On Sept. 22, I headed to Columbus, Ohio, with a group of friends to see Phoebe Bridgers perform at Nationwide Arena on her “Lost Weekend” tour. We were ready to sing, cry and dance, but what we weren’t ready to do was surrender our phones for the next several hours.
If you are unfamiliar with the concept of no-phone spaces, they are events that have been intentionally planned to prohibit the use of phones and other devices by audience members or participants, whether it be for privacy or to encourage the audience to be more present. No-phone concerts in particular are rising in popularity, with the policy being enforced in both small and large venues.
With these policies, however, comes debate. Arguments for and against no-phone concerts have been voiced by both the artists and audience members of these events.
Many concert-goers believe that the ability to record and look back on videos of their concerts is an important part of the experience for them, and they are hesitant to pay high ticket prices for a concert they will not be able to do that at. There are also many people who believe the policy poses safety concerns, as in an emergency it would be more difficult to call for help.
Other fans find that no-phone concerts provide a more intimate experience, creating a greater connection within the audience and between them and the artist themself.
Ultimately, the artist is the one who decides whether or not they want their show to have a no-phone policy. Bridgers shared her appreciation for the fans’ cooperation with the policy at her Columbus show, sharing that it is what made her feel safe enough to go on tour. She felt comfortable knowing she wouldn’t have to risk her emotionally vulnerable moments being recorded and shared through social media.
My Experience
Before going to the concert, I had a lot of expectations and assumptions about what the experience of a no-phone concert would be. I admit, I may be far more attached to my phone than I’d like. It wasn’t social media or notifications that I was fearful to be away from, I was more anxious about the safety logistics of the event.
When it was our turn to show our tickets, we were given pouches to put our powered-off devices in, and they were snapped shut by the workers at the venue. The pouches are created and distributed by Yondr, a company who provides their product to a multitude of “phone-free spaces.”
Once the pouch is closed, you keep it with you until you leave the venue, and a worker uses a magnetic clasp to open it and reunite you with your device.
Truthfully, the time before finding our seats was more stressful than I would consider a typical concert to be. We split up into two groups because we got tickets in different sections and my group made sure to stay close whether we were in the merch line or running to the restroom.
Once we made it to our seats and the concert began, the anxiety halted and I realized all of the positive aspects that come with a no-phone concert. I participated in the most flawlessly orchestrated crowd wave I have ever seen and it successfully made its way around the stadium at least 10 times.
During the concert, I noticed just how present and connected I felt to the moment, the music and the environment around me. Contrary to my assumptions, it was almost therapeutic. You could feel the energy of the audience as we were forced to surrender to the emotion of the lyrics, sounds and lights.
The actual process of locking up and retrieving our phones before and after the show was impressively smooth for such a large venue, which helped ease some of the stress of the event.
My personal conclusion is that no-phone concerts provide a far more intimate and engaging experience. While I may not have photos or videos of the show, my ability to focus on the present moment rendered some of the most vivid mental pictures I have ever taken. It also feels incredibly special that the experience I had that night belongs solely to me and the others there.
For others, these experiences also create unique opportunities to spread their creativity. Many fans have posted sketches they made at the concert, giving a glimpse into the lighting and visuals for those that weren’t able to attend.
Bridgers is not the only artist going unplugged for her concerts. Other big names such as Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys and even Bob Dylan have enforced no-phone policies for their shows.
The truth is that concerts with phones are actually far newer than concerts without. It wasn’t until the mid 2000s that mobile phones were widely owned and used by the public, meaning the unplugged concert experience hasn’t always been against the norm. However, according to data from an analysis by Eventbrite, there has been a 567% increase in phone-free events across the globe in 2026.
This dramatic rise in these types of events suggests that they are causing people to realize the impacts of phones on their ability to be present, and encouraging people to switch to a life lived more offline.