[bob47]

A few weeks ago, we saw the late show of the Journey tribute band at Savannah. The sound system was set so loud it was over-driving the speakers and nothing was crisp and clear. When I asked the entertainment department about it later in the week, I was told they would talk to the sound board guy and ask about it. I haven't heard back.

Last night we were at the Orange Blossom Opry and the sound was hearing damage loud. Hearing protection required loud. When I asked a couple of the band members during intermission, they were surprised we found it loud, and nothing was changed.

So, why are some performances put on so uncomfortably loud?

And, in a restaurant, if the steak isn't cooked, you send it back to the kitchen for more cooking. What should you do at a show when the sound is so poorly managed that it is spoiling the performance?

[fred53]

Do as you did and then leave. Some folks like loud music....there is no accounting for bad taste...

[Topspinmo]

I am surprised preforming for older generation that have hearing problems music would be so loud in an indoor event. Not worth losing what hearing we have left. Some of use get migraines from loud obnoxious noises. Thanks for the warning.

O by the way I have to wear ear plugs at movies to protect the only good ear I got left.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by bob47

What should you do at a show when the sound is so poorly managed that it is spoiling the performance?

Some people like music very loud. I always carry earplugs for that reason.

[John_W]

For many years I went to a lot of concerts. I remember seeing the original Journey with Steve Perry in 1980 and it was very loud, but I attributed part of that to Steve's very high voice and they use a high pitched keyboard sound to color most of their music.

In 1984 I saw Def Leppard with Krokus opening, and it was so loud I couldn't hear well for 3 days. A few days later I saw the Scorpions with Bon Jovi opening. This time I took along cotton and put it in my years. I was only 10' from the stage but it sounded perfect.

I used the cotton trick from then on, for such shows as Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, Styx, Kansas, etc. The only concert I ever found that was too low and I didn't need the cotton was Peter Gabriel. I saw him twice, he's a great artist.

[Jima64]

Probably leave and contact management of your dissatisfaction. Spend your money on something else.

[Jimturner]

You can wear ear plugs to tone down music, but the vast majority of people that want it loud cannot turn up the music.
I would suggest carrying a set of ear plugs every where you go and stop trying to change the world to fit into your narrow parameters. Ggggeeeezzzz.

[Jimturner]

Originally Posted by John_W

For many years I went to a lot of concerts. I remember seeing the original Journey with Steve Perry in 1980 and it was very loud, but I attributed part of that to Steve's very high voice and they use a high pitched keyboard sound to color most of their music.

In 1984 I saw Def Leppard with Krokus opening, and it was so loud I couldn't hear well for 3 days. A few days later I saw the Scorpions with Bon Jovi opening. This time I took along cotton and put it in my years. I was only 10' from the stage but it sounded perfect.

I used the cotton trick from then on, for such shows as Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, Styx, Kansas, etc. The only concert I ever found that was too low and I didn't need the cotton was Peter Gabriel. I saw him twice, he's a great artist.

Great suggestion. You adapted to the situation rather than demanding that the venue adapt to you.

[Retiring]

For me, almost all bands are way too loud. These bands have played many years with speakers right behind or next to them. I do believe most band members have lost much of their hearing. What is loud to you and me may seem reasonable to someone with less than normal hearing. Not an excuse, but possible explanation.

[Boomer]

I just deleted my post which was a rant about all kinds of too loud places.

[pooh]

Haven't been to the Savannah Center in a while, but I do agree, for me, the music is way too loud. Part of the problem is the sound man and part of the problem is me....I swear I can hear snails crawl. Because I find the venue to always seem too LOUD, I make sure I bring earplugs. Actually with earplugs in, you can hear the singers better it seems, at least for me.
It's a tough call for any sound board man....too low and no one hears, too loud and some may suffer. It could be the room, but maybe not. Saw the Doobie Brothers at an outdoor venue and the volume was unbearable. We had to leave.
Sometimes you will see earplugs for sale in the lobby before a concert....cost is minimal and well worth the price if you have good hearing....and would like to keep it...

[dotti105]

I do find the volume much too loud at the movie theaters here. Painfully loud!!

I have not mentioned it to mngt yet. But I will. Until not I have thought it was a fluke. But it's a consistent thing.

[VApeople]

No one has the right to cause me pain without my permission, so I totally avoid any place that is too noisy. I have walked out of live performances, movies, restaurants, and other places because of the noise. I even walked out of our son's wedding reception because the music was too loud. I have walked out of other wedding receptions as well.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I play in a band and volume is always a concern. We often have someone complaining that we are too loud because they can't carry on a conversation while we are playing. To those people, I say that if you want to have conversations, don't go to places where there is live music unless it is a guy sitting in the corner with an acoustic guitar playing background music.

We had some people that were interested in hiring us come to a gig to hear us. One of them asked, "Do they always play this loud?". We heard that and asked many of the people who were at that gig what they thought and not one of them thought we were too loud.

Most people at our gigs like to dance and very few have ever complained about our volume.

We did do a few gigs at a country club where the owner or manager kept coming over and complaining that we were too loud. Of course it was one or two people who want to have a conversation. The thirty or so people that were up dancing loved it. We don't play that place any more because frankly we are not interested in being harassed while we are trying to entertain your clientele.

I frequently attend meetings of acoustic guitar clubs. I've seen a woman at several of them who has walked out because she thought it was too loud. I'm thinking that she must have incredibly sensitive ears because I can't imagine that a room full of acoustic guitars is too loud. At these clubs I basically can only hear myself because the sound of my guitar so close to me blots out all the rest of the guitars in the club.

Some people want to sit and have a conversation. They shouldn't go where there is live music. Some people have overly sensitive ears. They shouldn't go where there is live music. And yes, most musicians, especially those in our age group have some degree of hearing loss. That is why we have sound engineers who tell us what sounds good and what doesn't.

Having said that, I've been to a few concerts in large venues where the volume was just too much. But of the hundreds of concerts I've been to I can only remember one or two where the volume was uncomfortable.

[Barefoot]

Those of us with acute hearing need to wear earplugs in movie theaters. I find the movie commercials especially loud.
I know there are many people who are hard of hearing, and I realize they need the volume higher so they can enjoy the movie.
I don't mind using ear plugs at all.