The Associated Press reports that both the Coachella and Lollapalooza music festivals will be banning selfie sticks this year, dismissing the accessories as “narcisisstics” on a list of prohibited items.
The selfie stick is a photo-taking tool popularized by the young and the young in the brain in the past year or so; the user attaches their cell phone to the end of the stick, which extends to varying distances to “get the perfect picture every time” and allows the user to “capture you at all the right angles.” It’s a perfect tool to let everyone on social media know how much you love live music when simply going to a concert and listening to bands won’t do.
It’s interesting to note that calling the devices “narcisstics” comes directly from Coachella’s own Rules and Policies page, implying that they were banned because organizers don’t like their own fanbase, not because they would obstruct attendees’ view of the Coca-Cola signage. (The makers of the original Selfie On A Stick didn’t pony up the cash to sponsor these celebrations of alternative music, apparently.)
As of this writing, spokespeople for both music festivals have yet to comment. The list of items currently allowed at Lollapalooza and Coachella still includes Native American headdresses, overpriced bottles of water, and over-served, sweaty jagoffs.