Tigerdaisy wrote:I think playing 'loud' is a psychological thing with musicians in that they are so often up their own backsides they want to make sure everyone can hear them... Loudness is obviously a subjective thing- if there's a number you really like, you love it to be played loud and vice versa. Most 'rock' bands see it as a virtue of being excruciatingly loud aka the desire for more and more volume back in the very early days of the Marshall amps. I don't like over loud music at a venue and it very often happens- its as if loudness is a necessary virtue or quality. Im referring to volume to the point where you cannot hear the music- what's the point. I remember going to see a Queen tribute band and they were so loud you literally could not actually hear what they were playing. I mentioned it to the sound guy on my early exit and as you might suspect, his answer was 'oh, they usually play louder than that...'
I think there is a general accepted level of volume for what I'd call 'civilised' events where the band is loud but not so loud that you cannot hear the subtle nuances of what is being played. I don't remember going to many concerts both in arenas and theatres where you couldn't hear the performance because of the awful amount of volume, even a led Zeppelin gig at Earls Court many years ago. At dinners where you have a band or a disco I'm often frustrated to the point of having to stuff bits of napkin into my ears or having to leave the room. My view is that its a sign of musical immaturity turning the volume up to the point that members of the audience are forced to leave.
I think I've been to see the same Queen Tribute band - KIller Queen possibly? The sound volume had us pinned to the back wall!!! I asked the guy on the sound desk at half time if it was possible to drop it a little. His answer was not kind.
On the same tack, I have recently seen the Queen Extravaganza show and the sound was not only excellent quality but loud enough to be immersed in it but not so that it HURT. And also Talon, an Eagles tribute band put out a decent volume and a quality mix. I left BOTH gigs at the end still with my hearing intact.
Ian
