Bunt.’s manager Nick Groff discusses empowering concertgoers to take control of the cameras at live shows, offering a fresh way for fans to engage with the performance. Speaking at the Billboard Live Music Summit, Groff explained how the initiative, which saw fans filming crowd footage at a Bunt. performance in Los Angeles, sparked a viral moment when a couple used one of the cameras to capture a kiss.
“We didn’t plant that kiss,” Groff clarified. “We gave that phone out to the fans.”
The innovative concept allows fans to take control of the cameras that capture crowd reactions at concerts, integrating them more directly into the experience. This approach comes as Bunt.’s concerts grow larger, necessitating crowd management and security measures, such as barricades around the producer’s area.
“We had this awkward problem,” Groff explained. “We got to this place by celebrating the fan, but how do we bring the fan into a larger show?”
To solve this, Bunt.’s team partnered with a tech company to create a system that links specially prepared iPhones with the venue’s audio-visual systems. This allows footage from fans’ phones to be broadcast live on the venue’s big screen. During the October 18 show at The Shrine in Los Angeles, the phones were handed to loyal fans with whom Bunt. and his team had pre-existing relationships.
The initiative’s goal, Groff emphasised, is to “celebrate the fan by capturing them in their moment.”
The conversation also touched upon the viral kiss cam incident during a Coldplay concert earlier this year, when a couple was filmed in an affair during a concert kiss cam segment. Although the incident caused a stir, Groff pointed out that the kiss cam, in its original form, was a novelty that celebrated the simple and universal human emotion of love. “The kiss cam was always about celebrating love,” he said.
Groff also noted that this new fan-controlled camera system could address issues that arise at dance music events, where fans often interrupt performances by sticking phones in DJs’ faces. By redirecting the cameras to film the audience rather than the artist, the system seeks to enhance the experience without disrupting the performance.
Despite the excitement surrounding the project, Groff admitted that it is still in the early stages. The technology behind it is complicated and costly, and the system is not yet ready for wide-scale adoption. However, Groff confirmed that Bunt.’s team plans to use the system at upcoming events, including a performance in Munich on November 13.
While the widespread rollout may take time, the initiative has set the stage for a new era of fan interaction at live music events, where concertgoers aren’t just observers—they’re part of the show.