Gig "Incident" - You're Too Loud!

[Smallmouth_Bass]

So, let me start by setting it up:
We had a gig tonight. It was night one of a two night stint in a very small bar. Rock covers (60's to present). No stage and only the vocals were mic'd. Drums were acoustic and the guitarist and I were playing through our amps.

So, as we are about 2/3 of the way though our first 45 minute set, the manager asks us to turn down because we are too loud. That was not the problem, the fact that she stopped us mid song was. Most of the people there couldn't believe how rude she was to do that.

The bar is quite small and there were not a lot of people to absorb the sound. I was running my LMII into my 2 1x12 Berg mini stack with the master volume at 7:00 - 8:00 position. You know that area when you turn down just a little bit and then the sound is pretty much gone? That's where I was at. The main problem is that you can only really go as low as the drums dictate. My drummer doesn't play too loud overall, but his snare is quite loud (in a good way) with a really solid 2 & 4.

So, we obliged and suffered from not being to hear each other well. We ended up picking up in the song were we left off! I like the fact that we did not make a big deal about it, did as requested and acted professionally even though it was extremely rude.

Has anything like this ever happened to you? How did you deal with it?

[mpilar]

Wow, never had anybody stop us in the middle of a song. We have gotten the thumb waving down indicating we should turn down a bit in the middle of a song, but we never got the impression that meant stop and turn down, then continue. Volume is a touchy thing with managers of bars/clubs because, at least while playing in WA, they could loose their license to have bands play if the volume is too loud. Maybe she was concerned she would have problems with that?

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Yup, she walked right into the stage area mid song motioning us to stop. I don't think there are any laws concerning losing licenses over loud volumes. I have no problem with her making the request, it's just mid song?!

[txbasschik]

Sounds like some gigs we had last winter. We will not play that place again! The owner kept *yelling* at us to turn down, being very cranky and ugly. We turned down, down, down...still not enough. I unplugged my bass. Not soft enough. Singer used her acoustic guitar and turned down the vocals...not soft enough, all the owner can hear is drums. "That'd be, sir, because you've made us turn down so low that only the drums can be heard. Sorry, but there's no volume control on the drum kit. He's already using brushes...what more do you want?"

"I want you out, if you can't play softer!!!"

"We're already unplugged. Pay us and we'll be gone!"

There were only five people in there, counting the bartenders and the owners.

That lady who runs/owns that bar you were playing in either needs to start hiring acoustic combos, or not do music anymore, if she can't handle a little volume. How rude!!! Y'all handled it very well.

Cherie

[Smallmouth_Bass]

They hire rock cover bands exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays.

There were not a lot of people there, but the people that were had a good time and enjoyed us.

[Aka Nameless]

Well, i've played at bars where Cops are sitting out back 30 minutes before the music starts just waiting for the music to start, so they can tell the club owner it's too loud.

I'm sure Law Enforcement had something to do with it.

Every venue is different, i've played venues where right behind the venue is an apartment complex, and what do you know, the bar owner told us to turn it down like 3 times throughout our set.

[Kitsapbass]

I got told to turn down by the lead singer - get this - after I had turned my amp off. He was hearing the reflection off of the keyboard rig, but figured low end = bass...That was the last gig with that band, curiously enough.......

[biff brown]

dont think We've everbeen told to turn down as a band, but lead singers you know how they are. Mid set the place is getting packed he'll turn to me mid song to turn down. then walk over to my amp and start messing with it. the other night He did that and I stopped playing. I felt like a butt though because it was the one time he walked back there to turn it up. Doh!

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I don't think I'd like other band members adjusting my amp settings unless I have given them permission to.

You know...
In my initial post I mentioned how we were stopped mid song. As it turns out, it may be possible that she thought it was the end of the song because we were right at a break in the tune. In the moment, it was like "what the @&*!", but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

[fullrangebass]

You handled the situation in the most professional way. And I am sure that you will get called back

[Wasp]

Originally Posted by Smallmouth_Bass

You know...
In my initial post I mentioned how we were stopped mid song. As it turns out, it may be possible that she thought it was the end of the song because we were right at a break in the tune. In the moment, it was like "what the @&*!", but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

At least it gave you a good point to pick the song back up!

Which song were you doing?

[Smallmouth_Bass]

The song was Are You Going to be My Girl by Jet.

[IanStephenson]

Originally Posted by Smallmouth_Bass

I don't think there are any laws concerning losing licenses over loud volumes.

Upsetting the neighbours has a LOT to do with loosing licenses. Plenty of places we play are concerned about keeping the sound INSIDE the building because of ongoing concerns about people living near by. At least a three are formally negotiating with the local council to find ways of having loud music without causing a disturbance for which they WILL loose their license.

