Damon Albarn opposes Bob Dylan’s phone ban at gigs: “Where does it end?”

nme.com:

Blur’s Damon Albarn has shared that he does not agree with Bob Dylan’s mobile phone ban from his upcoming tour.The discussion arose following the folk-rock icon announcing details of an upcoming UK tour, which will see him play a total of 10 shows across the country this winter.It was also confirmed that a phone ban would be implemented on all dates, and attendees would be made to switch off their phones and place them into a Yondr pouch that would be locked by staff at the venue.Visitors then keep the pouch throughout the gig, however, it can only be re-opened either at the end of the show or if they try to leave the building beforehand.Now, in a new interview with BBC, Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn has shared his opposition to the approach, and said that he thinks fans having phones adds to the atmosphere of live performances.“If you start banning things where does it end?

I think you’ve just got to turn up and do your thing,” he told the outlet. “People won’t want to be on their phone if you’re engaging with them correctly.”He also went on to reflect on his huge summer shows at Wembley Stadium with Blur last year, and said that the Sunday gig was their favourite-ever performance.

This, he said, was aided by fans with phones creating such a strong atmosphere.The pouches have been used in schools across the US since 2014 in a bid to stop students from being distracted by them during lessons, and various artists have used them throughout their live shows in recent years.Jack White of White Stripes, for instance, embarked upon a phone-free tour of the UK in 2022. “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 statement read at.