1. A DIGITAL/PHYSICAL DAY IN THE LIFE
OF A ROCK MUSIC FAN:
ONLINE AND OFFLINE AT CONCERTS
Andrea Baker (@andee)
Theorizing the Web III, 2013
New York, NY

2. INTRODUCTION
• Background on fan project
• Methodology
• Areas of study: identity, relationships, community
• Setting: Mini-tour, late 2012
• Research Questions
• How do people use social media, mobile phones and online discussion
boards when attending or observing a f2f event?
• What concepts help make sense of this interweaving of media?
• Data: What happened? live + media
• Discussion: How to conceptualize it?

3. MUSIC/VID FROM LATEST SHOW/PPV: 12.15.2013
• See Youtube:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weoP4Ljpb20

4. SETTING: PHYSICAL, DIGITAL: 11/ 2012, 12/2012
• Physical: Stones Concerts in London (2), Brooklyn (1) and
Newark (2), the “50 and Counting” Mini-tour
• Pre-and post-concert activity, online/ offline, 3 fan boards, FB,
Twitter: Online Communities (OCs) and Social Network Systems
(SNSs): pre-parties, post-parties
• During concert activity, online and offline, physical/digital

5. WHAT HAPPENED: OVERALL + INCIDENT
• 5 concerts whole mini-tour (plus two club shows, rehearsal,
Paris)
• Two O2 London, Nov 2012
• One Brooklyn, two Newark, Dec 2012
• Three fan groups online: attendees and observers
• Setlist posted by accident
• Process: FB to OCs
• Picked up by rt, gts

6. PASS IT ON

7. QUOTES ON SET LIST, AND COMPARISON OF PAST,
PRESENT PROCESSES
• First Killer says: Reply #5 12/08/12 at 6:55 pm “SR posted the set list on FB” and Ruby
Tuesday says at 7:11 “I saw Rick’s post on FB.
• Harold asks: "Re: Barclays Cntr, BROOKLYN, NY 12/08/12 Set after RT posts set list
• Reply #7-12/08/12 at 7:12 pm “Would somebody be kind enough to post a ink to SR’s
FB?”, 7:16, RT posts link, which disappears over time.
• Reply #10 - 12/08/12 at 8:18pm (before start time of show, 9 pm) “Thank you Ruby
Tuesday!" Then gotthesilver (from both ygmr and mm) asks where set list is. RT saw it
on FB from SR, leader of Shatt.
• Then RT says “check your PM, gts”…I get the actual PM from gts. He then posted set list in
picture form on a music site.
• Finally, RT sums up "Re: Barclays Cntr, BROOKLYN, NY 12/08/12 Set
• Reply #21 - 12/08/12 at 9:10pm ** We've come a long way with Twitter, Facebook and
smart phones!!!!
• Comparison of two time periods 2005-2007 and 2012-2013, gathering set list…was written on
Charlie’s plexiglass walls at show, now given to a few. Process. Called in from show or texted,
on first tour or occasionally clearly identified as spoiler.
• (I stupidly ask where was the preparty to sa, not realizing she was at cc's selected place in
brooklyn).( sa just knew, was at shatt too)

8. THEORETICAL IDEAS FROM DATA, GROUNDED
(FOR DISCUSSION)
• Against Digital Dualism/Pro Integration
• More simultaneity, immediacy compared to five years ago
• FB, Twitter more used, plus discussion boards
• Example of incident spreading online
• For Digital Dualism/Pro Separation
• Direct sensory input
• had to be there—sound
• had to be there—touch/hugs

9. DISCUSSION
• Advantages of Separating Realms/Timing for
analysis/experience
• Sensory data in f2f, beyond visual and auditory
• For digital asynchronic, thought-out, unspontaneous interaction
• Advantages of Integrating Realms/Timing
• Mobile and portable devices allow texting, posting, calling while f2f
• Older conceptual divisions not reflective of everyday life interactions
• Experiential advantages of each mode, can do both as
individual + community
• digital, compare to sports, better view, replay faves
• physical, excitement of crowd, hear what is heard/see it, feel it, taste it

10. DISCUSSION (CONT.): METAPHORS FOR
INTEGRATION
• Metaphors, Terms for discussing digital/physical interaction
• Flow:
• flowing: air, water: stream, water-like, transparent, moving (Casells;
Leander and McKim), liquid, “fluid” boundaries (Ward, 1999)
• Weaving or Stitching:
• Keith R, ancient form of weaving, two guitars playing, changing
• Mosaic of patches in quilt, textiles, kinetic, sense of touch
• Fabric, quilt, knitting, tactile, some separation, but interwoven,
intermingled threads (Leander and McKim, Baker)

11. DISCUSSION (CONT.)
• Names for new social entities: relationships, communities,
personas/identities:
• mixed mode: Walther and Park (2002)
• hybrid space, hybridisation: Ward (1999)
• blended: Baker (2007) (after blended learning)
• augmented reality : Jurgenson (2011)
• Methodological Issues: physical, digital
• Need p/o plus interviews
• Need discussion board, sns observation, phone studies

12. CONCLUSIONS
• Insights from what happened…conceptually, methodologically,
experientially: e.g. cross-Online Community (OC)
collaboration/notification (+ conflict), more simultaneity of
communication.
• More ways of conceptualizing processes still needed.
• More ways of capturing relevant data still needed.
• Need more studies of mutual effects on Online Communities of
Offline Activities; how physicalOCs and how OCs  physical:
distinguish origin of community, whether physical or digital
• Need in particular, effects of fan gatherings at live events and
communication of those events to other members of fan
communities

13. FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: THOUGHTS
• More effects of online/offline on communities as well as on individuals
• An Issue to Consider: can we articulate agreements and disagreements on
how to describe the merging but not identical realms of digital and physical?

14. TWITTER FROM BERNARD, BACK UP SINGER:
DRESSING ROOMS

15. THANK YOU!
bakera@ohiou.edu