So with the vb4 we are talking 100 watts, I fear that getting drowned out by mesa and Marshall halfstacks
I guarantee your are not, tube amps act differently than solid states and are generally capable of sounding louder than a solid state with similar amount of watts.
I played through an Ampeg B-15S 60 W with one 15" cabinet, I did push it extremely hard and I did play with a quite treblely tone, preventing the amp going into fart mode on the low notes, but I had no problems cutting through what soever in a very loud band (hardcore/math/noise rock), with a hard hitting drummer, another bass player who took care of the more traditional bass playing through a 100W Carlsbro tube amp through a cabinet with 2 15", a screaming singer and guitarist, sometimes heavily distorted, who played his Hiwatt 100W through a 4 12" cabinet.
Even played some gigs with no PA backup at smaller venues without any issues.
I particular remember playing in a small bar, where they would have different acts, especially a lot of more or less alternative rock acts, playing every night, and we played with so much power that you litterally could feel the pain from the pressure of the sound on your ear drum.
Might be the greatest gig I ever did in fact, we all played almost flawless, the energy on the small stage was so intense, and the bar was packed with people, but that is another story, I guess.
