Commentary: Blackpink in Singapore – what is proper concert etiquette anyway when it comes to fan filming?

A quick YouTube search showed the same smartphone situation at the standing pen of other concerts in Singapore like Guns N’ Roses and Maroon 5 in November last year, and even BTS way back in January 2019.

It’s quite possible this unspoken rule isn’t widely known. Or it could be that when your idols are up on stage, all rules are out the window. Either way, smartphone recording is here to stay.

MAKE IT A GOOD CONCERT EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF

It’s a digital world we live in these days and to many, it’s part of the whole concert experience to record and share the fun times you’re having with your friends.

Considering some Blinks had been on-site even before the queueing zones for the standing pens officially opened at 2.30pm when the concert only started at 8pm, the adrenaline, fatigue, hunger, and overall waiting can add up, and the smallest inconvenience can trigger immense frustration.

It’s unrealistic for concertgoers at the standing pen to assume that no one should take the spot in front of them just because they were there first. Perhaps those in the standing pen just couldn’t see the stage very well – with or without smartphones blocking their view.

I noticed there wasn’t a lot recording around me in the seated section. And when there was, it didn’t last longer than a minute.

At the end of the day, it boils down to having situational awareness and knowing when and how to be more considerate to everyone around you. After all, everyone at the concert is a fan.

April Zara Chua is a freelance content developer and mother to a preschooler and a 7-year-old cat.