All the beeps etc. are a pain but there's no way to stop them. At least I haven't figured out a way short of stomping on it....LOL
Mine makes a sound when first turned on and then agin when turned off but nothing after that. I try to put both hands over the damned thing on my lap at those times.! Or I turn it on/off when there is applause.
hmmm...maybe Jenney and I can work out a 'camera muffler' to sell at concerts....

[T.G.]

Originally posted by Peter Bro10:
As for sound, I do wish Gord's sound people would crank the amps a bit!!! I know a good deal of "my problem" hearing is my problem hearing!! but it wouldn't hurt to turn it up a notch.

No you're not deaf LOL. I made this point before; the volume of Gord's PA system and the amps are much too low. During a break at Massey, I went to check out the mixing board setup and could see he's got a pretty humble system, as compared to today's state-of-the-art stuff. The speaker stacks on either side of the stage were also quite small.

There were several times during the show when people started to clap along to the songs, but soon stopped because it was drowning out the quiet volume of the music. It was also hard to hear what Gord wassaying during his between-song banter. So I would concur: turn up the amps!

[TheWatchman]

There is a perfect camera for concerts. One of my mine is a nifty little Casio EX-S500 that is about the size of a credit card. All sounds can be turned off, even when powering up. I can take pics all day without drawing any attention. Same with video, I can take over an hour's worth on my 1GB memory card. The quality of the video is pretty good, believe it or not. All these vids were taken with this Casio and have been compressed, and the quality is still good. The original files are crystal clear. Once you use the zoom with video though, the quality goes straight down the tubes, obviously. Front row video at a concert would be excellent.
http://www.iroc-zpostforum.com/Videos.htm

The quality of the pics are great as the colors are very, very accurate. Using a few tricks to get proper exposure, the quality is good enough to frame. I had one of my lighthouse pics printed at a graphic design and media studio to see if the quality would actually stand up, and it did.

They used to retail for over $400, but being they now have 6 & 7 megapixel versions, the 5 megapixel (EX S500) cameras can be purchased for under $200. Don't confuse the Z versions with the S models, the S models are a far better camera and the video is much better.

[Jennifer]

I'm sorry you had to sit through that nuisance, Banjo. I agree that it is inconsiderate and distracting to others to take an excessive amount of pics. I think if I was in that situation I might have considered speaking up and politely but firmly ask that he keep the picture-taking to a minimum.

As far as the sound, I also agree it could have been turned up a notch. Especially since there was a drunk guy in the audience who felt the impulse to yell out at the top of his lungs "I Love You Gordon!!" about 15 times in the first half of the show, usually when Gordon himself was speaking. He was removed eventually but not until intermission and not before he spilled his drink all over the people sitting next to him (as he was being removed).

[Peter Bro10]

Thanks Watchman, I'll have to check that camera out soon.

Please, whatever you do, don't tell my wife I refered to her camera as "cheap". A very poor choice of words on my part! It's actually a pretty nice camera, but I would dearly love a SLR type digital... off to dreamland I go!!!! lol

[Gord H]

With respect to photo taking... I suspect artists would rather people take photos than bootleg the concert all over the Internet and they make no money from it.

I remember when I was at the Jann Arden concert last year in Kitchener, I sat in my chair mortified when the flash went off on my camera and Jann looked right at me. Talked to her afterwards and she told me and I quote " I don't care if people take photos" Sometimes artist preference overrides a theatre's rules.

As a rule I tend to wait til the 2nd set to take photos and I have my flash turned off.

You can't blame people for wanting to take photos of GL especially with him nearing 70 and the health scare he had a couple of years ago.

Just my 2 cents