The way fans attend and participate in concerts has changed drastically over the decades. Straight-backed quiet turned into crowd surfing which then made way for cell phones immortalizing entire performances. Miranda Lambert is not a fan of audience members taking selfies during her concerts, a fact taht rapper Vanilla Ice referenced when he welcomed photography at his venue.
-year-old Lambert has been frequenting the country music scene since 2000, starting off strong the next year with a self-titled debut album and following up with the certified platinum Kerosene in 2005. Meanwhile, 55-year-old Vanilla Ice, real name Robert Van Winkle, kicked off his music career with 1989’s Hooked. Lambert’s policy regarding selfies varies greatly from his and has made significant waves in the industry.
Miranda Lambert calls out taking selfies at her concert
On Saturday, as part of her Las Vegas residency, Lambert stopped performing suddenly as she started singing “Tin Man.” She had noticed a group in the audience taking selfies. “I’m gonna stop right here for a second, I’m sorry,” she said. “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song.”
RELATED: Miranda Lambert Is Unrecognizable In Never-Before-Seen Photo On Instagram
She continued, “It’s pissing me off a little bit. Sorry, I don’t like it. At all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country damn music.” A TikTok video captured the incident and some fans could be heard leaving, with one commenting, “Let’s go — you don’t do that to fans.”
One of the women spoke to NBC and said she was “appalled,” adding, “It was 30 seconds at most. We took the picture quickly and were going to sit back down.” In the greater music scene, concertgoers and performers alike are choosing sides.
Vanilla Ice is among those responding to Lambert’s policy
Audience etiquette has increasingly become a topic of debate, as some zealous fans throw objects at the stage that pose a risk to the performer’s physical health and their mental well-being. In terms of selfies, Vanilla Ice has no objections and even referenced the incident with Lambert during his Atlantic City concert over the weekend.
Rapper Vanilla Ice performed “Ice Ice Baby,” and then invited people onto the stage. “You can take all the selfies you want — this ain’t no Miranda Lambert concert,” he teased. Later, he mingled among the crowd and reiterated, “Turn it around like Miranda hates.” New angles of the incident show that the fans comprised a sizable group using flash photography near the stage, in front of others trying to see.
In another concert soon after, Lambert gave a happy shoutout to a fan who wore a shirt reading, “Shoot tequila, not selfies.”
Which side do you agree with?
Queen’s Brian May Says The Famous ‘Freddie Mercury Moment’ Was Unplanned
The Moment Tony Bennett Remembered Lady Gaga’s Name For The First Time Amid Dementia Battle