Bob Dylan gigs phone ban backed by Chrissie Hynde with Pretenders veteran hitting out at ‘weird compulsion’

A ban on phones and recording devices put in place by Bob Dylan has been backed by The Pretenders legend, Chrissie Hynde.

In a letter posted to her social media page earlier today (June 2), the Tattooed Love Boys hitmaker backed Dylan’s ongoing ban on mobile devices. A mandatory Yondr pouch handed out by venues hosting Dylan’s show must be used by those in attendance. The pouch locks the phone away for the duration of the show and means that, on paper, nobody can record the gig. Yet recordings of every show so far on the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour from 2021, which is when Dylan started to ban phones from his gigs permanently, are available online. His upcoming summer show will no doubt have the same restrictions, and same volume of bootlegged copies, available.

The decision for people to record these moments has been criticised by Hynde, who says she and Emmy Lou Harris were confused by the state of audience etiquette. Hynde wrote: “What is it with people and their phones? Why do people have to know how many steps they take every day? What difference does it make? Why do people ahve to film or take pictures at concerts or museums?

“I was lucky enough to have dinner with Emmy Lou Harris (goddess) the day before her London show at the Albert Hall. Our conversation naturally turned to people on their phones at concerts. This is a subject that comes up every time I meet any artist. It’s become like an unpleasant fug hanging over the head of all artists.

“You can plaster a venue with signs requesting ‘NO CAMERAS’ but people don’t respect it. It’s as if people feel entitled, even though the artist clearly has asked them not to do it.”

Hynde went on to cite Dylan’s decision to block people from using their phones and recording devices at his gigs, but some have managed to get full copies of the show recorded for the pleasure of those not in attendance.

Hynde went on: “Bob Dylan ensures that phones are sealed in a bag before a show. You would think an artist of his stature could make a simple request and the audience would respect it. No chance. People will still sneak in a camera or a phone. It’s like a weird compulsion that people can’t control.

“It reminds me of monekys wanking in full view of the peopl standing around their enclosure, and frankly in that case, people deserve to be wanked at because monkeys should not be in an enclosure in the first place. However, an artist on a stage?

“And no one seems to be able to understand why artists don’t like it. If you’ve ever had a mosquito buzzing around your head when you’re trying to go to sleep, you will get a vague idea of what it’s like to have people filming your show or taking photos while you’re on stage. If Jesus Christ were to walk into a room the first thing everyone would do would be to pull out their phone.”