Planning on recording a shaky YouTube video of Mumford & Sons at their upcoming gig in Brighton, UK? You’re out of luck, as the folk rockers announced that they’ll be banning cell phones at the show — which takes place before their third LP, Wilder Eyes, comes out — as a precaution against leaking (via BBC).
The group made clear that the last-minute show at the 1700 capacity Brighton Dome in Brighton — which was offered exclusively to their mailing list subscribers — will not allow cell phones. The email alert said, “as this show is happening pre album release, the band have requested all mobile phone and recording devices to be prohibited inside the venue.”
And, they’re serious. The email went on to say that fans who do bring phones with them should plan to arrive “a minimum of an hour” before the show begins to check them in, and that “there will be a queue after the show to get your phone back.”
The tight security is to protect fans from recording Wilder Eyes, which comes out the week after the show on May 4th. But do they really expect that low-quality audio or video of the show leaking will be significant? As NME points out, the band also banned phones from two London shows and one in New York this past year.
“It’s so nice playing a show without everyone on their mobile phones,” said keyboard player Ben Lovett at another cell phone-less show this year. “We just wanted to have an intimate moment where people weren’t checking the latest feed.”
The band recently debuted the third single from the record, “Snake Eyes,” ahead of a rockier album which they say ditches their signature banjos.
In other unusual Mumford & Sons news, Marcus Mumford recently called their name ‘a ballache,’ and that the band considered changing it. Mumford & Sons should probably just stick to playing music.
