Lighters at concerts...

[Dauber]

Does anybody know when, why and who started the tradition of holding lit cigarette lighters when a band plays a mellow or "spiritual" song?

[chief]

I asked the exact same question a while back but noone was able to answer.. i hope someone around here knows!

[AWB]

They're offering to re-light the band members' doobies. :D:D

[DVous Means]

I reckon it's just dumb mob psychology.

[panamajack]

Note : this is not my opinion, this is something I read.

The liner notes on one of my roommate's Styx albums claimed that this practice was either started or popularized by the band, especially their song "Light Up".


panama jack

___________

"People say these are the worst of times ..."

[TampaFlyer]

I thought this started with candles at Beethoven concerts a couple centuries ago. ;)

[Revedge]

Originally posted by panamajack

Note : this is not my opinion, this is something I read.

The liner notes on one of my roommate's Styx albums claimed that this practice was either started or popularized by the band, especially their song "Light Up".


panama jack

___________

"People say these are the worst of times ..."


Horsehocky. (not you, but Styx claim) This tradition was around before Styx was. I lit a few lighters at concerts way before they were around. It was a form of applause, and not just used during "mellow or spiritual" songs. It tended to happen at end of concerts. I think that the motivation was if you have been screaming your appreciation for a group all night, then the only way to increase your apparant appreciation was by adding a visual element. Being in the dark, the only thing that people could see would be light. Few people carried flashlights, but everyone had lighters. (For those doobies:))

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

I think I read somewhere that audience members used to hold
lighters aloft when the Doors performed 'Light My Fire'.
Makes sense, after all.