“Put that shit away”: Live concerts, mediatization and annoyance

Abstract

This article aims at discussing issues related to the use of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and cameras for the recording of live shows, as well as the inconvenience caused by this practice. From questions raised by specialized music criticism, such as the hierarchy between “live” and “mediatic” experiences, I analyze how the performance of contemporary music cannot be understood if we segregate the technological actants, the mediatic processes and the performance of the audience. Thus, it is proposed a problematization of questions about the flat ontology, within the context of Actor-Network Theory, as a theoretical perspective to discuss and think live music in its network dynamics.

Keywords: live music, mobile devices, musical consumption.