Criminally loud concerts

[KillerEddie]

I saw Cinderella in concert. It was unbelievably loud even by 80s metal standards. The mixing was also atrocious, which made it being so loud that much more grating. They're shrill band in their own right so that combined with poor mixing and absurd db's made it near unbearable. The band themselves played great though, but apparently their sound guy decided that if he couldn't get the faders adjusted right, just turn up the master.

 

[DrayMiles]

Bass Player's wife to Guitarist:
"John, why are you so loud? It's only a pub gig!?!"

John:
"I'm getting my sound ready for Wembley..."



I guess volume is a prerequisite....

 

[DrayMiles]

I saw Cinderella in concert. It was unbelievably loud even by 80s metal standards. The mixing was also atrocious, which made it being so loud that much more grating. They're shrill band in their own right so that combined with poor mixing and absurd db's made it near unbearable. The band themselves played great though, but apparently their sound guy decided that if he couldn't get the faders adjusted right, just turn up the master.

He was nobody's fool...

 

[DrayMiles]

Wouldn't you rather not have tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a sandwich spread in some place mate! (Sorry guys... My sense of humor escaped today... )

 

[bolophonic]

I saw Sunn 0))) in a smallish club. That was like a full body massage.

Sunn played an outdoor festival in downtown Durham NC a few years back and we could hear it just fine at home, two miles away.

I literally never leave the house without ear plugs in my pocket.
(Alpines, nice little rugged aluminum canister.)
When I'm not playing music, I'm doing live sound.
My ears are my business.
Despite my age, I still have most of my hearing, even with a bit of persistent tinnitus in one ear...
Plan to keep it that way.

I will never forget walking into my first audition for a "real" band in college and the guitarist handed me two mismatched, used, dirty earplugs and told me I was going to need them. I'm glad I took the advice and I have preserved my hearing for the last 28 years accordingly! When I had my hearing tested a few years ago, my audiologist told me he had gotten tinnitus from seeing Black Sabbath back in the day.

 

[Worldeeeter]

News flash: concerts are loud. This is a new thing, since about 1961. The philosophy here is CAVEAT EMPTOR. Don't buy tickets to a concert if you don't like loud music.
It is NOT OK to expect a band or venue to "turn down" because it's too loud for you. It is up to the listener to determine what is needed at the show, i.e. - earplugs. I wear them at all shows, big and small, whether I'm playing or listening.
It's really sad that the idea of filing lawsuits against venues for loud music is even mentioned. This is where our society is now. Everyone thinks they are special, and everything should be adjusted to their desires. The moment someone doesn't like something, they call a lawyer.

My recommendation is that, in lieu of live music shows, you should check out some Carpenters albums at your local record store. You can play them at home, at your desired volume, and no lawsuits will be necessary.

 

[outoftune]

Metallica on a Sunday, early 90's. My ears rang until Thursday. It was insane.
Motley Crue at the NYS Fair. So loud I couldn't even tell which song they were playing. That could have been the way the stands were made though. It was at a track so the stands had a roof. I think the sound just swirled around. Horrible show. Sheena Easton in the parking lot was better

 

[ptg]

Hot Tuna at the Shrine Aud. in LA during mid 70's, whole show was white noise.To this day still the loudest show I've been to!

I was waiting to see if anyone mentioned Tuna! Saw them many many times in my youth and although the shows were fun it got to the point where it was painful. One show in particular at the Commack Arena in Long Island (where they played many times) was just way over the top.

Counter that with when we saw Rush during the Signals tour...Large arena and you could hear every note and speak to the person next to you at normal speaking volume without having to shout...Wonderful.

 

[bearhart74]

Metallica on a Sunday, early 90's. My ears rang until Thursday. It was insane.
Motley Crue at the NYS Fair. So loud I couldn't even tell which song they were playing. That could have been the way the stands were made though. It was at a track so the stands had a roof. I think the sound just swirled around. Horrible show. Sheena Easton in the parking lot was better

Sheena Easton in the parking lot? Sounds fun.

 

[StraffordMike]

Sabbath in '82 Dio on vocals. Was so loud that when he talked to the crowd between songs I was plugging my ears. I had ringing in my ears for days after that show

Saw them at the old Boston Garden! Crazy loud there too!

 

[Aqualung60]

I saw Slade at the convention hall in asbury park n.j back in the early 70's, loudest concert i've ever experienced in my life. My ears rang for three days afterward.

 

[StraffordMike]

Saw Rush , my first concert, in 1980 at the old Cape Cod Coliseum. We had driven the hour and a half to get there listening to cassettes the whole way only to arrive and find the show had been cancelled. Original opening band were local favorites The Fools.
Show gets rescheduled with Saxon as the openers. OMG!!! By the time Rush got on stage your ears were so numb you could barely hear them.
That show was an eye-opener for me. The times have changed. I'm pretty sure it was my first contact high too.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Everything is too loud today. My band did a show in a club recently where the between set dj was much louder than us - the only time I've been told the band had to turn up. Thank doG for good ear plugs I always carry for between our sets.

 

[fdeck]

News flash: concerts are loud. This is a new thing, since about 1961. The philosophy here is CAVEAT EMPTOR. Don't buy tickets to a concert if you don't like loud music.

