American rocker Jack White has asked fans attending his show at Winnipeg's Bell MTS Place next week to abide by one simple rule.

You're not allowed to use your cellphone during the show.

But the no-phone rule comes at an awkward time for True North Sports and Entertainment, which is in the middle of rolling out a new digital-only ticket system — meaning concertgoers can no longer get in with a printed PDF of their ticket.

That means you'll need to bring your phone to get into the show.

"At the same time we're saying, 'Hey, the tickets are on your phone,' we have a show with an artist who wants you to put your phone down and focus on the stage — so their message was, 'Hey you don't need your phone,"" said True North's senior vice-president of venues and entertainment, Kevin Donnelly.

"We do apologize to the general public that this a confusing application, but both are true — we need you to use your phone for your admission into the building, and once you're in, the artist is asking that you put your phone in a locking case that they're going to provide."

CBC's Eli Glasner demonstrates the Yondr cellphone-locking pouch in Toronto in November 2016. (CBC )

White is best known as lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes, but has also been involved with other projects including the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather, and is also known for his solo career.

A '100 per cent human experience'

The nine-city Canadian leg of his Boarding House Reach world tour, which kicked off in Edmonton Friday and ends Nov. 14 in Halifax, will require attendees to secure phones "and other photo or video-capturing gizmos" inside a lockable pouch that they will keep with them.

The special pouches, developed in San Francisco by a company called Yondr, have been used by performers including comedian Dave Chappelle and musicians Alicia Keys, Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande, according to the company's website.

If fans need their phones during the show, Donnelly said they'll be able take them to a designated "phone zone" located in the lobby or concourse, where the pouches will be unlocked.

And for those fans who can't bear not being able to "Instagram it," official photos and video from the concert will be available on White's website.

"Repost our photos and videos as much as you want and enjoy a phone-free, 100 per cent human experience," reads an announcement from tour.

"I'm not sure if he's old-school or forward-thinking, but the idea is put your phone down and enjoy the show," said Donnelly.

CBC's Eli Glasner demonstrates how cellphone-locking pouch Yondr works. 0:53

"I commend anybody who's trying to improve and enhance the concert experience," he said.

"Everyone has their own opinion. This artist, his opinion is that the cellphones, the tablets, the waving of everything, the checking your Facebook constantly, is breaking the momentum — breaking the concentration — of the performance."

He said the bags, and the staff who will help concertgoers put their phones in them, are being provided by the tour, and he's confident the process won't cause too much of a delay getting into and out of the arena.

Jack White takes the stage at Bell MTS Place Tuesday at 8 p.m.

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