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Ugandan musicians vs YouTubers: Who will prevail in crackdown on concert footage? 

A  Pass bagonza live in concert (Photo courtesy: @nyaika256)
A Pass bagonza live in concert (Photo courtesy: @nyaika256)

A growing number of Ugandan musicians have recently taken a firm stance against fans who illegally record and upload their concert performances online.

Battle lines have been drawn between musicians, showrunners and content creators over footage taken from concerts.

At the forefront of this campaign is singer A Pass Bagonza, who, following his acclaimed concert at the Kampala Serena Hotel last weekend, cautioned fans against uploading lengthy recordings of his performance on YouTube. 

He cited the use of poor-quality devices which do no justice to his meticulously planned and executed shows.

“People can post what they want on Facebook, Instagram, and X but not YouTube. Do not dare, because that is a different story,” A Pass warned. 

“The issue that involves my concert is; I want quality control. I want to make sure that the concert videos on YouTube are of the right quality.”

The Wuuyo singer noted how his team invests heavily in professional cameras, drones, and editing to deliver high-quality content, and amateur recordings undermine this effort.

Those who insist on uploading the footage, A Pass said, risk losing their YouTube channels.

“The (Youtubers) who upload videos of more than 3 minutes of my concert are likely to lose your channels. 

“You cannot take your poor-quality phones to my show, and upload chunks of it on your channel when we invested money to get good cameras and drones to get the best quality content. 

“Right now we are busy editing it, while your poorly recorded content is out there giving people the impression that my sound was that bad.”

Veteran artist Ragga Dee is also up in arms with fans on the same matter.

Prior to his January 25th concert at Serena, he prohibited live streaming and unauthorised recordings. 

“At the show, we have partnered with an entire television company to stream the concert,” he told reporters.

“In doing so, we make sure that the sound they are using is coming from our mixers, and not picked directly from the speakers like you are doing with your phones.”

 “I am not trying to get in your way of making content, but I care more about my image which you might be tarnishing out there.

Fan Backlash and the Debate on Content Sharing

These actions have sparked both outrage and support among fans and content creators. 

Some perceive the musicians' stance as a betrayal, arguing that fans who pay for concert tickets should have the right to record and share their experiences. 

Critics also point out that international artists often have their concerts shared online without issue, citing examples like Chris Brown in South Africa and Kendrick Lamar.

One social media user criticised A Pass for restricting his songs on TikTok, suggesting he was being overly restrictive. 

“A Pass has been an upcoming artist for his entire music career. Just this one concert and now his wings have germinated,” wrote user Qwenxo Owe Mogolo.

Another user noted the difficulty in regulating video uploads and suggested that preventing attendees from bringing phones, as some comedians do, might be the only solution. 

Conversely, supporters of the musicians argue that artists have the right to control how their content is shared to maintain quality and protect their brand. 

“I am with A Pass on this through and through. Your world must be protected at all costs,” stated Emmanuel Mwaka.

International Perspectives on Concert Recordings

Globally, the issue of fans recording concerts is multifaceted. Many artists and venues explicitly prohibit video recordings to maintain control over the quality and distribution of their performances. 

Unauthorised recordings can lead to legal repercussions, as they may infringe upon the artist's copyright. 

To legally record and share live performances, one must typically obtain consent or a license from the copyright holder. 

This could involve negotiations with the artist’s management or record label and might require payment of a fee or agreement to certain conditions, such as limitations on how the footage is used or distributed.

However, some artists encourage live recordings. For instance, the Grateful Dead allowed fans to record their shows, fostering a community of collectors and traders of live performance tapes. They even designated specific areas at venues for tapers to set up their equipment.

The advent of smartphones has made it easier for fans to record and share concert footage, leading to debates about the impact on the live music experience. 

Some argue that constant filming can detract from the communal atmosphere of concerts and may inhibit artists from taking creative risks due to fear of the widespread dissemination of subpar performances.

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