Yup, that's what I do. I'd rather check out somebody's songs on YouTube, or pay $100 to take my family to a classical concert, then attend a rock show. And caveat emptor is working: The public is buying fewer and fewer concert tickets.

I love rock music, but high volumes are the Mustang Sally of sound reinforcement.

 

[Ewo]

i've been using plugs ever since i got into playing amplified music in my middle teens. prolly why i still have decent hearing, in my middle '60s. had my ears checked recently, and the high frequency roll-off is normal for my age as is the mild tinnitus. that's what the audiologist tells me, anyway.

i'm guessing the loudest unprotected sound i've been exposed to actually was in the high school stage band. i played tenor, and the brass were right behind our heads: ears "full," a crackling sensation. freaking l-o-u-d when the brass section hit the fortissimo passages. ditto for the marching band.

amplified music is different; it's way bass-heavy. yeah, i get it--i really like to feel it, too. but i sure am glad i wear plugs at every show i watch and every gig i play. feels nice when i take 'em out at the end of the night and my ears don't feel deadened.

 

[outoftune]

Sheena Easton in the parking lot? Sounds fun.

Ya. we were strolling through the fair and heard a band playing so we walked over and lo and behold it's Sheena Easton doing her things on some far out side stage. Last year (or the year before) Toto, TOTO!!, was on one of these free stages. Crazy.

 

[gregmon79]

I think this is something that falls to the venue and the city they are playing and their rules. Most places, I thought, had db limits. If anything, most have curfew laws. Or both. But it’s like some have stated, what’s overly loud to one guy is the rockinest volume to another. It just depends. We all hear differently.


I saw Ministry at the Vic Theatre in Chicago maybe 12-13 years ago. It was easily the loudest show I’ve ever been to. I couldn’t believe how loud it was. I didn’t wear plugs (young and dumb) and my ears rang for almost 5 days after that. I enjoyed the hell out of myself and Ministry killed it, but if I had to do it again, today, not sure if I would. If I did I would DEF have plugs. Hey, I like it loud too. But I love my ears. And I want to keep them as long as I can.


So I guess it just depends to the OP. the city, the venue, the sound people. But yeah, shows can get very loud without a hitch.

 

[jaco944]

Front row
Ted Nugent
That is all

On a side note, when I went to the bathroom and could hear Marco Mendoza's bass it sounded great. I believe he played Fernandes then.

 

[Mark_70]

RHCP here as well. It was stupid loud. Was back in Omaha, probably 10 years ago. Easily the loudest one I've been to.

Guys, take this from someone who's ear is permanently ringing - it's not worth it.. You only have one set of ears and you should be careful with it.

Regards
Mark

 

[mellowinman]

News flash: concerts are loud. This is a new thing, since about 1961. The philosophy here is CAVEAT EMPTOR. Don't buy tickets to a concert if you don't like loud music.
It is NOT OK to expect a band or venue to "turn down" because it's too loud for you. It is up to the listener to determine what is needed at the show, i.e. - earplugs. I wear them at all shows, big and small, whether I'm playing or listening.
It's really sad that the idea of filing lawsuits against venues for loud music is even mentioned. This is where our society is now. Everyone thinks they are special, and everything should be adjusted to their desires. The moment someone doesn't like something, they call a lawyer.

My recommendation is that, in lieu of live music shows, you should check out some Carpenters albums at your local record store. You can play them at home, at your desired volume, and no lawsuits will be necessary.

Guess what? I disagree vehemently with this post. If you create a sound that causes hearing damage to others, you are damaging other human beings. It's not about "not liking loud music." I LOVE loud music! I play loud music all the time. The audience goes in wanting to HEAR loud music. I have never heard of anyone volunteering to have their hearing damage. In my opinion, the mindset of your post is beyond stupid. It's irresponsible, short-sighted, and arrogant. You cannot do ANYTHING involving the general public that involves requiring all people to have a certain set of knowledge in order to not sustain physical damage. A nine year old who became deaf at your show? What an idiot! That kid should've known to bring hearing protection! Sorry. That's not how it works. Everyone IS special, and deserves to be treated with respect. Sounds above 85 db are likely to cause hearing loss after sustained exposure. Have you ever heard a concert at 85 db? Of course you haven't. A concert is above 100 db, with bands "claiming" such ear-popping levels as 120 db. 120 db is NOT necessary, or even a slightly good idea.
It's not up to me, or you for that matter, to decide what is criminal. I would think 120 db is criminal. I would certainly think more than that is criminal.

OSHA PEL recommends: The maximum exposure time for unprotected ears per day is 8 hours at 90 dB , A-weighted, slow response For every 5- dB increase in volume, the maximum exposure time is cut in half.

• 95 dB - 4 hours
  
  
• 100 dB - 2 hours
  
  
• 110 dB - 30 min
  
  
• 120 dB- 7.5 min

Have you ever listened to music with proper sound at 100 db? It's loud. It matters what frequency is being pushed. Highs and mids seem to be a lot more painful than bottom, and this IS a bass guitar forum, after all. Do I need someone's shrieky voice or screamy lead guitar cutting through my head like a knife? No, and I might punch them. And I'm not alone. Beware the angry Carpenters fans of the world. The Carpenters rock much more than many of these over-loud bands.