Bob Dylan has taken time out of a recent performance to address photo-taking fans, admonishing them for their actions.
If you’ve been lucky enough to see Bob Dylan performing live in recent years, then you would likely know that the 77-year-old is not a fan of photography at his shows.
In fact, his ‘no phones’ policy has become so well-known, that fans that repeatedly flout this rule are kicked out in a rather unceremonious manner.
Likewise, fans would also be aware that to hear Bob Dylan speak to the crowd is an event as rare as hen’s teeth. While he’s even stopped his band member introductions in recent years, hearing the music icon speak in anything other than a melodic tone is certainly something to write home about.
However, at Dylan’s recent show in Vienna, Austria, he became so incensed by fans taking photos that he was forced to address the issue.
During his performance, the artist briefly stopped to mumble something unintelligible, though the word “pictures” could be heard. After walking back and nearing falling onstage, Dylan again addressed the crowd in a much more identifiable fashion.
“Take pictures or don’t take pictures,” he noted with frustration. “We can either play or we can pose. Okay?”
Love Pierce Brothers?
Get the latest Pierce Brothers news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Check out Bob Dylan’s onstage ‘speech’:
The uploader of the above video noted that he was unsure about what set off Bob Dylan’s mini-rant, but noted it was likely that a wayward camera flash caught his eye.
Of course, Bob Dylan isn’t the first artist to hit back at phones at gigs, with the likes of Jack White taking a stand in regards to the idea recently. In fact, those at The Saboteurs’ (or The Raconteurs, if you’re not an Australian) debut Australian performance this evening will be forced to lock up their phones beforehand.
“I really react to the crowd, just like a stand-up comedian would,” White explained to Metallica’s Lars Ulrich last year.
“If I finish a song and go, ‘Ta-da!’, and it’s crickets, I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t know what to do now.’ Am I supposed to play a heavier song, a faster song? Do you want me to play acoustic? Do you want me to leave? I’ll leave!’”
“But what I don’t like is, ‘Is that how they really feel, or are they just not even paying attention because they’re not engaged… because they’re texting?’”
“When you go to a movie theatre, a symphony, church, whatever – there are all these moments in life where people put those away and engage,” Jack White continued.
“And I love the idea of rock concerts being punk as hell and there are no rules. I love that. But I don’t like the idea that I have no idea what to play next. And I need that. Because I’ve walked offstage before like, ‘Man, I don’t know what to do anymore. If this is how it’s going to be from now on, it’s going to be very difficult’.”
Check out details of The Saboteurs’ Australian tour below.
Check out Bob Dylan’s ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right’:
The Saboteurs Australia & New Zealand Tour 2019
Presented by Frontier Touring
Thursday, April 18th
Regent Theatre, Melbourne, VIC (18+)
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Saturday, April 20
Big Top Luna Park, Sydney, NSW(18+)
Tickets: Big Top Sydney
Also appearing at Bluesfest on April 22nd.
Bluesfest 2019 Lineup
The Saboteurs (aka The Raconteurs)
Joining…
Iggy Pop
Norah Jones
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Imelda May
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Archie Roach
Pierce Brothers
Backsliders
Fantastic Negrito
The Marcus King Band
Thando
Little Georgia
Benny Walker
Dallas Woods
Joining…
Jack Johnson
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Paul Kelly
Hozier
David Gray
Ray La Montagne
Julia Stone
Gary Clark Jr.
George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic
Mavis Staples
Snarky Puppy
Kasey Chambers
Tommy Emmanuel
Meshell Ndegeocell0
Kurt Vile And The Violators
Keb’ Mo’
Colin Hay
St. Paul And The Broken Bones
Shaky Graves
Arlo Guthrie
Nahko And Medicine For The People
Tex Perkins
Allen Stone
Ruthie Foster
Richard Clapton
Russell Morris
Flogging Molly
Lukas Nelson And The Promise Of The Real
Samantha Fish
The War And Treaty
I’M With Her
Larkin Poe
The Black Sorrows
Vintage Trouble
Mojo Juju
Trevor Hall
Irish Mythen
Anderson East
The California Honeydrops
Elephant Sessions
Deva Mahal
Melody Angel
Hussy Hicks
Caiti Baker
RocKwiz Live
With even more artists yet to be announced…
Thursday, April 18th – Monday, April 22nd, 2019
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay, NSW
Tickets: Bluesfest
