Venue recording policies in the 1990s

[ParaDime77]

Watching the video from KISS Revenge Tour 1992, what were the recording policies for venues back then? Could you take a video camera into a concert? I cannot remember that being the case.



https://youtu.be/DGnBW-kf0JQ?si=-aM-0kIBFFiTi70q

[Hatchets Molly]

No way. Don’t remember the years (sometime in the 90s) but I had to sneak a disposable film camera in down the front of my pants.

[rockker]

Most times you were extremely lucky if you could get a regular camera in. No one was waltzing into an arena with a camcorder out in the open

[FreddyFender]

“No flash photography” was pretty much the standard rule back in the day - impossible to enforce in many cases, but artists didn’t like the idea of having bad photos of them taken by fans, so some enforced harder than others.

As for video cameras - absolutely not allowed, and it was considered insane to sneak a camcorder into a venue and film a show. I think the people doing it were less likely to be crazed music fans and moreso just bootleggers looking to make money selling copies of the tape at flea markets.

I think Grateful Dead and maybe a couple other bands encouraged fans recording the gigs - hippie mindset and all that - but nearly everyone else would throw your ass out.

[Love_Industry]

I think Grateful Dead and maybe a couple other bands encouraged fans recording the gigs - hippie mindset and all that - but nearly everyone else would throw your ass out.

Rush and Queensryche had taper sections on various tours. But not all.

I assumed there would be a taper section and borrrowed a cassette recorder to capture a Queensryche show in 1995. Turns out security was super strict, so I sneaked the gear in and made the only near-complete (save for 1-2 min at the end and a mid-song tape flip) 120 min recording of the show. Someone got a video camera in, no idea how, but after less than an hour he got caught and kicked out. The video is now on youtube and audio on guitars101

[Hatchets Molly]

A buddy of mine back in the day had a Sony Minidisc recorder that he "snuck in" to many club shows to record bootleg audio. I got a lot of good stuck that is now just everyday YouTube. I wanted one of those but couldn't afford it back then. I remember them being a few hundred $$ from Crutchfield.

[tooth]

No way you were sneaking anything into those places. IIRC, a Heavy Metal concert was maybe the first time I saw a metal detector. Either there or a Strip joint. They would even check peoples cigarette packs for joints!

[Rocker4Real]

It's nice to have so many videos now on YouTube. It took a lot of effort to sneak those cameras in. By the early 90s the cameras were smaller and that helped.

[Ratt_Trader]

It's nice to have so many videos now. It took a lot of effort to sneak those cameras in. By the early 90s the cameras were smaller and that helped.

20 or 30 years back when I was trading shows, I heard stories about the big time filmers in the 80's, they would dress up like roadies and walk right in thru the loading dock with their recording gear in a case. The old trick of trying to blend in and look like you belonged there, lol.

[Revlon_Dead]

During the early 80"s, I mostly went to the Orange Pavillion in San Bernardino and Irvine Meadows and it was almost impossible to get a regular camera in yet alone video. Most people that I knew wouldn't even try because if you got caught you either had to turn it over to security or take it back to your car which noone wanted to deal with. Didn't do many concerts in the 90's

[HoldenSSV]

It's nice to have so many videos now. It took a lot of effort to sneak those cameras in. By the early 90s the cameras were smaller and that helped.

20 or 30 years back when I was trading shows, I heard stories about the big time filmers in the 80's, they would dress up like roadies and walk right in thru the loading dock with their recording gear in a case. The old trick of trying to blend in and look like you belonged there, lol.

How did they not get found out during the show? Was it just assumed they were filming for the band since they looked the part?

[Ratt_Trader]

It's nice to have so many videos now. It took a lot of effort to sneak those cameras in. By the early 90s the cameras were smaller and that helped.

20 or 30 years back when I was trading shows, I heard stories about the big time filmers in the 80's, they would dress up like roadies and walk right in thru the loading dock with their recording gear in a case. The old trick of trying to blend in and look like you belonged there, lol.

How did they not get found out during the show? Was it just assumed they were filming for the band since they looked the part?

Yup, set up back from the stage with a full tripod, and some of them would even make fake laminate crew badges to hang around their necks.

[ijwthstd]

BOOTLEG COWBOYS – The Music Industry’s Outlaw Historians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDNzaYJtbyI

[Bono Nettencourt]

Is that Fresno media guy on there

[TREVERLAST]

Tickets used to say NO CAMERAS or AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING EQUIPMENT right on them. But I was able to sneak a camera into a few shows in the 80's & 90's. For Hallowen 1996 I made a pair of platform boots (one was hollow) for a friend who was dressed like Gene and he was able to sneak a camcorder in the hollow boot into Irvine Meadows and film some great footage of KISS that night.

[Velvis]

It's weird that this was such a big thing and so enforced. Back during those days all personal cameras (photo and video) and audio equipment sucked. It's not like anything created would be sold to the point of effecting live commercial releases or you were going to start selling posters made from an instamatic from row 17.

The sad part is so much more rock history would be available if it wasn't prohibited in the first place.

I would think a lot of bands themselves would like to have more bootlegs and photos from their tours back in the day.

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

It's weird that this was such a big thing and so enforced. Back during those days all personal cameras (photo and video) and audio equipment sucked. It's not like anything created would be sold to the point of effecting live commercial releases or you were going to start selling posters made from an instamatic from row 17.

The sad part is so much more rock history would be available if it wasn't prohibited in the first place.

I would think a lot of bands themselves would like to have more bootlegs and photos from their tours back in the day.

Unless they are making money off of it, 99.9% of bands couldn't possibly care less about the historical aspect. And they certainly don't want people making money off of them if they aren't getting a cut.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Right. Different times. It's easy to say that now that everyone has the internet and an HD camera in their pocket.