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The first concert I ever saw was sneaking into a Styx concert on the Grand Illusion tour. It was loud because I'd never experienced a "big" band before. I remember a little bit of ringing in the ears but it faded quickly and I went on with life. That was summer '78 if memory serves.
The next big concert I went to was my first KISS show in Feb '83. The Plasmatics were opening (horrible) and from the first notes they played I remember thinking "this is ridiculously louder then I remember from that Styx show." Wished we had earplugs.
I've never attended a concert again without earplugs, and I remain convinced playing in a weekend warrior cover band standing to close to the drummer in close quarters did far more damage then any of the many concerts I've attended.
Happy to play in a 3 pc with only a cajon now. Funny thing is it seems the tinnitus that I have amped up considerably after the spinal surgery I had last Nov.
The next big concert I went to was my first KISS show in Feb '83. The Plasmatics were opening (horrible) and from the first notes they played I remember thinking "this is ridiculously louder then I remember from that Styx show." Wished we had earplugs.
I've never attended a concert again without earplugs, and I remain convinced playing in a weekend warrior cover band standing to close to the drummer in close quarters did far more damage then any of the many concerts I've attended.
Happy to play in a 3 pc with only a cajon now. Funny thing is it seems the tinnitus that I have amped up considerably after the spinal surgery I had last Nov.
Really? The doctor? I thought he was more of a quiet thoughtful guy.
I know that The Who held the record for some time when they played The Valley which was Charlton Athletic's Football ground, London in 1976.The concert volume was measured at 126 decibels at a distance of 32 metres (a bit more than 100 feet) from the speakers.I think it is a Swedish Rock/Metal band that currently holds the record.
Actually Deep Purple gets the nod from the 60's... but a friend said once that Arrowsmith blew him out of the stadium with all their amps.
Loudest I had heard personally was Ted Nugent in Roosevelt Stadium in NJ back in the 70's.
He had a wall of amps and I have zero doubt in my mind that they were real and they were all on
he would walk over to the amp and it blew back his hair like a fan! This was outside and it was nearly unbearable when he purposely had his guitar feedback while he was kneeling in front of his amps. I had been to many concerts including Kiss early shows which were really loud at the time. But the motor city man by far the loudest.
He had a wall of amps and I have zero doubt in my mind that they were real and they were all on
he would walk over to the amp and it blew back his hair like a fan! This was outside and it was nearly unbearable when he purposely had his guitar feedback while he was kneeling in front of his amps. I had been to many concerts including Kiss early shows which were really loud at the time. But the motor city man by far the loudest.
The loudest thing I've ever experienced was standing below a civil defense siren (not on purpose, no one would do that) when it fired up. You couldnt stick your fingers in your ears far enough.
Cant remember what the loudest band was, there must have been a few
Cant remember what the loudest band was, there must have been a few
I remember seeing Motorhead in Houston in 2009. Despite not drinking my friend went home and threw up and I called in sick next day.
Saw the Plasmatics in 1980, my ears rang for 3 days.
Saw the Plasmatics in 1980, my ears rang for 3 days.
Mid 70's, Toronto, Maple Leaf Gardens.
Saw Boston. The mix was good throughout the entire evening except for when they played Foreplay.
Organ pipes, which, from my view, looked to be 30' tall, rose up from behind the stage. Man they were really loud. Me and almost everyone around cupped ours ears. lol
Saw Boston. The mix was good throughout the entire evening except for when they played Foreplay.
Organ pipes, which, from my view, looked to be 30' tall, rose up from behind the stage. Man they were really loud. Me and almost everyone around cupped ours ears. lol
Loverboy at Castle Farms Music Theater in Charlevoix, Michigan. saw Nugent there, too, and Loverboy covered him up. That was when Nugent had the DC Hawks playing in his band, and he had Five guitars onstage.
Entirely debatable, but I did FOH for the MC5 at a time they were advertising on their own poster 'The loudest band in the world'. They pulled into The Horseshoe Tavern (230 seats) with a backline of 4 SVT heads and 8x10's, and 4 Marshall 100 watt heads with 8 4x12 cabs. Our P.A. system, pretty darn good for it's time, didn't stand a chance, and there was no audible vocals or drums.
I heard that show clearly from my house at the time. I live about a mile and a half from that venue. I wasn’t one of the ones that complained!
in your travels Paula, did you ever do sound for the Blushing Brides? Their club shows were hands down the loudest that I ever experienced. I still can feel the sound of the kick drum penetrating my body and bouncing off the wall behind me the first time I saw them. That was 35 odd years ago and I remember it like yesterday!
