Sold out across both nights, almost 40,000 fans put their phones away for Phoebe Bridgers’ The Lost Tour on Oct. 2 and 3.
At all shows, fans are required to place their phones inside Yondr pouches before entering the arena.
Yondr pouches are smart-phone sized bags that are locked magnetically for the duration of the show. Designated areas in the concourse were available for those who needed to use their phones.
The phone-free experience began before the music did.
Bridgers thanked the crowd for putting away their phones when she got on stage.
“I know it’s irritating but it really makes this so much cooler for me,”she said.
Concertgoer Elizabeth Cady said the phone-free policy was part of the appeal of attending the concert.
“It was actually the main reason I wanted to go,” she said.
Outside the venue, fans gathered around digital screens displaying messages connected to the tour. One screen read, “I took this photo before I saw Phoebe Bridgers’ The Lost Tour 2026 at Scotiabank Arena.”
Upon entry, staff asked guests whether they had smart watches, headphones or digital cameras before securing the pouch with a magnetic lock.
Guests kept possession of their phones throughout the concert, but could only access them in designated phone-use areas. The pouches were unlocked by staff after the performance.
Cady said she had never attended a phone-free concert before and expected the experience to be more immersive.
“I think that having a show be phone-free, especially a concert, is going to be such an immersive experience and such a moment where everybody feels so present,” she said.
The arena appeared full when the stage lights moved over the audience. Colours associated with Bridgers’ albums shifted throughout the performance.
Fans pulled out lighters during “Kill Me,” one of the show’s early songs and then again during several of the slower songs.
Julia Krurnowski, who had previously only seen Bridgers perform at a music festival, said she wanted the phone-free format to make the arena feel smaller.
“I wanted an intimate feel. Even though it’s technically a big venue,” Krurnowski said.
That intimacy was particularly noticeable when Bridgers moved to a smaller stage in the middle of the arena. She sat cross-legged on the floor and played the keyboard while the audience watched from the surrounding seats.
The crowd remained visibly engaged throughout the show.
For the duration of the show, the arena was full of people and completely free of screens. The concert still ended with a cheering crowd.
“I’d never heard applause that loud,” Krurnowski said.
