The cellular advantage

In 2007 NY Times had an interesting little article addressing the sudden surge of Cellphones at Concerts these days. The piece showed the way cell phones were beginning to become an important part of a concert-going experience for the fans in more ways than just bringing home a cool video clip to show your friends. Famous musicians such as Korn, Jane's Addiction, Beyonce, Prince, and the Hold Steady are embracing this new technology and using it at their shows as a way to become more directly involved with their fans. After all, live music is all about your connection with the artist (which is why it is so much more fun to go to a concert than listen to a CD you've heard 10,000 times)- and if they can somehow enhance their involvement with the fans then the band gets what they want, and the fans get what they want; it's a win-win situation here and everyone leaves happy. 
Tours and concerts were quick to catch on to the mobile phone trend and use it as an avenue for increasing fan involvement. Fans can enter contests, vote, send their opinions, thoughts, requests, ideas, etc. all via their mobiles and all they are doing is giving their number to promoters- for some people this is worth it. For a chance to win a contest and play on stage with the Hold Steady, it was worth it for Dennis Vorreyer at Lollapalooza two years ago. And just imagine the things we could do now. 
At Warped Tour this summer I texted a promo number and in return they texted me the entire day's worth of stage lineups and special events going on in the Pavillon. There were about six stages and bands playing all day long from noon until 8 or 9 pm, and tents and stands covering all the ground in between. So you can see why I would need some sort of organized way to know where to be at what time, and when I had it right in my pocket I was less focused on the little details and could enjoy my time there more. 
Mobile technology has really dramatically increased the fan participation and satisfaction of the live music experience. As recording industries and record-sales gradually phase out (which they will do), musicians will hopefully realize that their fan-base is most important, and I predict these mobile involvement strategies are going to grow and grow and grow in the music industry substantially as a new way to please fans and put a measurement on success. 
I have a lot of questions concerning the future of the music industry when it comes to mobile technology, but I do know for certain that as our mobiles become increasingly capable, we become increasingly connected and the distance between fans and musicians that once seemed so great seems to be slowly closing in with every mobile opportunity we as fans are offered.