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Criminally loud concerts

#321
friskinator said:
Re: the baby shower - it's amazing how many places you can go where loud volumes happen where you least expect it. There are several restaurants in my city where I refuse to eat because of the volume level. A local magazine recently did a decibel test at a few of them, and some of them approached 100db. And these aren't nightclub-type restaurants - they're hip/trendy places with a dinner crowd.
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I've noticed that about some restaurants, too. The ambient noise level (people talking, dishes banging, etc.) is pretty loud. The spaces are reflective, with little to damp the sound--so they're just noisy. I've often thought it would be a good idea for the restauranteur to add some acoustic absorber panels to the walls and ceiling.
 
#322
McG said:
The Dead's long time sound man, Dan Healey, was constantly looking for gear and ways to have the cleanest sound possible in all areas of the venue. He was the first to obtain structural drawings of buildings in advance of a show and design the PA setup specifically for that building.
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Dan worked with and succeeded Ron Wickersham (Alembic founder) and Owsley Stanley (financier-elf-chemist) who created the Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound in 1974. All these guys worked exceptionally hard to make sure that the band's sound was crisp, clear and the audience got the best show they could ask for. I can say that their work really paid off. I never saw a Wall of Sound concert but the systems that followed (the ones at the shows I saw/heard) benefitted from that work and are unquestionably the best sound among all concerts I've gone to, a run of shows that began in 1966. Loud, yes, but loud and clear.
 
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#324
In the mid '80s we went to a concert of some experimental music at UCLA. When we walked in there were lots of signs warning of the volume levels we were about to experience and all the usshers/attendants were handing out earplugs and beeswax! We didn't stay very long, especially as, by the time we got in, we had to sit right up front!
 
#325
CaseyJ said:
Megadeth opening for Judas Priest back in 1990. Smashing Pumpkins at lollapalooza in the early 90's made me rush to the restrooms thinking i was going to puke. I do not know if it was the volume, or the overly bass heavy eq just going right through my chest.
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I once thought I was having a heart attack due to that pounding in my chest.
 
#327
I'm nowhere near half way though this thundering thread and my ears are already almost bleeding, just reading this stuff - I'm likely to be stuffing anything, earbuds, ciggie butts, blutac, anything, into my ears even at the movies, these days, if I've forgotten my plugs. No pain. LESS gain's the sound refrain.
 
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#328
buldog5151bass said:
Yeah - that sounds like fun and WELL worth the money...
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Right!.. Fortunately I didn't pay. A buddy I was with at the G3 show talked me into cutting out 30 min early if he paid.
He always wanted to see Wasp so I said WTH. Changed my concert going habits after that exp.. lol

-Asdfgh- said:
I once thought I was having a heart attack due to that pounding in my chest.
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That's scary when that happens. I got pushed up from the middle and trapped about 6-8 ft in front of the mains while Ministry was playing Stigmata.
Thought I was going into cardiac arrest and almost went down. Luckily this 6'5'' guy noticed, picked me up and tossed me up and over the security gate.
 
#332
I saw Suicidal Tendencies and Queensryche in about 1991-1992 in Duluth, Mn. 1st row, general admission, right in front of the first array of PA cabs. I literally had my arms braced against the security cage between the crowd and stage. During ST's set, I honest to god felt like I was having a heart attack. It felt like the subs were actually forcing my heartbeat to change rhythm - it was the spookiest thing I've ever encountered. Downright scary.
 
#335
Rush, A Farewell To Kings tour. Same tin can hockey arena, 5K capacity and I was sitting at the far end of the arena, mid way up the seats. I could feel Alex Lifeson's E and A strings when he hit a chord. Add Geddy and Alex and it was numbing.
I went out a bought the album the next day.
Fishheadjoe
 

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