Jersey Mike

I just got in from witnessing an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, ass-kicking performance from AC/DC at the Wachovia Center in Wilkes-Barre.

The show was surprisingly…astounding.

And even if you only remotely know me, you should have picked up on the fact that I’m not easily impressed anymore- especially when it comes to concerts and live shows.

Every angle of production is represented on this tour- pyro, video, special effects, props- and a giant locomotive engine are all focal points of this massive stage show.

And the only thing that really grinded my gears about this one was not the six-fifty twelve-ounce Yuengling Lagers. And no, it wasn’t the army of geriatric-aged security people. And I was even fine with the seeming chaos of the check in lines for this invite-only show.

It was all of the people with their stupid cell-phone video cameras.

You could see them- dotted throughout the arena. Dopey concertgoers standing there holding up the tiny screens of their Motorola’s and iPhones. Shaky, far-away-distanced and low-res recordings of songs that- once posted on YouTube (and there will be hundreds of them) will be completely indecipherable from one another.

Seriously- if you really think that your stupid little cellphone video camera is going to shoot something that’s even remotely worth viewing or sharing at a freaking concert- then you should seek medical help as soon as possible.

I love YouTube.

YouTube is absolutely one of my favorite parts of the internets. But I’d probably estimate that eighty percent of the, um, crap on YouTube is, um…crap.

Pure rubbish.

And of that eighty percent of rubbish on YouTube that is crap, proably eighty percent of that is shitty cellphone recordings at concerts.

And it’s not just the big shows- even most indie or smaller bands who’s videos wind up on the YouTube are shitty.

We’re wasting precious server space with shit that shouldn’t be viewed by anyone.

So please, for the good of us all- unless you’re a professional video maker with professional gear, put your stupid cellphone away and leave the concert cinematography to the professionals.