Has anyone taken a camera in to the Kylie gigs at Wembley?

[JimT]

I received an email last week saying that, "at the artist's request", no cameras are allowed and will be confiscated on entry. I wondered if anyone had experience of taking one anyway, how thorough the searches were, how hot the stewards were on stopping the taking of pics, etc. It seems to me that it'd be almost impossible to police - surely they're not confiscating all phones as well!

[mushroom25]

at the NEC they have been known to do thorough bag searches, however at most performances I've been to there have been camera flashes from all around, so hidden cameras are getting in.

Having looked at several friend's concert photos though, you see a brightly lit stage area and a figure the size of an ant that may or may not be the artist they said they went to see.

[CheekyChops]

I went to see Take That and was quite near the front. Me and my friends all took photos on our phones and all of us deleted them the next day!

As Mushroom25 says, all you could see were bright lights and a speck of a person who could have been anybody.

[saxy_jag]

Having some experience of a smaller venue, both as an audience member and as an employee, I can't honestly say I've seen stewards actually confiscate cameras in the firts instance. Usually punters are asked to deposit cameras at the cloakroom area for collection later - either that or the punter isn't allowed in. The stewards accept that they can't police mobile phones in the same way, no matter how diligent and observant they are, so they ask only that they're switched off. If they see people with them out taking photos, they will ask them not to, and if those people blatantly persist, then further steps will be taken. I've never been to a venue the size of Wembley to know how they operate there.

But as has already been said, there's really not much point anyway. Flash is pointless because it's either cancelled out by the stage lighting or you're too far away for it to be of any use whatsoever. Forget it. Enjoy the gig and buy yourself a poster taken by a proper photographer who's been near enough to get a decent shot.

[JimT]

I'm going tonight and have decided to leave the camera just to avoid any potential hassle, but I just wanted to refute this idea that taking a camera is pointless. I never use flash anyway and get excellent pics - I got some superb ones at Madonna last summer, and have reams of amazing Radiohead ones too. You have to be in a good position - at Madonna I was 6 rows from the stage, Radiohead front row, tonight at Kylie 3rd row. The pics of a distant spec occur when you're more than about 20/30 rows back and your zoom ceases to be effective. But within the 1st 10 rows, switch your flash off and you should get some good pics. Thanks for the suggestion of the poster but my poster-buying days are over and merchandise costs are hysterical these days! I will however enjoy the show I'm sure, if the other times I've seen her are anything to go by.

Thanks the responses guys.