Kate Bush asks fans not to take photographs at live dates

Kate Bush wants fans to enjoy her concerts together rather than through their own mobile devices

Singer Kate Bush has requested fans do not take any photographs or record footage using mobile devices at her upcoming series of live concerts.

The 56-year-old star said on her website: "I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with iPhones, iPads or cameras."

The musician added it would mean "a great deal to me" but admitted that it was "a lot to ask".

Bush's 22-date run of performances in London begins on 26 August.

Tickets for the Before The Dawn gigs at the Hammersmith Apollo sold out within 15 minutes of going on sale in March.

The songwriter, whose hits include Wuthering Heights and Running Up That Hill, last toured in 1979.

She played her most recent concert at the same west London venue.

Bush added on her Fish People website that preparations for the new shows are "going very well indeed".

Fans taking pictures are a familiar sight at concerts

"We're all very excited about the upcoming shows and are working very hard in preparation," added Bush.

In making her request for fans to desist from filming, Bush said: "We have purposefully chosen an intimate theatre setting rather than a large venue or stadium.

"It would mean a great deal to me if you would please refrain from taking photos or filming during the shows."

"I know it's a lot to ask but it would allow us to all share in the experience together," she added.

While it is common practice for concert-goers to take photos and film footage of the action, other stars have also spoken out against it.

The Who's Roger Daltrey said he it found it "weird" that some music fans spend more time using their phones than watching the actual concert.

"Looking at life through a screen and not being in the moment totally - if you're doing that, you're 50% there, right?"

Performance artist Marina Abramovic banned mobiles at her recent Serpentine Gallery show so visitors would concentrate on her work.