Well... that was an odd gig

[Jon_West]

So check this out.

We got called up to do a gig and an upscale jazz lounge in Toronto. It's not a payed gig.. whatever, there's going to be a lot of photographers there, good publicity, etc.
Before hand, the guy sends about 10 emails explaining how he wants the music. Uptempo latin jazz, standards, sinatra, etc etc. Point is, he wants it vivacious, up beat, and moving so the guys can get up and dance.

We get there, and there's about 1.5x1.5 meters of space to put everything (that includes a drum kit, 2 amps, and a full PA system (I wish I was kidding)). We start playing, and right off the bat, the owner comes over and tells us we're too loud (we usually start soft to build everything up at first). Alright, we turn down. We play some more, again we're too loud. We turn down to the point where I can't even hear the guitar solo, the drummer can't hear my changes, and the trumpeter couldn't hear anything. Cool.

So we take a break (the DJ wanted us to take intervals switching off from us for 20 minutes to him for 20 minutes, and so on, lol). During this time, the owner comes over and lectures us about how it's "too loud, it's not a club, I've had a world class orchestra come in here and they we're perfect" (how he would even fit an orchestra in that place is beyond me).

So then the DJ plays his music - a mix of smooth jazz, Sinatra Standards, and electronic dub beats with some Massive attack mixed in, so loud, you couldn't hear yourself talk.

We start playing again, and sure enough, get told we're too loud (and actually get lectured WHILE we're playing).

We ended up playing slow ballads the rest of the night.

We got good feedback from the guests... everyone loved us. Though many of them said we could have played a little louder.

[steveTM]

XD thats great.. like was the owner serious about the loudness... and im still confused about how the DJ had loud ass could play really loud... and how the hell do you fit a orchestra in 1.5x1.5 meter space???.. all im saying is that dude has to be either stupid or on drugs....great story tho!!

[dougjwray]

Great story-- thanks!

[chokeslam512]

I would have turned up everytime he said you were too loud. That would have made him stop harassing you. That, or ask the audience (who obviously dug you) when the owner hassled your volume knob.

[lbanks]

While not quite the same, I saw a band Bootsy was fronting (The Complete Strangers) (about 1973, this was, kiddies) go thru much the same thing. The club owner kept telling them they were too loud (they were but it sounded good) until he finally killed the stage power. The audience rose up in revolt and the owner ran and lock himself in his office. In there, he started killing power in the club till the crowd left. Strangely, he soon went out of business. (BTW, Bootsy never did turn down)

[snyderz]

We've had numerous gigs where we were told to turn down to the point of rediculous, and during the break, the jukebox is 10 times louder than we were! We can only shake our heads and laugh.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by Jon_West

So check this out.

We got called up to do a gig and an upscale jazz lounge in Toronto. It's not a payed gig.. whatever, there's going to be a lot of photographers there, good publicity, etc.
Before hand, the guy sends about 10 emails explaining how he wants the music. Uptempo latin jazz, standards, sinatra, etc etc. Point is, he wants it vivacious, up beat, and moving so the guys can get up and dance.

We get there, and there's about 1.5x1.5 meters of space to put everything (that includes a drum kit, 2 amps, and a full PA system (I wish I was kidding)). We start playing, and right off the bat, the owner comes over and tells us we're too loud (we usually start soft to build everything up at first). Alright, we turn down. We play some more, again we're too loud. We turn down to the point where I can't even hear the guitar solo, the drummer can't hear my changes, and the trumpeter couldn't hear anything. Cool.

So we take a break (the DJ wanted us to take intervals switching off from us for 20 minutes to him for 20 minutes, and so on, lol). During this time, the owner comes over and lectures us about how it's "too loud, it's not a club, I've had a world class orchestra come in here and they we're perfect" (how he would even fit an orchestra in that place is beyond me).

So then the DJ plays his music - a mix of smooth jazz, Sinatra Standards, and electronic dub beats with some Massive attack mixed in, so loud, you couldn't hear yourself talk.

We start playing again, and sure enough, get told we're too loud (and actually get lectured WHILE we're playing).

We ended up playing slow ballads the rest of the night.

We got good feedback from the guests... everyone loved us. Though many of them said we could have played a little louder.

Sounds like he wanted an acoustic jazz band or something. Of course the orchestra wasnt too loud, they dont use amps!

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by snyderz

We've had numerous gigs where we were told to turn down to the point of rediculous, and during the break, the jukebox is 10 times louder than we were! We can only shake our heads and laugh.

My band was asked to play a bar in Van Nuys called The Liquid Zoo by this DJ guy I knew. There were going to be a couple of DJs and us, and Improv Rock band. We get set up and start playing. After one song we are approached by the guy who booked us 'You guys need to turn down' So I did (but apparently I was the only one. After the second song 'You guys need to turn down, the bartender can't hear the drink orders'. Ok, I turn down. 15 seconds into the 3rd song and the guy comes running up to us. Our drummer at the time nearly went ballistic on this guy. After a really tense moment he tells us we can play one more song. We tell him Eff You and start packing up. Afterwards we're drinking in the parking lot when the DJ set starts up, 10times louder than we were.

