People who don’t abide will be escorted out of the venue.
Fans of Tommy Tiernan at his upcoming live shows have been warned that they will be kicked out if they use their phones or smartwatches during his performance.
The comedian, actor and presenter is currently on his Tomfoolery tour to the US, visiting the likes of Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.
For the current run of shows there are are strict guidelines in place, with event organisers announcing that the gigs are a “phone free experience” and are using Yondr bags (individual pouches for audience members to seal their phone in) to implement it.
“Use of phones, smart watches and accessories will not be permitted in the performance space. There will be phone-use areas inside the venue to check your device.
“Upon arrival at the venue, all phones, smart watches and accessories will be secured in individual Yondr pouches that will be opened at the end of the event.
‘”Guests maintain possession of their devices at all times and can access them throughout the event only in designated Phone Use Areas within the venue. All devices will be re-secured in Yondr pouches before returning to the performance space.”
They added that anyone seen using their devices during the performance will be escorted out of the venue.
?? Tommy’s West Coast US ‘tomfoolery’ Tour kicks off tonight!
? The first show takes place in the Moore Theatre, the oldest operating theatre in Seattle @stgpresents
? Go to the link in bio for tickets and further information on all US tour dates pic.twitter.com/bQz2Quzvdn
— Tommy Tiernan (@Tommedian) October 16, 2023
Tommy Tiernan first Irish act to use phone pouches at gigs
Tiernan became the first Irish comedian to use the Yondr bags at his gigs when he played Vicar Street earlier this year.
“I did it last night and it was fantastic,” he said on his podcast after the Dublin show. “What happens is, say Vicar Street there was 1,100 people there, so we have somewhere between 1,100 and 1,300 bags and it’s a patented thing.”
Set up in 2014 in San Francisco, Yondr has seen its patented bags used more and more by artists and performers across the world.
The bags have even been trialed in some Irish schools as a means to get students off their phones during school hours.
“We are meeting with principals every day, all eager to work with us to eliminate the many issues phones are causing,” Yondr’s Sarah Leader told the Irish Independent in June.
“We had estimated 50 schools by September, but we are sure to surpass that now. Interestingly, I’ve had a number of parents phoning me, because Yondr is being used in one of their children’s schools and they’re eager for information on how they can persuade their other child’s school.”
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