Cell phone ban a weird, welcome change during Chris Rock show

As soon as I slipped my two cell phones into separate neoprene Yondr pouches Friday rendering them essentially useless, my husband joked that he couldn’t believe I was about to go the next few hours cell phone free.

I was at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center in Indio for Chris Rock’s first comedy tour in 10 years called “Total Blackout.” And as the name suggests, his show was a total social media blackout because he bans the use of cellphones, cameras and recording devices.

I'm the type of person that takes tons of photos wherever I go, so I was slightly concerned about the cell-phone fee experience.

As soon as I walked up to the entrance, an announcement came over the loudspeaker informing of the cell phone ban and that any use of cell phones inside the venue would not be tolerated.

“We have zero tolerance. We will escort you out or we will ask you to leave,” continued the announcement.

A thick crowd formed outside the venue as guests waited in line to place their phones inside a Yondr pouch before entering.

The provided neoprene pouch has a magnetic seal that locked during the show. I was able to carry my phones with me, and roughly feel it, but was unable to use it in any way.

I got to the venue about 45 minutes before opening act Mario Joyner took stage, so for that entire time, there were no selfies, no checking for cute pet photos on Instagram, and no supportive 'likes' handed out on Facebook.

I sat there with my husband and talked about how weird and refreshing it was to not feel compelled to constantly check my phone. Our seat neighbors joked about how now they were forced to talk to each other.

That was the truth. There was no filling up empty conversation voids by looking at a phone. It was nice to see people interacting and talking to each other rather than heads down staring at their phones, something too common nowadays.

A creature of habit, there were times when I instinctively reached for my phone, only to find it wrapped in neoprene. Others did the same. What time is is it? Had to find someone with a watch. A nice woman I was talking to wanted to show me photos of her handmade jewelry so she reached for her phone only to be thwarted as well.

With game four of the NBA finals going on at the same time, there were some fans, my husband included, whose only complaint was not being able to keep track of the score.

For the most part, Rock fans I talked to didn’t seem bothered by the ban. It's a practice more and more entertainers are adopting for a variety of reasons. It lessens distractions during the shows and also helps avoid the mass sharing of material.

From a fan perspective, it also cuts down on the annoying wall of cell phones that always seem to block your view.

So when Chris Rock took the stage Friday, there were no cell phones waving in the air -- only a raucous welcome from the gracious crowd.

READ MORE: Chris Rock bans cellphones during 'Total Blackout' performance at Fantasy Springs

After the obligatory chatter about how hot it is in the desert, Rock, known for his sharp social commentary, immediately dove into the hottest politics issues -- Donald Trump, police shootings and gun ownership, for example.

His set turned personal as he discussed the real pain caused by his much publicized divorce. He admitted it was his fault. He wasn't faithful. He talked about being a father and what it's like to be back in the dating pool as a famous person. Of course he mixed jokes in during these more heartfelt moments, but he didn't hold much back.

He said those details are exactly why he didn’t allow cell phones. He didn’t want some of the specifics chronicled or put on the internet out of context.

And event organizers weren’t joking about making people leave if found with a phone. I witnessed one older woman in a neighboring section who was flanked by security on both sides of the aisle and escorted out, just before the show started.

After the show, venue employees were at the door ready to unlock the pouches with a large circular magnetic device. Voila, I got my phones back.

No selfies. No Snapchat story. No slightly out-of-focus, zoomed-in photos of Rock in his all-black outfit to prove I was there. But I have to admit I'm perfectly happy chronicling the night with ticket stubs and memories -- the old-fashioned way.

Xochitl Pena is the vibe and style columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach her at (760) 778-4647 or xochilt.pena@desertsun.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TDSxochitl) or on Facebook.