My phone died 3 songs into a show at the 9:30 Club and I had to decide: enjoy it or save it?
I was at the 9:30 Club in DC back in March and my phone was at 8 percent when the opener started, so I plugged into a friend's brick and recorded the first 3 songs of the main set, then it shut off for good. I stood there holding a dead phone for the rest of the night and honestly had a great time, but now I have a half a set that cuts off and I can't stop wondering if I should have just put it away and lived in the moment. Do you bail on recording when the battery gets low, or do you always carry a second charger and get the full show?
Went through almost the same thing at a small club show last year. My phone was at like 12 percent and I got greedy and filmed, then it died during my favorite song and I just stood there staring at a black screen like an idiot. The part I recorded is shaky and sounds terrible anyway, so I never even watch it. What I actually remember from that night is the stuff I saw with my own eyes, not the junk sitting in my camera roll. Now I leave the phone in my pocket and bring a tiny battery pack just in case, but I don't pull it out unless the show is really special. Half a set you'll never rewatch isn't worth missing the second half for.