Has anyone tried the New York Phil iPhone app? I’m told it currently has 2.5 out of 5 stars. Reviews, please! As previously mentioned, I can’t get an iPhone because I refuse to let go of my Verizon family plan, and my cheapness haunts me daily. All I hope is that the iPhone app is more successful than the Philharmonic’s previously secret Facebook page.
Recently, my clients David and Hilary weighed in on Tweeting, etc. during concerts. Life’s a Pitch devotees may also remember the report of the Patti LuPone incident from this winter, during which Santa Evita stopped singing ‘Rose’s Turn’ in Gypsy to yell at an audience member while my friend Maureen and I sat horrified in the left orchestra. Well, according to The New York Times‘ arts blog (via the Las Vegas Sun) the Rainbow of Argentina has has done it again:
Broadway star Patti LuPone hadn’t even finished lowering her arms in
the iconic introduction to the song “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina,” when
she waved to her 10-man orchestra to stop the music. LuPone was already
at the lip of the stage, chewing out some doofus in the third row, who
was brave and foolish enough to be caught using an electronic gizmo
during her show at the Orleans showroom.“What were you doing?” LuPone demanded of her captive. “I
promise not to be mad at you. Just tell me, what were you doing —
videoing? Taking photos? Texting? I really want to know.”…Sitting near me in the capacity crowd was freelance journalist and
blogger Steve Friess, who was itching to post about the eruption to his
Twitter feed. “I want to text right now so bad it’s killing me!” he
whispered, laughing. Friess quickly jammed out a blog post and a tweet, apparently while waiting for the valet to retrieve his car. [Las Vegas Sun]
“I don’t care what the bourgeoisie say; I’m not in business for them, but to give all my descamisados a magical moment or two!”
Of course the internet is a magical place, and the great irony is that audio from her Gypsy spasm has been listened to 200,000+ times on YouTube.
Update from my friend Jeff, 6/23!! LuPone, from whom I’m still awaiting monetary reimbursement for the Gypsy ticket to the performance she ruined, has responded to the New York Times. It seems she’s both read the recent Wall Street Journal article on the topic and doesn’t know who Will Swenson is. Yes, photos/texting/Tweeting/eating during performances are a problem, but where are the ushers? The house managers? There are systems in place to police these things that don’t ruin performances for the rest of us.
I tried to leave a review for this in iTunes but something was wrong and it wasn’t taking my password. So here’s what I think:
1. Although the app description in iTunes says that it’s “Powered by” InstantEncore, what it doesn’t tell you is that it actually requires that you “sign up” for InstantEncore. Not very transparent, and a bit annoying, since I really don’t want to sign up for yet another thing!
2. It requires a connection to work, so if you use an iPod touch you need to be in a wi-fi spot to refer to the content. No good for offline checking of a concert date or basic information; it’s all or nothing.
3. I found what it offered a bit disappointing. In particular, I’d expected (hoped?) that this would be the kind of app that would not only give you the concert dates but let you look at the program book or some kind of information about each concert as well. But it’s all pretty bare bones info, with a buy tickets button. So it seems to be geared towards selling me something instead of being a resource for a concert-goer (who may already have her ticket!).
4. I’ve uninstalled it as a result. I might have considered keeping it if I lived in New York, but since I don’t I would only have hung on to it if it were really interesting or well done in its own right – an exemplar. It’s not that.
I was going to give it 2 stars.
I guess the take-away is: Don’t do anything you don’t want documented.
Cheers,
~Karl
I read the WSJ and the New York Times articles. Frankly, it is just boorish behavior to text, tweet, telephone, talk, or unwrap your candy, during any performance. It is not just disruptive to other audience members who paid good money for their seats, it is distracting—and, I might add–insulting to a performer. Now, Ms. Lupone may be known for unusually snarky outbursts at audience members, but that doesn’t make her wrong in this case.
If people’s attention spans have become so appallingly short I’d suggest staying home and letting someone else take advantage of that ticket. The fact is short of a medical emergency, there is no excuse for using any electronic device during a performance. There is always intermission.
What I can’t believe is that “tweeting” during concerts has become accepted.
Wow, I can’t believe all the commenters on NYT.com who are supporting Patti’s behaviour. What a bunch of star-lovin’ lemmings!
Part of what makes a performance special and unique is the relationship between the performer and her audience. While, in certain contexts, texting/tweeting/etc can have a negative impact on that relationship, I can’t imagine it’s anywhere near as severe as the impact of a performer throwing a temper tantrum. What’s worse: texting that irritates an artist and maybe a few audience members in close proximity to the offending texter? Or an uncomfortable artist hissy fit the whole house must endure? I’d say the latter.
Poor taste, Patti, poor, poor taste. Please consider dealing with your problems in a more constructive and graceful manner in the future (I’m pretty sure I just tanked my chances of doing PR for Ms. Lupone. I can live with this).
That being said, artists and audience members do have rights and it would be nice to find a firm but more delicate way to handle such situations.