Typical wattage used at small bar gigs

[JimmyM]

You have to put yourself into the head of a bar owner, she or he wants people to order drinks, talk to other people, meet someone, dance and so on. If the band takes over the decibel levels in that space, some or all of the other parts will suffer. Worst, there are people who don't like loud music so they avoid the place, too.

It's Ok to play loud in concerts, that's another story. As for bars, someone doing that will just minimize their chances for more gigs in bars in future.

Personally, I guess I'm getting old but nowadays I rather like to hear musicians play in my ears than *feel* them play in my stomach.

I like both, always have, and probably always will. There have been many times I've complained that a band isn't loud enough, including my own bands.

 

[IvanMike]

right now 650. not turned up all that much depending upon the band. before that 400. I've played with 150 with the right amp and been ok. i've also used 2000. hardly used them.

overall if i was amp buying right now i would shoot for an amp that could do 250 at 8 ohms and 400 at 4 ohms. maybe a bit more if it was in budget. you never use it till that one night where the others are too loud or the room is huge.

 

[mowburger]

For a while now 375w @ 8ohms, gonna move to a micro that does 300@8ohms and 500@4ohms. I like to add speakers rather than watts to get louder.

 

[funkcicle]

In 1000+ gigs over the last 5 years I've never "needed" more than 100w indoors, and I don't think I've ever tapped more than 300 in the instances where I wasn't sure. Any room that would have called for my larger rig had a top notch FOH anyway so stage amplification was practically moot. If you're playing to a room that only holds 100 people and feel like you NEED +500w and more than two speakers then I would strongly suggest hiring an audio professional to analyze your band's stage sound- something ain't right.

 

[MrLenny1]

400 watt amp
2x10 Cab
Volume up to half, plenty of volume for small bars.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Another Zombie thread raises it's ugly head looking for brainzzzzz!!!!!

 

[klokker]

We're a rock/dance bar band.......I have a 600 watt amp and a 212. If I'm going through the house I'm barely turned up at all, just using my amp as a monitor. I can easily be "too loud" if I want to be.

At one place we play, we just have vocals going through the PA and its all on my amp, there I have to crank my amp a bit more. But even then my amp barely gets warm after 4 hours.