There is a God and it has spoken through promoters at some of the UK's biggest live music venues: Gigs including the London O2, SSE Wembley Arena and the O2 Academy Brixton made an announcement this week banning the use of "selfie sticks" at the facilities.
The best part: Promoters aren't pretending it has anything to do with safety regulations. They realize that sticks for holding phones and cameras are just a pain in the butt for everyone sitting behind the user.
"Selfie Sticks are not permitted at Academy Music Group venues," the Academy Music Group told NME. "This is in keeping with our existing policy that prohibits the filming and photography during a performance with iPads and other tablet devices and includes any such obstructions for the satisfaction of other customers."
Hopefully other venues around the UK and elsewhere in the world take a hint and pass similar decisions. Based on your correspondent's attendance at Governors Ball and Lollapalooza last year, we can attest that if the "selfie-stick" trend, or other equipment designed for holding GoPro cameras et al, get any bigger then it'll be a problem. NME reports that the sticks were among the best-selling Christmas gifts of 2014 and Lord we can only hope that's just in the UK.
If you haven't been asked to move a few feet forward so someone else can take a selfie, the concept is simple: Users can attach smartphones and similar to a selfie stick, which they then hold in front of them, allowing for a few extra feet that typical human arms can't reach. Better selfie, more irritated concert attendees.
If you're not too easily insulted, you can also get a brief editorial in the form of this cartoon.
