The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has renewed his call for fewer phones at concerts after revealing a stage dive went badly wrong when fans were too busy filming to catch him.
The singer and guitarist recalled the incident during a recent episode of his YouTube series Justin Hawkins Rides Again, using the story to explain why he believes smartphones have changed the atmosphere at live music events.
According to Hawkins, one of his trademark crowd interactions ended painfully when audience members prioritised recording the moment over participating in it.
Justin Hawkins recalls failed stage dive
Discussing the growing trend of phone-free concerts, Hawkins admitted The Darkness had previously considered restricting mobile phones at their shows.
“We talked about doing this for The Darkness stuff, but it’s a little bit impractical. I know it’s actually quite expensive to do that.
“But it would make a huge difference to the atmosphere of the performance itself.”
The musician then recounted a memorable incident from a concert in Luxembourg.
“I remember one time I played a gig in Luxembourg, I think it was, and I did my usual …
“I was doing antics, and I think I was up on the barrier, and I was gonna do some stage diving, such as my want on occasion. And people were sort of filming me like that.
“And then because they were filming, they didn’t catch me, so I just sort of fell.”
Why Hawkins thinks phones hurt the live music experience
While Hawkins acknowledged that fan-shot videos can help promote live shows online, he believes constant filming often comes at the expense of audience engagement.
The Darkness built their reputation on energetic, interactive performances, and Hawkins says the atmosphere can noticeably change when hundreds of phones suddenly appear.
“I’m not in the position that Phoebe Bridgers is in – she’s obviously taken over the world, really, with her music – and I still like a bit of filming and stuff on the Internet of us, because I think it brings more people to the shows, really.
“We’re fabulous live, and I think that it’s important that people see that.”
However, he admitted some songs trigger an immediate sea of screens.
“But in terms of the actual atmosphere there, when we play, like I Believe In A Thing Called Love, then all the phones come out, and so often I have to stop the song because it’s, like: ‘Fucking hell, where’s the vibe gone?’
“Actually take part in the experience of it, connect with the band that you’ve paid that money to go and see.”
Phoebe Bridgers and Ghost inspire debate over phone-free gigs
Hawkins praised singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers for introducing phone restrictions on her upcoming tour and said he recently experienced the benefits of a phone-free environment while watching Ghost perform.
According to the rocker, the absence of screens helped create a more immersive experience.
“It was a really spectacular viewing experience.”
The debate around mobile phones at concerts has intensified in recent years, with artists including Bob Dylan, Jack White and Ghost all embracing phone-free policies at selected performances.
Even Justin Hawkins feels tempted to film
Despite his criticism of concert phone culture, Hawkins admitted he understands the temptation to capture special moments.
“I’ve been in an audience before and I’ve been watching something and thinking: ‘Oh my God, this is amazing. I’ve gotta film this.’
“And then I can feel myself sort of going for my phone and then thinking: ‘Hang on a minute, I really hate it when people do that at my gig, so I’m just not gonna do it.'”
He added that once enough audience members are filming, it often feels unnecessary to add another recording to the mix.
“But you do feel the urge, especially when you see everybody else doing it.
“And then, actually, when there’s a huge saturation, a huge percentage of the audience is filming stuff, then you think: ‘Yeah, f*** that. There’s enough perspectives of this particular performance being captured by all of these other complete assholes here. So there’s no need for me to do it’.”
The growing battle over phones at concerts
As more artists experiment with phone-free shows, the debate continues over whether smartphones enhance or diminish the live music experience.
For Hawkins, the answer appears straightforward. If fans want unforgettable concert moments, sometimes the best thing they can do is put their phones away and be part of them.
