When Karol G, Paul McCartney & More Want Phone-Free Concerts, They Call This Company for Help

When Graham Dugoni started Yondr out of the back of his RV in San Francisco in 2014, the idea of a phone-free concert seemed almost utopian.

“At the time, it wasn’t in the cultural zeitgeist at all,” Dugoni recalls. “We were scrapping around getting some early clubs to let us try it out.” Eleven years later, Yondr’s lockable pouches have been used at more than 10,000 events around the world — from Dave Chappelle’s intimate residencies to Paul McCartney’s stadium shows — securing more than 20 million devices in the process. 

What began as a DIY experiment to create distraction-free spaces has evolved into a thriving global business. “The concept was to create phone-free spaces across modern life — not just for shows but for any environment where you want people to actually be present,” Dugoni says.

Yondr’s first outing wasn’t at a big-name concert but a burlesque show in an Oakland biker bar. Dugoni followed that with a small electronic show for emerging artist Zhu before landing a career-changing call from Chappelle’s team. “There was no such thing as a phone-free show at the time — Yondr invented that,” he says. “We had to figure out how to get fans to understand and comply, but also to appreciate what it’s about.” 

That grassroots experimentation — testing lock strength, messaging and crowd flow — became the foundation for what’s now an essential part of the touring ecosystem. Today, Yondr, which helps artists create phone-free environments through their electronic phone pouches, handles everything from advance coordination with venues and staffing to logistics, shipping and on-site training. “At that scale, it’s a feat,” Dugoni notes. “Over time, it’s gotten easier because people know Yondr. We’ve become part of the show ecosystem.” 

Despite its ubiquity, Yondr keeps a low profile. “People always ask why we don’t put sponsor logos on the pouches,” Dugoni says. “I don’t like visual clutter. It’s not a Yondr show — it’s an artist’s show. We’re just there to help them make it better.” 

Promoters pay a sliding scale to use Yondr based on event type, scale and duration. Most shows typically see a per-ticket price range of $3-5, which is all-inclusive of Yondr’s service, which includes staffing and supply of the pouches. 

When Yondr covers a show, attendees hold on to their locked pouches throughout the event and can access their devices only in designated “phone-use areas,” similar to smoking sections. “You keep your possessions on you at all times,” Dugoni explains. “If you need to step out to text or call, you unlock your pouch there. But inside, the space stays intact. That’s what makes it special.” 

In the past year, artists from Jon Stewart and Kevin Hart to Erykah Badu and Karol G have embraced the model, using Yondr to create phone-free shows.  

“People said it would never work — that fans wanted to be on their phones all the time,” Dugoni says. “Now we’re becoming the creative standard for artists who want to offer something unique. And fans love it. They talk to each other, they look at the stage instead of their screens and the energy is just better.” 

Recent deployments have included Paul McCartney’s Santa Barbara Bowl warm-up and major arena runs by Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan and Chappelle. The company has additionally worked with Broadway productions and festivals like BURST by Loveland in Amsterdam, which had 17,000 attendees. Yondr has also become a fixture in schools, with more than 2.5 million students using the pouches daily, including in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where over 85% of secondary schools use Yondr.  

With warehouses across North America and Europe and a network of trained staff, Yondr is organized to quickly deploy at a moment’s notice — from last-minute listening parties to massive stadium events. “We built our reputation on flexibility,” Dugoni says. “Artists know we can show up in two days for a pop-up or integrate into a full-scale tour.” 

As Yondr looks toward 2026, it’s powering an expanding roster of global tours — including Iron Maiden’s Paris shows and a large-scale European EDM festival. 

For Dugoni, the milestone isn’t just about numbers. “Twenty million phone-free guests isn’t a statistic,” he says. “It’s a signal that people are hungry for real connection. We’re just helping them find it.”