It recently came to the attention of NW favorite and Bumbershoot headliner Bassnectar that an entire dissertation had been written with him as the prime example. In “Bass in Your Face: A Case-Study Exploration of Networked Culture,” Samantha Kretmar details the shift in the concert-going experience that technology has brought upon us.
We live in an age where technology rules all. We check our phones as soon as we wake up, and use them to connect with friends or access social media throughout the day. This is an age when a dead battery can be the worst part of your day. Our hyper-connected ways follow us as we attend shows and concerts. As we watch the show, we’re taking pictures and videos, or possibly even trying to catch that perfect selfie with the artist in the background.
Before the show we’re planning with friends on social media, and after the show we’re posting what we’ve captured and even making exchanges with the artist on Facebook or Twitter. This level of constant connection and interaction is what Samantha Kretmar is calling “Networked Culture.” There has never been a time where we have had such instant and direct access to artists, unless you happen to be actual friends with someone like Bassnectar and just have his number in your phone (and if so, we envy you).
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, we also use tools like Soundcloud to access the music of our favorite artists, with many of their tracks available for free. If you’re not the type to follow Soundcloud closely, chances are that your favorite artists link you to it through a different platform like Facebook. Essentially, you’re drawn to different areas of our culture’s network, even if you don’t intentionally seek it out.
The dissertation truly is eye opening, and we highly recommend at least reading the Abstract. To view Samantha’s thesis, go here: http://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/237/
In what ways do you utilize technology before, during, and after a show? Do you interact often with any artist, in particular?
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