The Raconteurs are asking fans to put their phones down for their upcoming tour, and instead, focus on the human experience that comes with a live concert.
“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,” reads the event info for each stop. “Enjoy a phone-free, 100% human experience.”
Last year, Jack White, who is also the frontman of The Raconteurs, became the first artist to hold a phone-free tour. He took advantage of the service Yondr, which provides concertgoers with a pouch to lock their phone in during the concert. While a few other artists – like Alicia Keys and The Lumineers – took advantage of the San Francisco tech company’s service, White was the only artist to fully ban phones at all of his shows, noting that the use of excessive technology affects his “mindset as a performer.”
Phones can only be used during the show in designated zones in the venue’s lobby or when leaving the venue. In case of an emergency, venue staff and security have a way to communicate with one another and are trained in emergency procedures, Yondr’s website says, explaining that venue staff will have hand-held unlocking devices outside the venue at a safe distance, should the crowd ever need to evacuate.
The no-phone policy has mixed reviews among concertgoers and industry executives. Some people call the phone-free environment refreshing, while others think that there is no need for it. White, however, is a strong believer in the technology. During a show, he doesn’t like the fact that the audience isn’t really engaging when screens are in the way, so he wanted to put an end to the distractions.
“The way (the audience reacts) tells me what to do next,” White told Rolling Stone in February. “And if they’re not really there, I don’t know what to do next.”
The Raconteurs recently announced a fall tour in support of their latest record, Help Us Stranger. Currently, the group is on tour following their return to the music scene this year, hitting dates across the U.S. and Canada this summer. Then, they’ll take a brief break before picking-up the trek again in November. Help Us Stranger, their third LP, is their first record since 2008’s Consolers of the Lonely and features tracks “Don;t Bother Me,” “Now That You’re Gone,” and “Sunday Driver.”
Head over to Ticket Club to find tickets to see the group on tour this year