[rmkesler]

Originally Posted by lbanks

(BTW, Bootsy never did turn down)

Well, there you go. When in doubt you have to ask yourself "What would Bootsy do?"

[MikeBass]

I've been in situations like that before, where the DJ is massively
Louder than us- and we were asked to turn down. I ALWAYS make a point to go to the manager or who ever asked us to turn down to explain to me the difference in volume between the DJ and us.
And I don't stop asking until I get some reason.Usually the DJ is told to turn down, or we don't get questioned again.

[RFord04]

No offense guys, 'cause I've been there too (I'm sure most of us who play clubs/bars/lounges/etc...), but it seems that if they want you to turn down, but the DJ is much louder, they probably just don't like your music (The owner/manager, personally, that is).

It's especially sad when the owner can't see that the majority of the crowd actually does dig it, and they let their personal preferences come before their customers'.

[bound'n'blocked]

We were playing at a pizza joint for their "bike night" on a very small deck outside. The PA consisted of a JBL Eon system for the vocals only. We kinda just varied the amp settings to not be too loud. After the second song, one of the girls came out and told us to turn down so I turned down the eons and we backed the amps down just a tad. After another song she was back. Said they were getting complaining phone calls about the volume. Down a bit more across the board. After about two more she comes back and says still too loud. I said I cant really go any lower, but we do. Drummer gets out his wood brushes (we're a classic rock band). Finish the set and break, she says still too loud, and then the chief of police shows up. He's a friend of mine and the drummer. He says we sound fine to him. Not too loud. We start up and she asks us to turn down again, they are still getting phone calls. At this point, I'm hearing the singer next to me more out of his mouth than out of the eon on the other side of me. I say we cant go any lower. We finish the night and get paid and go home. Overall a good show.

About 3 months later I'm chatting with the police chief and he tells me that the noise complaints were coming from a competing pizza joint down the street. They apparently were pizzed because the place we were playing at had taken all their business that night.

BnB

[wideyes]

Originally Posted by bound'n'blocked

About 3 months later I'm chatting with the police chief and he tells me that the noise complaints were coming from a competing pizza joint down the street. They apparently were pizzed because the place we were playing at had taken all their business that night.

That's just...

I think sometimes establishment owners are a little sensitive to volume because so many blowhards roll through wanting to be the next Stevie Ray Vaughn or whatever. They probably ruin it for folks like the ones who have posted, who all seem to be very volume-conscious.

+1 to "Why is the ******* DJ louder than us?"

[Randall]

Sounds like you coulda/shoulda left the pa at home. I suppose asking some questions about the gig may prevent you from bringing out the "big guns" for a small venue.

[bluewine]

I think this is where a lot of us go wrong. Keep in mind I don't play in a Jazz Band, I play Pop Rock on the harder side. But I don't think the genre matters.

None of us should be playing for no pay. I don't care how many people are there (usually a fraction of what the owner tells you), or your position on exposure. At the end of the day playing for no pay is a losing proposition.

blue

[rtslinger]

And a non paying gig no less the only photos they shot of you were of you,was you getting yelled at by the owner sounds like it su*ked all around. Got to tell you after the second time I would have packed up and left he wasn't paying me so I owe him nothing. He had backup in the DJ anyway. I would have walked no doubt in my mind! RTS

[Sonicfrog]

Ha!!! We just had one of those a month ago.

We were requested to play an art exhibit in a decent size gallery. We show up, start hauling stuff in. The woman who booked the band remember us from the days when we were an acoustic three piece, which was before I joined the band. No we're three acoustic guitars (explains why we named ourselves Acoustic Highway). We also had to turn down so low we couldn't hear what we were playing. It was very frustrating. Everyone said we sounded great, but, on one song, one of the guitarists, Jim, was very flustered by the whole thing and accidentally left his capo on from the last song. Maybe his guitar was turned down so low that nobody heard it!!! It was that kind of night.

[Sonicfrog]

Originally Posted by bluewine

I think this is where a lot of us go wrong. Keep in mind I don't play in a Jazz Band, I play Pop Rock on the harder side. But I don't think the genre matters.

None of us should be playing for no pay. I don't care how many people are there (usually a fraction of what the owner tells you), or your position on exposure. At the end of the day playing for no pay is a losing proposition.

blue

I so want to agree, but there are many worthwhile charities, AND we have gotten many a paying gig from a non-profit gig.

[A440Hz]

This is a bit extreme, but a future solution may be to buy an SPL meter as a precaution. It's a nice thing to have on hand, anyway. Bring some objectivity to the situation. SPL meter plus an SPL chart might just help the guy see his idiocy.

Oh, and if you have an iPhone and you need to know the current SPL, yes, there's an app for that. Seriously. I don't know how it's calibrated, but it must be cal'd to the built-in mic.

[Ben B]

Originally Posted by snyderz

We've had numerous gigs where we were told to turn down to the point of rediculous, and during the break, the jukebox is 10 times louder than we were! We can only shake our heads and laugh.

Me too. I've always wanted to question the bartender or owner about it, but I figured they would kick us out if I did.