Never really been at a concert where I've found it too loud - obviously depends on where you are relative to the stage and speakers, but a friend of mine had been at a Focus concert where he'd seen someone with bleeding ears. I think the loudest may have been a Rush concert in 1978 at Newcastle City Hall, I remember my friends left before the end saying it was loud but that might have been an excuse to go to a local baked potato shop before it closed!
I saw Mogwai around that time play in Oxford - was in a venue with a fairly low ceiling. Hot as hell, and crazy loud. The guitar pieces rattled the ribs! Interestingly the sound was very clear though, and even the next day my ears weren’t ringing - and heat aside the gig was very good. I think this may be the difference - ‘bad’ loud sound vs ‘good’ loud sound. And genre too to an extent. I’ve been to some very loud electronic/psy trance sort of gigs with bass that moves your clothes and hair (well my long hair anyway..) and yet very clear sound and no ringing ears after…
Mogwai really did it well. I never felt it was TOO loud at any point, just appropriately crushing when it needed to be
They were a sweaty mess, but in a good way! I'd say they were even MORE aggressive live, if you can believe it. I've only seen them once, mind.
Hot Tuna - Springfield Civic Center 1983 - so loud went to the back of the civic center from the floor where we had seats to get farther away - even back there the volume was basically overloading our ears and we were hearing ghost-like sounds overtop of the music - and no, no psychedelics involved.
Green Day at the Philadelphia Spectrum. One of the concerts in the final series before it was torn down.
Keeping the volume at the level too loud for comfort, just short of becoming unbearable is a hallmark of Swans shows. Incidentally, the best I've ever seen and the volume levels definitely play a role.
No! I really haven't done so as a best practice and feel really fortunate about that now. I have recently decided it's time to start wearing them...especially to small club shows. The bigger outdoor shows I don't worry about as much.
Dinosaur Jr. 1997. It was horrible and probably damaged my hearing a bit. I could not even tell what they were playing. I was a senior in high school and brought a girl I liked. It was not a good date. Just ear pain and second hand smoke.
This one. I could literally see my shirt vibrating in time to the music (and I didn't have ear plugs). I got in my car after the show and thought my radio wasn't working because I couldn't hear anything.
Butthole Surfers supported by Primal Scream (apparently!) at the Brixton Academy, 1988. Absolutely epic night at ludicrous volume. Is there a thread for 'support acts who left no impression on me but went on to be big'?
Tomahawk after Exit/In was reopened and sucked. I walked out after 20 minutes or so, couldn't take it.
If I remember correctly , The Clash in 1979 , ears were probably buzzing for near a week after . UK Subs & Anti Pasti around 1980 too , sound eventually just became a buzz where everything sounded the same , Spizz were also there , can't remember which version....oil , Atletico Spizz , Energy ?
There was a Tiktok prompt going around asking people what the loudest band they ever saw was. A woman made a video and named my old band. I have never been prouder.
Johnny Winter at the Felt Forum in 1975 - I was leaning on the stage directly in front of a Voice of the Theatre speaker (A4?) when Johnny came out, sat on his stool and unleashed Sweet Poppa John. My ears are still ringing nearly 50 years later!
A few come to mind. Deep Purple in '85. I was near the front in front of Blackmore. Venom & Slayer played here together in '85 as well and that one was ridiculously loud. But likely the loudest I ever attended was Matthew Sweet oddly enough. I saw him in '93 & '95 and both shows were incredibly loud. I started carrying ear plugs with me to any show after that.
Easily The Cure, November 1985. We could not talk to one another. Or shout. Really. They like to play it LOUD. Saw them again in 1992, 2000 and 2008 (besides some festivals where they were part of the line up or the headliner). Much better experience.
Bowie, Milton Keynes 1990. Right in front of the stack it was insanely loud. I noticed that after about 1990-ish that concerts in the UK became noticeably quieter. There was guidance to limit sound levels to 107db continuous and 140db peak; and if it exceeds 96db then warnings on tickets and entrances shall be posted!
Prong/Bolt Thrower double bill in the 80s, they also both sucked or Ted Nugent when I was 13, deaf for 2 days afterwards. But its hard to say, i saw a lot of insanely loud shows, Sonic Youth/Motorhead/Clash/Ramones/Iggy, the usual suspects
