Photo Credit: dr_zoidberg / CC by 2.0
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson isn’t holding his tongue about his distaste for mobile phones. At an Iron Maiden show, leave the phone in your pocket.
If you’re heading to see an Iron Maiden show, it might be better to just leave your phone in your pocket. The band’s Bruce Dickinson hasn’t minced words about his dislike of fans using mobile phones at Iron Maiden shows. The band has even prohibited their use for select gigs—but notably not all.
The 67-year-old Dickinson said he wishes “the camera on those things had never been invented” in a conversation with Appetite for Distortion. According to Dickinson, the widespread use of mobile phones at concerts has diminished the experience for both the artist and the fans.
“It’s like some terrible disease, that people feel the need to look at the world through this stupid little device. It’s like a failing of humanity,” he says. “You’re surrendering your senses completely to this little fascist in your hand.”
“Put it down, put it in your pocket, and look around you. Look at the people, look at the joy, look at the band, feel the emotion, feel the music. What a phone does, it cuts all of that off,” Dickinson continues.
“And so I feel sad. I also feel pissed off, because as a performer, I want to perform for an audience of people that have some emotional feedback—not a bunch of Android twerps.”
The use of phones at live events has been a continuing subject of debate, especially during the high-volume summer months. Bands like The Pretenders and Swedish metal ensemble Ghost have been very vocal about their distaste of mobile phones at their shows. Ghost has also started requiring fans to put their devices in locking phone pouches when they enter the venue, with Yondr being one of the biggest suppliers.
Perhaps the most high-profile artist to have recently discussed the matter is pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who revealed she was “absolutely” considering banning phones at her shows.
“I’ve grown up in the age of people having iPhones at shows,” the 26-year-old explained. “It unfortunately feels super normal to me. I can’t blame people for wanting to have memories. But depending on how long I want to be touring, and what age I am, girl, take those phones away. You cannot zoom in on my face. Right now, my skin is soft and supple. It’s fine. Do not zoom in on me when I’m 80 years old up there.”
But while some fans are understanding of such decisions, and even applaud them, many more have voiced their concerns—especially regarding the ability to contact people not present at the venue in the event of an emergency.
“Many people want to share their experience, and why shouldn’t they?” wrote one fan on Reddit regarding Ghost’s widespread phone ban.
Iron Maiden’s Run For Your Lives tour will still allow phones at most shows. But their recently announced European leg will include two phone-free shows in Paris, which will be filmed for an upcoming release.
