Madonna announces three cell phone-free San Francisco shows

Madonna is playing three shows in San Francisco this fall. Cellphones are not allowed. Madonna is playing three shows in San Francisco this fall. Cellphones are not allowed. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For IHeartMedia Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For IHeartMedia Image 1 of / 73 Caption Close Madonna announces three cell phone-free San Francisco shows 1 / 73 Back to Gallery

Madonna just announced three dates in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Theatre on her "Madame X" tour. The catch? Don't even think about looking at your cellphone during the show.

For her S.F. shows on Oct. 31, Nov. 2 and 4 (as well as her dates in other cities), the 60-year-old pop legend will be requiring concertgoers to use Yondr, a small neoprene pouch that puts a phone on lockdown with a magnetic device. People can therefore carry their phones with them during the show, but can only unlock them from their pouches at designated Phone Use Areas in the venue.

Recently, Yondr has become popular in Bay Area high schools like San Mateo High School, where all students and staff are required to place their phones in pouches at the beginning of the day. Jack White also required fans to use Yondr at his Bill Graham Civic Auditorium show last August.

"The reason people go to experience live music is to be swept up into a shared mood," Yondr founder Graham Dugoni told the San Francisco Chronicle at the time of the Jack White show. He said that when someone takes out their cellphone, that collective mood is ruined. "What that does is create a little paper cut. That energy leaves the room and doesn't come back."

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Fans who purchased tickets to previously announced Madonna dates received the following message: "Use of cellphones, smart watches, smart accessories, cameras or recording devices will not be permitted in the performance space. You need to make note of your seat location prior to entering the building – you will be unable to access your mobile tickets after they are scanned. Anyone seen using a cellphone during the performance will be escorted out of the venue."

Tickets for Madonna's Golden Gate Theatre shows will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13.

Madeline Wells is an SFGate editorial assistant. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22