The worst (we don't play there anymore!) had a sound meter connected to a power trip, so if we got too loud it cut the amps (not a nice thing to do to expensive tube amps!). The asked us to be quiet, and warned us that if the meter went into the red too much we'd be cut. We're not happy (we're a heavy rock band, and are booked/advertised as such), but fair enough, we turn WAY down. We can see the meter, and are watching it as we play - it's good... all amber, with a few peaks in the red. We are NOT exceeding the levels. Halfway through the second set, the power cuts - we all look over to check the meter, and see the bar owner has opened it up, and is poking around inside with a screwdriver!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently someone living nearby had complained, so he'd decided to adjust the machine mid-set!!! Without anything else to go by, he just turned it down until we tripped out....

We were NOT happy. We reset, and continued on, but when it tripped a second time (following more fiddling) we just packed up and went home. We got paid no problem (we had played almost the full two sets we were supposed to), but no way are we going back.

Ian

[Yngwie 4String]

Yeah I had an incident like that once. It went like this:

We were playing in a small bar much like you discribed, but its a packed house. (it was a saturday night, lol they didnt come to see us or anything like that).

We play our first song and when we get done the manager comes up to our vocalist on stage and whispers to her.

Manager: Hey can you guys turn it down?

Vocalist walks over to me

Vocalist to me: Hey Zach they want us to turn down

Me to vocalist: I got this let me see the mic

She hands me the mic

Me to crowd: The manager says they want us too turn it down

Crowd:Booooooo!!

Me to crowd:I was thinking we should turn it up myself

Crowd: Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhh!!

Me to crowd: What do you want?

Crowd: LOUDER LOUDER (Chanting)

Me to crowd: YOU WANT TO GET LOUDER!!

Crowd: YEAH!!!

Me to crowd: I SAID DO YOU WANT TO GET LOUDER!!

Crowd: YEAH!!

Me to Crowd: Allright then

Me to band mates: CRANK IT UP

We play the rest of the set at full blast, and the manager asks us to come back next week.

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I think the way you handled it was probably more professional and thats cool, but the words turn down arent in my vocabulary.

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[Johnny Crab]

Should've just broke into "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

You handled it quite well.
Our drummer's got a loud snare too and, yes, in a good way.

[sb69coupe]

Originally Posted by 4StringFury

...
We play our first song and when we get done the manager comes up to our vocalist on stage and whispers to her.

Manager: Hey can you guys turn it down?

Vocalist walks over to me

Vocalist to me: Hey Zach they want us to turn down

Me to vocalist: I got this let me see the mic

She hands me the mic

Me to crowd: The manager says they want us too turn it down

Crowd:Booooooo!!

Me to crowd:I was thinking we should turn it up myself

Nice. Although this time worked out in your favor, 9 times out of 10 you'd be banned from ever playing at the establishment again. Assuming you're playing in a bar or nightclub, the #1 objective is to help the bar make money. If the bartenders can't hear what the customers want to order, there's no money to be made.

Then again, I'm an old fart and am wearing a pair of khaki shorts that I bought before you were even born, so my advice is worth what you paid for it.

[Yngwie 4String]

Im in a heavy metal band. Its a little bit diferent crowd than what is typicall, and the object for me is to give the crowd a good show. Nobody sees the band Im in and doesnt get there moneys worth.

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by Smallmouth_Bass

The bar is quite small and there were not a lot of people to absorb the sound. I was running my LMII into my 2 1x12 Berg mini stack with the master volume at 7:00 - 8:00 position. You know that area when you turn down just a little bit and then the sound is pretty much gone?

You mean, you couldn't use the volume knob on your bass to control the volume level??

Anyway, yeah, I've been there! In fact I did a 'backyard' gig last night and of course we got shut down by the 'Po-po'! Basically the drummer was bangin' hard. I asked him if he had rods or brushes because we could have easily gotten really quiet and neighbor friendly if he did! All drummers should have both in their arsenal, IMO!

[questhe]

I have been asked and told to turn it down more times than I can remember. That was 20 years ago. Now, I have a better handle on my volume and tone, and I can get great tone at most volumes. You have to adjust your tone for the volume.

The ear percieves LESS bass at Low volumes, so, turn up your bass (shelf EQ 1-200 Hz) at low volumes, and then turn you volume down even more.

Scoop the mids, and add compression.

Now, as far as drummers, same thing. Most drummers can't control their tone at low volumes. Watching it, it looks bizzare:

Me: play quiter, please.
Drummer: There's no volume control on these drums!
Me: Maybe you can hit them softer?
Drummer: Nope.

But a good drummer can and can do it on moments notice, right in the middle of a song.

Same with guitar.

But the problems is, it always sounds better, louder, and each musician will slowly turn it up over time. "Volume Creep"

Having a Db meter is a great idea. I may have to invest.

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Originally Posted by DWBass

I asked him if he had rods or brushes because we could have easily gotten really quiet and neighbor friendly if he did! All drummers should have both in their arsenal, IMO!

Funny enough, we are just discussing this with our drummer.