Promoters of an electronic music event due to open in Melbourne and Sydney will ban punters from using their phones in a move that is apparently being embraced by those snapping up tickets.
Attendees will be issued with stickers to cover the lenses of their smartphones preventing them from recording the gig or taking photos in a strategy aimed at turning back the clock on the audience experience.
It comes as concert goers who use their phones to document live performances face increasing criticism.
International DJs Le Youth, Paris, and Sultan & Shepard will take to the stage as part of This Never Happened in July.
Ticket holders are warned up-front that phones are banned.
"Live music was still amazing long before we were recording it to share online," event promoter Pia Del Mastro said.
"It's taking labels and artists like this to take us back a decade and make us realise that this is how we used to do it."
Ms Del Mastro said fans of the music label had embraced the no phones policy since it was first introduced.
"They get it and they love it," she said.
"Everybody is so used to seeing footage on Instagram where there are a million people standing in front of them and they are all doing the same thing. It actually looks a bit whack."
Sydney University's Cyberpsychology Research Group deputy chair Brad Ridout said research had shown that for so many of us recording an event had become a tough habit to break.
"Research has shown that doing so can result in poorer memory recollection compared to those who simply lived the experience instead of trying to capture it," Dr Ridout said.
"So trying to 'capture' the memory can actually prevent people from remembering the very events they are attempting to preserve."
He said it was a habit that could be broken.
"Like everything with digital nutrition, breaking habits is all about intentionality," he said.
"Set a clear intention before you attend an event that you are going to be present and not reach for your phone.
"And then help yourself achieve this by putting your phone in a less accessible place if possible."
Dr Ridout said those struggling not to reach for their phone should make a conscious effort to focus on the sights, sounds, and emotions of the event in front of them.
Founder of the This Never Happened concept, Daniel Goldstein - better known by his stage name Lane 8 - said many people had forgotten or never experienced live entertainment without a smartphone in front of them.
"As I started DJing more often and building a name for myself I noticed how much phones had taken over live music," he said.
"Really, live anything - sports, music, any kind of entertainment. I can't quite reconcile what I see now with my early clubbing experiences before people were as caught up in their phones."
He said not allowing audience members to take photos or record helped create a more engaging atmosphere.
"There is absolutely a tangible difference, not just from my perspective. Fans have shared the same sentiment over and over," Goldstein said.
He said a big turning point was at the first This Never Happened show in San Francisco in 2016.
"Seeing how well the no phones concept worked at our first-ever show was a huge relief and a confirmation that we were on the right path," Goldstein said.
"In the time since then the project has just grown and grown, so I'd like to think we're creating the best possible experience for our fans.
"The whole idea . is to get back to being surrounded by your friends and music that you really love, and nothing really matters in the moment besides those things."
This Never Happened shows are in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in July.