When did live gigs get ear-pearcingly loud?

[kraigo]

The drummer sets the stage level, IMO. But seriously, "The bass too loud". How is that possible?

As a drummer, I agree somewhat, but only somewhat. Really whoever's loudest sets the volume. I've definitely been in situations where some outside source has forced me to really lay into the drums in order to hear myself. Sometimes that's the guitarist, on one occasion it was the idiot monitor mixer.

And yes, sometimes it's the drummer. There's plenty of idiocy to go around.

KO

 

[PJSShearer]

My tinnitus came from target spotting a couple of feet from a Lee Enfield .303 rifle in 1973 and my cotton wool plug (that's all they gave us) fell out (ouch).

When marking the targets I knew when a bullet hit mine 'cos my ears would ring as it passed over my head!!

 

[lijazz]

Around 1980-81 I saw the Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project at the Hofstra University playhouse...I have never since, nor do I believe I ever will, experience anything that loud again, ears rang for weeks after that.

 

[fenderfunker]

Around 1980-81 I saw the Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project at the Hofstra University playhouse...I have never since, nor do I believe I ever will, experience anything that loud again, ears rang for weeks after that.

What an honour..you should cherish that ring. Incidentally, I saw the Clarke Duke Project last March, They have definately
mellowed somewhat.

 

[JCW308]

I totally agree. We saw Building 429 and After Edmund (Christian bands) live this past year and it was so loud, our ears just crackled all night. The loudness alone made it the worst-sounding concert I ever saw. And it's not like they didn't have nice equipment either. It was just twice as loud as it should have been.

well, i don't know how loud live music was before the millenium.
i think it has always been loud, especially with rock&metal. however, can anyone of the old cats here tell me if gigs from the 60's and 70's were as loud or even louder? if i'm correct, PA support wasn't the standard back then.
the thing is that i just have an issue with loud live music.
evey gig i play or attend, the music is so loud that the sound suffers from it. i can only put up with this volume by wearing hearing protection but this alters the sound a bit. i just son't go to concerts that often anymore because i'm primarily concerned with good sound even more so then a good show.

what do you think?

wouldn't live music be more enjoyable if it wasn't so damn loud?

 

[Soverntear]

id blame it all on slayer

 

[Lammchop93]

Some concerts are very loud lately.

I did see Rush 2 years ago, and I was in the 25th row, and my ears weren't even ringing after the show. That was the one concert that wasn't LOUD. Great show too I might add. But I didn't expect anything less than amazing from Rush.

 

[kraigo]

I think it was two summers ago that I caught Rush. I wasn't up close, but it was very pleasant volumewise. XCel Center in St. Paul is a good venue acoustically, though.

KO

 

[TheVoiceless]

Here is the real problem. The volumes are loud and can be turned down. But the real issue is the frequencies. We had this discussion at practice last night. One of our two guitar players is tone deaf and and can't understand why we all complain when he turns up loud but not when the other turns up.

 

[Ray man]

I dosn't make sense to me to play a 1000 watt bass amp near full volume to compete with 2 guitarists. Meanwhile you must wear ear plugs to keep your brain from liquifying.
Especialy if your only at band practice.

 

[konodl18]

I think the cheap PA gear is to blame

Lots of local bands are putting their own systems together in an effort to keep more of their hard earned $ instead of forking it over to a sound guy.

Many of these systems are of good quality and are ran/managed nicely.

Many of them are junk systems, that get cranked to all bejeesus with little regard for the crowds ears.

Derek

 

[MNAirHead]

Exactly. My touch on the cymbals is much more nuanced if I'm not wearing plugs. It might cause me long term damage, but I don't want to subject anyone to something I'm not facing myself.

KO

Once again Kraigo comes up with a stellar comment.

 

[Surly]

id blame it all on slayer

or AC/DC

 

[TortillaChip520]

I reckon it was when heavy rock was born...those damn drummers hitting the kit so damn hard you can't hear yourself under it...

Well you don't have to play your bass with wooden sticks.
If you did, it would probably get pretty loud at times too.
Do you not play a bit harder when you get more into the music?
Same principle applies.

I've noticed that it's actually quieter when you are in the front row, right by the stage, so you are getting just the stage volume and not the ear piercing PA's.

 

[ggunn]

I think the cheap PA gear is to blame

Not necessarily. The Springsteen show here in Austin (in the Erwin Center) back in March or so was the loudest, most uncomfortable show I've been to in many years, and the PA was NOT cheap.

 

[jmac]

I don't mind loud if the mix is good and clean.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I remember going to see Led Zeppelin with John Bonham in 1974 at Wembley and that was the loudest gig ever!!

I went to many incredibly loud gigs in 73/74 and since then I think that nothing has been as loud or sounded as loud as Led Zep at their peak - it's all been quieter since then...

 

[4001]

The loudest concert I've ever been to was a Rush show in 1990.

 

[4001]

Blame Spinal Tap.

There amps go to eleven.

 

[TimmyBoomBoom]

Leslie West, post Mountain. Very loud and uncomfortable. But I thought Blue Cheer were on record as the world's loudest band. I think they recorded an album from a dock with their amps on a barge or something like that. The MC5 were loud but dynamic. BTW, I always take my North ear baffles to any concert. I like to hear, ya know?