Porcupine Tree's Photo Policy

[J-Dubya 777]

I got another picture inside before PT came out, also with my phone, that showed a crew member vacuuming the stage. I'd never seen anything like that before and had to capture that! ;-)

Someone just got a new duty! Perhaps there will be some Oreck or Hoover swag in your future....

 

[Rick Pierpont]

Someone just got a new duty! Perhaps there will be some Oreck or Hoover swag in your future....

I'll let this one slide considering your limited mental capacity. I see your and raise you

 

[KingsGene]

To each its own if you want to be that discriminatory about what is out there...but as an e-zine editor its discouraging to want to cover another one of their shows as much as I like the music.

Can you explain this statement further? Just trying to understand what one thing has to do with another....

 

[ZenKeys88]

It was pretty bad at the Baltimore show. When Steven sat down to play that piano (the wooden... thing... with the Line 6 pod on it... help?) at the front of the stage, the lights washed everything in blue. Suddenly there is this awful red light on Stevens face. I glance over my shoulder and the guy behind me has a very nice looking digital camera, and he's about to take a picture. So, I tilted my head in front of him just as he clicked the button >=D

 

[Jasonic]

Hrmmmm...
Isn't any exposure a band gets a good thing?
I mean, is it really a bad thing if someone posts a bootleg version of a new tune on You Tube?

Think about Metallica a couple years ago.
They played a couple at-the-time unnamed new tunes prior to Death Magnetic, which were leaked on You Tube. They were decent tunes and that got the hype going for the new disc.

Is someone really going to not buy the new PT if they first see / hear a tune on You Tube, regardless if the song / quality is good or bad? To me, it could only help, not hurt.

As far as cameras, I can see how the flashes could be distracting.

I dunno. It just seems to me as a performer, its something that comes with the territory of performing live.

 

[Diabolik]

I am getting tired of people holding up thier cellphones to get a snap shot of bands playing....these pics are usually blurry and dark. A quick pic isnt a big deal but those who keep there arm up during half the song drive me nuts.

I think in this day and age.....people are at shows texting and taking cell phone pics more than actually there to enjoy the show. When I last saw Sonata Arctica at the Metro a few years back....most of the crowd had thier heads down texting about the show or what they were doing after it.

I think Porcupine Tree just want people to be there to watch the show and not distract any from it. While I think any press is better than no press. But if this is what the band wants.....I guess respect it. I know it is a long stretch....but for those who remember going to shows before cell phones and the internet / i phones / blackberries....people were there to see the bands and experience the show. Now before a show you can read the set list, and everything about the show before it hits your area.

As much as it stinks not being able to take pictures....this is coming from a guy who used to video tape almost every show I would go to....thats the deal. It stinks. But it is the rules of the show. I have a feeling it isnt about wanting pics of the show to leak out...it is more about the experience being disrupted.

 

[Jasonic]

I have a feeling it isnt about wanting pics of the show to leak out...it is more about the experience being disrupted.

I can certainly agree about how it detracts from the experience.

I guess I was speaking more about if the reason they don't want it is to prevent leaks.

I am guilty of snapping a couple of cell phone pics each show.

I have seen people get mad when during a bands performance they get bumped into while texting!

 

[nailz]

Go black and white

This has saved several shots that otherwise sucked for me. In fact, I might go back to my DSO pics and see I can salvage one or two like this. I didn't do any for them. B&W can be pretty badass though.

I agree that this was probably intentional. Allen says he sees this occasionally: Lighting sucks for the first 2-3 songs, then explodes to life as the photographers exit the pit.

I don't get the rational behind it. If they don't want to be photographed THAT badly, why not just not allow photogs in to begin with?

 

[ZenKeys88]

I am getting tired of people holding up thier cellphones to get a snap shot of bands playing....these pics are usually blurry and dark. A quick pic isnt a big deal but those who keep there arm up during half the song drive me nuts.

I like to get a couple of shots just to use as phone backgrounds for the period between that concert and the next, but nothing too crazy. Most of the shots suck, but I do have some good (well, good for a phone) ones:

http://i35.tinypic.com/2ro73g4.jpg
Michael Pinella of Symphony X
http://i38.tinypic.com/29fy2b8.jpg
Some of Opeth

I've got a couple of others, but I can't seem to get them to send from my phone. USB cord doesn't work, hasn't for months. Thats how I lost the other Opeth pix I had. Ah well.

I think in this day and age.....people are at shows texting and taking cell phone pics more than actually there to enjoy the show. When I last saw Sonata Arctica at the Metro a few years back....most of the crowd had thier heads down texting about the show or what they were doing after it.

When I went to see Blue Man Groups Megastar 2.1 tour, I brought my camera. But during the first song I realized that I would end up spending way more time trying to get good shots than I would having fun. So, I put the camera in my jacket and had a blast. Except for the old couple next to me who weren't into it at all >=(

As for texting, Akerfeldt had this to say at the May DC gig: "...are you... TEXTING... during the song?... 'Hey mom, the show is great!'"

 

[KingsGene]

This guy (Joe del Tufo) seemed to do ok....
http://theincidentontour.blogspot.com/2009/09/soundcheck-gig-in-philadelphia.html
http://www.studiomlive.com/artists/porcupinetree0909/